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/bigasssuperstar]

The diagnosis lets you know which group of people share your experience of the world. Those people have left a lot of wisdom around for you to consume if you want insight into how to live well when configured the way you are. The diagnosis alone changes nothing. Learning about living with the brain-body that gets that diagnosis is on you, and there are hundreds of millions of people you now have a lot in common with.

[u/BasculeRepeat → u/bigasssuperstar]

I think your idea about there being groups of people with wisdom you can learn from is very powerful.  But I think professionally diagnosed and self diagnosed people can access this wisdom.  And the self diagnosed people don't have to wait for access to a medically trained professional. I think it's clear from the anecdotes just in this thread alone that the medical system is not close to good enough in even the most advanced areas of the globe 

[u/apcolleen → u/BasculeRepeat]

People who poopoo self diagnosis must have easy ready access to medical care where they feel listened to. That is not true everywhere.

[u/bigasssuperstar → u/BasculeRepeat]

I'm in my third year on the waiting list for diagnosis for my son and I. In that time, I've learned enough about autism to make incredible changes to how we live. I'm grateful for other autistic people for their contributions to the knowledge base that exists for everyone, including the medical community, to learn from.

[u/turunambartanen → u/bigasssuperstar]

In this box there are all the blue cubes. They are put there by a professional logistics person. The advantages of being put in this box by a professional logistics person are that you can now learn from the experiences of all the blue cubes that are also in this box. They are certified to have the same traits as you, like being blue and a cube.

Ok, but I am blue and a cube. Why do I need a professional logistics person to take advantage of the shared knowledge that comes from the box?

[u/bigasssuperstar → u/turunambartanen]

If you want the state to subsidize your ability to function as a blue cube in a red sphere world, you'll need to submit to the state's analysis of your blue cubeness to ensure you meet the angular and chromatic thresholds established by the red spheres majority. If you've always been blue and cubic, you're welcome to access the full history of blue cube knowledge, but the state will not provide you help to do so, and you'll receive no legal protection from the spherefolk.

[u/Septem_151 → u/bigasssuperstar]

That… was a very good analogy.

[u/bigasssuperstar → u/Septem_151]

Thanks! About 80% of my analogies are excellent and the other 20% depend too heavily on prior knowledge.

[u/Professional-Box4153 → u/bigasssuperstar]

It's funny. When filing for disability they ask, "When did you become disabled?" For some reason, I think that actually means "when did you become unable to work?" but it occurred to me that I've always been like this (I just wish I understood what "this" is. I'm still learning). Sometimes I'm able to work past it for a time (though not for very long), and sometimes I'm unable to make it work.

[u/anamelesscloud1 → u/turunambartanen]

Because you're bot a doctor.

[u/ElCaminoInTheWest → u/bigasssuperstar]

This is a dangerous-ass take. Yes, it can be helpful. It can also be massively harmful. The terminally online who are symptom and diagnosis fixated are not, generally, a happy or useful bunch of people.

[u/bigasssuperstar → u/ElCaminoInTheWest]

Where does the danger come in?