Is it better to get a private autism diagnosis?

Getting my autism diagnosis wasn’t a game-changer. We suspected it already, so we made adjustments based on that. Whether a doc said yes or no, the struggles were still there. So, going private for the diagnosis? Nah, too pricey. Plus, we were already on the right track. The diagnosis was just a formality, really. 🧩

Reasons for Not Going Private 🚫

Receiving my autism diagnosis did we go private? The short answer to this is no, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the price – it is very expensive to get private ERS and diagnosis, and I couldn’t afford to. The next reason is that we had a really long discussion about what the autism diagnosis would bring, and we decided really quickly that the biggest thing that it would do is tell us for definite whether or not I was autistic. We already suspected that I was autistic, so we sort of said, "Well, if we just adapt what we’re doing based on the fact that we think that I’m autistic, then nothing much will change, whether or not a consultant says yes you’re Autistic or not, because the things that I’ve always found difficult, I’ve always found difficult, and the things we could do to improve those things we were still going to do and we were still doing anyway." For example, making plans, understanding my sensory differences, and things like that. So, we realized that whether or not I had it in black and white writing from a consultant psychiatrist kind of became immaterial because it was more about how I felt and how I was understanding myself. And so, whilst the diagnosis was important, the identification of being autistic was almost more important, and we made reasonable adjustments based on suspecting being autistic at that point. A couple of years down the line when I got my autism diagnosis, not a lot changed because we already made the adaptation, and I generally was doing so much better from an autistic perspective because we had made those adjustments. That’s not to say that getting my autism diagnosis wasn’t really important because it was, and for me, it was really important to have it written down in black and white. But by that point, I had already realized that I was autistic. The people around me that I’d spoken to about it, they had all said, "Yes, we really do think you’re autistic." So not a lot actually changed after I got my diagnosis, but for me, it did help to have it confirmed.

Importance of Diagnosis Confirmation 📝

That’s not to say that getting a private assessment is the right or wrong thing to do. Everyone’s situations are going to be different, the way you feel about an Autism diagnosis, and whether or not you feel it’s really important to have it from a consultant psychiatrist or if you feel able to make the adaptation before you have an assessment. There are so many factors that can influence whether or not someone can go privately or not. For me, the cost was the thing that I couldn’t get around. It’s not saying that there’s a right or wrong, I’m just explaining my experience and why we made the decisions that we did.

Key Takeaways 🌟

• The cost of private assessment was a significant factor in the decision not to go private for an autism diagnosis.
• Making reasonable adjustments based on the suspicion of being autistic before the diagnosis was crucial for the individual’s well-being.
• The confirmation of the diagnosis was important for personal validation, even though it did not significantly change the existing adaptations and support.

In conclusion, the decision to pursue a private or public autism diagnosis is a personal one, influenced by various factors such as cost, personal validation, and the need for professional confirmation. Each individual’s experience and circumstances will shape their approach to seeking an autism diagnosis.