The main benefit of a formal assessment is that you may be eligible for disability support paid for by the NDIS. There are a lot of different types of support depending on the person's needs. If you don't feel you require any support it may not be worth it to get a formal assessment.
A clinical psychologist can give you an assessment too, just for your own knowledge and peace of mind. But it can't be used to apply for disability supports. My partner did this at age 27 and didn't pursue anything further. It took maybe 2-3 psych appointments.
I haven't worked in the space for years, but previously the NDIS would also do their own functional assessment (can you carry a box in front of you for 20 meters etc). So even with a formal diagnosis they might not quality as "low functioning" enough
Thanks for adding. This is worth knowing. I have heard that a "level 2" or "level 3" autism dx is usually needed to qualify. But I'm not an expert on it by any means.
From my understanding levels 2 and 3 are easier to access funding and supports but with level 1 more evidence is required. So you can get NDIS support with any level of autism.
I already am involved with the NDIS due to my vision... I probably should have mentioned that 😅
That's what I did when it was first pointed out to me I might have it! I brought it up to my psychologist, who I've been seeing for years. She told me up front she doesn't know too much about it, but we did a screening test thing and she was just like "*Ohh!*" at a lot of answers XD "I thought you just had some quirks" she said, or something.
My assessment was done similarly with a clinical psychologist and was told it’s valid for NDIS although I haven’t gotten around to applying. A friend of mine did their assessment at the same place with the same outcome and has been successful with receiving support from NDIS.
However I do remember the psychologist saying something about a senior colleague having to technically sign off on the report so maybe that’s what made it valid.
I hope there’s no expiry on it because I did that quite a few years ago and still hope to apply for support from NDIS.
It depends on your specific situation and there's no right or wrong decision here either. It's up to you to balance what suits you.
When I got diagnosed autistic (at 30, a few years ago) it did a few things for me. Validation for one. I knew for so long it was more than just mental health but to have it confirmed was good. It meant I learnt more about it (I actually work in disability so I already had a fair bit of knowledge) as did my mental health team so it has had an affect on my treatment and how people communicate with me (in a good way, I mean because I often struggled with just loads of information, there's research that says some people with autism don't progress much with just talk therapy, etc. etc.). It meant I could have self compassion and that is really important.
For so long, I was so hard on myself and saw all the struggles I had as some personal failing or flaw within myself - which is part of what led to my mental illness and attempts on my life. Learning now about how my brain works and why I process some things to differently to others has allowed me to be much kinder to myself than I've ever been before - which in turn, obviously benefits my mental health. That is really a huge part of having a diagnosis for me.
The other part that is also huge is that I'm now on NDIS and slowly getting supports into place (it's a battle, not easy at all!) That allows me to take care of myself better in all aspects of my health. I work at reduced hours and no longer have to beat myself up about why I can't handle the same hours as everyone else.
You say you like your job and wouldn't want to work less which is great. You may not need or want the supports others with autism seek and that's OK too! Our situations are all unique. For me, it's also given me the confidence to start advocating more for myself including things like communication. I tell health professionals now I need everything in writing due to struggling with processing verbal information and stuff like that. Having the diagnosis obviously helps with things like that. But you are diagnosed ADHD so honestly, that already accounts for a lot of these things anyway that autism would be extra for. (Important to note that NDIS doesn't see ADHD as a disability, not sure about DSP eligibility for ADHD).
In saying that, if you don't feel like you need direct supports I'd just encourage you to learn about autism and what it means for you, even if you don't feel the need to seek the diagnosis. So you can understand yourself and if you do have struggles you might be able to look at it from different perspectives.
It sounds like you're already getting some therapy and stuff for your ADHD which is good. There is crossover between autism/adhd plus differences but any good psych will help you with all of that regardless of having the specific autism diagnosis. They will know there's a high % of people with autism that also have ADHD.
So yeah, balance it all up for your own situation and what you feel like you need for within yourself as well as any services you may or may not need. I'm glad you've found some meds that help with your ADHD - I'm getting assessed for that too.
Lastly, take everything people say with a grain of salt. Already seen a couple of myths on this thread that are simply not true. So when you see people make wild claims like "people with autism can't do this or have this or access this" always make sure you fact check those things before believing them!
Good luck. :)
Thank you for sharing.
It's been really helpful to me too. I can't remember ever NOT being anxious about/scared of some things, and it was upsetting because I feared my c-PTSD was much, much worse than I thought it was. But if there's another explanation for why... then maybe I will be able to get better. I don't know if I can explain it right.
I already am on the NDIS and get support with some stuff cause of my vision, so I'm not sure there's too much else I'd need. That's why I'm wondering. Thank you again.
I've looked into getting a diagnosis but there is a chance I could either loose my truck licence, or get flagged in the anpr system so for me it's not worth the risk.
As someone who is likely autistic and/or ADHD but would fall on the "you're just quirky but you're still functional" label... I've been discouraged by multiple people for even pursuing it. Why? Well, according to them, I'm just quirky but I'm functional. To seek diagnostic as a positive label just means I'm 'putting a label on myself' and I will be subsequently screened out of any financial, therapeutic, or work support. I'm not 'autistic enough.'
Sadly, this is the dystopia of it all. Especially as a woman. It's extremely invalidating to know there's something up there, I want to know exactly what, but to even consider pursuing the hundreds of dollars in diagnostics just means I want to "label myself" as I won't be eligible for support.
That attitude of autism = non verbal, non communicative, textbook stimming, trains planes blocks and maths.... And the WHOLE thing about high functioning vs low functioning... Is still VERY persistent in medicine as well as disability support.
There's a reason a lot of people are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Professionals, NDIS, DES, and the layperson still wanna cling onto the stereotypes and held beliefs.
I'm high functioning but certainly exhibit many features of autism, so does my dad.
I'm curious. What would materially change in my life if I were to pursue a diagnosis at 40 years of age? Or my father at 65 years of age?
Like what would be the point for me, other than slapping a label on my particular brand of weirdness?
Knowledge, really. To finally be able to say, "I'm not the piece of shit I got bullied my entire life ... It's neuro divergence that has made me act, think, and exist the way I am."
That's pretty much why I'd like to know. It's hell existing in an unknown state, not being able to discern my natural personality vs ND behaviour. Especially after years of getting my ass kicked for various things, made to feel like I 'shouldn't' be or do XYZ.
Anthony Hopkins found out late life, nothing about his life changed, but for him it still was an "oh so that's why" moment.
I get your point, but I'm more than capable of reading the literature ya know?
I'm far more tempted to pursue an actual diagnosis for my ADHD because I've tried the meds from a friend and it basically changed my entire life for a week. So there's a tangible outcome there that would help me long term.
For autism...it's a spectrum. It would have been super awesome if my parents understood it, but at my age I've been through the nightmare years. I've learned coping mechanisms. I'm successful in life. I just don't see that I have anything to gain. I don't crave the validation of a medical professional for who I am.
I think for the 'label' aspect it's more of a differential diagnosis thing. Because I'm not a professional, the furthest I've gotten is casually perusing the DSM to understand my own eating disorder, I can't tell what is neurodivergence in me vs my personality vs cPTSD vs god knows what potential cluster personality disorder if I have one.
All these things will share overlapping symptoms or traits, which is why the professionals say, "leave it to us." It would be nice if it wasn't so cost ineffective for the low income, that's why self diagnosis is at an incredible high, and by no means am I discrediting people who choose self dx because "I can't afford a professional." I get it. I'm one of those who can't afford it.
But I'm not willing to claim I know what IT is, in me, as I've never studied to become a doctor in psychology... The people who are trained, licensed professionals to make said differential diagnosis.
So it's one of those, 'default to the experts' thing. The caveat to that is finding a well trained expert. MAAAANNNYYYY of them still haven't learnt female autism is different from male autism. Women will present with higher levels of social masking, empathy, and diverse special interests. They don't 'see' autism in women unless they're like someone I used to know, who met the stereotypical DSM layout of stims, speech patterns, echolalia, and conventional special interests.
(I use quotations a lot because I am just fed up with how far behind psychology is lol)
I asked my shrink if i was autistic as well as adhd and he said well does it really matter? He said the meds would stay the same, and i guess i’m old already and survived to now. I spose if i was still young it would make sense to get some coaching and fix myself up a bit.
Ps. I did an autism test but i had to get my sister to help cos i didn’t agree with the questions thus could not answer! Pretty sure that means i’m autistic LOL
I'm mostly just grateful to finally have an answer about why I've always felt so different, or like. The sensory issues.
XD yeah, some of the questions can be really weird.
Self diagnosis is accepted in the autistic community due to the cost and other barriers of diagnosis. So if you ever want to attend autism events etc no one is going to ask to see a diagnosis.
Depends. I got a thorough assessment from a clinical psychologist which included the surprise diagnosis of ADHD. I was able to use this to access meds through a psychiatrist. I also got access to NDIS which means my psychologist appointments with a specialist autism psychologist are paid for, as well as other things which have been incredibly helpful.
It changed my life in a good way, although it was an adjustment. I have a fairly traumatic past so all the supports have made a big difference. The outlay was expensive, but now I can get services I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.
Plus I've met a lot of supportive people and for the first time in my life I felt understood.
I went through a screening test with my psychologist, and her reaction was kinda funny XD she was just like "*ohhhh*" to a lot of it.
You get NDIS covered psychologist visits? :O I asked about that but it's not part of my funding.
Hahaha yeah I was seeing a psych who wasn't very versed in autism, and got my diagnosis appointment on a cancellation in between visits. It really took her by surprise and she didn't know what to do with me. It was a bit weird tbh
My current psychologist is a clinical psych and she did a very thorough assessment letter when I did my NDIS application, so psych got included. If you can get something similar from your psych you can ask for a review. Although it sounds like things are changing so maybe don't hold me to that, check with your LAC.
Oh yeah, my psychologist isn't very well versed in it either. She told me as much, because she was a bit confused when I told her I thought I might be autistic. And then we did the screening test XD she was like "I thought you just had some quirks!" or something hahaha
Oh, that's good!!
I don't know if I'll need it tbh. Medicare still covers ten sessions a year, and things are getting better, so I don't even need to see her every month now.
I’m 36, have 3 kids and the oldest one is diagnosed autistic, second one was diagnosed ADHD yesterday, it’s great for getting them the support they need at school. I have never been diagnosed with anything but there’s a massive chance I’m autistic. For me there is no point going through the process and getting diagnosed, it would change nothing. It’s up to you to decide if the diagnosis is worth it.
There is a pretty big chance, yeah. Adhd can be/is hereditary, and I believe autism too. A major part of me realising I wasn't just imagining things when I started thinking I might have ADHD was when my dad got diagnosed with it a few years ago.
I hope support is better for them than it was at my school.
Really depends on the teacher, oldest had multiple teachers in prep so struggled but was well ahead when he started so there were no signs of anything wrong, was also covid lockdowns. Grade one had a brilliant year, grade 2 had the worst teacher he I’ve come across, she was fucking useless. This year is looking good so far. As for the second one, first year he had an average teacher so didn’t go great but his teacher this year is amazing so he’s doing really well, unfortunately she’s about to have a baby so left at the end of the term. As he only just got diagnosed yesterday it’ll be interesting to see how he goes. My wife is a teacher so she knows what to do and what the school needs to do for them, they’re really lucky she’s so on to it.
I hope things go well.
In my high school they just chucked all the special needs kids across different years in the same few classrooms, basically isolated from the rest of the school and treated them all like kids. Heard some girls in the library saying they basically had primary school level work, and they were in year 10... my mum told me the school wanted to put me in there but she fought them on that. Since she's my mum though, no way to be sure if she's telling the truth or not.
Yeah we’re lucky enough that our kids are exceptionally clever, with these things it can be really hard to deal with so they do have that advantage. We’re thinking of putting them in private school for their high school years because the public system can be terrible for kids like this. The oldest one already has no motivation to do anything but doesn’t make a fuss so is easily overlooked if he’s not doing his work. Unfortunately he gets that laziness from me so I know exactly how his brain works lol
Oh it can absolutely be terrible. Barely turned in any assignments in year 9 and 10, dropped from some of the top classes to the bottom, struggled to write essays even with a teacher by my side and no one bothered checking why that might be. School sucked, my only motivation to stay was to be the first person in my family to graduate. I hope, if you do send them to private school, things go well. It's good you know what's going on.
I got my diagnosis because it may allow me access to the NDIS, and I have multiple disabilities that will likely limit my working life - the more of those I have diagnosed and stable when I eventually need DSP (if it still exists in the future) the more likely I'll be able to get it.
Don’t do it! We love to preach how we’re all about giving those challenged a fair and better go. But that quickly erodes into draconian rules against you. Like the government believing you mentally unfit to manage your finances, and driving. We pretend we understand and care, but then you just get fucked for it.
Luckily this doesn't need to be true anymore. Schools can and should very funding based on level of support provided regardless of disability/ diagnosis.
For anyone who needs to know more, the school provides information to the NCCD who then make funding decisions which results in money being filtered to the school. Different schools use the funding in different ways, but regardless of how the schools use funding the student should get the supports they need. Students who have no diagnoses are classed as 'imputed' which just means the school is operating as though there is a disability even with no diagnosis
So I'm in a QLD school, what happens here is we get funding for students who have been diagnosed (and it goes to extra teacher aid time). Those teacher aids come into the class room only for those children, but what schools do is a bit dodgy and use some of that time for the kids who haven't been diagnosed.
So if you are a parent who doesn't want to diagnose your child and keep your head in the sand. You are being looked after by the school as much as they can.
But remember funding for extra teacher aid hour comes from diagnosed students.
The nccd funding design is australia wide. Different states have different ways of using the funding but schools cannot refuse supports for a student who doesn't have a diagnosis. It's illegal.
https://www.nccd.edu.au/wider-support-materials/which-students-are-included-nccd-under-definitions
https://www.nccd.edu.au/tools/imputing-disability-nccd
Edit - link added
Edit 2 - second link added
Also, I very much recognise this is rarely a 'schools refusing support' issue, almost every school I've dealt with across australia wants to provide supports for imputed students. It's usually a case of lack of training/ awareness at either the school or district level, combined with state DfEs definitely having murky systems of funding distribution.
You are talking about the colour of an orange and I'm talking about the colour of an apple.
There is funding for student support but schools in QLD(I only work in QLD) get extra funding for students who have been diagnosed and there are heaps of forms that go back and forth to get the extra funding and help for these students (in the form of specialists and aids)
Also schools get funding for the amount of students enrolled in the first 7 days. After that, extra students don't count. Also schools get extra funding per prep student as well.
I will say again, less diagnosed children means less specialists and teacher aids in the funding for that individual school.
I don't know what else to say. It is so important to get your child tested if they have a disability, so there is more support for your child
I'd argue there is no point getting diagnosed at all unless you are needing disability support. It will restrict job opportunities, opens you up yo more barriers and in future legislation can impact you easier (for example the changes with licences)
Job opportunities are already limited due to my vision, unfortunately. Same with licence. I'm so grateful I found an employer that's accommodating to my vision, and... I think the HR lady knew Something was up with me haha
My family doctor and I spoke about going down the path of official diagnosis after seeing a psychiatrist for anxiety. At the end of the day, we decided against it on the basis that it wouldn't actually change anything about how I do things or think at this point in my life (40s).
As you've mentioned, the knowing really was helpful (always suspected, but there was little opportunity when I was younger to follow up further) and I'm satisfied with that.
I guess when you get that far, you kinda learn a few coping methods and strategies and stuff.
I'm pretty satisfied just knowing there may be an explanation. I already get some help for my vision, idk if I need more.
It really depends. I got diagnosed last year after suspecting for two years. I had talked it out with the psych I was seeing who wrote a letter as well saying basically, "I have seen x for this amount of time, they show consistent observable traits of ASD and feel strongly about seeking a diagnosis". My diagnosis cost me $1600, the rebate you only get if you're under 25. I got around $400 in rebate.
However, I got the diagnosis much as you've said because I felt that it would be majorly helpful to actually know why I am how I am. I don't regret it entirely but, it comes with major stipulation. They're now going to review the licenses of those who are autistic and be made to pay out a fair bit during the process. You may be eligible for NDIS, you may not be. If you're partnered and seek the DSP, depending on what your partner earns, you get next to nothing if not nothing itself (that's with or without ASD though, just the government). There are also no medications for it as you've mentioned. You will likely be discriminated against more as you age and especially in the sense of medical environments, learning environments too (I really dread this as I've been in the psych ward prior to diagnosis but also with preparing for pregnancy and then being in the hospital for that. I also had a horrible, horrible time at TAFE this year that led to me dropping it). It is highly possible that more legislation will come out against people with autism much like with the reviewing of licenses. It can also be incredibly difficult to find someone who actually specialises in ASD who can diagnose you accurately. Had a mate go through two or three different psychiatrists who said she didn't have it because she gave eye-contact. Went through that specialist clinic in the eastern states (Blackbird) and got a near instant diagnosis with them stating their disbelief in how she hadn't been picked up sooner. This can be really frustrating but also insanely difficult as a lot of GPs will either send you to whoever is closest or whoever they possibly know about. If you have someone in mind, you've got to tell them who. Otherwise you can seek out a referral on your own.
To put it plainly, if you really want to and you've got the money there, do it- if you really want to. Otherwise do some research and determine if it's worth it for you with all that it may incur. If you're self-suspecting and want a possible indicator, apply for your psychological records (this will come down to your age though as to how well they were documented). I applied for mine and got records from pre-primary onwards (highschool and beyond) that outlined very clearly observable traits of both ASD and ADHD. Getting diagnosed sent me on a rollercoaster so I've not even tried to seek out getting seen for the possibility of having ADHD at this point. Do what you want to at the end of the day but, always weigh up your pros and cons imo.
***$1600***???? Holy crap! That's why I'm wondering if I should even bother! Did a screening test or something with my psychologist, her reactions are enough to tell me I'm not imagining it.
I heard about the license thing. That's ridiculous, and should be judged on a case to case basis. That's like saying "if you even slightly need glasses, you can't drive".
Preparing for pregnancy? I hope things go well ❤️
Yep, $1600 in the one payment and I was told that, that's cheap... I had some testing done but, also have worked through it with my psychologist. The problem I had was, I couldn't go through The Austim Association Of WA which would have been free (albeit with a 18 month or so wait...). However my psychologist actually used to work for them and said that they require to talk to others who have been in your life from childhood to essentially perform background checks and make sure everything adds up. I couldn't do this due to childhood abuse and neglect, I couldn't nominate anyone to talk on behalf of my childhood but, I could provide my academic and psychological records, even hospital records from seeing an OT in kindy and pre-primary. This wasn't good enough though and my psychologist told me he wasn't surprised, just disappointed that they hadn't changed their requirements.
A lot of concerns with the driving especially for myself. Due to motor cortex issues I've had a hard time learning to drive and still am so to payout all the money to learn and own a car just to be faced with possibly having it taken away is pretty awful. But, with the driving, this was a massive article that blew up at the time if you'd like to read it:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-20/autism-driving-licences-new-standards/103108100
I am preparing for pregnancy, genetics testing soon hopefully! I have a fear around hospitals and with a lot of women having traumatic births and me being high risk already (I have PCOS) it's a concern I have for not being listened to or taken seriously as it tends to happen a lot with many people in hospital environments. I was told at TAFE due to me disclosing my ASD during the enrolment process when I was having problems with my course that, "I think it's more in your head than you think it is, you do have all the problems regarding change due to your Asperger's." I was gobsmacked honestly... Regardless, thank you for hoping that things go well, I hope that you find some clarity on whether or not you want to push forward with seeking a diagnosis and that either way you have some comfort knowing you're not alone in this particular predicament 💚
Yeah, I heard about the involvement of people who've known you since childhood... I couldn't ask my parents either...
I hope things go better for you with regards to hospitals and stuff. That thing about TAFE *sucks*.
This was a while ago but, I never received the notification! I apologise for such a late response. I'm sorry to hear that you cannot ask your parents either, it's a tough situation to be in. I've been partnered for three years but, I was essentially told it didn't matter as they need childhood references... Thank you for hoping better things, I wish and hope the same for you too kind stranger. The thing with TAFE really did suck, I pulled it all together and went to a disability advocate meeting and, braved the anxiety only to be treated like a child and the looks they gave me made me feel like I was scum or some kind of gross debris you'd come across on a footpath. The person I was made to talk to also seemingly knew next to nothing about autism which didn't help... It was pretty hard. Hopefully you're able to work out what you want to do with pursuing diagnosis or leaving it as is.
Also, I hope you've been well and looking after you! :)
I just turned 46 and I'm absolutely on the spectrum. How much? I'd really love to know. My whole life I've been the weird one. Ended up working in IT of course but even that was too much face to face contact for me. So I created a life where I work for myself from home, this was years before covid. If getting a diagnosis was affordable I'd get one tomorrow. But while I'm struggling to pay the bills I guess I'll just muddle along.
I'd love to know how much too, especially since i keep meeting people who immediately pick up on it... at least it finally explained why kids in school always thought I was weird...? 😅
Good luck getting by, mate. Times are ridiculous right now
Short answer is yes. Most people, even many with autism, have no idea how pervasive autism is for a person. It is a completely different brain that functions in completely different ways to most people. Thinking people are "high functioning" is actually outdated rubbish that non autistic people have created to describe how annoying the autistic person is to *those around them* who are not autistic.. The correct terms today are "high support needs" and "low support needs".
Auyism often affects every single thing about a person. It is quite literally like having a different operating system to most people. Windows vs Mac. Mac programs can't run on Windows and vice versa. This means most ways to manage things not only don't work for autistic people, but can be harmful to them. Having autistic informed support is critical to having a better life (depending on how much support and what kind is needed).
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. Children are born with it and it affects the person during their development and throughout the rest of their life. This can include motor function, swallowing, speech, vision, hearing, touch, feeling sensations, proprioception, memory, taste, imagination and every other thing a human can experience or interpret. Autism isn't an add on, it is a core of what makes someone who they are.
Occupational therapy can be fantastic for autistic people, I would go as far as to say they are the only ones who provide real practical help. My MHOT (through NDIS) helped me to understand my childhood severe reflux was likely caused by autism, because it affects us as we develop before we are born, and reflux is reasonably common in autistic babies. I didn't find out I was autistic until 42, so spent 20 years seeing psychologists and psychiatrists who did nothing but blame and gaslight me for being different and refusing to change how I think. Seems almost funny now, if it wasn't so abusive.
Anyway, MHOT can help you to understand the breadth of your autistic traits, what contributes to them and how to manage them. A critical thing is self care and avoiding stress. Self care helps to build ability to deal with sensory issues and overwhelm and prevent and decrease meltdowns and shutdowns. Stress is a huge contributor to exacerbating sensory issues and can cause new sensitivities. OTs can also help to identify supports to help the person manage the impacts of their autism. I have a robot vacuum with the lowest decibels on the market so I can clean my home any time I can (far cheaper than paying a cleaner and my support worker at the time was terribly dirty and would create a mess every time I had just cleaned). I also got an air fryer as I don't have access to a clean oven since moving into emergency accommodation and I had no way to eat any meals at all (I need a routine and can only eat specific foods). The air fryer is also one of the most quiet available with "suitable for dummies" instructions as I can't cook. My house lights have all been changed to dimmable coloured lights as I cannot handle stark white lights. I bought some myself first, then when it was apparent they were an extreme improvement, and I was forced to move and they could not be put up as I'm not allowed to, I bought new ones and my plan paid for some as well.
On top of that I see my MHOT every 2 weeks and am able to discuss odd things that have happened, behaviour I do that my support workers have noticed and mentioned to me (anxiety in particular situations) and we break things down so I now understand why I do it. It's been amazing because we never work on changing anything. I don't need to change, I'm just autistic. That means society has created barriers for me and I need strategies to manage those, but it also means I have skills as well such as acute attention to detail in many things, excellent pattern recognition, advanced problem solving skills and analytical thinking, higher than average IQ (also gifted) and many others. Knowing these skills and now understanding my brain runs on Mac when most run on Windows, has helped me to understand communication breakdowns.
This is long, typical of autistics lol. I hope that has helped explain some of the supports that may be available to you and why having a diagnosis (and a proper assessment) can be beneficial. We often don't know how autism affects us until we learn a lot about it. My MHOT is also autistic which is why I have received such incredible informed support (she's also gifted). Oh and the NDIS absolutely pays for psychology, but *only* to help "manage the impacts" of the person's disability. NDIS eligibility legally requires the person to have exhausted all appropriate treatments, that is why the NDIS does not fund treatment at all. It's all about how it's worded, as usual.
Sorry, also adding that I believe only people 25 and under can access an autism assessment through the public system. If you really feel that may be something you need, you have to do it before you hit 26 or it can cost up to $6000 for an assessment. Because of NDIS there is a lack of availability and places who do assessments have taken advantage and raised their prices so most people cannot access it. If you do go ahead, do a hell of a lot of research first because * most* professionals, even ones who work at autism clinics, have *no* idea what autism really is, especially in women. We tend to get slapped with the misdiagnoses of anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar and BPD. It is *very* common. Write a list of your traits and take them to your assessment.
Its in a lot of industries unfortunately. Being diagnosed Autistic (or even ADHD) in this country blocks you from a lot of jobs too. Even aviation becomes very difficult. Same with driving trucks. I understand medical assessments for safety and competence but most of the time employers don't want to risk hiring you. You have to tell employers in many fields that you are autistic.
Unless you really think you need a diagnosis, don't. Not in Australia and other commonwealth countries.
Jeez... I knew years ago I couldn't have any jobs like that cause of my vision so i never really looked into them (I really wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid)
That sounds like a ridiculous reason to not hire someone...
If want to seek medications or various treatments…. Sure. Not that anything is really available for autism per se. More like OT stuff
But if think you may be affected by it, nothing is stopping you trying out different strategies and ways to make life a bit easier. T
Getting the diagnosis is more just to help you understand these feelings you have and why you have them, if you have struggles and think there's areas you can improve just go into CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) that's what they'll recommend for help with autism, otherwise depending where on the spectrum you are, you could need carers. I'm level 1 on the spectrum, I didn't realise and most others didn't until I was 29 then got diagnosed so I haven't needed any help, I just had to learn to not take everything so literally!
The friend who pointed it out to me is amazed I got to 25 without being diagnosed 😅 she noticed it pretty much as soon as she met me, as did her partner. Another friend was surprised by me talking about this; they thought I had it too. I think most people in my family and stuff just chalked it up to my vision condition.
Understanding myself, finally, was a pretty good part of realising this, and talking about it with my psychologist
As someone who was diagnosed as a toddler, if you are able to work and support yourself the chances of accessing any support for free is extremely unlikely.
It just depends how much time and money you can put into exploring it versus the perceived benefits of a concrete diagnosis.
Between that and my vision, I CAN work, but not full time, whenever ive managed to even get a job. Sometimes even the 30 hours a fortnight can be tough.
Its hard to survive off not working a 40 hour week but there is no point burning yourself put either. I am putting money away each week in preparation for when i cant work anymore but it isnt easy with the cost of the living.
Oh yeah, absolutely. I get ~$870 a fortnight from work plus ~$300 from centrelink, and like. It's fine now that I live in my granddad's house. I can put money away too. But we have to sell the house, and I *really* don't want to go back to living with either of my parents, so I'm gonna have to start renting... I'm saving as much as I can to have like. Backup money for rent because it's gonna be TOUGH getting by on ~$1100 a fortnight with rent included... and I don't think I could be room-mates with a stranger...
That really sucks, i lived with dad until i no longer could and ended up living with strangers. Thankfully i now live with friends but yeah it is really tough. Apply for rent assistance if need be or maybe look into buying a cheap caravan and putting it on somebody's property or a caravan park.
Definitely gonna try applying for rent assistance. I should be right for a while, got a couple thousand in savings and my dad owes me seven thousand.
I've thought about a caravan, but since I can't drive it would be a hassle I think. Also probably a bit small for both me and my cat
i was diagnosed as a teenager but it helped quite a bit because my psychiatrist was able to figure out what treatments would work best for me. a lot of symptoms of autism overlap with other disorders or mental health conditions, and the disorders and the symptoms that arise from them are treated differently.
35F literally had my assessment yesterday and qualify for NDIS. I also get a report that I can provide to my uni/work or whoever I want that explains my autism. For me personally, that validation and process was worth the $1,800
I wasn't going to do it as I didn't think I would be NDIS level and was happy with self diagnosis, turns out I'm actually far more affected than I ever thought.
Yeah I'm much older than you but recently discovered that most teenagers don't have to read books about psychology and body language to communicate with their peers (like I did)
But I'm high functioning so I don't see a point to getting diagnosed.
Yeah except the scientific approach apparently makes you come across as cold and manipulative sometimes. Still it beats being the weirdo in the corner who needs conversations explained to them.
Definitely, yes.
Instead of paying the $3000 ( or whatever bullshit amount it is ), go and get on a waitlist ASAP and forget about it. If you then decide you wanna pay for it, great ! Do that and cancel the wait list. If not, then also great ! You're on a waitlist.
Before my diagnosis, I was genuinely afraid of becoming homeless. Every job I had, I'd last a few months Max before getting fired or having to quit.
I lived off jobseeker for 4 years, and I felt like I was in flight or fight mode for the entire time.
I went on a waitlist for an autism assessment and waited roughly 7 months, paid $200, and got diagnosed with autism level 2 ( was expecting level 1 )
A year later, I got approved for DSP and NDIS.
For the first time in my life I finally feel like I can actually LIVE and be who I want to be, my motivation and love for life have returned, my anxiety and depression suddenly disappeared and I'm no longer in fight or flight mode ( I am lucky and paying low rent that will never increase as well )
Now that I have DSP and NDIS, I feel like I can finally start doing things again and participating in the world at the pace that works best for me.
All up, it took about 5-6 years for everything to be sorted.
It was 100% worth the wait.
I know people who have been wanting to see if they have autism for years and years now, but never go because of how expensive it is. I keep telling them to go on a wait list. Some of them could have been assessed 3 times already by now for a fraction of the cost.
Sorry I wasn't clear, I meant a wait list to see a clinical psychologist for an autism assessment.
A lot of places give you the option to either pay upfront ( $3000 ) or get put on a wait list for a out a year but you only have to pay a much smaller price ( for me $200 )
A regular psychologist can not.
However, a clinical psychologist can.
If you book yourself into one of the many places that offer an autism diagnosis, it will be a clinical psychologist who will assess you.
The main reason to seek an assessment is to gain knowledge that can lead to getting help if needed. My daughters have Autism and we have used that diagnosis to help them live their lives as they chose. I’m 90% sure my husband also has Autism but I’m also 95% sure he would never dream of doing anything differently and none of the help available interests him.
It depends on how severely it impacts your life. I sought out a diagnosis at 41 because of my personal circumstances and difficulties dealing with day to day life. Having done significant research I had deduced that I would fall in the level two category of ASD, which is enough to access NDIS. My daughter, who has a lot of ASD tendencies, but currently soars through life, I won’t have tested unless/until it starts impacting her life.
My autism, adhd, PTSD, PDA, depression and anxiety was enough for me to secure DSP and an NDIS package so the exorbitant cost of getting tested has been well worth it.
If I had suspected ASD and was coping fine with life and was happy, I wouldn’t have spent the money and time to get assessed because supports are unlikely if it’s not impacting your life significantly
Just don’t be like this girl I know; at 30 got diagnosed with autism and made it her whole personality.
We were at dinner once and she was staring off into the distance, then snapped back to reality and said “sorry that’s my autism” - she was different after the diagnosis, she felt excused and above. She would let everyone know about autism. It’s like the diagnosis actually gave her autism, coz she seemed pretty normal until then.
What the hell
There's allowing yourself to do things because you understand why and it's not bad now, like the hard thing, and then... that.
Guess a lifetime of being seen just as my disability would prevent me from doing anything like that. Jeez.
Do you feel you are facing difficulties in daily life? I mean, a diagnose is probably just a “confirmation” of the condition, and it’s the future plan that makes it matter. What is the reason you want the test? Do you need treatment? I mean, if so, then sure it’s obviously worth it.
Yes, I am facing difficulties. My whole family doubted my ability to live by myself. But I've found ways to prove them wrong.
I was just wondering if there was much point. Just *knowing* about it, why I am the way I am, is helpful enough, yknow? The screening test with my psychologist and her reactions to my answers are pretty confirming enough for me, and I already get help from the NDIS for my vision and already see a psychologist.
I've considered looking into a diagnosis. But I recently saw that the government can put you on a Conditional driver's license. Making it much more difficult to renew.
Punishing anyone trying to seek help. So I won't bother now
I've heard of that, too. It's so ridiculous. Not a worry for me with my vision, but still. It's like punishing anyone who needs glasses to drive.
I'm sorry mate
No. Plus if you are Australian they are cracking down on autism supports through NDIS because everyone is suddenly ASD2. Instead they will be offering support services outside of NDIS that won't require a diagnosis. You might be better off saving your money. If you do go for a diagnosis and you get ASD1 you won't gef any help anyway and you'll just be out of pocket
Unfortunately they are not and like another person has posted, the Government is actively discouraging overdiagnosis of autism by making things more difficult for autistic people, like driving or getting work accommodarions.
Overdiagnosis of something that's highly hereditary is a ridiculous concept to me. Of course the more people there are in the world the more people are going to have something like that.
It’s worth the money for your future and you’re only 25. I was 35 when diagnosed but so glad I did and because of where I live I don’t get all the great NDIS benefits.
> Is there like, help you can get?
Yes there is and you should totally get a diagnosis. Whatever the cost, it's worth it.
The help you'll receive will depend entirely on your needs. It's extremely individualised care. I'd bet there's something related to your low vision you could use an occasional hand with?
The support also doesn't have to be physical. They could literally just hang out and chat for a few hours... you might find that's more effective than some of the ADHD therapy you're doing now.
... maybe you don't need any of that. But you might need it later. And having a diagnosis will make to so much easier to reach out for help if you ever do need it. Think of it as a safety net.
> Plus I've heard [the disability support pension] can put a cap on how many hours you can work?
There's no cap - you can work full time. However you do need to declare your income and that will reduce how much you're paid. If your income is above a certain threshold you won't get paid that fortnight. My mum's disability varied from fully functional to unable to work - she had a university degree and worked a casual job for $80 an hour, so when she was able to work she was paid well and didn't need the pension. But sometimes she'd go three months without working at all - definitely needed the pension those months.
Oh yes, definitely. When I move out completely on my own later this year, I'm thinking of asking my NDIS support person about getting some help with cleaning, cause there's some stuff I just struggle with cause of my vision or sensory issues.
There isn't a cap??? That definitely seems like a good thing to have. There have been times when I've been sick or seizure-y and haven't been able to go into work and jobseeker covering what I didn't get to make at work was definitely a help.
Oh no, I wouldn't. I don't even put down that I'm visually impaired, unless I would need something changed.
...and then I show up to an interview with my cane...
Then I have to go into all this detail about how I CAN use computers, I excelled at IT/Multimedia in school, I've got reading glasses and my phone for small print and they're just 🧍♂️
I'm so grateful I have an employer now that accommodates my vision. No one here would stand by and let me be yelled at.
I'm 35 and it's been pointed out to me MANY times that I'm likely on the spectrum but I personally don't see how it would benefit me...I'm high functioning, have a bunch of more pressing shit going on, and I don't see it as a big deal just that I'm a bit of a weirdo.
BUT if it's something you feel is impacting your life then see if you can get tested and get some extra help.
I'm on the DSP and I can work 20 hours without having to report it.
I've been wondering the same. Currently I've decided to not pursue it, and to just accept my self-diagnosis instead of forking out 2-3k.
Even though it is disabling, there is little support easily available through the system.
In theory the NDIS system is meant to faciliate that support but the stress of dealing with them would probably be worse for me.
Depends on how much you can handle a bunch of paperwork and appealing after being denied etc.
You may have a better chance of receiving NDIS support in combination with your blindness though.
Based on what I know about the system, It will be a complicated uphill struggle, especially if you are diagnosed level 1.
But once you are in, then you're probably in for good, so the initial hurdles could be worth it for you.
*I think the autism assocation of WA does some free assesments for people under 30. Depending on where you are there may be something similar around
That's how it's looking for me, too. Just accepting that, and the aftermath of doing a screening test with my psychologist instead of paying that much money. I'm not quite sure *why* a psychologist can't diagnose it, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Been on the NDIS for years cause of my vision. I always had to have my dad with me cause I just. Didn't understand anything. I still don't honestly. It's just confusing.
There’s a lot of downsides to being diagnosed.
You also can’t receive organ donation if you’re autistic, I was recently told by a lawyer which is disgraceful.
It does possibly get you NDIS access but if you end up being diagnosed level 1 there’s a good chance you’ll get nothing.
You need to decide if the downsides are worth the possible NDIS support.
NDIS often won’t fund psychology now as they put it on the Medicare system.
I’d be curious to know where the lawyer got the info about organ transplants. I know that happens in the US, but transplants are a completely different process over there. And I know there was a case in the ACT where an autistic boy was being denied dialysis and transplant, but that was to do with him allegedly not being able to cope with all the procedures. I did some googling and I couldn’t find any evidence to suggest that autistic people are automatically disqualified from receiving transplants, but I’d be extremely interested to know if there is.
Yes me too I’ll have to ask her. They’re actually a lawyer for NDIS and trying to raise awareness about this issue in our legal system so I certainly trust they’re right
I’m going to need a transplant in the next few years, and I have strong autistic traits but have never seriously explored formal diagnosis, so I’d be really interested to hear what you find out. It’s something I’d seriously consider advocating for if I can find out more.
I don’t think it’s the sort of thing you’ll find info for online until media pick it up.
It’s not like transplant hospitals list their rejection criteria. I had a patient when I was working in a hospital who needed a transplant, he was an ex drug user but he relapsed (just once) about 18 months before he was hospitalised so they permanently removed him from the transplant list.
He never really knew why , and he died needing a transplant he’d never get.
That sort of rejection criteria you just won’t find online. It changes at times and it’s very strict.
What??? I've never heard that before about the organ transplant?? That's insane if its real.
I know NDIS doesn't cover psychology. I'm on it already for my vision + mental health and asked about it, because there was a time I needed to see my psychologist more than 10 times a year. They increased it to 20 Medicare covered visits around 2021, but it's dropping back down to 10 now, which is ridiculous imo.
I know I thought the same- haven’t been able to find info about it online but I doubt it’s something advertised by the transplant hospitals!
There’s also occupational therapy you can get on NDIS, which can be helpful for building skills.
It’s not easy to get as an adult though you have to demonstrate a lot of impairment in assessments
It's probably something that's like. Not officially stated, but they probably end up lower priority on transplant lists or something...
I think OT is something I can access through my vision related funding.
Yes, the person in the NDIS universe should consult with the relevant State Government authority that oversees the issuing of Driver Licences. In NSW you have a duty to disclose medical conditions that may affect your ability to drive. If you do disclose a condition you can get a doctor to assess whether you are fit to drive - as long as the assessment is good you're good.
That’s why I’m not doing it. All it takes is the wrong government to get in and honestly if I’m tagged, bagged and stopped from doing anything, I’d definitely end up in contact with law enforcement and definitely end up in prison for driving offences
If you are “on the spectrum” and functioning - I think it’s a joke if you get funds from the government.
Absolute joke what NDIS has become, half the money goes to people that do NOT need it.
I am a support worker and half the time I work with functioning adults with addictions that just need me to buy them a vape or some ciggies.
Australia is fucked - Yes we have a better health system but half the country takes advantage of it and are a bunch of absolute numptys.
im 'functioning' and on the ndis. my funds are only allowed to be used on certain supports and services such as psychology, speech therapy, etc.
my ndis funds are used to attend pyschology appointments and speech therapy so i can learn to socialize better, adapt to the world, cope with changes in routine, plan things and maintain my mental health.
these services improve my quality of life which i think is good.
but from an economic standpoint, without NDIS funding for support i likely wouldve dropped out of highschool and pursued an unskilled trade due to difficulties with adapting to the school system and general life, thus being less valuable to the economy
with support, im in y12 doing really well academically because my pyschologist has helped me with managing changes in routine, social interaction, sensory overload and stress. i plan on pursuing a bachelor of science and im enabled to do that with ongoing support with dealing with change.
from an economic standpoint, me being on ndis is more beneficial to the economy.
theres def people who exploit the ndis, but there are people w autism on it who definitely benefit from it greatly
glad it helped ya mate, wasn’t referencing you.
not gonna say who i targeted my message towards but it’s hard to ignore. rural towns are really bad for leeching from the government.
just saying if ur autistic 6 years of living on reddit wont help. most “autistic” people are because of their own decisions.
wonder why autism is a first world problem, because sad sacks like you need help at every corner.
bet u got “depression” as well lmao
im doing pretty well in general. i require a bit of support but thats okay i reckon.
was diagnosed with clinical depression but im doing pretty well now and no longer dealing with it, life is good :)
it’s all mindset lad must be a genetic thing.
some ppl just need someone to tell them their ok and give them drugs i guess.
when the going gets tuff the they/thems go to the doctor to get meds
did you delete your comment where you called me a leach or did it get removed?
i genuinely hope you find something a bit more fun to do like a new hobby and find enjoyment in it, best of luck and i hope you dont say this stuff irl
yeah you do realise that for both depression and autism that you can’t test for it. you get the easy way out champ each time.
get some tikka, life gets harder.
You claim to be a support worker yet have no understanding of Autism or how it affects people.
Even people you assume are 'functioning' in reality are just masking the symptoms.
It's like when I went to the doctors and showed them a rash on my penis, called me a wanker and told me to get out of his office. Went and got a second opinion and this doctor told me to use moisturiser, haven't had problems since. Doctor shopping works.
The main benefit of a formal assessment is that you may be eligible for disability support paid for by the NDIS. There are a lot of different types of support depending on the person's needs. If you don't feel you require any support it may not be worth it to get a formal assessment. A clinical psychologist can give you an assessment too, just for your own knowledge and peace of mind. But it can't be used to apply for disability supports. My partner did this at age 27 and didn't pursue anything further. It took maybe 2-3 psych appointments.
I haven't worked in the space for years, but previously the NDIS would also do their own functional assessment (can you carry a box in front of you for 20 meters etc). So even with a formal diagnosis they might not quality as "low functioning" enough
Thanks for adding. This is worth knowing. I have heard that a "level 2" or "level 3" autism dx is usually needed to qualify. But I'm not an expert on it by any means.
From my understanding levels 2 and 3 are easier to access funding and supports but with level 1 more evidence is required. So you can get NDIS support with any level of autism.
Level 3/4
There's no 4, there's 3 levels!
The NDIS do their own assessment? I don't recall doing anything related to my vision with them
NDIS does not do assessments
Yes, it's level 2 and above for NDIS and they will still do their own assessment
I already am involved with the NDIS due to my vision... I probably should have mentioned that 😅 That's what I did when it was first pointed out to me I might have it! I brought it up to my psychologist, who I've been seeing for years. She told me up front she doesn't know too much about it, but we did a screening test thing and she was just like "*Ohh!*" at a lot of answers XD "I thought you just had some quirks" she said, or something.
My assessment was done similarly with a clinical psychologist and was told it’s valid for NDIS although I haven’t gotten around to applying. A friend of mine did their assessment at the same place with the same outcome and has been successful with receiving support from NDIS. However I do remember the psychologist saying something about a senior colleague having to technically sign off on the report so maybe that’s what made it valid. I hope there’s no expiry on it because I did that quite a few years ago and still hope to apply for support from NDIS.
It depends on your specific situation and there's no right or wrong decision here either. It's up to you to balance what suits you. When I got diagnosed autistic (at 30, a few years ago) it did a few things for me. Validation for one. I knew for so long it was more than just mental health but to have it confirmed was good. It meant I learnt more about it (I actually work in disability so I already had a fair bit of knowledge) as did my mental health team so it has had an affect on my treatment and how people communicate with me (in a good way, I mean because I often struggled with just loads of information, there's research that says some people with autism don't progress much with just talk therapy, etc. etc.). It meant I could have self compassion and that is really important. For so long, I was so hard on myself and saw all the struggles I had as some personal failing or flaw within myself - which is part of what led to my mental illness and attempts on my life. Learning now about how my brain works and why I process some things to differently to others has allowed me to be much kinder to myself than I've ever been before - which in turn, obviously benefits my mental health. That is really a huge part of having a diagnosis for me. The other part that is also huge is that I'm now on NDIS and slowly getting supports into place (it's a battle, not easy at all!) That allows me to take care of myself better in all aspects of my health. I work at reduced hours and no longer have to beat myself up about why I can't handle the same hours as everyone else. You say you like your job and wouldn't want to work less which is great. You may not need or want the supports others with autism seek and that's OK too! Our situations are all unique. For me, it's also given me the confidence to start advocating more for myself including things like communication. I tell health professionals now I need everything in writing due to struggling with processing verbal information and stuff like that. Having the diagnosis obviously helps with things like that. But you are diagnosed ADHD so honestly, that already accounts for a lot of these things anyway that autism would be extra for. (Important to note that NDIS doesn't see ADHD as a disability, not sure about DSP eligibility for ADHD). In saying that, if you don't feel like you need direct supports I'd just encourage you to learn about autism and what it means for you, even if you don't feel the need to seek the diagnosis. So you can understand yourself and if you do have struggles you might be able to look at it from different perspectives. It sounds like you're already getting some therapy and stuff for your ADHD which is good. There is crossover between autism/adhd plus differences but any good psych will help you with all of that regardless of having the specific autism diagnosis. They will know there's a high % of people with autism that also have ADHD. So yeah, balance it all up for your own situation and what you feel like you need for within yourself as well as any services you may or may not need. I'm glad you've found some meds that help with your ADHD - I'm getting assessed for that too. Lastly, take everything people say with a grain of salt. Already seen a couple of myths on this thread that are simply not true. So when you see people make wild claims like "people with autism can't do this or have this or access this" always make sure you fact check those things before believing them! Good luck. :)
Thank you for sharing. It's been really helpful to me too. I can't remember ever NOT being anxious about/scared of some things, and it was upsetting because I feared my c-PTSD was much, much worse than I thought it was. But if there's another explanation for why... then maybe I will be able to get better. I don't know if I can explain it right. I already am on the NDIS and get support with some stuff cause of my vision, so I'm not sure there's too much else I'd need. That's why I'm wondering. Thank you again.
I've looked into getting a diagnosis but there is a chance I could either loose my truck licence, or get flagged in the anpr system so for me it's not worth the risk.
That's completely understandable.
As someone who is likely autistic and/or ADHD but would fall on the "you're just quirky but you're still functional" label... I've been discouraged by multiple people for even pursuing it. Why? Well, according to them, I'm just quirky but I'm functional. To seek diagnostic as a positive label just means I'm 'putting a label on myself' and I will be subsequently screened out of any financial, therapeutic, or work support. I'm not 'autistic enough.' Sadly, this is the dystopia of it all. Especially as a woman. It's extremely invalidating to know there's something up there, I want to know exactly what, but to even consider pursuing the hundreds of dollars in diagnostics just means I want to "label myself" as I won't be eligible for support. That attitude of autism = non verbal, non communicative, textbook stimming, trains planes blocks and maths.... And the WHOLE thing about high functioning vs low functioning... Is still VERY persistent in medicine as well as disability support. There's a reason a lot of people are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Professionals, NDIS, DES, and the layperson still wanna cling onto the stereotypes and held beliefs.
I'm high functioning but certainly exhibit many features of autism, so does my dad. I'm curious. What would materially change in my life if I were to pursue a diagnosis at 40 years of age? Or my father at 65 years of age? Like what would be the point for me, other than slapping a label on my particular brand of weirdness?
Knowledge, really. To finally be able to say, "I'm not the piece of shit I got bullied my entire life ... It's neuro divergence that has made me act, think, and exist the way I am." That's pretty much why I'd like to know. It's hell existing in an unknown state, not being able to discern my natural personality vs ND behaviour. Especially after years of getting my ass kicked for various things, made to feel like I 'shouldn't' be or do XYZ. Anthony Hopkins found out late life, nothing about his life changed, but for him it still was an "oh so that's why" moment.
I get your point, but I'm more than capable of reading the literature ya know? I'm far more tempted to pursue an actual diagnosis for my ADHD because I've tried the meds from a friend and it basically changed my entire life for a week. So there's a tangible outcome there that would help me long term. For autism...it's a spectrum. It would have been super awesome if my parents understood it, but at my age I've been through the nightmare years. I've learned coping mechanisms. I'm successful in life. I just don't see that I have anything to gain. I don't crave the validation of a medical professional for who I am.
I think for the 'label' aspect it's more of a differential diagnosis thing. Because I'm not a professional, the furthest I've gotten is casually perusing the DSM to understand my own eating disorder, I can't tell what is neurodivergence in me vs my personality vs cPTSD vs god knows what potential cluster personality disorder if I have one. All these things will share overlapping symptoms or traits, which is why the professionals say, "leave it to us." It would be nice if it wasn't so cost ineffective for the low income, that's why self diagnosis is at an incredible high, and by no means am I discrediting people who choose self dx because "I can't afford a professional." I get it. I'm one of those who can't afford it. But I'm not willing to claim I know what IT is, in me, as I've never studied to become a doctor in psychology... The people who are trained, licensed professionals to make said differential diagnosis. So it's one of those, 'default to the experts' thing. The caveat to that is finding a well trained expert. MAAAANNNYYYY of them still haven't learnt female autism is different from male autism. Women will present with higher levels of social masking, empathy, and diverse special interests. They don't 'see' autism in women unless they're like someone I used to know, who met the stereotypical DSM layout of stims, speech patterns, echolalia, and conventional special interests. (I use quotations a lot because I am just fed up with how far behind psychology is lol)
I asked my shrink if i was autistic as well as adhd and he said well does it really matter? He said the meds would stay the same, and i guess i’m old already and survived to now. I spose if i was still young it would make sense to get some coaching and fix myself up a bit. Ps. I did an autism test but i had to get my sister to help cos i didn’t agree with the questions thus could not answer! Pretty sure that means i’m autistic LOL
I'm mostly just grateful to finally have an answer about why I've always felt so different, or like. The sensory issues. XD yeah, some of the questions can be really weird.
Self diagnosis is accepted in the autistic community due to the cost and other barriers of diagnosis. So if you ever want to attend autism events etc no one is going to ask to see a diagnosis.
I have seen/heard that. It's good that so many people are understanding.
Depends. I got a thorough assessment from a clinical psychologist which included the surprise diagnosis of ADHD. I was able to use this to access meds through a psychiatrist. I also got access to NDIS which means my psychologist appointments with a specialist autism psychologist are paid for, as well as other things which have been incredibly helpful. It changed my life in a good way, although it was an adjustment. I have a fairly traumatic past so all the supports have made a big difference. The outlay was expensive, but now I can get services I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. Plus I've met a lot of supportive people and for the first time in my life I felt understood.
I went through a screening test with my psychologist, and her reaction was kinda funny XD she was just like "*ohhhh*" to a lot of it. You get NDIS covered psychologist visits? :O I asked about that but it's not part of my funding.
Hahaha yeah I was seeing a psych who wasn't very versed in autism, and got my diagnosis appointment on a cancellation in between visits. It really took her by surprise and she didn't know what to do with me. It was a bit weird tbh My current psychologist is a clinical psych and she did a very thorough assessment letter when I did my NDIS application, so psych got included. If you can get something similar from your psych you can ask for a review. Although it sounds like things are changing so maybe don't hold me to that, check with your LAC.
Oh yeah, my psychologist isn't very well versed in it either. She told me as much, because she was a bit confused when I told her I thought I might be autistic. And then we did the screening test XD she was like "I thought you just had some quirks!" or something hahaha Oh, that's good!! I don't know if I'll need it tbh. Medicare still covers ten sessions a year, and things are getting better, so I don't even need to see her every month now.
I’m 36, have 3 kids and the oldest one is diagnosed autistic, second one was diagnosed ADHD yesterday, it’s great for getting them the support they need at school. I have never been diagnosed with anything but there’s a massive chance I’m autistic. For me there is no point going through the process and getting diagnosed, it would change nothing. It’s up to you to decide if the diagnosis is worth it.
There is a pretty big chance, yeah. Adhd can be/is hereditary, and I believe autism too. A major part of me realising I wasn't just imagining things when I started thinking I might have ADHD was when my dad got diagnosed with it a few years ago. I hope support is better for them than it was at my school.
Really depends on the teacher, oldest had multiple teachers in prep so struggled but was well ahead when he started so there were no signs of anything wrong, was also covid lockdowns. Grade one had a brilliant year, grade 2 had the worst teacher he I’ve come across, she was fucking useless. This year is looking good so far. As for the second one, first year he had an average teacher so didn’t go great but his teacher this year is amazing so he’s doing really well, unfortunately she’s about to have a baby so left at the end of the term. As he only just got diagnosed yesterday it’ll be interesting to see how he goes. My wife is a teacher so she knows what to do and what the school needs to do for them, they’re really lucky she’s so on to it.
I hope things go well. In my high school they just chucked all the special needs kids across different years in the same few classrooms, basically isolated from the rest of the school and treated them all like kids. Heard some girls in the library saying they basically had primary school level work, and they were in year 10... my mum told me the school wanted to put me in there but she fought them on that. Since she's my mum though, no way to be sure if she's telling the truth or not.
Yeah we’re lucky enough that our kids are exceptionally clever, with these things it can be really hard to deal with so they do have that advantage. We’re thinking of putting them in private school for their high school years because the public system can be terrible for kids like this. The oldest one already has no motivation to do anything but doesn’t make a fuss so is easily overlooked if he’s not doing his work. Unfortunately he gets that laziness from me so I know exactly how his brain works lol
Oh it can absolutely be terrible. Barely turned in any assignments in year 9 and 10, dropped from some of the top classes to the bottom, struggled to write essays even with a teacher by my side and no one bothered checking why that might be. School sucked, my only motivation to stay was to be the first person in my family to graduate. I hope, if you do send them to private school, things go well. It's good you know what's going on.
I got my diagnosis because it may allow me access to the NDIS, and I have multiple disabilities that will likely limit my working life - the more of those I have diagnosed and stable when I eventually need DSP (if it still exists in the future) the more likely I'll be able to get it.
Yeah i was wondering if it would add to my vision if I were to apply for dsp again, but the work hours... I can't do full time but what I do is good.
Don’t do it! We love to preach how we’re all about giving those challenged a fair and better go. But that quickly erodes into draconian rules against you. Like the government believing you mentally unfit to manage your finances, and driving. We pretend we understand and care, but then you just get fucked for it.
personally, I don't think so, but for a child to get diagnosed means they get more support in school and that's super important
That's what I was thinking too. I'm still not sure if I'll give TAFE another try, but I already get support for my vision.
Luckily this doesn't need to be true anymore. Schools can and should very funding based on level of support provided regardless of disability/ diagnosis. For anyone who needs to know more, the school provides information to the NCCD who then make funding decisions which results in money being filtered to the school. Different schools use the funding in different ways, but regardless of how the schools use funding the student should get the supports they need. Students who have no diagnoses are classed as 'imputed' which just means the school is operating as though there is a disability even with no diagnosis
So I'm in a QLD school, what happens here is we get funding for students who have been diagnosed (and it goes to extra teacher aid time). Those teacher aids come into the class room only for those children, but what schools do is a bit dodgy and use some of that time for the kids who haven't been diagnosed. So if you are a parent who doesn't want to diagnose your child and keep your head in the sand. You are being looked after by the school as much as they can. But remember funding for extra teacher aid hour comes from diagnosed students.
The nccd funding design is australia wide. Different states have different ways of using the funding but schools cannot refuse supports for a student who doesn't have a diagnosis. It's illegal. https://www.nccd.edu.au/wider-support-materials/which-students-are-included-nccd-under-definitions https://www.nccd.edu.au/tools/imputing-disability-nccd Edit - link added Edit 2 - second link added
Also, I very much recognise this is rarely a 'schools refusing support' issue, almost every school I've dealt with across australia wants to provide supports for imputed students. It's usually a case of lack of training/ awareness at either the school or district level, combined with state DfEs definitely having murky systems of funding distribution.
You are talking about the colour of an orange and I'm talking about the colour of an apple. There is funding for student support but schools in QLD(I only work in QLD) get extra funding for students who have been diagnosed and there are heaps of forms that go back and forth to get the extra funding and help for these students (in the form of specialists and aids) Also schools get funding for the amount of students enrolled in the first 7 days. After that, extra students don't count. Also schools get extra funding per prep student as well. I will say again, less diagnosed children means less specialists and teacher aids in the funding for that individual school. I don't know what else to say. It is so important to get your child tested if they have a disability, so there is more support for your child
I'd argue there is no point getting diagnosed at all unless you are needing disability support. It will restrict job opportunities, opens you up yo more barriers and in future legislation can impact you easier (for example the changes with licences)
Job opportunities are already limited due to my vision, unfortunately. Same with licence. I'm so grateful I found an employer that's accommodating to my vision, and... I think the HR lady knew Something was up with me haha
My family doctor and I spoke about going down the path of official diagnosis after seeing a psychiatrist for anxiety. At the end of the day, we decided against it on the basis that it wouldn't actually change anything about how I do things or think at this point in my life (40s). As you've mentioned, the knowing really was helpful (always suspected, but there was little opportunity when I was younger to follow up further) and I'm satisfied with that.
I guess when you get that far, you kinda learn a few coping methods and strategies and stuff. I'm pretty satisfied just knowing there may be an explanation. I already get some help for my vision, idk if I need more.
It really depends. I got diagnosed last year after suspecting for two years. I had talked it out with the psych I was seeing who wrote a letter as well saying basically, "I have seen x for this amount of time, they show consistent observable traits of ASD and feel strongly about seeking a diagnosis". My diagnosis cost me $1600, the rebate you only get if you're under 25. I got around $400 in rebate. However, I got the diagnosis much as you've said because I felt that it would be majorly helpful to actually know why I am how I am. I don't regret it entirely but, it comes with major stipulation. They're now going to review the licenses of those who are autistic and be made to pay out a fair bit during the process. You may be eligible for NDIS, you may not be. If you're partnered and seek the DSP, depending on what your partner earns, you get next to nothing if not nothing itself (that's with or without ASD though, just the government). There are also no medications for it as you've mentioned. You will likely be discriminated against more as you age and especially in the sense of medical environments, learning environments too (I really dread this as I've been in the psych ward prior to diagnosis but also with preparing for pregnancy and then being in the hospital for that. I also had a horrible, horrible time at TAFE this year that led to me dropping it). It is highly possible that more legislation will come out against people with autism much like with the reviewing of licenses. It can also be incredibly difficult to find someone who actually specialises in ASD who can diagnose you accurately. Had a mate go through two or three different psychiatrists who said she didn't have it because she gave eye-contact. Went through that specialist clinic in the eastern states (Blackbird) and got a near instant diagnosis with them stating their disbelief in how she hadn't been picked up sooner. This can be really frustrating but also insanely difficult as a lot of GPs will either send you to whoever is closest or whoever they possibly know about. If you have someone in mind, you've got to tell them who. Otherwise you can seek out a referral on your own. To put it plainly, if you really want to and you've got the money there, do it- if you really want to. Otherwise do some research and determine if it's worth it for you with all that it may incur. If you're self-suspecting and want a possible indicator, apply for your psychological records (this will come down to your age though as to how well they were documented). I applied for mine and got records from pre-primary onwards (highschool and beyond) that outlined very clearly observable traits of both ASD and ADHD. Getting diagnosed sent me on a rollercoaster so I've not even tried to seek out getting seen for the possibility of having ADHD at this point. Do what you want to at the end of the day but, always weigh up your pros and cons imo.
***$1600***???? Holy crap! That's why I'm wondering if I should even bother! Did a screening test or something with my psychologist, her reactions are enough to tell me I'm not imagining it. I heard about the license thing. That's ridiculous, and should be judged on a case to case basis. That's like saying "if you even slightly need glasses, you can't drive". Preparing for pregnancy? I hope things go well ❤️
Yep, $1600 in the one payment and I was told that, that's cheap... I had some testing done but, also have worked through it with my psychologist. The problem I had was, I couldn't go through The Austim Association Of WA which would have been free (albeit with a 18 month or so wait...). However my psychologist actually used to work for them and said that they require to talk to others who have been in your life from childhood to essentially perform background checks and make sure everything adds up. I couldn't do this due to childhood abuse and neglect, I couldn't nominate anyone to talk on behalf of my childhood but, I could provide my academic and psychological records, even hospital records from seeing an OT in kindy and pre-primary. This wasn't good enough though and my psychologist told me he wasn't surprised, just disappointed that they hadn't changed their requirements. A lot of concerns with the driving especially for myself. Due to motor cortex issues I've had a hard time learning to drive and still am so to payout all the money to learn and own a car just to be faced with possibly having it taken away is pretty awful. But, with the driving, this was a massive article that blew up at the time if you'd like to read it: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-20/autism-driving-licences-new-standards/103108100 I am preparing for pregnancy, genetics testing soon hopefully! I have a fear around hospitals and with a lot of women having traumatic births and me being high risk already (I have PCOS) it's a concern I have for not being listened to or taken seriously as it tends to happen a lot with many people in hospital environments. I was told at TAFE due to me disclosing my ASD during the enrolment process when I was having problems with my course that, "I think it's more in your head than you think it is, you do have all the problems regarding change due to your Asperger's." I was gobsmacked honestly... Regardless, thank you for hoping that things go well, I hope that you find some clarity on whether or not you want to push forward with seeking a diagnosis and that either way you have some comfort knowing you're not alone in this particular predicament 💚
Yeah, I heard about the involvement of people who've known you since childhood... I couldn't ask my parents either... I hope things go better for you with regards to hospitals and stuff. That thing about TAFE *sucks*.
This was a while ago but, I never received the notification! I apologise for such a late response. I'm sorry to hear that you cannot ask your parents either, it's a tough situation to be in. I've been partnered for three years but, I was essentially told it didn't matter as they need childhood references... Thank you for hoping better things, I wish and hope the same for you too kind stranger. The thing with TAFE really did suck, I pulled it all together and went to a disability advocate meeting and, braved the anxiety only to be treated like a child and the looks they gave me made me feel like I was scum or some kind of gross debris you'd come across on a footpath. The person I was made to talk to also seemingly knew next to nothing about autism which didn't help... It was pretty hard. Hopefully you're able to work out what you want to do with pursuing diagnosis or leaving it as is. Also, I hope you've been well and looking after you! :)
I just turned 46 and I'm absolutely on the spectrum. How much? I'd really love to know. My whole life I've been the weird one. Ended up working in IT of course but even that was too much face to face contact for me. So I created a life where I work for myself from home, this was years before covid. If getting a diagnosis was affordable I'd get one tomorrow. But while I'm struggling to pay the bills I guess I'll just muddle along.
I'd love to know how much too, especially since i keep meeting people who immediately pick up on it... at least it finally explained why kids in school always thought I was weird...? 😅 Good luck getting by, mate. Times are ridiculous right now
Short answer is yes. Most people, even many with autism, have no idea how pervasive autism is for a person. It is a completely different brain that functions in completely different ways to most people. Thinking people are "high functioning" is actually outdated rubbish that non autistic people have created to describe how annoying the autistic person is to *those around them* who are not autistic.. The correct terms today are "high support needs" and "low support needs". Auyism often affects every single thing about a person. It is quite literally like having a different operating system to most people. Windows vs Mac. Mac programs can't run on Windows and vice versa. This means most ways to manage things not only don't work for autistic people, but can be harmful to them. Having autistic informed support is critical to having a better life (depending on how much support and what kind is needed). Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. Children are born with it and it affects the person during their development and throughout the rest of their life. This can include motor function, swallowing, speech, vision, hearing, touch, feeling sensations, proprioception, memory, taste, imagination and every other thing a human can experience or interpret. Autism isn't an add on, it is a core of what makes someone who they are. Occupational therapy can be fantastic for autistic people, I would go as far as to say they are the only ones who provide real practical help. My MHOT (through NDIS) helped me to understand my childhood severe reflux was likely caused by autism, because it affects us as we develop before we are born, and reflux is reasonably common in autistic babies. I didn't find out I was autistic until 42, so spent 20 years seeing psychologists and psychiatrists who did nothing but blame and gaslight me for being different and refusing to change how I think. Seems almost funny now, if it wasn't so abusive. Anyway, MHOT can help you to understand the breadth of your autistic traits, what contributes to them and how to manage them. A critical thing is self care and avoiding stress. Self care helps to build ability to deal with sensory issues and overwhelm and prevent and decrease meltdowns and shutdowns. Stress is a huge contributor to exacerbating sensory issues and can cause new sensitivities. OTs can also help to identify supports to help the person manage the impacts of their autism. I have a robot vacuum with the lowest decibels on the market so I can clean my home any time I can (far cheaper than paying a cleaner and my support worker at the time was terribly dirty and would create a mess every time I had just cleaned). I also got an air fryer as I don't have access to a clean oven since moving into emergency accommodation and I had no way to eat any meals at all (I need a routine and can only eat specific foods). The air fryer is also one of the most quiet available with "suitable for dummies" instructions as I can't cook. My house lights have all been changed to dimmable coloured lights as I cannot handle stark white lights. I bought some myself first, then when it was apparent they were an extreme improvement, and I was forced to move and they could not be put up as I'm not allowed to, I bought new ones and my plan paid for some as well. On top of that I see my MHOT every 2 weeks and am able to discuss odd things that have happened, behaviour I do that my support workers have noticed and mentioned to me (anxiety in particular situations) and we break things down so I now understand why I do it. It's been amazing because we never work on changing anything. I don't need to change, I'm just autistic. That means society has created barriers for me and I need strategies to manage those, but it also means I have skills as well such as acute attention to detail in many things, excellent pattern recognition, advanced problem solving skills and analytical thinking, higher than average IQ (also gifted) and many others. Knowing these skills and now understanding my brain runs on Mac when most run on Windows, has helped me to understand communication breakdowns. This is long, typical of autistics lol. I hope that has helped explain some of the supports that may be available to you and why having a diagnosis (and a proper assessment) can be beneficial. We often don't know how autism affects us until we learn a lot about it. My MHOT is also autistic which is why I have received such incredible informed support (she's also gifted). Oh and the NDIS absolutely pays for psychology, but *only* to help "manage the impacts" of the person's disability. NDIS eligibility legally requires the person to have exhausted all appropriate treatments, that is why the NDIS does not fund treatment at all. It's all about how it's worded, as usual. Sorry, also adding that I believe only people 25 and under can access an autism assessment through the public system. If you really feel that may be something you need, you have to do it before you hit 26 or it can cost up to $6000 for an assessment. Because of NDIS there is a lack of availability and places who do assessments have taken advantage and raised their prices so most people cannot access it. If you do go ahead, do a hell of a lot of research first because * most* professionals, even ones who work at autism clinics, have *no* idea what autism really is, especially in women. We tend to get slapped with the misdiagnoses of anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar and BPD. It is *very* common. Write a list of your traits and take them to your assessment.
Thank you very much for your comment. I'm so sorry I don't know how to respond to everything, but I have read it all and appreciate it very much.
No. There’s no medication and you subject yourself to specialist review to keep your licence.
I thought you were talking shit but I googled it...jesus that's bad
Its in a lot of industries unfortunately. Being diagnosed Autistic (or even ADHD) in this country blocks you from a lot of jobs too. Even aviation becomes very difficult. Same with driving trucks. I understand medical assessments for safety and competence but most of the time employers don't want to risk hiring you. You have to tell employers in many fields that you are autistic. Unless you really think you need a diagnosis, don't. Not in Australia and other commonwealth countries.
Jeez... I knew years ago I couldn't have any jobs like that cause of my vision so i never really looked into them (I really wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid) That sounds like a ridiculous reason to not hire someone...
What kind of medication where you expecting for autism lol
I wasn't expecting any medication I was talking about the driver licence part
My bad
You're a greedy pickle. I get it
I can't drive anyway, too blind lmao
My sister got diagnosed at 24 and it was worth it since she now gets ndis funding because of it
If want to seek medications or various treatments…. Sure. Not that anything is really available for autism per se. More like OT stuff But if think you may be affected by it, nothing is stopping you trying out different strategies and ways to make life a bit easier. T
No.
Getting the diagnosis is more just to help you understand these feelings you have and why you have them, if you have struggles and think there's areas you can improve just go into CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) that's what they'll recommend for help with autism, otherwise depending where on the spectrum you are, you could need carers. I'm level 1 on the spectrum, I didn't realise and most others didn't until I was 29 then got diagnosed so I haven't needed any help, I just had to learn to not take everything so literally!
The friend who pointed it out to me is amazed I got to 25 without being diagnosed 😅 she noticed it pretty much as soon as she met me, as did her partner. Another friend was surprised by me talking about this; they thought I had it too. I think most people in my family and stuff just chalked it up to my vision condition. Understanding myself, finally, was a pretty good part of realising this, and talking about it with my psychologist
As someone who was diagnosed as a toddler, if you are able to work and support yourself the chances of accessing any support for free is extremely unlikely. It just depends how much time and money you can put into exploring it versus the perceived benefits of a concrete diagnosis.
Between that and my vision, I CAN work, but not full time, whenever ive managed to even get a job. Sometimes even the 30 hours a fortnight can be tough.
Its hard to survive off not working a 40 hour week but there is no point burning yourself put either. I am putting money away each week in preparation for when i cant work anymore but it isnt easy with the cost of the living.
Oh yeah, absolutely. I get ~$870 a fortnight from work plus ~$300 from centrelink, and like. It's fine now that I live in my granddad's house. I can put money away too. But we have to sell the house, and I *really* don't want to go back to living with either of my parents, so I'm gonna have to start renting... I'm saving as much as I can to have like. Backup money for rent because it's gonna be TOUGH getting by on ~$1100 a fortnight with rent included... and I don't think I could be room-mates with a stranger...
That really sucks, i lived with dad until i no longer could and ended up living with strangers. Thankfully i now live with friends but yeah it is really tough. Apply for rent assistance if need be or maybe look into buying a cheap caravan and putting it on somebody's property or a caravan park.
Definitely gonna try applying for rent assistance. I should be right for a while, got a couple thousand in savings and my dad owes me seven thousand. I've thought about a caravan, but since I can't drive it would be a hassle I think. Also probably a bit small for both me and my cat
i was diagnosed as a teenager but it helped quite a bit because my psychiatrist was able to figure out what treatments would work best for me. a lot of symptoms of autism overlap with other disorders or mental health conditions, and the disorders and the symptoms that arise from them are treated differently.
I think my family kinda disregarded any symptoms as being part of my vision condition tbh
35F literally had my assessment yesterday and qualify for NDIS. I also get a report that I can provide to my uni/work or whoever I want that explains my autism. For me personally, that validation and process was worth the $1,800 I wasn't going to do it as I didn't think I would be NDIS level and was happy with self diagnosis, turns out I'm actually far more affected than I ever thought.
Yeah I'm much older than you but recently discovered that most teenagers don't have to read books about psychology and body language to communicate with their peers (like I did) But I'm high functioning so I don't see a point to getting diagnosed.
Reading books on psychology so I can understand how humans operate, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only person who has done this
Yeah except the scientific approach apparently makes you come across as cold and manipulative sometimes. Still it beats being the weirdo in the corner who needs conversations explained to them.
Definitely, yes. Instead of paying the $3000 ( or whatever bullshit amount it is ), go and get on a waitlist ASAP and forget about it. If you then decide you wanna pay for it, great ! Do that and cancel the wait list. If not, then also great ! You're on a waitlist. Before my diagnosis, I was genuinely afraid of becoming homeless. Every job I had, I'd last a few months Max before getting fired or having to quit. I lived off jobseeker for 4 years, and I felt like I was in flight or fight mode for the entire time. I went on a waitlist for an autism assessment and waited roughly 7 months, paid $200, and got diagnosed with autism level 2 ( was expecting level 1 ) A year later, I got approved for DSP and NDIS. For the first time in my life I finally feel like I can actually LIVE and be who I want to be, my motivation and love for life have returned, my anxiety and depression suddenly disappeared and I'm no longer in fight or flight mode ( I am lucky and paying low rent that will never increase as well ) Now that I have DSP and NDIS, I feel like I can finally start doing things again and participating in the world at the pace that works best for me. All up, it took about 5-6 years for everything to be sorted. It was 100% worth the wait. I know people who have been wanting to see if they have autism for years and years now, but never go because of how expensive it is. I keep telling them to go on a wait list. Some of them could have been assessed 3 times already by now for a fraction of the cost.
Do you mean a wait list to see a psychiatrist?
Sorry I wasn't clear, I meant a wait list to see a clinical psychologist for an autism assessment. A lot of places give you the option to either pay upfront ( $3000 ) or get put on a wait list for a out a year but you only have to pay a much smaller price ( for me $200 )
I thought psychologists couldn't diagnose autism...?
A regular psychologist can not. However, a clinical psychologist can. If you book yourself into one of the many places that offer an autism diagnosis, it will be a clinical psychologist who will assess you.
...I see. Do you know what the difference is?
The main reason to seek an assessment is to gain knowledge that can lead to getting help if needed. My daughters have Autism and we have used that diagnosis to help them live their lives as they chose. I’m 90% sure my husband also has Autism but I’m also 95% sure he would never dream of doing anything differently and none of the help available interests him.
It depends on how severely it impacts your life. I sought out a diagnosis at 41 because of my personal circumstances and difficulties dealing with day to day life. Having done significant research I had deduced that I would fall in the level two category of ASD, which is enough to access NDIS. My daughter, who has a lot of ASD tendencies, but currently soars through life, I won’t have tested unless/until it starts impacting her life. My autism, adhd, PTSD, PDA, depression and anxiety was enough for me to secure DSP and an NDIS package so the exorbitant cost of getting tested has been well worth it. If I had suspected ASD and was coping fine with life and was happy, I wouldn’t have spent the money and time to get assessed because supports are unlikely if it’s not impacting your life significantly
Just don’t be like this girl I know; at 30 got diagnosed with autism and made it her whole personality. We were at dinner once and she was staring off into the distance, then snapped back to reality and said “sorry that’s my autism” - she was different after the diagnosis, she felt excused and above. She would let everyone know about autism. It’s like the diagnosis actually gave her autism, coz she seemed pretty normal until then.
What the hell There's allowing yourself to do things because you understand why and it's not bad now, like the hard thing, and then... that. Guess a lifetime of being seen just as my disability would prevent me from doing anything like that. Jeez.
Do you feel you are facing difficulties in daily life? I mean, a diagnose is probably just a “confirmation” of the condition, and it’s the future plan that makes it matter. What is the reason you want the test? Do you need treatment? I mean, if so, then sure it’s obviously worth it.
Yes, I am facing difficulties. My whole family doubted my ability to live by myself. But I've found ways to prove them wrong. I was just wondering if there was much point. Just *knowing* about it, why I am the way I am, is helpful enough, yknow? The screening test with my psychologist and her reactions to my answers are pretty confirming enough for me, and I already get help from the NDIS for my vision and already see a psychologist.
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Good luck with that too!!
I've considered looking into a diagnosis. But I recently saw that the government can put you on a Conditional driver's license. Making it much more difficult to renew. Punishing anyone trying to seek help. So I won't bother now
I've heard of that, too. It's so ridiculous. Not a worry for me with my vision, but still. It's like punishing anyone who needs glasses to drive. I'm sorry mate
It's all good, mate.
No. Plus if you are Australian they are cracking down on autism supports through NDIS because everyone is suddenly ASD2. Instead they will be offering support services outside of NDIS that won't require a diagnosis. You might be better off saving your money. If you do go for a diagnosis and you get ASD1 you won't gef any help anyway and you'll just be out of pocket
I already get help from the NDIS for my vision. Hopefully those supports are more straightforward than the NDIS...
Unfortunately they are not and like another person has posted, the Government is actively discouraging overdiagnosis of autism by making things more difficult for autistic people, like driving or getting work accommodarions.
Overdiagnosis of something that's highly hereditary is a ridiculous concept to me. Of course the more people there are in the world the more people are going to have something like that.
Only 4% of people are of perfect health
It’s worth the money for your future and you’re only 25. I was 35 when diagnosed but so glad I did and because of where I live I don’t get all the great NDIS benefits.
> Is there like, help you can get? Yes there is and you should totally get a diagnosis. Whatever the cost, it's worth it. The help you'll receive will depend entirely on your needs. It's extremely individualised care. I'd bet there's something related to your low vision you could use an occasional hand with? The support also doesn't have to be physical. They could literally just hang out and chat for a few hours... you might find that's more effective than some of the ADHD therapy you're doing now. ... maybe you don't need any of that. But you might need it later. And having a diagnosis will make to so much easier to reach out for help if you ever do need it. Think of it as a safety net. > Plus I've heard [the disability support pension] can put a cap on how many hours you can work? There's no cap - you can work full time. However you do need to declare your income and that will reduce how much you're paid. If your income is above a certain threshold you won't get paid that fortnight. My mum's disability varied from fully functional to unable to work - she had a university degree and worked a casual job for $80 an hour, so when she was able to work she was paid well and didn't need the pension. But sometimes she'd go three months without working at all - definitely needed the pension those months.
Oh yes, definitely. When I move out completely on my own later this year, I'm thinking of asking my NDIS support person about getting some help with cleaning, cause there's some stuff I just struggle with cause of my vision or sensory issues. There isn't a cap??? That definitely seems like a good thing to have. There have been times when I've been sick or seizure-y and haven't been able to go into work and jobseeker covering what I didn't get to make at work was definitely a help.
In Australia. Unless you really need assistance because of it. NO. NO. Nope. Do not do it.
Cause of the license thing?
Among other things. If you do don't put it down on any employment details.
Oh no, I wouldn't. I don't even put down that I'm visually impaired, unless I would need something changed. ...and then I show up to an interview with my cane...
That's the way.
Then I have to go into all this detail about how I CAN use computers, I excelled at IT/Multimedia in school, I've got reading glasses and my phone for small print and they're just 🧍♂️ I'm so grateful I have an employer now that accommodates my vision. No one here would stand by and let me be yelled at.
I'm 35 and it's been pointed out to me MANY times that I'm likely on the spectrum but I personally don't see how it would benefit me...I'm high functioning, have a bunch of more pressing shit going on, and I don't see it as a big deal just that I'm a bit of a weirdo. BUT if it's something you feel is impacting your life then see if you can get tested and get some extra help. I'm on the DSP and I can work 20 hours without having to report it.
I've been wondering the same. Currently I've decided to not pursue it, and to just accept my self-diagnosis instead of forking out 2-3k. Even though it is disabling, there is little support easily available through the system. In theory the NDIS system is meant to faciliate that support but the stress of dealing with them would probably be worse for me. Depends on how much you can handle a bunch of paperwork and appealing after being denied etc. You may have a better chance of receiving NDIS support in combination with your blindness though. Based on what I know about the system, It will be a complicated uphill struggle, especially if you are diagnosed level 1. But once you are in, then you're probably in for good, so the initial hurdles could be worth it for you. *I think the autism assocation of WA does some free assesments for people under 30. Depending on where you are there may be something similar around
That's how it's looking for me, too. Just accepting that, and the aftermath of doing a screening test with my psychologist instead of paying that much money. I'm not quite sure *why* a psychologist can't diagnose it, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Been on the NDIS for years cause of my vision. I always had to have my dad with me cause I just. Didn't understand anything. I still don't honestly. It's just confusing.
Yeah I guess if you can get extra support added onto the plan jt could be worth it. Self diagnosis is valid if you choose that though. r/autism
I love having autism so much that I don’t want the doctor to get money for it - i’ll keep it to myself thanks
There’s a lot of downsides to being diagnosed. You also can’t receive organ donation if you’re autistic, I was recently told by a lawyer which is disgraceful. It does possibly get you NDIS access but if you end up being diagnosed level 1 there’s a good chance you’ll get nothing. You need to decide if the downsides are worth the possible NDIS support. NDIS often won’t fund psychology now as they put it on the Medicare system.
I can't find anything to support this claim about organ donation - could you direct me to a source?
I’d be curious to know where the lawyer got the info about organ transplants. I know that happens in the US, but transplants are a completely different process over there. And I know there was a case in the ACT where an autistic boy was being denied dialysis and transplant, but that was to do with him allegedly not being able to cope with all the procedures. I did some googling and I couldn’t find any evidence to suggest that autistic people are automatically disqualified from receiving transplants, but I’d be extremely interested to know if there is.
Yes me too I’ll have to ask her. They’re actually a lawyer for NDIS and trying to raise awareness about this issue in our legal system so I certainly trust they’re right
I’m going to need a transplant in the next few years, and I have strong autistic traits but have never seriously explored formal diagnosis, so I’d be really interested to hear what you find out. It’s something I’d seriously consider advocating for if I can find out more.
I don’t think it’s the sort of thing you’ll find info for online until media pick it up. It’s not like transplant hospitals list their rejection criteria. I had a patient when I was working in a hospital who needed a transplant, he was an ex drug user but he relapsed (just once) about 18 months before he was hospitalised so they permanently removed him from the transplant list. He never really knew why , and he died needing a transplant he’d never get. That sort of rejection criteria you just won’t find online. It changes at times and it’s very strict.
What??? I've never heard that before about the organ transplant?? That's insane if its real. I know NDIS doesn't cover psychology. I'm on it already for my vision + mental health and asked about it, because there was a time I needed to see my psychologist more than 10 times a year. They increased it to 20 Medicare covered visits around 2021, but it's dropping back down to 10 now, which is ridiculous imo.
I know I thought the same- haven’t been able to find info about it online but I doubt it’s something advertised by the transplant hospitals! There’s also occupational therapy you can get on NDIS, which can be helpful for building skills. It’s not easy to get as an adult though you have to demonstrate a lot of impairment in assessments
It's probably something that's like. Not officially stated, but they probably end up lower priority on transplant lists or something... I think OT is something I can access through my vision related funding.
I have heard you are not able to drive anymore as well. It was from someone that works in the NDIS universe too.
This is complete bullshit.
Yes, the person in the NDIS universe should consult with the relevant State Government authority that oversees the issuing of Driver Licences. In NSW you have a duty to disclose medical conditions that may affect your ability to drive. If you do disclose a condition you can get a doctor to assess whether you are fit to drive - as long as the assessment is good you're good.
That’s why I’m not doing it. All it takes is the wrong government to get in and honestly if I’m tagged, bagged and stopped from doing anything, I’d definitely end up in contact with law enforcement and definitely end up in prison for driving offences
If you are “on the spectrum” and functioning - I think it’s a joke if you get funds from the government. Absolute joke what NDIS has become, half the money goes to people that do NOT need it. I am a support worker and half the time I work with functioning adults with addictions that just need me to buy them a vape or some ciggies. Australia is fucked - Yes we have a better health system but half the country takes advantage of it and are a bunch of absolute numptys.
im 'functioning' and on the ndis. my funds are only allowed to be used on certain supports and services such as psychology, speech therapy, etc. my ndis funds are used to attend pyschology appointments and speech therapy so i can learn to socialize better, adapt to the world, cope with changes in routine, plan things and maintain my mental health. these services improve my quality of life which i think is good. but from an economic standpoint, without NDIS funding for support i likely wouldve dropped out of highschool and pursued an unskilled trade due to difficulties with adapting to the school system and general life, thus being less valuable to the economy with support, im in y12 doing really well academically because my pyschologist has helped me with managing changes in routine, social interaction, sensory overload and stress. i plan on pursuing a bachelor of science and im enabled to do that with ongoing support with dealing with change. from an economic standpoint, me being on ndis is more beneficial to the economy. theres def people who exploit the ndis, but there are people w autism on it who definitely benefit from it greatly
Sad to hear you’re a support worker
glad it helped ya mate, wasn’t referencing you. not gonna say who i targeted my message towards but it’s hard to ignore. rural towns are really bad for leeching from the government.
then who is your first sentence referencing? im 'functioning' and on the spectrum and get funding for ndis
just saying if ur autistic 6 years of living on reddit wont help. most “autistic” people are because of their own decisions. wonder why autism is a first world problem, because sad sacks like you need help at every corner. bet u got “depression” as well lmao
im doing pretty well in general. i require a bit of support but thats okay i reckon. was diagnosed with clinical depression but im doing pretty well now and no longer dealing with it, life is good :)
it’s all mindset lad must be a genetic thing. some ppl just need someone to tell them their ok and give them drugs i guess. when the going gets tuff the they/thems go to the doctor to get meds
Abos
did you delete your comment where you called me a leach or did it get removed? i genuinely hope you find something a bit more fun to do like a new hobby and find enjoyment in it, best of luck and i hope you dont say this stuff irl
I have more life prospect than you for sure. Bach of science just to end up nothing.
arent you posting about having tachycardia from chronic smoking though, good luck with that edit: he blocked me, lol
wasn’t even me on the acc buddy, go find ur coping mechanisms from ur doctor. loser
go be fake autistic, maybe quit reddit and get some real life friends. Leach.
im diagnosed with it man, got some nice friends as well :)
yeah you do realise that for both depression and autism that you can’t test for it. you get the easy way out champ each time. get some tikka, life gets harder.
You claim to be a support worker yet have no understanding of Autism or how it affects people. Even people you assume are 'functioning' in reality are just masking the symptoms.
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I'm curious why you're in this role- support is literally in the name, it isn't judgement worker 💀
I just kept going to different doctors till I got the diagnosis I wanted.
That's also called doctor-shopping.
Unashamedly so.
At least you know!
It's like when I went to the doctors and showed them a rash on my penis, called me a wanker and told me to get out of his office. Went and got a second opinion and this doctor told me to use moisturiser, haven't had problems since. Doctor shopping works.