Nearly 6 years ago I realised that I had some characteristics that could be described as autistic. I did some online tests (AQ50, the Ritvo one and an EQ one) which all suggested I could be autistic spectrum, and it felt like lots of things suddenly made sense. I spoke to an autism tutor about it (I work in education and we have a big support team for additional learning needs), including about getting a proper diagnosis.
On balance, I decided not to pursue a diagnosis because I couldn't see the point of doing so, in terms of what benefits it might bring, against the time and cost involved. The knowledge that it was "likely" felt amazing, that I wasn't "broken" after all and there was a reason why I found things difficult sometimes. I also didn't really tell anyone about any of this, other than my husband.
Now though it's become apparent that the things I struggle with - nuance, professional/social interactions and some group settings - have massively affected my professional reputation so I've been thinking about this again. I can't and wouldn't say "I'm autistic" because I'm not diagnosed, but I feel people might be more understanding of my weirdness sometimes if I could say something.
Please help me think through this again. What prompted you to go for a diagnosis? How has the diagnosis helped you (or not)?
Thank you.