Teenage autism diagnosis

[Halfblindbunny]

I'm new to this so if I use any of the wrong terminology please forgive me and let me know.

Looks like my nearly 16 year old will be receiving an autism diagnosis as more than one psychiatrist has considered him to have many traits. He is high functioning and whilst he has had issues such as tics in the past autism has only recently been considered. We will be persuing a private assessment so should get an answer one way or the other sooner than the years long waiting list.

Can anyone give me their experience of a teen receiving a diagnosis at this time of life? As he doesn't really talk and can't express emotions it's hard to know how he feels about it. Is it likely to be a sense of relief to him? Or is it likely to make him feel worse about himself?

I know no one can know but just wondering how others have found it.

As you say, it is likely to be individual, but I know of 5 different teens who have felt very positively about their diagnosis in their teens. They felt that "it explained a lot" and one in particular (in their words) felt "a huge relief to find there wasn't anything wrong with them after all, but that the autism meant they were just wired differently and that they were happy knowing they were wired differently and there wasn't anything wrong with them".

I think a lot of it doesn't come directly from the diagnosis, but from learning that the X or Y that has made them feel different over the years - the things that have led to the assessment and diagnosis - are part of the Autism and that some traits can be positive things as well as the things that might make life more of a struggle.

I think people around being aware of others who have autism and have done very well in life has helped one of them in particular.
Another , after diagnosis went to a support group for teens diagnosed with Autism and got a huge amount from finding out other people felt like them, or experienced the world like them. They also learned some techniques that helped them.

@JustGiveMeReason thank you, this is the result we are hoping for.