Self Diagnosis of ADHD or Autism IS NOT Valid

[BipolarCourage]

I regularly get harrassed by the "self-diagnosis is valid" crowd.

[aeldron]

I am medically diagnosed autistic. I was self-diagnosed for a few years before that.

Self diagnosing is perfectly valid when accessible and affordable care isn't available. Getting a formal diagnosis is a privilege that is not available to everyone.

Someone else's self-diagnosis does not remove anything from me or invalidate my own diagnosis. Some of those people, probably most of them, might actually be in the spectrum for all we know, and they will be advocating for autism inclusion so what's the harm?

The author is splitting hairs in my opinion when he says they should call themself "pending-diagnosis" instead of "self-diagnosed". Prior to my diagnosis I used to say I was "undiagnosed autistic". It's the same thing, really.

[walpolekidscomics]

I dont tell anyone i believe i am autistic, only my therapist, who has said its better to go down this 'possibly autistic' path after my own research as a way of improving my mental health, rather than ignoring my research. I respect him for that. As i dont tell anyone other than him i dont see is self disgnosis in that way you are talking about

[michellewehner]

I might venture to consider the term "diagnosis" as the linchpin to this - for lack of a better word - debate.

Any medical diagnosis can only be made, as you point out, by a trained professional in their applicable field of specialty. Ergo an actual differential "diagnosis" of the self as autistic can't be valid.

That said, I understand what it's like to identify as autistic and feel much better understood within the autistic community. For me as I deep-dived into learning about the autistic experience, it felt like all the 'empty files' of my life were filled. All the weirdnesses, misunderstandings and alienations of my life began to make sense. I wasn't loosing my mind, it was just wired differently.

Between the time I discovered my affinity to what I learned about autism, and the time I was finally assessed and diagnosed by a professional, I felt like I was 'in-the-between'. Like I didnt belong in either camp. And that was a very lonely place to be. On the one hand, the people I could relate to might not accept me, and on the other I felt like I was living among aliens.

So for those groups and individuals who accepted me when I was 'in-the-between', thank you. You really made me feel like I had a community I could belong in.

So maybe "self identify" > "self diagnose" while pending an official assessment. (If a person *wants* to be formally diagnosed. Some do not for various personal reasons).

Just a thought for what it's worth.

[venusangelica]

Thanks for this video. The self-diagnosis trend is extremely harmful to autistic people, and proponents of self-diagnosis harass us for seeing its invalidity.

[Dragonheart-ed]

I am so glad I am not the only one who can rightfully call out the horseshit of "self diagnosis." But let me be clear, I am not in favor of Charlatans pushing snake oil type sales tactics in the name of things like "help, " "salvation, " and even "healing, " neither.

[Rarely_Sane]

If using the lable autistic or adhd is helping you and ist harming anyone go for it just dont do it if it isn’t beneficial to you

[Turai]

Now imagine if it was feasible to actually get a diagnosis by a professional as an adult so that people wouldn't have to fall back on self diagnosis. It's sadly the only way for some people to ever get anything resembling an answer as to why we're falling apart by the seams.