I was autistic when I was a kid and everyone called me “quirky”
I was autistic when I was an “awkward” teen
I was autistic when a psychiatrist misdiagnosed me and said I wasn’t autistic
I was autistic when I got a second opinion that confirmed I’m autistic
Self diagnosis is valid 💜
@dramypsyd my cousin is autistic, didn't know until she was old enough to say 'mom i think i'm autistic, we should get that checked'. Kid is super smart and all around fantastic person.
@E_Nonymouse @dramypsyd My wife is autistic (I helped her get diagnosed a few years ago...somehow I was the first one to notice despite all the signs, and there were a lot, lol) and we've figured out a lot of coping strategies that help us both function better both separately and together.
I think her diagnosis and our shared experiences explains a lot of my own experience and behaviors as well, though we'll see.
@Ulrich_the_Elder@mastodon.social my wife had very similar responses on that front, and I suspect the people who fall into camp one are either unaware or autistic themselves (as we figured out with my in laws, lol).
I agree self-diagnosis *can* be valid, but I would argue that subjective experiences can be brought about by a variety of underlying factors, and having a knowledgeable professional capable of sussing out the minutiae to allow for the development of successful coping strategies (depending on the issues a person deals with) will likely be more helpful for non practitioners. Thoughts?
@johnabs @E_Nonymouse @Ulrich_the_Elder I just know too many people who’ve been hurt through gatekeeping so I don’t find it useful, plus some can’t pursue an “official” diagnosis. I’d rather someone be wrong but find support that helps them than leave someone out who could benefit