This is my first comment on LW, so apologies if I haven’t understood the new commenter material well enough. I’m in the US so I can’t speak to UK specific laws or culture. From my research before I got diagnosed there is quite a bit of exaggerated rhetoric in online autism communities about discrimination in immigrating, like claiming that entire countries prohibit autistic people from immigrating when the actual policy is “you can’t have >$X annual health care costs,” which some high support needs autistics might reach but high functioning people will not. Skepticism is almost always the right approach to stories of outright discrimination in this area.
I got diagnosed with “high functioning autism” last Spring and I don’t regret it. Before I was diagnosed I was trying and failing to treat depression, anxiety, and OCD. Now that I know what my problem is, almost every area of my life has improved. When I last saw my doctor for a routine checkup my score on the depression/anxiety screener they give you at every appointment was half the score at my previous appointment. That is not nothing.
However I understand your concern about being a borderline case and contributing to the idea that “slight” variations from normal need to be labelled. Personally I am really glad I got diagnosed even if it contributes to that idea because my life is genuinely and noticeably better now than it was before, because I understand myself better. I have been passively suicidal since I was a kid because I have always felt so indescribably off and I don’t feel that way anymore. I no longer have to wonder what’s wrong with me, knowing exactly what’s wrong with me is what I needed. Maybe in the future this label won’t be needed but frankly it is needed now and not pursuing it doesn’t actually get us any closer to the world in which people’s differences are respected without labels so that makes it a useless “sacrifice” imo.
“Is there an advantage to explaining to other people that it’s because I’m autistic, rather than just saying it’s part of my personality?” Maybe, if the person you’re talking to isn’t receptive to your needs without a detailed explanation. I don’t tell people unless there’s a specific reason to though. I told my boss so she could better understand my working style and why I might need certain things, but not every coworker. I told my very few close friends but I don’t open with the information when meeting new people. I am sensitive to the idea that too many people are being diagnosed with autism these days and too many normal behaviors are being labeled as autistic so I want to avoid putting myself in a situation where people get to use me as debate fodder.
This is my first comment on LW, so apologies if I haven’t understood the new commenter material well enough. I’m in the US so I can’t speak to UK specific laws or culture. From my research before I got diagnosed there is quite a bit of exaggerated rhetoric in online autism communities about discrimination in immigrating, like claiming that entire countries prohibit autistic people from immigrating when the actual policy is “you can’t have >$X annual health care costs,” which some high support needs autistics might reach but high functioning people will not. Skepticism is almost always the right approach to stories of outright discrimination in this area.
I got diagnosed with “high functioning autism” last Spring and I don’t regret it. Before I was diagnosed I was trying and failing to treat depression, anxiety, and OCD. Now that I know what my problem is, almost every area of my life has improved. When I last saw my doctor for a routine checkup my score on the depression/anxiety screener they give you at every appointment was half the score at my previous appointment. That is not nothing.
However I understand your concern about being a borderline case and contributing to the idea that “slight” variations from normal need to be labelled. Personally I am really glad I got diagnosed even if it contributes to that idea because my life is genuinely and noticeably better now than it was before, because I understand myself better. I have been passively suicidal since I was a kid because I have always felt so indescribably off and I don’t feel that way anymore. I no longer have to wonder what’s wrong with me, knowing exactly what’s wrong with me is what I needed. Maybe in the future this label won’t be needed but frankly it is needed now and not pursuing it doesn’t actually get us any closer to the world in which people’s differences are respected without labels so that makes it a useless “sacrifice” imo.
“Is there an advantage to explaining to other people that it’s because I’m autistic, rather than just saying it’s part of my personality?” Maybe, if the person you’re talking to isn’t receptive to your needs without a detailed explanation. I don’t tell people unless there’s a specific reason to though. I told my boss so she could better understand my working style and why I might need certain things, but not every coworker. I told my very few close friends but I don’t open with the information when meeting new people. I am sensitive to the idea that too many people are being diagnosed with autism these days and too many normal behaviors are being labeled as autistic so I want to avoid putting myself in a situation where people get to use me as debate fodder.