Is it worth it to pursue a diagnosis in these times?

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I've been slowly working on getting all my paperwork done for an adult autism assessment at a local university. I live in one of the most liberal states in the US, so things could certainly be a lot worse, but given the way the political climate is going, I've been wondering if it's worth pursuing an official diagnosis. It will definitely strengthen my case for receiving disability benefits, and if I go back to college, I think it will help me receive the accommodations I so desperately needed in my previous attempts at higher education. So, there is a lot of potential personal benefit. But I don't know if the official label will make things more difficult for me, moving forward in a country where disability rights are being viciously undermined. Hopefully this makes some sense and others have insight / advice to offer on this. This is also my first post, so hello everyone!

Be the change you want to see...

A diagnosis may not lead to benefits, of your own volition or of the government's... but there is value in a diagnosis well beyond government monies.

I don't want or need fed money, but I have a desire to demystify ASD, to make it ok to say "thats my tribe"... it is scary. The more of us that own it, who rise up and say those are my people... that makes it less scary.

In ten years, when my boy is grown up... maybe it won't be scary at all.

This is a topic that has been on my mind a lot lately. I am in the process of seeking an official diagnosis but I started to question if this might be a bad idea after the election. Since I had already been waiting months and finally had an upcoming appointment with a Neuropsychiatrist who specializes in Autism, I decided to keep moving forward. At this point, I admit I'm a bit concerned that having this diagnosis could be problematic down the road but I really feel that I need to find out for certain, if for no other reason than my own peace of mind. For now I've decided to stay the course. I just hope I don't end up regretting it in the future.

I'm in the same boat here. I am researching how to apply for disability concerning my severe GAD, but getting an ASD diagnosis has been on my mind as well. The problem is every research center and hospital that offers diagnoses have rejected or ignored me based on my age. (They only see minors.) So my only hope is getting on disability with my GAD and even that is a very slim chance, as even my own parents do not support me in it.

Get assessed and then you can choose who you want to be aware of your diagnosis if you are in fact on the spectrum. People can't read minds, they can't tell you have autism if you don't tell them so. Anything that is so apparent post diagnosis would be apparent without a diagnosis, so you would be judged regardless. But you can't expect to get understanding or accommodations from anyone in your life if you don't have an official label from which to work from.

If you feel you need the accommodations then, yes, it's worth doing. As Noca said; you can pick and choose who you disclose to.