#self dx

I don’t Know that I’m autistic. What I do know is that my life makes more sense, and is easier to navigate, when I view it through the lens of being autistic.

I learnt what masking was, and started to undo the damage of 20+ years of it. I let myself stim for the first time out of joy and it was incredible. I recognised it as a regulation skill and started using it for coping. I stopped being cruel to myself about making ‘weird’ noises, I let myself ask for tone clarification from friends. I stopped thinking I was being rude by mimicking others (echolalia). I started respecting my own communication needs and differences. I started being able to communicate these with friends and loved ones, and had the language to do so. I recognised my sensory needs and was better at reducing shutdowns and meltdowns (which is also been confused by and blamed myself for in the past). I also could better identify things that were genuinely impeding on my life and ways to work with myself around them. (Social situations are easier now that I know what information I need before hand, and can prepare. I know what the difficulty involved in switching tasks is and can work with myself on it.)

Mostly I stopped bullying myself the way I’d been bullied growing up for everything that has made me ‘weird’. I stopped policing everything I did the way my parents had in an effort to ‘help’ me blend in. (I don’t resent them for this- I understand that what they did to me is likely what was done to them and they didn’t (and don’t) recognise it.)

According to IDRlabs.com (which I see many people self-diagnosing from), I have schizophrenia, one or more personality disorders from each cluster, three anxiety disorders, both bipolar types, PTSD, and schizoaffective disorder.

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 personally believe that the purpose of self-diagnosis is to find self-understanding, community, and resources. (This is one major reason I am in favor of self-diagnosis to begin with; descriptive labels can be very helpful for this process.) If you have different goals, you may have to modify this process to fit that. You can also do this out of order if it's more helpful for you that way.

Step 1: Narrow it down. This is when you go from having no idea to having some idea. You may have done this already, and already have an idea of what diagnosis you may have. If not, google some of the main symptoms you're concerned about and read a bit about what comes up. The results may suggest certain mental health conditions. Write down any disorder that seems plausible or that you don't know much about (even if stigmatized or scary ones come up!) to investigate further.

Step 2: Look at memes. (Yes, really.) Scroll the tags for the disorder(s) on your list and see how much of it is relatable to you, without assuming that relating means you have it. The purpose of this step is to become more accustomed to the idea of what this disorder actually looks like, get a feel for the community you will be entering (if you choose to), and maybe have some myths debunked for you. This part of the process will make you feel more comfortable and less intimidated by what's ahead, as well as help you get a feel for the basics so you're not starting from nothing in your research.

Step 3: Research! Read Wikipedia, read the DSM/ICD, read complaints people with the disorder have against the DSM/ICD, read books, read scientific articles, read criticisms of scientific articles. (Conveniently, this blog is dedicated to making this step a whole lot easier.) Read about causes, symptoms, timeline, treatment, stigma, theories. Understand the disorder(s) you're considering inside and out, front and back.

Step 4: Differential diagnosis. This is the step most people skip. This is when you take a step back once you have an idea of what it might be and ask yourself, "What are some alternate explanations? Is there anything else that might explain it better?" This may lead you to realize you were "one step away" (Examples: thinking you have ADHD when autism actually describes you better, thinking you have ASPD when NPD actually describes you better, etc), or that you actually have both. Don't just read the DSM "differential diagnosis" section; research similar disorders in depth as well, as much as you're able to. (There are resources for this on this blog as well.) Sometimes, you also need to consider physical health ailments. For example, if you have a sleep disorder, that can be the actual cause of your ADHD symptoms. Additionally, don't double count your symptoms.

Step 5: Consider professional diagnosis/treatment. Before you make an official decision on whether or not you want to seek out professional help (if it's an option for you), do your research. Don't listen to fearmongering on how many rights you'll lose if you get a diagnosis OR people saying that you have no recovery options except therapy. Look into what the process of getting a diagnosis would be, what availability there is in your area, what the medical and legal consequences would be (find actual credible sources), what professional treatment might look like for you, and what self-help options are out there. Then use all of this information to decide what's right FOR YOU.

I’ve been hiding my real opinion for a long time just so I could be “accepted” in the online autism community. That ends today.

If you have self-diagnosed autism — or if you support self-diagnosis of autism in any way — do not follow me. If I find out, I will block you without hesitation.

Autism is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that requires trained medical professionals to evaluate and diagnose. It is not something you can determine on your own by watching TikToks, taking online quizzes, or “relating” to a list of traits.

Even “mild” presentations can overlap with ADHD, anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, learning disabilities, or other conditions that only proper clinical testing can sort out. Skipping that process is skipping the truth about your own health.

This is not about “drama” or “gatekeeping for fun.” This is about protecting the integrity of real, verified diagnoses and ensuring advocacy stays grounded in accurate, evidence-based representation.

Self-diagnosis spreads misinformation. It weakens advocacy. It makes it harder for those of us with documented, medically recognized disabilities to be taken seriously by schools, healthcare systems, and society.

I’ve been through the long, exhausting, and often painful process of professional assessment. I know firsthand how much it matters, not just for accuracy, but for receiving the support and accommodations you actually need.