I know what you’re probably thinking… that professionals know best, and you can’t really know unless you see a professional. Well, here’s my take on why that is fundamentally wrong.
1. Professionals can’t know everything. Yes there are specialists who specialize in diagnosing Autism, but regular therapists and counselors don’t know everything. It’d take a lifetime for them to know everything to do with our brains and how they are different. On top of that, no one can be an expert on YOUR brain, but you! YOU know what is going on in your head, no one else.
2. Even if you see someone who specializes in Autism, they can make mistakes. They can let bias get in the way of a diagnosis. No one is going to fit the stereotypical mold exactly. Everyone is different. That includes Autistic people. We’re all different, with varying levels of abilities, and varying levels of masking.
3. Getting a diagnosis is expensive and inaccessible for a lot of people. On top of that, the majority of the research done is on young white males, and presents differently for women, people of color, and other marginalized groups. Because of this, even if you find someone who specializes in Autism, they might not be up to date on how it can present in your demographic.
4. Adults who are getting diagnosed now usually have masked heavily for years. It’s hard to drop the mask when that’s been your persona for so long. It’s a process. But, because of masking, the questionnaires don’t adequately help with diagnosing Autism because the symptoms are masked through years of trying to be like everyone else.
5. ADHD can mask Autism symptoms, so can Anxiety. Autism symptoms can also mask ADHD symptoms and Anxiety symptoms. Treating or unmasking any one of these conditions can bring the others forward. That doesn’t mean that someone wasn’t always Autistic or ADHD. It just means certain other symptoms were more pronounced and covered other symptoms. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for someone with ADHD to start taking medication or start adjusting their lifestyle to fit their brain and then start discovering other things about themselves that they previously hadn’t noticed.
All in all, if someone says they are Autistic… maybe just believe them? No one wants to be autistic, unless they actually are and are just looking for their people, or need help! So rather than dismissing them, help them! Find resources, share accounts with #actuallyautistic in the tags, do some research so they don’t have to share everything themselves (advocating for yourself can get exhausting after awhile). And most of all, ask how you can be supportive, and accommodate their needs.
Love and light from Clarissa, your resident Autistic and ADHD writer, sharing her experiences and thoughts and feelings with the world.
If you think you might be Autistic, go to embrace-Autism.com and take their questionnaires! They have a lot of great information and will even diagnose Autistic people (their evaluation is one of the least expensive I’ve found and can be done from home, online). They take into account how it can affect different demographics, and they take into account masking! I have not personally used their services, but I have taken their questionnaires and found it helpful in my own journey to self-diagnosing. 💕
The Neurodivergent Homemaker 