#Self Diagnosis

[oshidorifuufu]

when you’re openly exhibiting symptoms but you’re not diagnosed so everyone just treats you like you’re overreacting

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Why self-diagnosed autistics are valid

medical diagnosis can be expensive

humans are the experts on their own minds

family may prevent assessment

diagnosis criteria is a poor checklist of stereotypes

diagnosis criteria ignores gender, race, sexuality, culture & more

medical diagnosis confirms autism, but doesn't create it

discrimination within the medical profession may prevent diagnosis.

Assessment waiting lists often long

medical trauma may make assessment unfeasible

Neurodiverse Journeys

[autiebiographical]

Can't take away from something that isn't there.

Not to mention to get any support from the government or an organization most people need an official diagnosis.

[ur-local-ghost-pal]

Everyone say it with me, the disability comes before the diagnosis ever can/does. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

[schizosupport]

I think there's a terrible catch 22 existing for mentally ill people, especially for those of us with psychosis, where diagnosis is necessary for many accommodations, treatment and resources - but diagnosis also puts you at serious risk of systemic oppression and loss of autonomy.

And while it should be considered a privilege not to have had a diagnosis forced on you, it's also pretty fucking wild to have to forego resources that could genuinely improve your life, because it puts you at risk of having your autonomy compromised.

People with diagnoses of the psychotic and schizo spec variety (especially schizophrenia and schizoaffective) are regularly denied things like transition-related healthcare and fertility related healthcare, not to mention we are at a much increased risk of having our children wrongfully removed. We regularly have our health-related concerns dismissed as delusional, which is thought to be a contributing factor to the lower life expectancy of schizophrenics. There's a number of jobs that you're not allowed to take if you have this type of a diagnosis, and in many places, you have to jump through extra hoops for things like keeping a driver's license.

I'm not intending to fear-monger: I think many people affected by these symptoms/disorders are already well aware of the risks in their specific area of the world. But I think that people who are so quick to judge self-identified psychotic individuals for not seeking out professional help and validation, need to consider the serious cost-benefit analysis that goes into this.

And I also think that bright-eyed individuals who seek out professional diagnosis mostly for the sake of validation need to stop and take some time to research whether this diagnosis is liable to come back to haunt them later in life, first. Because if it's just about the validation, I'm here to tell you that you do NOT need a psychiatrist's stamp of approval for your experiences to be real and worthy of support. You are welcome in this community, and I'm never going to judge anyone for choosing not to disclose their symptoms to a psychiatric authority.

[somniphobicfox]

This month, shoutout to new mobility aid users. People who've just recently bought a cane or a wheelchair or a rollator or any other mobility aids and are just getting used to them. People who are still figuring out how to navigate in them. It's alright if the aid that you thought would help you actually turned out to be useless/more destructive. Its alright if on some days even your aid cannot give you support. You are still valid, your struggle still real, and I hope you find what's right for you really soon <3

[evilesbiautism]

The most common argument you'll hear against self diagnosis is that people will fake being [X] for attention. But every disabled person, physical or otherwise, knows this could only work in online spaces - the world was not made for us, and brandishing your disability as a badge of honor that gives you ~special privileges~ is such a funny idea.

Like, honey - that doesn't happen. No one gets anything from being disabled. Maybe extra accommodations if you're lucky - but nothing else. And the internet isn't as important as you seem to think - eventually it just feels hollow.

Ask disabled people how often they had to fight to get diagnosed so their medical needs could be met and their complaints would be heard. Doctors are just hardwired to delay this as much as possible.

I knew I was autistic since late 2018 - I got an official diagnosis 4 months ago. Knowing yourself and how you can make your own life easier is a lifesaver.

And this isn't even going into how many *cons* there are to a professional diagnosis, like being met with disdain at best and denied services at worst.

I don't care if a 16 year old who self diagnosed after taking 1 online quiz about autism is wrong. And honestly I think it's weird people treat this 'issue' with so much hatred.

[lesbidykez]

anyways i can now say that as an officially diagnosed autistic person, you’re completely valid if you self dx autism.

i was self diagnosed for over 8 years before i finally managed to get tested and diagnosed, and it is far from easy, nor is it cheap, especially when you have factors working against you (like i for example was afab, queer, and poor, plus my mom was actively trying to sabotage every attempt i made to get tested. some people also have their race or other factors making it harder still to be taken seriously)

i wouldn’t be in this position if i hadn’t self diagnosed and advocated for myself all those years. and along the way i learned to love myself for my autistic traits, not in spite of them, and gained access to a wonderful autistic community that has helped me probably in more ways than even i know.

you know yourself better than anyone else. if you say you’re autistic, then you’re autistic in my book.

[themaidenofwords]

Do y'all remember how at the end of season one when Martin and Jon were hiding from the worms and their conversation went along the lines of,

"Why the fuck do you keep acting all skeptical when there's a literal half-dead worm woman outside?"

And Jon sort of breaks a little and says, "Because I’m scared, Martin!. Because when I record these statements it feels… it feels like I’m being watched. I… I lose myself a bit. And then when I come back, it’s like… like if I admit there may be any truth to it, whatever’s watching will… know somehow. The scepticism, feigning ignorance. It just felt safer."

Now, I know I am taking some liberties here, because Jon does explicitly state that the Watcher's presence was the main reason he tried to avoid believing the statements, but I think there's something else to be seen here.

Jon's reaction makes me think of why people are sometimes scared to get a diagnosis (mental or physical). Particularly when it comes to mental diagnoses, there seems to be a general feeling that if you ignore it-- if you can just pretend that the warm breath of something just behind your shoulder isn't real-- then it can't bite you. There's a fear of putting a name to problems as if by naming it and acknowledging it is a problem, you give it the power to hurt you.

I've seen this in people struggling with mental health issues, but more commonly i've seen it in the families of the struggling person. Sometimes it comes from a place of good intentions, but there's a type of gaslighting that occurs when everyone close to you refuses to put a name to the thing you all know is there. If you admit there may be any truth to it, whatever is there will become more real.

"It just felt safer."

"Well... it wasn't"

"No. No, it wasn't."

Am I a professional in mental health? No.

Could I be talking out of my ass? Possibly.

But I believe we should acknowledge the fact that being scared of identifying what may lurk in the dark makes it no less real. Illuminating the harmful problems in your mind or trying to identify the cause of the suspicious pains in your body can only help you understand what needs to be done to help yourself. The face of the creature you uncover may be ugly and terrifying, but if it's illuminated, it can be fought.

Don't let yourself or anyone else make you afraid of putting a name to what you feel. Seek a diagnosis. Research for a self-diagnosis. Talk to friends or a therapist. Find the name of your monster, because ignoring it does nothing but let it draw closer to your door.

[turnaboutstar]

autistic people when there's collectable things with tv shows with multiple generations of them:

[incognitopolls]

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[bisexualgoth]

idk if that's a hot take or what but i genuinely do not give a flying fuck if kids online self-diagnose with adhd. if they browse those "how to do x with adhd" sites or look for+find support in adhd-specific communities or buy nice planners bc it helps them at school or buy those spinning rings to fidget with literally how is that any of my problem. I'd rather 5000 people without adhd better their lives by using things intended for people w adhd than one kid with adhd feeling lost and depressed bc they're convinced they're just lazy.

[autiebiographical]

Whenever the topic of autism self diagnosis comes up, inevitably a comment about "what about people faking it" comes up.

1. Who are you to determine whether they're faking it or not?

2. Is it really worth gatekeeping many people because of the actions of a few?

[daybringersol]

whats crazy to me is how ready people are to diagnose random people they dont like (‘narcissists’, ‘sociopaths’, ‘psychotic’ & ‘bipolar’ are ones ive heard often, ‘autistic’ has begun to be used like this as well again), but the moment someone genuinely recognizes themselves into these diagnoses, now its a problem. almost like these diagnoses are more weapons to you than actual conditions. who could have seen this coming. /s

[adhdpie]

Something I desperately want ppl to know:

LONG COVID CAN LOOK INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM ADULT ADHD

If you are an adult who has never experienced ADHD symptoms until recently: you may have a form of Long COVID

many ppl who have it call ‘brain fog’. Its primary feature is being unable to concentrate & short term memory/working memory issues, which severely impairs executive function.

COVID-induced brain fog’s effect on executive function is essentially indistinguishable from ADHD’s effect on the same.

& brain fog is A VERY COMMON LONG COVID SYMPTOM

as the number of adults with executive dysfunction has shot up, i want people to remember this. Especially if they get an ADHD evaluation and are told they’re not ADHD

Because we are all disabled, and we deserve care and understanding no matter what disabled us

[actuallyverynormalbtw]

i dont like to talk about self-diagnosis because i dont enjoy people making assumptions about me, my illnesses, and my diagnostic status. but i will say:

i have self diagnosed and gone on to be medically validated with an official diagnosis. multiple times actually. i was never wrong about my self-diagnoses.

however, i have been misdiagnosed by professionals FIVE TIMES. and let me tell you, a professional diagnosis being wrong is far more harmful than a self-diagnosis being wrong.

if your self diagnosis is wrong, maybe you used the wrong language or put yourself in a box or now feel invalid and whatnot. but if your professional diagnosis is wrong, it can lead to abuse, medical trauma, panic attacks, issues with medication, even suicide.

i was misdiagnosed with BPD when i was 15 by a psychologist that i spoke to for hardly even 10 minutes. this diagnosis was based on my parent's description of my reactions to abuse, and the diagnosis was used to validate and excuse their abuse.

i was misdiagnosed with MDD when i was 12 and put through several different types of anti-depressants. we never found anything that worked, because it was actually ADHD and dissociation, but i did end up with panic attacks and insomnia all throughout middle/highschool!

when i self-diagnosed with autism however, it saved my life. it took me out of active suicidality because i was able to finally able to accept myself after years of feeling like i am just "being a person wrong". i had the knowledge to accomodate for myself and the language to advocate for myself. this was life changing. even if i was wrong, which i wasnt, i dont see how it couldve caused any harm.

my opinions on self-diagnoses arent black and white, and im not entirely settled on them either, but i do think this is important to understand. doctors and psychologists are not all knowing. we live in a time where we can access thousands of dollars worth of university level education on the internet, even the same exact resources medical students use. plenty of people are capable of interpreting themselves and that information to come to a conclusion about what they are experiencing and what might help.

sure, self-diagnosis might be biased. but a professional is most likely going to be just as biased, and possibly less aware of it. its just silly to use bias as a primary argument when it is an inescapable feature of human psychology. there is a reason ADHD is underdiagnosed in women. there is a reason anxiety disorders are underdiagnosed in men.

an incorrect self-diagnosis wont take away resources or your space in your comminities. but professional misdiagnosis can cause real damage.

(i am not trying to fear-monger about professional diagnosis, moreso responding to the fear-mongering surrounding self-diagnosis)