Would you get an ASD assessment in these circumstances.

[Newnameforaday88]

I’d love to hear opinions as I’m genuinely on the fence here.
around ten years ago I had a long block of counselling as I was really struggling.
the counsellor was amazing and brought up the fact that she thought I might be autistic.
We explored it in some detail, I asked other opinions (did a few online screener tools) and eventually agreed with her. This helped me to accept myself as I was, put strategies in place and improved my life a great deal. I was happy with this and didn’t see what an actual diagnosis would bring to the party. I have never expected others to adapt to me or to make allowances.
Around six months ago I moved to a job where a diagnosis would actually be very relevant and helpful. Educating large groups of professionals about Autism, talking about being Autistic in work and offering tailored advice to individuals and companies. I love this job and often use my own experiences to inform my materials.
A diagnosis would be helpful because I would be able to say “ I’m Autistic, have always worked full time and here’s what helps”
I can still do a good job without this or if I was assessed and the decision was that I’m not.
i have a chunk of money at the moment that I could use to pay for an assessment with a well-qualified professional…or I could continue as I am and book a lovely holiday.
what would you do?

I’m on the fence.
Maybe ‘I’m autistic and can do XYZ and this is what helps’ isn’t helpful in all cases. It may make some of the group think ‘well if Newname can do it, why can’t autistic John that we’ve employed do the same’?
As a parent of an older teen with autism, with 4 DN (young adults/late teens) also with autism, I find their skill set and their coping strategies all very, very different tbh. Having someone say ‘I’m autistic and I manage’ doesn’t come across as terribly helpful to me.

I can't answer as impactfully as a diagnosed Autistic adult might. I'm NT.

I have an Autistic teen. It's been great just knowing and having that validation for him- but we have the school system to navigate so that has been essential.

It sounds like you know you are. You're likely to receive the diagnosis and have that in writing.

I see greater awareness and acceptance and this is good. So you won't be as alone in having this confirmed. This could really help give you some closure and I see it as really listening and tending to that part of you that surely struggled at times and felt confused and alone. It to me is like saying, I see you and I'm going to now acknowledge you.

I know there's a tendency for Autistic women to be told they have borderline personality disorder when they are actually Autistic but no ' professional ' cared to even understand, consider it or suggest an assessment. Your diagnosis would protect you hopefully from that nonsense.

I can't say whether sharing it with work would help or hinder. Prejudice exists after all.

If you go private, you don't have to share it.

I'd personally choose this over the holiday. You can bask in knowing who you are, who you've always been and celebrate and embrace that part of you who always needed to know.

Thank you @RealityContinuesToRuinMyLiferhat’s actually a perspective that I hadn’t given much thought to but I certainly don’t want to make things harder for anybody else.

@Pleaseshutthefuckupthanks for replying, yes I guess deep down although I’ve always said I’m happy without a diagnosis, having some validation would give me some closure.
if I did get a diagnosis I’m still not sure how widely I would share it but I think my current work place would be fine with it.

I'd do it (in fact I did do it) - one reason was that if I need care as I get older in hospital or a care home I will need some adjustments particularly in relation to bright lights and loud noises, or expected socialising etc.

I also think that if you are bringing your own experiences to the table at work it is easy to begin to doubt yourself and wonder whether you're a bit of a fraud for using a self-diagnosis, and that can be a very difficult feeling to deal with.

I was diagnosed as a child, I think there are some benefits to knowing (or knowing it’s not) for your own benefit, and to understand yourself I would be looking at it from that perspective rather than from the work one as I don’t actually think coming at it from this is what works for me is always the best from a work advice perspective.