High functioning asd and no interest in a diagnosis.

[coodawoodashooda]

Has this worked out for anyone? Does anyone wish that this is what they opted for?

It just goes to show how much regarding diagnoses is really about funding. Unfortunate, because this erodes the meaning which pertains to any particular condition. Any studies regarding the frequency and context of occurrence of any condition within a population follow what resource is made available for that particular condition within society. People get angry and envious over provision and lack of provision resulting in terrible discrimination against those involved. Added to this when every level of support needs to be quantified people resent giving support which is not specified, and directly funded, so it then requires naming.

Personally, I think the answer is simply more honestly and more tolerance over people's diversity and differences.

@BakedTattie - urm no because your son HAS been diagnosed 🙄

My husband was diagnosed as an adult even though the symptoms were there from birth. He strongly feels that he was at a huge advantage that his parents didn't get him diagnosed when he was young. He feels that would have limited his options and confidence and instead he grew up believing he had no limitations and that allowed him to be successful.

I'm not sure I agree but I'm not the one with ASD so I can't judge. As an adult the diagnosis really crushed his confidence at first and made him depressed and confused but since he has accepted it he has been happier than ever. He feels he can finally stop pretending to be "normal" and can state his boundaries with no reservations, which are now respected when they weren't before.

The way I see it is that his work position might have been worse but his personal relationships and growth would have been a lot better if he had been diagnosed as a child. So I guess for him it would have been possibly a trade off.

He feels he can finally stop pretending to be "normal" and can state his boundaries with no reservations, which are now respected when they weren't before.

But that does show how much a diagnosis is about the people around someone rather than the person themselves. Wouldn't it be good if society could show people they don't need a diagnosis to express what makes them feel comfortable and what doesn't and for this to be respected?

@grasstreeleaf

He feels he can finally stop pretending to be "normal" and can state his boundaries with no reservations, which are now respected when they weren't before.

But that does show how much a diagnosis is about the people around someone rather than the person themselves. Wouldn't it be good if society could show people they don't need a diagnosis to express what makes them feel comfortable and what doesn't and for this to be respected?

I feel like you are just trying to minimise autism as a disability. It isn't about how other people see you, or how the world allows you to 'fit in' let's save that for people who make choices surrounding social constructs. Autism isn't a choice. That's like saying we should take the disability status away from say, wheelchair users, because we have disabled access in many places. Being disabled is not and never will be about fitting in to society. Please don't sit there and say we shouldn't ha e such diagnosis beaver society should accept us. I need to accept me. Can you understand that? I don't get a flying fuck about society and expressing myself. I have W disability and I resent the suggesting I do t need that diagnosis.

@Fluffypastelslippers, you misread me.

I'm not trying to minimise disability.

I'm just recognising the very strong social influences upon diagnoses. Because this interrelation is so strong, I really feel people should generally be more tolerant of differences and diversity beyond diagnosis. What is sad is that when there is climate of additional needs attracting additional funding people begin to be less tolerant of diversity unless a need is specified and met through additional funding. (That bit relates to my own previous experience as I briefly detailed earlier).

This by no means is meant to take away from acknowledging the challenges autistic people and people with other disabilities face every day.

@grasstreeleaf

You ARE, even if not consciously, trying to minimise disabilities.

But that does show how much a diagnosis is about the people around someone rather than the person themselves

People's diagnoses are not about the people around them. They are about the diagnosed, disabled person. Please don't try and take that away, it's a long and very hard fight for so many people. This kind of comment just serves to make it seem like a waste of time because even with that final diagnosis, the acknowledgment, the understanding, people still think it's ok to comment as you have above

@grasstreeleaf

I have also reported your previous post because I'm disgusted that your suggestion is people should not need a diagnosis and society should simply accept us. We are talking about a disability, not someone dying their hair green.

You ARE, even if not consciously, trying to minimise disabilities.

That comment, is incredibly presumptive. How can you assume to know the inner workings of my mind better than myself the person who is actually at the centre of my own consciousness from a few comments on this thread?

People's diagnoses are not about the people around them. They are about the diagnosed, disabled person. Please don't try and take that away, it's a long and very hard fight for so many people. This kind of comment just serves to make it seem like a waste of time because even with that final diagnosis, the acknowledgment, the understanding, people still think it's ok to comment as you have above

What power do you think I have? I can't take anything away from you or anyone else? I can only comment upon what I have seen with my own eyes and upthread I have described exactly the mechanism whereby diagnoses could be affected.

My takeaway? Do not enter into 'pop diagnosis'. It erodes the integrity of proper diagnosis which is a lengthy and rigorous process for good reason.

My takeaway? Do not enter into 'pop diagnosis'. It erodes the integrity of proper diagnosis which is a lengthy and rigorous process for good reason.

I don't know what this means? What is 'pop' diagnosis?

I have also reported your previous post because I'm disgusted that your suggestion is people should not need a diagnosis and society should simply accept us. We are talking about a disability, not someone dying their hair green.

It's a pragmatist approach. Diagnosis is a lengthy process. People need help before diagnosis occurs.

That comment, is incredibly presumptive. How can you assume to know the inner workings of my mind better than myself the person who is actually at the centre of my own consciousness from a few comments on this thread?

I made the judgment call n the information you gave, which is all anyone can do on a forum. If you don't want people to think you are dismissing an actual diagnosis then don't make comments which suggest that you do.

What is 'pop' diagnosis?

A non official diagnosis given by a person unqualified to diagnose without the full diagnostic process being undertaken.

@grasstreeleaf

I have also reported your previous post because I'm disgusted that your suggestion is people should not need a diagnosis and society should simply accept us. We are talking about a disability, not someone dying their hair green.

It's a pragmatist approach. Diagnosis is a lengthy process. People need help before diagnosis occurs.

I am fully aware, but I wasn't talking about accessing help before diagnosis, and let's be honest, neither were you.

@grasstreeleaf

What is 'pop' diagnosis?

A non official diagnosis given by a person unqualified to diagnose without the full diagnostic process being undertaken.

And how on earth am I supposed to know when you talk about diagnosis that you mean something which isn't a diagnosis?

If you don't want people to think you are dismissing an actual diagnosis then don't make comments which suggest that you do.
I cannot take responsibility for people misreading what I have written. My lived experiences are just as relevant to the question the OP asked. It's just that they differ from your own, apparently. It shouldn't offend you. My experiences are just different. They by no means validate or invalidate your own.

And how on earth am I supposed to know when you talk about diagnosis that you mean something which isn't a diagnosis?

I add the prefix 'pop'.

but I wasn't talking about accessing help before diagnosis, and let's be honest, neither were you.

Again you presume to know the inner workings of my mind better than myself. Would you prefer to write my posts for me?

@grasstreeleaf

And how on earth am I supposed to know when you talk about diagnosis that you mean something which isn't a diagnosis?

I add the prefix 'pop'.

I meant previously.

I shall bow out of this discussion with you now.

[quote TheHouseIsOnFire]@TableFlowerss I don’t want to say too much as it’s a very niche industry and not really my story to tell. Imagine it’s like someone wanting to join the army or become a pilot but then finding out they have a heart murmur or are very slightly colour blind. It may not actually affect their ability to do the job, but without a 100% clear medical certificate they will either be rejected or face very expensive private medical assessments with board certified doctors (DS ran up medical bills in the ££thousands due to some medication he took for a short while, but was no longer taking!) so it just wouldn’t be worth trying to get a diagnosis which then may end up costing them more money to certify or mean a straight rejection. No adjustments can be made for this job but to be fair it’s already pretty ASD friendly which may be why it attracts a certain type of person.[/quote]
I can understand the colour blind thing in the RAF being an issue, as it could be a matter if life or death and a firefighter who couldn’t walk would be problematic, because it would result in deaths.

I’m just struggling to understand in what circumstances this could be the same for someone with ASD.

I’m not saying you’re wrong and I’m sure there are situations as you describe but I do t know how this is allowed because it’s not a life/death situation.

In what way could ASD be so problematic

@grasstreeleaf

If you don't want people to think you are dismissing an actual diagnosis then don't make comments which suggest that you do. I cannot take responsibility for people misreading what I have written. My lived experiences are just as relevant to the question the OP asked. It's just that they differ from your own, apparently. It shouldn't offend you. My experiences are just different. They by no means validate or invalidate your own.

Just to clarify, I have made no comment on your experiences whatsoever. It is your opinion I have commented on. Your experience was all about funding which I know nothing about. Your comments however, particularly the one where a diagnosis is about other people and not the diagnosed, that the one I was posting about. Not your personal experience.

Penny finally dropped in my late 30s; diagnosed at 40.

Initially felt vindicated that I'd worked out the issue then spent a couple of years disbelieving it and worrying I'd hoodwinked the assessor.

Being autistic is what can hold you back in life; not whether or not somebody has written it down on a piece of paper. My life long struggles have been due to autism, not whether or not it was diagnosed. But not being diagnosed made those struggles worse because I didn't know why I was struggling and blamed myself. My mental health would've probably been better with an earlier diagnosis as I would've realised there was a reason and tried to make adjustments to make my life easier rather than comparing myself to NT people.

I don't agree that self diagnosis is as good as a professional diagnosis. I self diagnosed a mental illness for years before I realised autism was the issue. Self diagnosis can be wrong.

It is your opinion I have commented on. Your experience was all about funding which I know nothing about. Your comments however, particularly the one where a diagnosis is about other people and not the diagnosed, that the one I was posting about. Not your personal experience.

Yes, my opinions directly reference my personal experiences which I have explicitly detailed. However they are relevant to the OP's question.

I'm sorry it portrays a less than rosy picture regarding the process of applying for and gaining additional needs funding and the actualities of provision. I wish the system were more relevant and responsive to actual needs and far more transparent and accountable.

The thing is broken systems do directly feed into societal prejudices which erodes the meaning of actual diagnoses. This isn't good for anyone. And it is from here I have formed my opinions.

@grasstreeleaf

It is your opinion I have commented on. Your experience was all about funding which I know nothing about. Your comments however, particularly the one where a diagnosis is about other people and not the diagnosed, that the one I was posting about. Not your personal experience.

Yes, my opinions directly reference my personal experiences which I have explicitly detailed. However they are relevant to the OP's question.

I'm sorry it portrays a less than rosy picture regarding the process of applying for and gaining additional needs funding and the actualities of provision. I wish the system were more relevant and responsive to actual needs and far more transparent and accountable.

The thing is broken systems do directly feed into societal prejudices which erodes the meaning of actual diagnoses. This isn't good for anyone. And it is from here I have formed my opinions.

I haven't discussed funding. I don't know anything about it. I do know that my diagnosis is about me, not society though which is what I was responding to. Your continuing posts which tell me it's about funding/pop diagnosis etc are irrelevant to me because you said what you said and there was no context of these later mentioned things.