Maybe an Autism assessment is not the right path?

[Maybeasd]

I’ve been waiting to be assessed for almost two years.

Initially because I read about the diagnostic criteria and it all made sense to me. But now, the more I think about the less clear it becomes that it’s the right thing to do.

Especially when I just came across the “impairments” criteria. I don’t suffer on a daily basis, and I fully understand social norms, I just don’t agree with them.

I’m also gifted, and I came across a few sources that cite the overlap and how it’s of entry misdiagnosed.

Im also aware a diagnosis won’t change a thing, so I’m probably taking the spot of someone who actually needs help and would benefit from getting help sooner rather than later.

If you don't feel a diagnosis would make any difference to you I think coming off the waiting list is the right thing. Some people waiting are really struggling with their mental health and understanding themselves so would benefit from it.
Why did you ask for an assessment? Do you have struggles with day to day life?

Not really. I just have some overlapping traits but they could be understood by the “gifted “ side of things.

I never looked for a diagnosis because I thought I needed help or adjustments I just wanted to understand my brain from a curiosity POV rather than anything else.

but to clarify, the way my brain works doesn’t bring me anxiety or trouble. Quite the opposite I enjoy it and see it as a gift.

That seems like a huge waste of a stretched public service when you are not in need.

I see, this has now become an ethical question.

Well a decent assessment would take into account that you can’t demonstrate significant impairment therefore a diagnosis would not be appropriate. As a pp has said, a waste of resources and time when there are such long waiting lists of people who are really struggling.

How is the impairment assessed? I’ve heard two very different versions one more rigid and one that took into account the “perception” of it.

How old are you? I wouldn’t have considered myself
impaired by it in my 20s but in my 30s after havung kids being autistic has debilitated me. I wished Id had a diagnosis earlier. So it might still be worth pursuing? Just because you are managing bow it doesn’t mean your symptoms/difficulties wont get harder to manage. People can move from low support needs to medium just by a change in circumstances or something emotional

As an adult, it is up to you if you think you would find it useful or not. I know people who have found diagnoses life changing and people who have no desire to know. I suspect I have adhd, but I wouldn't want medication and am far too busy dealing with the kids diagnoses to fill out yet another million page form to find out. It is more important to me to get the kids sorted for their educational needs.

I’m almost 42… but after one divorce, two marriages, three redundancies, a father in prison, and no real local support, I guess it would have already showed up. If anything I feel like I can handle anything as I’ve grown older.

Partly depends on your age, if menopause is still to come I would be assessed.

I’m curious to know, but I wouldn’t find it useful at all. Maybe vindication? But also a lot of my experience could be explained through being gifted. This is not a label I just came up later in life, I was properly assessed when younger.

I’m already on HRT due to skin problems.

In what way are you "gifted" OP?

I have an IQ of 149, was a mathlete, got a perfect score in verbal reasoning in a standardised test (they even sent me a diploma!), I’m trilingual, have two undergraduate degrees + one masters.

The way it works in my brain is that it never shuts down, it’s always processing something, but I don’t find it distracting nor overwhelming.

An assessment will look at whether anything else could be the cause and if it’s felt that being gifted (or something else) is the reason behind your traits, you don’t be diagnosed - unless it’s felt that being gifted isn’t enough of an answer. Some people are both gifted and autistic, and some people are autistic and their brain works in a way to suggest they are gifted.

So is it still worthwhile? What about the impediment side of things?

You would have to make the decision about whether it’s worthwhile or not. Perhaps just knowing would be a reason in itself?

Sometimes people make their own accommodations and adaptions as they grow into adulthood, so what feels like a lack of impediments is actually just a clever workaround that has been masked.

The main thing is that I don’t like people (in general, and mostly because I find them boringt) but I do like socialising as a whole and don’t feel drained afterwards, if anything I feel energised, like high on life.

and I know and understand about the rules of social engagement, I simply question them and think they’re a lot of nonsense.

Would it harm you to go through with the assessment?

Where I live you wouldn't have made it onto the waiting list without a compelling case that you could be autistic (there is a screening in the referral process), so if you don't feel that the assessment process and outcome will harm you then I would be inclined to just see it through.

No it definitely wouldn’t harm me, but I can see what I’m taking the spot of someone who might need it more urgently.

If someone on the waiting list has urgent mental health support needs that will be dealt with separately - autism assessment and mental health care are provided by separate services and there are separate mechanisms to access urgent care.

Plus the autism referral pathways make clear that the mental health needs of those on the waiting list remain the responsibility of primary care/mental health teams. A triage process would also be a normal part of operating a waiting list

Adults also don't need a formal diagnosis to access workplace adjustments, social security support, social care assessments, access to work, or other forms of support.

To meet the criteria, you need to demonstrate significant impairment in social, occupational or other areas of functioning (criteria D). It doesn’t sound like this applies to you?

There are people on MN who would tell you not to go to A&E with sepsis or stroke symptoms lest you take the space of someone more deserving. Even though that is quite clearly an emergency.

So I think it is wise to take such comments about self-rationing one's access to NHS care with a pinch of salt rather than allowing them to manipulate you.

Why are you trying to diagnose someone you've never met on the internet?

You can't be professionally qualified to diagnose because you wouldn't be engaging in such unprofessional behaviour.

I’m not diagnosing or not! The op was asking whether it was worth going for an assessment given that she is not impaired in her life, and I was just pointing out that part of the criteria for a diagnosis is significant impairment!