I’m asking because I’m suspicious I might have autism but I cannot access a psychiatrist.
If I do self diagnose and no matter how much evidence I find that I have autism at the end of the day I don’t know that for a fact.
So if I go around claiming I’m autistic when I don’t even know for a fact I am, it feels extremely disrespectful to people with autism right?
It’ll be even worse if I do get access to a psychiatrist and they tell me no I’m not and I’m just weird or something.
EDIT: I don’t want to reply to everyone one by one but I do wanna say thank you for everyone’s kind and helpful answers. I appreciate it.
I am not a professional, but I think I can relate - I’ve kind of been thinking the same thing.
For me, I don’t think it really matters if I have an official diagnosis. I don’t have an external incentive to get one and it won’t change how I act. I also don’t really bring it up to anyone, unprompted. Mostly because other people probably don’t give a shit and likely didn’t even think about it. They’ll just think I’m weird, more often than not.