It could give you legal protections from discrimination.

If you're in the USA it's a toss up between the power of employers to fire at will and the notably influential ADA.

So you'd be taking a risk by declaring it to an employer you didn't trust anyway.

In other countries you can get government support etc with your therapy (and other things).

Plus knowing what kind of autism you have can help direct your care and coping strategies, which could greatly improve your quality of life

While there is no medicine for autism itself, there are certain medications that help to better cope with the symptoms to improve one's overall quality of life (antidepressants, stimulants, anti-anxiety stuff) and if you're not officially diagnosed by a qualified doctor, you might not be able to get those. The same for certain state & federal services, access to specialized therapy etc. which - bluntly speaking - do not care about self-diagnosed conclusions, no matter how accurate. For most things that involve any form of bureaucracy, you need something "official".

That being said; if you happen to currently not need / want anything "locked" behind an official assessment (like finding a therapist that you're comfortable with who does not want to see a prior diagnosis), and the cost is so much of an issue that you would need to decide between getting assessed and getting bankrupt, then it is probably better to wait a little longer.

Basically the same as all the other commenters before me. It absolutely makes sense for a plethora of reasons, if you can afford it.

Where I live, you don’t have to pay shit for a diagnosis, it just takes long and you basically need help getting there either a friend who is inquisitive or some other person who has your back.

In any case, you have been „disabled“ all your life. That’s not going to change through diagnosis. What changes is your legal stance. If someone mocks you for being autistic, this can now become a hatecrime (hyperbole but you get the gist I hope).

Wish you tons of luck on your journey. Have a good one.

Tests and diagnoses are pieces of information that add to a holistic understanding of a person. More information is always preferred. It allows you to frame your thinking more effectively. If possible for you, I would definitely go ahead.

If a diagnosis can help improve your quality of life then yes it's important.

Mine is in a few weeks. Here is why I am doing it.

• it is free in my area, though it's taken a few years to get here.

• I am focusing on my mental heath. I've been seeing a therapist for awhile. Knowing if I am autistic may help me in finding and navigating some of my mental blocks. I often lack a nerutypical perspective when empathy is very important to me. I also possess a lot of self hate so in theroy this may help me take it easy on myself.

• Am I finding some of my "quirks" are getting stronger as I get older. I've gotten even more unfocused and exhausted. The diagnosis may help me get treatment for these problems before they get too bad. Though that will probably just be dietary.

I got a diagnostician to assess, but not diagnose, me. Basically, I was interviewed and tested for several hours, until she felt she could come to a conclusion (yep, I’m ND). I did not bother getting a diagnostic report with all the associated family interviews etc. etc. because I do not need additional supports (other than therapy). The diagnostician gave me the names of therapists with experience working with autists. I feel I got the best of both worlds - inexpensive speedy assessment and the ability to tell doubting family that an independent expert says I am indeed autistic.

For me, despite having two friends of 7 years that are psychologists, a relationship therapist imply it, and my psychologist share considerable suspicion, I still wanted to be sure. I had that "What if I'm just making it up?" impostor syndrome. Getting legitimate confirmation was important to me since I had been misdiagnosed in the past. With the confirmation, I was also able to engage fully in steps to improve my life since I could investigate changes that help autistic people. The other benefit was that it granted me access to autism services, such as support and specialized therapy. Overall, I think it was 100% worth what I paid for the evaluation, and in fact, I would pay double for the same thing.

I just paid $3,300 for a diagnosis. I used a flexible spending account, which meant that that was pre-tax money. I felt that it was worth it, because of the possibility of having certain protections available to me in the future if they're needed(for example, in employment, and possibly some day unemployment). It also provided closure to know instead of just suspect for the rest of my life. I am glad that I went through with the diagnosis. It also led to diagnosis of not just autism, but some other things, as well. Keep that possibility in mind that autism might not be the only thing they diagnose you with, and that might provide you knowledge or might help you in some way.