Should I seek a diagnosis?

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I'm here because I think I might be an Aspie. I'd kinda like to know for certain just for my own peace of mind (it would certainly explain a lot), but I'm hesitant to seek an actual diagnosis. My worry is that it could have legal ramifications down the road or be used against me somehow. Are there an complications that can arise from a formal diagnosis? I live in CA in the USA.

Are your Traits/symptoms hindering you ability to function in a everyday life IE: Work, relationships, Self Care?

Relationships somewhat- mainly my marriage. I find it extremely difficult to express emotions verbally when needed. Most of the time I've avoided relationships with people who didn't "get" me or thought I was rude, but then I've also become much more adept at fitting in over the last ten years. That said, I still find it very difficult to make new friends. I only have a few and we're not super close. I don't know how you make the transition from acquaintance to friend.

An option is an unofficial diagnosis. What that means is that an expert says that in thier proffessional opinion you are an Aspie but no records are written

That might be a better option for me. Thanks!

Karen, an official diagnosis won't ever change who you are, but it may be helpful in case you ever got into psychological trouble (like depression/burnout) as the methods of battling these may be significantly different.

I wouldn't seek an official diagnosis unless you have a need to do so.

To me an unofficial diagnosis seems like a good middle road for you, it could explain certain things to you which you keep bumping into and a diagnosis might (and probably will) help you with self-acceptance, or at least the latter did for me.

Good luck!

Listen if you feel being discriminated by being an Aspie is a bad thing move to another country such as Ireland, England, Australia, Canada or Europe where Aspie's are treated better.

To my knowledge, these days the only times that an autism diagnosis can have legal ramifcations is in custody battles for children, or when trying to join certain careers such as police or army. There may be others, but you'd have to look them up. The ADA protects us from discrimination at work or when receiving services, and the new healthcare laws prohibit insurance companies from denying us coverage based on a pre-existing condition.

The only way you can receive disability-specific benefits such as job support, SSDI, service animals, assisted living, etc. is by having an official diagnosis. If you don't need services, and the entire point of the diagnosis for you is a better understanding of yourself, then it's really up to you whether or not to pursue it. I got diagnosed initially because I just wanted to know for sure if I had it, but it's had a lot of unexpected benefits for me. I wound up getting accommodations at school, joining a social skills group, finding a job coach/support worker, and getting accepted to a government program which sets up people with disabilities with paid internships to gain work experience. It also makes me feel safer knowing that if I ever run into law enforcement and the like, if they get suspicious of my behaviour, I can carry a card explaining my condition, and have the documented proof to back it up. My diagnosis also had the benefit of making my family understand me a little better and accept my quirks a little more. They're not 100% there yet, but it's an improvement over what it was.

Thanks, StarTrekker! Yeah this would be purely for my own understanding as I don't need services. The custody thing does worry me. I don't plan on divorcing and I don't think my husband would ever sink to something like that, but it still makes me uncomfortable.

I don't know if it would help my family understand me better or not. My family is pretty great and love me for who I am. They're really the only people I feel reasonably comfortable being myself around. It might help with the in-laws though. My MIL hates me. My FIL is "used to" me now but I still bother him with my manners (or lack thereof).

I've mentioned the possibility a few times with my mother and she brushed it off. "You had no delays!" "My neighbor has Asperger's and you're nothing like her!" etc. Yet recently she was reminiscing about how she used to put my clothes on inside out because the seams/tags would bother me.