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normal2357
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09 Jun 2013, 2:49 pm

An AS or ASD professional diagnosis should be taken very seriously, as it will following you the rest of your life. I suggest that anyone considering the possibility of getting such a diagnosis to make sure it is to their legal and personnel advantage to do so. It can cause so much self illumination, while at the same time causing problems in the legal, family, occupational and other venues of life.

Some lesser known effects and experiences with a diagnosis; especially if you come all the way out of the closet, include the following:

* Causing problems with acquiring insurance, it is a preexisting condition according to some insurance companies. Making acquiring and keeping insurance problematic.

* Autism is highly genetic, highly traceable to the fathers side of the family, if diagnosed, this needs to be broken to the family gently and tactfully, especially if they are not previously aware that this may be the case. I did not get this advice and paid a price for my ignorance.

* Workplace acceptance is a mixed bag, generally the more more educated the environment and its occupants the more acceptance and assistance you will find but not always.

* This next one is a little more controversial, with the public at large and individuals in general, the more progressive their thinking patterns, the more understanding and tolerance you will receive from them, conversely the more dogmatic and rigid their thinking patters you the less you will receive.

Also:

In general the more alignment with a notion of an absolute free-will a organization or person has, the less likely they are to understand a neurologically based cognitive difference like ASD or Aspergers, they will tend to see all your behavior as a choice. Free-will is a cardinal tenant of many ideologies and a cognitive neurological difference tends to lend a challenge to its many of its assumptions, even if unwittingly. Free-will absolutist are not in general very good at understanding people with cognitive differences as they can tend to be very judgmental, impatient or indifferent.

I had my diagnosis at a late age (55), but have still feet the effects in both good and bad related to the above comments though out my life. But I still recommend the professional diagnosis it there is good reason and little choice.

Free-will and its special relationship to AS will be source of another discussion on this forum at another time.



slapdash
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10 Jun 2013, 10:38 am

As someone who has a diagnosis but am constantly considering the ramifications of letting people know, I thank you for these considerations.

I am caught in an internal debate about whether speaking openly about the diagnosis is a good idea or not. I think it might explain a lot to people - but the ignorance factor is something else. I just don't know.


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Diaged AS - 2013


normal2357
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10 Jun 2013, 10:28 pm

For me it was made easy, as I was having some problems at work. I could not adjust to new and rapidly changing situations. I used company resources with their permission to get the diagnosis. It was as I had expected for about two years, AS. The company seems to have taken this consideration now, and assigns my work with the AS diagnosis in mind. At present at least, at work it seems to have had a positive effect. I do not let my co-workers know at large but, some have been informed privately, usually if I have to work closely with them.

Personal life was another matter, I let my family know about the diagnosis at my daughters wedding. My brother was aghast, and the rest of the family confused. When I let the words out that it was on the "Autism" spectrum everyone was aghast. I had to explain for next hour with only moderate success. Everyone knows my fathers side of the family was full of eccentrics, I thought it would explain a lot of things to the whole family. Not everyone is prepared to receive this kind of news, it has too many implications to consider in one sitting.

I do not let people know at large, and avoid telling them unless I have no choice. I wish I had better advice. Just consider everything you say about AS and yourself very carefully, and consider who you are talking to!



peterd
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13 Jun 2013, 2:21 am

Of course, it might be worth fighting the prejudice - after all, discrimination is illegal. Sure, it makes life harder for us individually in the short term but there are generations of autistics who've known it most of their lives coming along. For us to hide behind a curtain of ignorance betrays them.



normal2357
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13 Jun 2013, 3:10 am

Who's hiding? I let a multi-national cooperation know, I am out of the closet completely but, I do not recommend doing so foolishly and without good reason. I also do not recommend wearing a T-shirt that says I'm Autistic on it.



CapriciousAgent
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13 Jun 2013, 5:14 am

My only diagnosis was ADHD in the late 80's, but I have friends with ADHD, and I can focus on things that I enjoy, where they seemingly cannot. They also don't have a number of traits associated with AS, which I do. I've always known I was much different than most people, but only suspected Asperger's a couple years ago, and investigated it in depth much more recently.

I think a diagnosis would be relieving in a lot of ways, and would make sense of a great many things. I'm not in any rush to get one, though, because I'm not sure what would be different. I'm not interested in a cure, and I find pretty decent coping advice on sites like this.

Can anyone who has had a diagnosis (especially as an adult) explain what has changed for the better after getting a diagnosis, that I may be overlooking?

As it stands, I'm fairly ambivalent toward getting diagnosed.



peterd
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16 Jun 2013, 7:15 pm

Of course, it might be worth fighting the prejudice - after all, discrimination is illegal. Sure, it makes life harder for us individually in the short term but there are generations of autistics who've known it most of their lives coming along. For us to hide behind a curtain of ignorance betrays them.