Should I (an adult) seek an official diagnosis of ASD?

Post Reply New Topic

It would explain a lot of I am on the spectrum. I have taken an apparently reputable online quiz for AQ and both times their analysis was (strong evidence of autism).

What would be the point of adding to my list of diagnoses? There isn't a treatment anyway, is there?

So that no one could ever accuse you of being a poseur.

A full neurological workup should reveal your strengths and weaknesses.
Sometimes it is hard to appreciate your strengths because they come so easy.

It is hard to know you you really compare against others with regards to skills.
Especially for those on the spectrum that have difficulty socializing.

If you do have autism it will mean you have widely varying strengths and weaknesses.

They can always accuse them.
All that would change could be more ability to resist / ignore / counter such accucations.

Understanding yourself better is always a good thing but - with my history of a drastic psychiatric misdiagnosis - if you need just this, a thorough personal research may be just as valuable. However, a good psychologist can be of great help.
You may be entitled to some accommodations, in this case an official diagnosis is obviously advantageous.

I've noticed where I work that people routinely get accommodations. I don't think a diagnosis is necessary.
If someone needs a special chair it is better to just give them the chair and not incur the added costs to our healthcare plan. Incurring lots of claims means higher rates in the future when we renew our policy.

I am mainly wondering about getting a diagnosis because I heard there is no treatment for adults with ASD and I am already on disability for something else.

When you wonder about a diagnosis for treatment, what treatment did you hope existed?

There's a book "Very Late Diagnosis..." that's an easy read and I recommend. For me, I have esteem issues, so an outside diagnosis was required for "backbone". Plus I love information!! ! It was fascinating as I was officially diagnosed as twice exceptional. It confirmed that my verbal and reading skills are two standard deviations below my non-verbal skills --- this explains a whole bunch of frustration (and why some folks misjudge my other abilities). Now I have an ASD coach and am addressing my sensory challenges for the first time. I could do this without the diagnosis, but would have constantly been caveating ("assuming I have ASD").

I, or my brain rather, suffer from low latent inhibition. Sensory overload. I don't know how to tune out bright lights and loud sound. If there is a pill that increases latent inhibition I would like to know what it is so my brain can be forced to tune out overwhelming stimuli.

An ASD coach would be fantastic. I am on state insurance but I can ask.

I wonder why you have not already been diagnosed with ASD, if you have already been evaluated. I do sadly know why that might be. Pdocs discount ASD in adults, look for mental illness first and ASD second, look for something they have a pill to treat. Please let me know if I am being unfair to the pdocs.

The big question that needs to be answered is, are you disabled enough that you can't work?
Diagnosing ASD takes a lot of work and may not help much to making that determination.
The doctor may be interested in helping as many people as she can with the limited resources that are available.

There are “treatments” for autism. There’s no cure though.

Having a diagnosis for me, meant I no longer had to explain to people why I am a bit different and why I sometimes say the wrong things. It was a relief to finally be diagnosed with autism in my early thirties.

What are some of these treatments? What are they intended to achieve?

Putting aside the heated discussion of "cure", I think of "treatments" as accommodations and aids. For me ASD manifests as hypersensitivity ("over feeling"), poor executive function, and high anxiety etc (and migraines). My current "treatments" which I started after diagnosis are polarized sunglasses, hi fidelity earplugs, fidget toys and two therapists (and Yerba Mate tea for migraines). I am not currently using medicinal supplements, but have in the past and am idly considering it to take the "edge" off my anxiety and sensory issues.

I have an ASD-like friend who is hyposensitive ("under feeling") --- I wonder how one would help her? She's ok with it as she doesn't startle (like I do), but I have to wonder that her quality of life would improve if there were something to help her moderate it... to feel a bit more.