this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
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Autism

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Is there a point to seeking a formal diagnosis? Are there any major drawbacks? (Canada) (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by HiddenLayer5@lemmy.ml to c/autism@lemmy.world
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I've been wondering for quite a while if I have autism or not as I seem to hit a lot of the commonly reported symptoms and experiences. I recently tried some of the self-tests out there, including the ones on Embrace Autism, and yeah, I hit every single one I tried for mild to even moderate autism. Scored 49 on the rbq-2a for example.

Now, I know that none of those tests are conclusive and I could easily be a false positive, so I'm not directly claiming I have autism. But I'm thinking the next step is probably to talk to my primary care doctor, but to be honest I'm really hesitant to/don't completely trust the mental health system in Canada. Genuinely asking because I don't really have anyone in my personal life who has similar experiences or I think would understand: what do people here think about getting a formal diagnosis? Is it always something one should pursue if they suspect they're on the spectrum? Are there any major drawbacks? I'm especially concerned about it affecting my career prospects (which already aren't great tbh, my fault for getting a science degree in an already niche field which I deeply regret but that's a different story) or my ability to take out loans or rent an apartment by myself. I don't personally see my autism (if I have it) as a disability, but unfortunately in Canada it is still very much seen as such. Who am I required to disclose an autism diagnosis if I am diagnosed?

I'm really sorry if any of this comes off as insensitive. I have never really participated in the autism online community and I am in no way trying to put down people with autism, I'm honestly just kind of scared about what this means for me. Anyone else in a similar situation, or were in a similar situation? Care to share your experiences or have any advice?

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[โ€“] warpslide@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm in Ontario & just got my diagnosis from Embrace Autism in June. I mostly pursued that route ($1700) over going with my doctor due to the wait times (I had my diagnosis from start to finish in a little over 9 months).

The only benefits I've seen so far are that I feel I can actually call myself autistic now without any imposter syndrome and that I can now qualify for the federal Disability Tax Credit (DTC). (I applied for the DTC, just waiting for them to process the application).

I recently started a new job but decided not to tell them about my new diagnosis, I didn't really think it would do anything. Maybe if I had a letter of accommodation, that might changes things, but getting that letter from a doctor would require knowing WHAT accommodations I need.

The thing I find kind of strange about this is, I have a diagnosis. "Yup, you're autistic for these reasons." and then you're done. You're not really told what (if anything) to do next. I'm hoping to use some of the money from the DTC (if approved) to get some counselling/coaching so I can learn more about all of this. I was also diagnosed with alexithymia but had no idea what that was. (There are so many new words/terms/phrases when you're new to autism).

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I feel I can actually call myself autistic now without any imposter syndrome

This was the first main benefit for me. After that, I could focus on learning as much as possible about being autistic. Then, I started tailoring my life to best fit my brain type. It has made so much difference. Now, I'm in therapy with an autism specialist to make further changes.

I also finally received ADHD meds which have vastly improved my life. I hadn't realized how difficult ADHD was making my life until I finally achieved the ability to focus without the need for an innate obsession or the anxiety of letting people down. It's a whole new world.