ND diagnosis as an adult- worth it?

[RagingWoke]

I'm fairly confident I have ASD/adhd or similar. However having grown up in the days where it wasn't really recognised and just being told I was 'odd' I've just carried on and now recognise a lot of my behaviour as masking. I won't list it all, but a lot of boxes are ticked.

So I guess my pondering today is, given I've come this far in life is there any real benefit in perusing diagnosis when I've got coping mechanisms in place? It's more than likely only the private route available and prices I've seen are thousands for a full assessment and diagnosis, ~£6-700 for virtual assessment.

Fellow MNetters experiences welcomed, have you been diagnosed as an adult? How was the experience and had it improved your life?

What do you want from a diagnosis? It does mean that you should be able to get reasonable adjustments.

I am NT but my son has ASD and I have line managed someone with ASD.
Personally I think it's helpful to know. But I agree it's what you want from it.
For my team member it was really important. When he started working for us he did not have a diagnosis, and quite frankly it was horrendous. It was his first proper job, clearly very able but total disaster in the office and to be honest he was heading for the sack.
I strongly suspected ASD and was able to talk to him about it. We took him through occupational health, got a diagnosis off the back of that. We were then able to put in reasonable adjustments, move him to a more suitable role where he passed probation - he is still in the team.
Diagnosis life changing for him

@Ted27 that's a great outcome for him. How wonderful you recognised it and were able to help, it's a lot more than some would do!

I've done ok professionally to be fair, progresses when I want to/fairly respected and for now my working from home isn't an issue but that's the only real 'reasonable adjustment' I could see needing. The days I am in an office I have loop ear plugs to help with the noise and take regular breaks/pick a spot with less visual distractions, everyone knows I don't like being touched and respects it. I'm very much introverted but can switch to my professional/social persona when I need to them retreat back to a safe space to recharge (or breakdown on a bad day).

So I guess, I don't really know if I'd see a real benefit to a diagnosis. I can get an initial assessment through OH but it doesn't go as far as a formal diagnosis. There is a brilliant support network for ND women in my workplace and they offer lots of support, I feel like a bit of an intruder just suspecting though.

I'm currently pursuing an ADHD diagnosis, I suspected a couple of years ago after reading more in the press about mid-30s/late diagnosis in women, and it was a bit of a lightbulb moment.

Like you I have all my coping strategies nailed down, and I don't think I'll want to take meds if offered them, for me it's more about giving myself a break and understanding that certain behaviors I've exhibited in my lifetime are not down to my shortcomings or weirdness, but to my brain. Once I get to the diagnosis I think this will be so helpful- I'm a really hard critic to myself (especially at work if things don't go to plan) and having more of an awareness of cause/effect of a condition I feel will help me show more kindness to myself

@whitemats that resonates so much. Good luck!

Yes, I think having a reason so to speak to explain things is definitely part of why I'm considering it. I know my reactions aren't always typical to things and I'm so harsh on myself. I don't have a lot of friends because I can't handle that much social pressure but also really struggle to form friendships. I've assumed for years it was because I was bullied at school, but was that connected to possible ASD- it's a loop that I don't have an answer to.

DH is currently a few weeks away from diagnosis assessment at almost 50. It will change things for us as I have found it really difficult at times, managing him as well as everything else.

It will honestly explain such a lot. It's hard being NT with ND close family members (DC1 is ASD and ADHD), and whilst I already know what the outcome will be, it will help me so much in our marriage.