If you are reading this post, it is most likely because you have heard about the process of getting diagnosed as Autistic in adulthood and want to learn more. It’s possible you have already self-diagnosed and are looking to take the next step. Maybe you just have questions and think a formal diagnosis process may be the way to go. 

Our aim with this post and future posts related to this topic is to clear up some of the mysteries and misconceptions so people can make a more informed decision about whether format diagnosis is right for them. 

In this post, we will be discussing the process of seeking out an assessment.

Once you have decided that pursuing an official diagnosis is right for you, that means you will need an assessment from a professional who is qualified to make that diagnosis. But it’s often not as simple as looking up the right place and setting an appointment. 

So let’s dive in and take a closer look at what seeking out an assessment might look like depending on where you are starting!

One step you may find helpful taking on your own or with a therapist is setting goals that you hope to achieve with the pursuit of an official diagnosis. Your goals may vary depending on your needs. 

A person pursuing official diagnosis for the purpose of self-discovery may approach the process very differently from someone who feels they need it to receive important accommodations at work. 

Some goals a person might set in relation to going through the diagnostic process might include:

• Having an official answer, whether that answer is yes or no.

• Establishing a legal right to certain reasonable accommodations at work or in public.

• Learning more about how my brain works.

• Learning more about what I need to feel comfortable and healthy.

• Feeling more confident in sharing my needs or identity with others.

• Feeling more confident in trusting my own instincts and observations about myself.

• Receiving official confirmation for what I already know.

The difference between a self-diagnosis and a formal diagnosis can often be the legal resources that are made available to people who have a medical Autism diagnosis. 

While those resources may not be particularly impactful to every person who could potentially receive a diagnosis, they are still relevant and once you have a diagnosis it is at least worth considering whether any of those options could be beneficial or might be worth keeping on your radar for the future. 

Thankfully Milestones Autism Resources includes a helpful table in their adult diagnosis toolkit that outlines the main benefits that open up to someone who has received a formal diagnosis:

• Protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act

• Reasonable accommodations at school and work

• Access to services through the Board of Developmental Disabilities

• Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income

• Eligibility to open a STABLE Account

Your therapist is also someone who has enough information about you to be able to offer some reasonable answers or ways to find answers to important questions you might have about the diagnostic process.

• How much will it cost me?

• How much time will it take?

• What does the process look like?

• Are there any steps I should take before I set an appointment?

• If I receive a diagnosis, how do “reasonable accommodations” work?

• What options are available to me?

• Who would you recommend?

An adult assessment can include a multidisciplinary team , and it might not always be easy to find all the information you need when considering your options. 

One way to consider the right match is to think about the areas in which a good fit is most important, and what questions you might ask in those areas to help decide whether the fit is right. 

Let’s take a look at some questions we might consider when we explore our potential assessment choices:

Cost

• Are you in-network for my insurance?

• What will the total cost of the assessment be for me?

• Will I need any additional follow ups afterward?

Trust

• Do you have any patient reviews that I am able to access?

• What steps do you take to ensure people are comfortable during the assessment process?

• How strongly do you factor my personal accounts into your assessment?

Process

• Can you explain to me how your assessment process works?

• Are there any self-tests I can take before I do this assessment?

• How long will it take me to receive my results?

We hope this post has offered some helpful guideposts for those just at the beginning of seeking out a diagnosis. 

While every individual will have their own journey when it comes to the diagnosis process, there are still steps we can all take to ensure that the journey is serving us in developing a better understanding of ourselves and meeting our needs and goals. 

If you’d like to share your own story about seeking out an assessment then we would love you hear from you! Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com and keep an eye out for more adult diagnosis related resources!