A guided learning path to self-identification and self-diagnosis

If you're newer to autism and/or suspect you might be autistic but aren't sure where to go to figure it out, this post is for you...

You've probably been pointed to online autism screeners as the first place to look...

But I'm going to tell you why this will likely cause more confusion than offer actual clarity... especially for an autistic (bottom-up processing) brain. 

These screeners are designed to do one thing, and it's not actually the thing you likely want.

They are designed to collect surface level information about you, map that information to the diagnostic criteria, and spit out a probability that you would meet the criteria if tested.

Essentially, offer you a shortcut to the answer you're looking for.

Here's the problem with this approach when it comes to autistic cognition... most autistic people don't actually WANT the shortcut. 

If you're autistic, your brain actually wants (even NEEDS) the details. The details that explain the WHY.

And that "yes" or "no" answer is completely devoid of information that tells you WHY you may or may not be autistic.

Now, this is information you can absolutely find on your own through research... but you have to know what to look for. And if you're here, reading this post, there's a good chance that's the part you're still trying to figure out.

So, I'm going to offer a few suggestions that will help guide you to the information your brain is actually looking for...

1. Start with the DSM (or ICD if you're not in the US). 

Read the autism section of the DSM 5-TR (this is the most current version of the DSM, I'll link to a PDF version of it in the comments). 

Read the ENTIRE autism section... not just the criteria part at the top. 

There are pages and pages of elaboration that come afterwards. Read every single page. 

2. Write down a list of every story you can think of from your life that maps to each of the criteria.

Be as thorough as humanly possible. 

Include as many stories from your childhood as you can. This is the main way diagnosticians differentiate between autism, which is a neurodevelopmental condition, and trauma, which is acquired and can manifest in very similar ways.

Be exhaustive...

As in, don't stop writing until you have written every example you can think of.

3. Look at your list and ask yourself the following questions...

a) Do I have a good number of stories from my life that describe every one of the first 3 criteria (in the social communication category)?

Note that in order to be diagnosed, you need to meet all 3 of these, so this will be a very important consideration.

b) Do I have a good number of examples from at least 2 of the 4 remaining criteria (in the restricted repetitive behaviors category)?

This is where it gets especially important to understand how autism is diagnosed... because you don't have to meet all 4 of the restricted repetitive behaviors criteria to receive a diagnosis. You only have to meet 2 of the 4.

At this point you should have a decent idea of whether or not you'd meet the requirements for a diagnosis if you went through the diagnostic process.

But to be *very* clear, because this is important...

This does _NOT_ replace the diagnostic process.

That said...

It can get you a LOT closer to actually understanding why you may or may not be diagnosed if you were to pursue an evaluation. 

All that said, what I shared above is general guidance on how to approach self-identification and self-diagnosis. 

This learning path will take you through a methodical approach that mirrors the formal diagnostic process to a large degree. So, if you’re looking for much more detailed guidance, keep reading. You are in the right place!

And... happy learning 😊🙏🏻