im pretty sure im autistic, or at least neurodivergent in some way. i think getting tested would give me some peace of mind and validation, but it’s not extreme to where i would need extra help. so i dont really need to be diagnosed if itll just make my life harder. i heard that if diagnosed, you have to take your driving test every year which sounds like such a hassle. are there any other downsides of a diagnosis i should know about? specifically for the us / california. getting a diagnosis would feel validating but maybe its not worth pursuing for me.
I felt the same a year ago when I realized I might share some traits described by autistic people. It was first a relief, a convenient explanation to most things I struggle with, and some “strange” traits of mine.
However, a diagnosis is very difficult to get in my country (years of waiting, not even sure I would get it one day). I decided not to do it because I don’t feel it would change anything beyond the validation. I don’t consider myself as truly autistic since I have no diagnosis, but I keep it in mind when I encounter difficulties, and it helped me a few times.