Self Diagnosis

walkinredinstead:

So apparently it’s time for another self dx info post because people are gross

INFO:

basics

• self diagnosis isn’t looking at one post and going “hey thats me, im autistic”
• self diagnosis includes research and introspection
• self diagnosis of multiple disorders is reasonable – comorbidity is common (see: autism and ADHD, ADHD and SPD, many personality disorders with each other, though more than one is rarely diagnosed due to overlapping traits)
• self diagnosis doesn’t take away resources from anyone
• the only people who don’t take a disorder seriously “because of” self diagnosis don’t take it seriously anyway
• the DSM is available online
• it doesn’t matter if they’re wrong – if they’re self diagnosing it’s because they had a problem and the resources and coping mechanisms within ____ community helped them. 

re: doctors

• many doctors refuse to diagnose
• a lot of these reasons are racism and sexism
• some traits/symptoms are internal and are therefore not seen by doctors
• doctors diagnose based on behavior. people self-dx based on.. behavior.

re: racism, classism, sexism

• many poc (especially black people) are diagnosed with “being {race}”
• many people who are perceived as girls won’t be diagnosed because {sexist reason such as ‘girls cant get autism’ – yes thats a real reason people have been denied diagnosis}
• going to a professional is expensive. it doesn’t matter if you were “obviously _____” or not – it’s expensive.