#WritingPrompt: identity vs. function

Should I Pursue An Autism Diagnosis?

Don’t mind me — just having one of my regular existential crises

Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

Pros of pursuing an autism diagnosis:

• I’ll know for sure
• I can maybe explain myself to other people better…?
• Better understanding of myself…?
• Probably useful for mental health/medical staff to know
• Possibly helpful for the whole ‘not blaming myself for things’ thing

Cons of pursuing an autism diagnosis:

• If I’m not Autistic/don’t meet the clinical standards, will it make me feel even more ‘not enough’ than I already do?
• The waiting list on the NHS (UK health service,) for a diagnosis can take years
• Going private for a diagnosis is super-expensive
• Stigma is still very much a thing, and Autism/ADHD diagnoses are considered ‘a fad’ by many people in the UK at the moment
• The whole process seems stressful
• If I am autistic, then I’m probably not textbook-autistic — and that would require an assessor with enough knowledge to realise that