#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’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.

Honestly? I haven't found any sources in recent memory that didn't have some form of ableism towards people with NPD. I suppose the DSM-5 is an example but I assume you've seen that.