New study finds online self-reports may not accurately reflect clinical autism diagnoses. Adults who report high levels of autistic traits through online surveys may not reflect the same social behaviors or clinical profiles as those who have been formally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/new-study-finds-online-self-reports-may-not-accurately-reflect-clinical-autism-diagnoses/

[u/malleynator]

I’ve seen it frequently enough in the online autism communities that a self-diagnosis is just as valid as a clinical diagnosis. I’m glad they’re doing research on this because self-diagnosis, for anything, shouldn’t been seen as equally valid.

[u/nymrose → u/malleynator]

It’s honestly upsetting to me, I am diagnosed autistic and it hurts to see that even the conversation about validity on self-diagnosis is being entirely shut down in many autistic communities because they think every self-diagnosis is valid. Autism isn’t a personality trait that you can just choose to identify with, it’s a neurodevelopmental disorder that you are born with. It also has overlaps with many other mental health disorders, that’s why you go to a professional psychologist to figure out what it truly is. I think you can obviously suspect that you have autism, I did, but it’s not confirmed til you get a diagnosis.

[u/JustDeetjies → u/nymrose]

It’s honestly upsetting to me, I am diagnosed autistic and it hurts to see that even the conversation about validity on self-diagnosis is being entirely shut down in many autistic communities because they think every self-diagnosis is valid.

I can understand why this would feel upsetting, but I would like to push back on this as well. There are some demographics that struggle with gaining a clinical diagnosis for autism, not because they are not autistic but because how autism manifests in groups or cultures that are different to American/“Western” societies either are dismissed.

Because for the longest time autism and ADHD were studied primarily in young white boys, women and POC have been under diagnosed for decades. This means that for some, the first step in the journey is self diagnosis and reading up on autism and trying to figure out if you actually have autism.

I’m a black woman who does not live in America, and my adhd symptoms were pretty obvious but I only got diagnosed in my thirties partially because I’m a black woman and so how I was socialized meant that I could mask significantly better than most but it was also just missed because it wasn’t seen as something women or POC had. The symptoms simply were ascribed to who we were as people.

And let’s not forget that it can be prohibitively expensive to get a clinical diagnosis.

[u/nymrose → u/JustDeetjies]

I don’t disagree with you, I’m a woman who was diagnosed in my 20s. I had issues throughout my entire childhood that would’ve been glaringly obvious autism if the adults around me knew what female autism looked like, so I completely understand your point.

I understand suspecting autism but it really is hard to trust someone else’s word for self diagnosed autism because you simply have no idea what their research or definition consists of. I constantly see comments on tiktok talking about how they’re autistic because they like chicken nuggets or because loud noises annoy them, it’s setting knowledge about autism back so much when they trivialise and minimise autism like it’s just a quirky cute fun personality trait, when everyone with diagnosed autism knows just how hard it is to live with.

I think if you suspect autism you should strive to get a diagnosis if monetarily possible. If not possible, you can say it’s suspected autism… Because that is really what it is. Assessment of autism takes time because it’s not just cut and dry, it’s assessment of many elements that affect your entire life.

[u/JustDeetjies → u/nymrose]

I understand suspecting autism but it really is hard to trust someone else’s word for self diagnosed autism because you simply have no idea what their research or definition consists of.

Sure, but the same is true of medical professionals- especially when it comes to how women are believed and treated by doctors. Moreover, I personally know of people who are autistic or have adhd who had to get a second assessment because “they didn’t look like” they had it. They did.

I find that if someone gains relief from their symptoms through self diagnosing and treating themselves as though they are autistic then it isn’t harming anyone.

And it’s not like there are huuuge amounts of accommodations or support for autistic people so they aren’t “taking resources”.

I constantly see comments on tiktok talking about how they’re autistic because they like chicken nuggets or because loud noises annoy them, it’s setting knowledge about autism back so much when they trivialise and minimise autism like it’s just a quirky cute fun personality trait, when everyone with diagnosed autism knows just how hard it is to live with.

I definitely see that less often than others, but I tend not to take what I see online as representative of reality, especially not comments. I assume they are trolling or being ironic.

The reality I see irl is that no one wants to have ADHD or autism. No one who is actually neurotypical is going out of their way to be perceived as neurodivergent. Maybe online for clout and attention.

And people have been saying and treating ADHD and autism dismissively and derisively long before social media and TikTok.

I think if you suspect autism you should strive to get a diagnosis if monetarily possible. If not possible, you can say it’s suspected autism…

Eh. Some people cannot afford to. Some people do not have access to professionals who could make the diagnosis. It does not mean they do not have autism. It just means they have not gotten the paperwork to “prove” it. And that can simply add to the trauma of being invalidated constantly that adhd and autistic people experience all the time.

I’ve found being compassionate and taking people at face value has removed any stress or hurt from people self diagnosing or misdiagnosing themselves. Either way, if you are seriously spending months reading about, taking tests or fixated on autism, something is wrong and if it’s autism/avoidant personality/severe anxiety/cPTSD/FAS/head trauma - something is impacting your life to the point you need to try diagnose it.

Because that is really what it is. Assessment of autism takes time because it’s not just cut and dry, it’s assessment of many elements that affect your entire life.

Well yeah. And who would know one’s own life and experiences and struggles the best?

I think you feel how you feel about it and that’s valid and fair, but I think this issue is much more complex and nuanced than simply assuming those self diagnosing themselves are doing so based off four TikTok’s and a need for attention or belonging. There are people like that but I suspect they make significantly fewer of the self diagnosis community. But I could also be very wrong about that.

[u/_Rodavlas → u/JustDeetjies]

The reality I see irl is that no one wants to have ADHD or autism. No one who is actually neurotypical is going out of their way to be perceived as neurodivergent. Maybe online for clout and attention.

Well, that’s where your disconnect is. Because many people crave a dx that makes them different. Self-diagnosed depression and anxiety isn’t quirky enough anymore so now it’s autism etc.

[u/AnObsidianButterfly → u/_Rodavlas]

Yes, I remember when Tumblr absolutely romanticized depression. It was a very chic and fashionable thing at one point in society. That has now shifted from that to autism and ADHD. Mainly because those are seen as more quirky.

[u/lawlesslawboy → u/AnObsidianButterfly]

the thing is they don't romanticise actual depression, actual adhd or autism, or at least anything beyond very mild symptoms, once the condition starts to actually become disabling? it's no longer cool or whatever

[u/janitordreams → u/_Rodavlas]

I've been attending an autistic support group off and on since 2019. It started accepting self-diagnosis in the past couple years. One of the members of the current group told us she self-diagnosed after 24 hours of "research."

[u/scumtart → u/_Rodavlas]

Lol Everyone ik who says this cannot actually point to one real life example of someone doing this who isn't 13. Get a grip y'all, people saying they're autistic or anxious or depressed online by mistake doesn't actually materially affect anyone. And especially if an adult is coming to me and saying I heavily suspect I'm autistic but not officially diagnosed, I'm not going to respond with 'Pfft everyone's self diagnosing these days' because even if you really believe that someone in their 20's 'just wants to feel special', it's still unempathetic and unnecessary. I've always taken the approach that if someone feels the need to self diagnose, even if they don't have it, they probably have something else, because completely developmentally normal people don't 'want' disorders. I'm autistic and personally do not feel that people thinking they're autistic when they're not has any material effect on my life or anyone's lives.

[u/ClumsyPersimmon → u/scumtart]

The thing is that by being so focused on autism, people will reject any other diagnosis. This includes the correct diagnosis, which means people aren’t getting the correct info/support.

You see it online all the time, people being diagnosed with anxiety or whatever instead of autism, then getting a second opinion as they are so desperate to have autism. There’s also a particular trend of people with BPD labelling themselves as autistic instead (likely due to autism being more acceptable).

[u/JustDeetjies → u/ClumsyPersimmon]

The thing is that by being so focused on autism, people will reject any other diagnosis. This includes the correct diagnosis, which means people aren’t getting the correct info/support.

Look, that is true, but sometimes people are misdiagnosed and there is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. I’ve had a doctor say I was suffering from depression and anxiety for years - but it turns out it was actually untreated adhd that was not considered at the time.

These things happen more frequently, especially to women and POC, than most people realize. There is a study showing that it takes much longer for women than men to get diagnosed for chronic or serious illnesses.

You see it online all the time, people being diagnosed with anxiety or whatever instead of autism, then getting a second opinion as they are so desperate to have autism.

Because maybe it is autism and not anxiety. And seeing you do not know what someone online’s medical history is, this could be an ongoing and serious problem that has negatively impacted their lives.

Yeah some weirdos do self diagnose after a day or watching too many TikTok’s but that is much rarer than people realize and when this happens with autism it does not harm anyone.

There’s also a particular trend of people with BPD labelling themselves as autistic instead (likely due to autism being more acceptable).

This is also because women with autism often get misdiagnosed with BPD, and there are some compelling (but not yet conclusive) arguments and evidence that BPD is not real in the sense that how the symptoms and disorder is described tends to be charged and negative language but the same behavior presented as a symptom of autism has a more neutral explanation and language.

This may be people wanting to be seen to have a more socially accepted diagnosis or it could also be that women with autism are more likely to be misdiagnosed as having BPD.

We don’t know yet.

[u/thenakednucleus → u/ClumsyPersimmon]

It’s much more common for women with autism to get incorrectly diagnosed as BPD than the other way around. But yeah, sure can happen. Calling it a trend is a stretch.

[u/scumtart → u/ClumsyPersimmon]

The thing is autism anxiety and anxiety anxiety is treated medically the exact same way, therapy that targets BPD can also help people without it, so on a purely medical level I don't really see any issue here

[u/KokopelliArcher → u/_Rodavlas]

This, thank you. I cannot trust other people to be acting in good faith when there are so many bad actors.

[u/JustDeetjies → u/_Rodavlas]

Well, that’s where your disconnect is. Because many people crave a dx that makes them different. Self-diagnosed depression and anxiety isn’t quirky enough anymore so now it’s autism etc.

Again, this may be something that happens based on where you live, but again, while I have seen some folks say “everyone is a little autistic/adhd” and other nonsense, it just does not seem particularly prevalent in real life where I am.

I really do think that social media distorts our perception on some things.

There are too many social harms and disadvantages to being ADHD/autistic or even being perceived to have them, so it is rather difficult for me to believe a significant amount of people identify as neurodivergent to be “different”.

Again, I could be wrong.

[u/_Rodavlas → u/JustDeetjies]

It’s more prevalent than you would expect in the various high school and middle school settings I have been exposed to. Admittedly my experience only captures two US states. I agree that it is also prevalent online, although I was referring entirely to real life scenarios

[u/JustDeetjies → u/_Rodavlas]

It’s more prevalent than you would expect in the various high school and middle school settings I have been exposed to. Admittedly my experience only captures two US states. I agree that it is also prevalent online, although I was referring entirely to real life scenarios

That’s fair enough. That’s an absolutely different context and space I would have access to, as I’m not American.

That makes sense! I still don’t think that changes my perspective that much, but I more clearly see how that could be frustrating.

[u/_Rodavlas → u/JustDeetjies]

Totally fair. In general I don’t care how people want to live/identify as it’s not my life to lead.

There are times when it can take away from actual persons with an actual dx and that’s when it’s a problem imo

[u/Miserable_Remote_341 → u/JustDeetjies]

I agree with you, same experience in the EU

[u/MainlyParanoia → u/JustDeetjies]

I think you’re very wrong about that. And their behaviour and misinformation impacts the lives of those with an actual diagnosis. There’s a few in this comment section going off.

Self diagnosis is hubris. You can self suspect. People don’t know better than the doctors they like to slag off. One bad doctor does not prove that all doctors are ignorant. If doctors are not considered knowledgeable enough to correctly diagnose why would I be able to dx myself? Just an insane argument.

[u/JustDeetjies → u/MainlyParanoia]

I think you’re very wrong about that. And their behaviour and misinformation impacts the lives of those with an actual diagnosis. There’s a few in this comment section going off.

It’s fine that we disagree. I’m happy to agree that misinformation is a serious issue that definitely needs to be addressed and that social media worsens the issue of dis- and misinformation.

However, I’m not convinced that self diagnosis particularly for autism, is not harmful to others, has a place within the community and can be valid. It does not mean it is all and always valid, but that self diagnosis can either be a first step or sometimes the only option available to people.

I’m someone who started out as self diagnosed ADHD and then I was proven correct by going through the assessment process that took over a year.

Self diagnosis is hubris. You can self suspect.

Look, I don’t think we will agree on this. I really think the intense emotional reaction I notice around the self diagnosis conversation confusing and strange.

But to each their own and I’m not gonna be rude to you for having a different opinion on this.

People don’t know better than the doctors they like to slag off. One bad doctor does not prove that all doctors are ignorant.

No one said all doctors are ignorant. No one. And the issues I have listed are not one or two bad doctors but a systemic issue that holds true for a lot of women in particular and POC. Especially in the USA.

This is a systemic issue where the first study done on women and girls with adhd happened in the 2000s/2010s. So it’s not about a handful of assholes but a consistent problem that persists even when you account for class.

So that is something that needs to be taken into consideration for this discussion specifically and is something that does need to be focused on and solved along with finding ways to make access easier and cheaper.

If doctors are not considered knowledgeable enough to correctly diagnose why would I be able to dx myself? Just an insane argument.

No one is saying doctors are not knowledgeable enough, but that doctors are human and their unconscious or conscious bias can impact their ability to accurately assess symptoms in women. Not all or most doctors, but enough that it consistently leads to worse outcomes for women who engage with the medical sphere.

So much so that women were once diagnosed as “hysterical” because the doctors at the time could not believe that women were experiencing severe and high numbers of sexual assault and abuse.

This happened in living memory and impacted the literature and understanding of women psychology for women for decades.

Again, women and girls simply were not included in studies about ADHD and autism until less than 20 years ago.

Don’t be so dismissive about something that led to an entire generation of women not getting diagnosed as children and only getting diagnosed as adults.

[u/FSGgrace → u/JustDeetjies]

Thank you. I am 60. Women weren’t being diagnosed much at all when I was a child, unless they were very non-functional. But somehow the fact that I am from the lost generation of women means I get conflated with teenagers wanting to be trendy and be autistic from watching Tik Tok. I’ve considered asking to be referred for a diagnosis because there are times when I am severely negatively impacted by some of the differences in how I experience the world through a different neurotype. But it’s expensive, there is no treatment, and I managed to gut it through employment, so I don’t see what the point would be. But the fact that I am not diagnosed doesn’t mean I don’t exist.

[u/MainlyParanoia → u/JustDeetjies]

Yet you insist on using “self diagnosis” when self suspecting covers all of those things just fine. That’s the hubris. Why insist on using that phrase?

The emotional reaction you’re seeing may be due to the frustration felt when trying to engage or learn from other autistics only to find there can be a real disconnect. And often when you dig into it it’s because the other ‘autistic’ is self diagnosed and isn’t dealing with the same challenges at all. And they’re not dealing with similar challenges because they would never meet the criteria for an actual dx.

[u/janitordreams → u/JustDeetjies]

I'm also a clinically diagnosed Black woman, and while it may be true that professional diagnosis is inaccessible to some for various reasons, that doesn't make self-diagnosis the only remedy to correct that. I was diagnosed for free at an autism research center attached to a medical school. There are options, but that assessment (not diagnosis, as an autism diagnosis is not an entitlement) is prohibitively expensive has been repeated so often, I don't think most people suspecting autism even bother researching their options before claiming self-diagnosis anymore. They just assume it's true they won't be able to afford being assessed or they'll be overlooked based on their race or gender and self-diagnose instead.

Also more children of color are being identified nowadays, although there is still room for improvement there. Pushing for more affordable, accessible professional assessment makes more sense than accepting self-diagnosis. Not even every mental health or medical professional has the education and training to assess and diagnose autism. I don't know what makes laypeople think they can. It's fine to suspect you have it. It's not fine to say definitively you have it when it hasn't been formally confirmed. That's a lie.

[u/JustDeetjies → u/janitordreams]

I'm also a clinically diagnosed Black woman, and while it may be true that professional diagnosis is inaccessible to some for various reasons, that doesn't make self-diagnosis the only remedy to correct that.

I didn’t say it was. It is however one of the remedies that currently exist for a significant amount of people and for others it can be a first step.

My point is simply this discourse is more nuanced and complex than - self diagnosis is invalid or inherently wrong.

I was diagnosed for free at an autism research center attached to a medical school. There are options, but that assessment (not diagnosis, as an autism diagnosis is not an entitlement) is prohibitively expensive has been repeated so often, I don't think most people suspecting autism even bother researching their options before claiming self-diagnosis anymore.

Again, this may feel accurate but we do not have data to make this determination in either direction.

Moreover, not everyone lives in the same country you do or with access to even knowing how and where to look. The internet is international and other there may be other barriers beyond price.

They just assume it's true they won't be able to afford being assessed or they'll be overlooked based on their race or gender and self-diagnose instead.

Again, we do not have the data to make a statement like this one way or the other and may be true depending on where you live. But that would not be representative of all places.

Also more children of color are being identified nowadays, although there is still room for improvement there.

Again, this depends on where you live, and while fantastic, it is still a recent development and doesn’t take into account how many adults at various ages may only getting a diagnosis as an adult or not at all.

I think this is a case for arguing and understanding self diagnosis while ALSO advocating for resources and assessments more readily available to most people. It does not have to be an either or situation, but a “yes and” or “yes until”.

Pushing for more affordable, accessible professional assessment makes more sense than accepting self-diagnosis.

I think this is a “both” situation because both self diagnosis and official diagnosis can have benefits and serious drawbacks depending on where you live.

Not even every mental health or medical professional has the education and training to assess and diagnose autism. I don't know what makes laypeople think they can. It's fine to suspect you have it. It's not fine to say definitively you have it when it hasn't been formally confirmed. That's a lie.

It’s not a lie because before an official diagnosis existed, people still had autism. We just did not call it that. And that is true of anyone who “correctly” self diagnoses before seeing a doctor. It’s also true after women disproportionately get misdiagnosed as bipolar when they have ADHD or even BPD when they’re autistic.

There is no one definitive way to go about things is the point - there necessarily needs to be space and tools for self diagnosis because right now for a lot of people that is all that is available to them. And whether or not they get an official diagnosis they are still autistic.

Realistically if you misdiagnose yourself as autistic, at most you’ll accommodate yourself, ask for accommodations that may genuinely help you and maybe see a counsellor for an official assessment if medication may be necessary.

Sure, there are bad actors online and irl but that’s true of everything and we should not allow that to colour your perception of things.

And you are correct that there can be quite annoying or aggravating issues with self diagnosis as well.

[u/janitordreams → u/JustDeetjies]

I didn’t say it was. It is however one of the remedies that currently exist for a significant amount of people and for others it can be a first step.

In that case, the first step should be suspecting you're autistic. You can be self-suspecting before seeking out formal assessment without diagnosing yourself. That's what I did for years before I was professionally diagnosed. I don't believe in diagnosing myself with anything as I don't have the credentials or training to do so.

Moreover, not everyone lives in the same country you do or with access to even knowing how and where to look. The internet is international and other there may be other barriers beyond price.

I'm speaking of the US where I live.

Again, we do not have the data to make a statement like this one way or the other and may be true depending on where you live. But that would not be representative of all places.

Again, I'm speaking of the US where I live.

Again, this depends on where you live, and while fantastic, it is still a recent development and doesn’t take into account how many adults at various ages may only getting a diagnosis as an adult or not at all.

I think this is a case for arguing and understanding self diagnosis while ALSO advocating for resources and assessments more readily available to most people. It does not have to be an either or situation, but a “yes and” or “yes until”.

Again, I'm in the US. I'm late-diagnosed and that doesn't change anything. It doesn't justify self-diagnosis. It's an either/or situation and "no never" to me when it comes to self-diagnosis. No one is owed a diagnosis.

It’s not a lie because before an official diagnosis existed, people still had autism. We just did not call it that. And that is true of anyone who “correctly” self diagnoses before seeing a doctor. It’s also true after women disproportionately get misdiagnosed as bipolar when they have ADHD or even BPD when they’re autistic.

It is a lie because these people have not been clinically evaluated and confirmed to have autism. They just feel like they do. I'm a late-diagnosed Black woman with other conditions and misdiagnoses. I never self-diagnosed. It is really not necessary to do so. Again, you can suspect you have a condition. You cannot diagnose it without the proper credentials.

There is no one definitive way to go about things is the point - there necessarily needs to be space and tools for self diagnosis because right now for a lot of people that is all that is available to them. And whether or not they get an official diagnosis they are still autistic.

There doesn't need to be space for self-diagnosis at all actually. We didn't used to have space for it. Self-diagnosis is a very recent trend. And it is simply not true that self-diagnosis is the only alternative or that self-diagnosers are autistic whether or not they get a diagnosis. Where is the data backing that up? If they don't have an official diagnosis then they will never know for sure whether or not they're autistic. It's a guess at best. Autism shares surface traits with many other conditions. They could have any number of those other conditions. How can a layperson do any differential diagnosis without training?

Realistically if you misdiagnose yourself as autistic, at most you’ll accommodate yourself, ask for accommodations that may genuinely help you and maybe see a counsellor for an official assessment if medication may be necessary.

No, at worst, you'll take up valuable space and resources reserved for diagnosed autistics while negatively impacting public perception of the condition for those of us who are diagnosed. At worst, you'll get the wrong and possibly harmful treatment for a condition you misdiagnosed as autism. And what medication is there for autism?

Sure, there are bad actors online and irl but that’s true of everything and we should not allow that to colour your perception of things.

This is not only happening online. This has been bleeding out into real world autism spaces to the point where many of our spaces are now overrun with self-diagnosers. The difference between my autistic groups today and my autistic groups five years ago pre-pandemic when professional diagnosis was required to participate is night and day.

[u/ManchesterNCP → u/JustDeetjies]

Just because something is expensive doesn't mean you can just make it up and pretend it is valid.

[u/JustDeetjies → u/ManchesterNCP]

Just because something is expensive doesn't mean you can just make it up and pretend it is valid.

Well, thank god that’s not what I said so…

[u/PatternActual7535 → u/JustDeetjies]

While I somewhat agree, current statistics imply that Black children for instance are being diagnosed at higher rates than all other groups

So it's quite clear that this issue is no longer as prevalent as it once was

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9623438/

[u/JustDeetjies → u/PatternActual7535]

In the United States. And this is for children - which is fantastic! I love that this is not as prevalent anymore but when talking about self diagnosis, you’re speaking about adults.

But either way, it’s great that race is not as much of a barrier to being diagnosed anymore.

[u/QaraKha → u/malleynator]

Even worse, people are doing this to frame their eccentricities because if they weren't obvious enough, they were not abused into masking them, y'know... like most kids with ADHD and Autism have been, historically.

Then there's the fact that an Autism diagnosis officially unpersons you in the eyes of basically everyone. Oh, you have an official autism diagnosis? Guess who's first into RFK's wellness camps, where 'work will set you free?'

An official diagnosis doesn't actually do anything GOOD for anyone but closes a TON of doors, but knowing you *likely* are autistic can make it easier to adjust in public for the NT people and especially find people who are much like you, that you can have full conversations with and likely form friendships with.

An actual autism diagnosis means at any point cops can show up to your door and disappear you into a psychiatric hold "for your own safety" because you got into a fight with your parents who don't even live with you.

You lose rights. This is why despite being diagnosed I had them not put it on my medical file. I needed to know that I wasn't just unable to connect with the rabble, that it wasn't my fault. Beyond that, it would have served no real purpose.

[u/Bibidiboo → u/QaraKha]

An actual autism diagnosis means at any point cops can show up to your door and disappear you into a psychiatric hold "for your own safety" because you got into a fight with your parents who don't even live with you.

Jesus, is this the US? In any normal Western country your medical file is private and cops or anyone else definitely cannot see it without your permission..

Just to be clear for the rest of the world, a diagnosis is not a problem. You don't need to tell anyone.

[u/HumanDrinkingTea → u/Bibidiboo]

Jesus, is this the US?

Lol, no. What they're saying is bullshit (if they're in the US). We have a law (HIPAA) that protects medical privacy.

[u/QaraKha → u/Bibidiboo]

Yes. Most states have laws that allow someone to be put on psychiatric hold if they're "a danger to themselves or others." That psychiatric hold can be lengthened in most cases by continual cases of being the same.

And it is not rare for people with autism diagnoses to effectively lose their independence because their parents decided one day that they were not capable, even when they are. This also happens to LGBTQ+ people too.

It is a thing that can happen. No, you don't need to tell anyone, but parents believe their children are ALWAYS their property. It's a horrific thing to do to someone.

And it happens every goddamn day.

[u/thenakednucleus → u/Bibidiboo]

The majority of countries are not western countries and frankly, with the way things are going, who can guarantee that the safety here will still be there 20 years from now?

[u/iamacraftyhooker → u/QaraKha]

This is why I think we need different diagnoses for the spectrum of autism. As it currently stands there is simply too much division between the "levels".

While autism may help you understand yourself, as you say the diagnosis serves no real purpose. I see this as a neurotype, not a disorder, and should have a similar evolution of acceptance as the LGBT+.

For others autism is a disorder. Abuse didn't force me into masking, I simply kept getting abused. I don't have the capacity for employment, so I rely on public assistance. I did t have the luxury to have a clean medical file, because I was identified as a child. I was incorrectly diagnosed as a child, but the mental health diagnoses were just as detrimental.

Then there are people with more detrimental symptoms than myself. Those who can't speak, drive, use the toilet.

[u/QaraKha → u/iamacraftyhooker]

Yup. I have 'level 1 ASD' according to my doctor, with most of the social and sensory issues that presents with, and I have ADHD too, which also means that despite being rather inflexible with my habits I also can't actually form habits on purpose. It's incredibly difficult to function in my day to day but I can still work, I just can't get my self to do anything that is not 'immediately required.' In this case, my official diagnosis doesn't serve a purpose outside of framing the disorder properly for myself, but if I had further symptoms of higher levels of ASD, it might be more important to get an official diagnosis in order to access public assistance, in order to survive on your own, or in some cases, with family or caretaker.

Sometimes we have mild symptoms that are still autism, but as this suggests, autism is a spectrum, and assigning 'levels' makes things a bit... weird. It's like how sex tends to be a spectrum, and while there are two poles that stick out as the average, there's a whole world outside of those. Forcing a binary in a spectrum requires you to practically ignore the crossover. Same problem, same kind of people forcing it, often the same people exactly. It's quite funny how many of these Autism Truthers are also incredibly transphobic, misogynistic, racist, and etc. It all lines together.

[u/ChompingCucumber4 → u/QaraKha]

an actual diagnosis has done plenty of good for me thanks. now i get accommodations at university and in job assessments, they wouldn’t just take my word for that. i get access to equipment and software to help me through disabled students allowance. i even recently was very lucky to secure a place on an internship scheme specifically for autistic people to help us get work experience. no idea in what instance cops can just show up on my door and take me into a psychiatric hold - never happened to me and don’t know anyone who that has happened to. i think for most places in the world that is likely scaremongering

[u/SuperStone22 → u/QaraKha]

If these are true problems that you face due to autism diagnosis, then why are you self-diagnosing?

How does self-diagnosing help you adapt to public spaces if no treatment was done to you?

If self-diagnosing magically helps you adapt to public spaces without therapy of any kind, then maybe your problems are emotional not due to a pervasive developmental disorder like autism.

Don’t you think that treating self-diagnosis as something that is equal to professional diagnosis takes away the meaning of a diagnosis?

Also, if stigma is such a huge problem, then you don’t want a diagnosis at all if it doesn’t help you. So no reason to self-diagnose. Alternatively, if getting professional help does provide benefit, then the only way to get that is to get professionally diagnosed. Which means that you get professionally diagnosed to get professional help despite the stigma, or you get self-diagnosed and face stigma but get no professional help, which means you got no benefit.

Also, getting in trouble with the law for fighting your parents can happen to anyone who actually fights with their parents. Regardless of whether your diagnosed autistic or not.

People who self diagnose reduce the legitimacy of a real autism diagnosis. It may also stop you from getting help that you really need because you may have a different problem that requires different treatment. Treatment that you will never get because you chose to self-diagnose instead of getting real help.

[u/asdmdawg → u/malleynator]

Yep. As an autistic person, I hate self diagnosis and I can’t stand when people do it. I did not spend 8 months on a waitlist to be formally diagnosed with ASD just to be told my diagnosis is the same as somebody who took a 20-minute quiz online or see some parallels by autistic people around them.

[u/asdmdawg → u/[deleted]]

Spotted the insecure self diagnosed user!

[u/PatternActual7535 → u/malleynator]

It's kind of a conundrum really

I noted in autism communities online, a lot of people are self diagnosed. Which is kinda diluting a lot of it. I don't get it. I don't relate to the vast majority of self diagnosed "Low support needs autistics". Many claim they aren't even disabled...

The problem now is there's "Self diagnosed" people who are helping other people self diagnosed, to the point it means nothing. Anything is an autistic symptom to them

But when so many people online in these spaces are claiming to be autistic without diagnosis, a lot of the disorder gets watered down