"Also, it should be painfully obvious that the only way to get diagnosed with ADHD or autism as an adult is to ask to be assessed for them, which rather necessitates believing you might have them, doesn’t it? Otherwise you… wouldn’t ask." Also this. Every self-diagnosed person I have met (or peer-reviewed diagnosed, if you will) has basically made looking into the criteria for various neurodivergence a special interest for months, if not years. It's not like folks just watch a single video and go "Hmmm, that seems familiar, I must also be XYZ."
Nevermind the ableist gatekeeping that is a diagnosis process, where folks often have to pay hundreds, if not thousands, to see a specialist. If you don't have the funds, which is most people, then heck yes, you will rely on self-diagnosis.
It frustrates me immensely. I would rather one or two people looking for attention (because yeah, sure, they exist) "abused" the system so every self-diagnosed person could get the support they need, than the system we have where hundreds or thousands of people are dismissed and ignored because maybe some people will adopt an identity to feel "special."
*claps heartily* Well said!
"Also, it should be painfully obvious that the only way to get diagnosed with ADHD or autism as an adult is to ask to be assessed for them, which rather necessitates believing you might have them, doesn’t it? Otherwise you… wouldn’t ask." Also this. Every self-diagnosed person I have met (or peer-reviewed diagnosed, if you will) has basically made looking into the criteria for various neurodivergence a special interest for months, if not years. It's not like folks just watch a single video and go "Hmmm, that seems familiar, I must also be XYZ."
Nevermind the ableist gatekeeping that is a diagnosis process, where folks often have to pay hundreds, if not thousands, to see a specialist. If you don't have the funds, which is most people, then heck yes, you will rely on self-diagnosis.
It frustrates me immensely. I would rather one or two people looking for attention (because yeah, sure, they exist) "abused" the system so every self-diagnosed person could get the support they need, than the system we have where hundreds or thousands of people are dismissed and ignored because maybe some people will adopt an identity to feel "special."