Why I Feel That Self-Diagnosis Is Valid With ASD

[the_tortoise]

My ADHD son may consider medication to help him focus. These are medical conditions.

I have ADHD-C and would argue that ADHD is also a neurodevelopmental condition, like autism; One of the many natural variations in human development.

There is some evidence that schizophrenia can be considered a neurodevelopmental condition as well, albeit one that includes psychosis.

....The dividing lines between different types of brain things are not so clear to me, unless you're talking about acquired versus developmental (even then, it can get a little blurry, because of epigenetics and the way the human brain can be altered/shaped by experience). Or if you are talking about whether or not the impairments of any condition are more socially constructed versus innate (but again, sometimes the lines are quite blurry).

Any condition that involves a physiological difference can be considered a medical condition, in my way of conceptualizing things -- autism included; I think this way regardless of whether or not the condition is benign/beneficial/does not require medical intervention or is detrimental/involves a disease process that requires medical intervention to prevent or slow progression or damage.

Like with ADHD, there are treatments/therapies that can ease or alter autism symptoms (like occupational therapy for sensory issues and executive dysfunction, speech therapy for communication and language difficulties, and medication for executive dysfunction/issues with emotional regulation and self control) and make life easier for the autistic person.

If ASD is simply another way that the brain can be wired--if we are simply different, not less

In context, this seems to imply that people with mental illnesses or what you would categorize as medical conditions are less, rather than simply different -- with a unique set of struggles/difficulties to contend with, that the majority do not have. I don't think you mean for it to imply that, but I'm pointing it out because I think it's important for people to question assumptions and to avoid efforts to de-stigmatize one condition by effectively saying "Leave all the stigma for this other group, it makes sense for them to have it but not us".....because it doesn't make sense for them to have it, either.

I used to say, quite defensively, "I'm not crazy, I'm just [whatever -- autistic, ADHD, sensory processing disorder]"....as if all the stigma and judgment I was trying to defend againt by saying that would be somehow deserved if I was psychotic instead....the main part of that was just wanting to be understood accurately but there was the stigma deflection aspect, too.....it seems woven into the discourse about a lot of differences.

And again, I think you may have not intended any stigma deflection in what you wrote, but I'm putting it out there because I know I'm not the only one who's ever done that. (But if I'm the only one here who's ever done that, feel free to just ignore this!)

 

[Jojo_LB]

I have ADHD-C and would argue that ADHD is also a neurodevelopmental condition, like autism; One of the many natural variations in human development.

this is true.

I wouldn't be surprised if other things that are labeled just "mental illness" or mood or personality disorders could also be labeled "neurodevelopmental conditions" because some of them just can't ever be cured. They're lifelong. A lot of mental illnesses, while can be chronic, and long-term, can be "cured." I'm not sure cure is the right word for it though. I guess for lack of a better and more appropriate comparison, I'll just talk about cancer. If caught early and treated aggressively, a lot of cancers can be cured, or at least you can go into remission for a while, and it may or may not come back. With certain mental illness, you can take meds, go to therapy, and get better. Sometimes, the problems will come back. For some lucky people, they manage to remain happy and balanced after treatment.

But for stuff like ASD, ADHD, learning differences, etc., those are neurodevelopmental issues. They can't be cured. The brains are hard-wired to be this way forever. Meds can help manage stuff, symptoms of those conditions.

Once I stop taking stimulants, all the crap that made my life chaotic and tumultuous due to ADHD will just come back, sadly. I can improve my situation, surely, to make the symptoms less harsh and troublesome, but those things are impossible to achieve right now.

 

[Aspychata]

This forum helped understand my strange behaviors like repetitive actions, sensory reactions, communication screwups when l am too focused on the person. Not understanding cues on telephones, not understanding that sometimes l hurt people without meaning to. Am l self-diagnosed? Am l just a person that wants to understand myself better, and present the best version of me, and nurture the weird part of me?

 

[Fino]

I'm getting hotter and hotter but unable to lift my arms enough to remove my jacket and become more and more miserable and it's interfering with my ability to concentrate

Some things are so relatable it hurts a little.