What are the Benefits of a Diagnosis?

I would really like to know what the benefits of an Aspergers Diagnosis are for an Adult. I am a highly successful Bank Manager and I am confident in saying I am 99.9% sure that I too have Aspergers. I could list the traits I have but you have heard them before so I shall save my fingers! I managed to successfully diagnose my 6 year old nephew with Aspergers who this week had a diagnosis from his doctor for Aspergers as he has exactly the same traits as I.

So my question really comes in two parts.

What are the benefits of getting a Diagnosis at both Adult and Child Stages?

and

What are the negative aspects of having the diagnosis in both Adult and Child Stages?

Hi, I am not sure which country you are from but I imagine that discrimination probably exists wherever you work/live for adult Aspergers.

Personally, I would be too scared to get a dx on my medical records because I know how easy it is to access data and how easy it is to lose data as well as 'disclosure' rules. As for children receiving dx, it would depend on the severity of their adjustment to school and life in general. Some children may need specialist intervention depending on where they are on the scale but I am still sitting on the fence regarding this question in relation to myself as a child.

Thanks. I am in the UK.

I am not sure I could be discriminated against now as I am pretty established in my job. I work for one of the worlds largest banks and I would hope that diversity would be something they would encourage and embrace. My concern I suppose would be around getting insurance, licence to drive (I admit I can not drive at night due to my sensitivity to bright lights on cars and streets)

also if you wanted to adopt a child etc.

Would you get a blue badge for your car ha ha!!

Hello Jay,

I'm being assessed for AS. I'm 25, and from England.
The importance of diagnosis for me is that I feel that I can help myself by reading a lot about it, if I want.
My interests all lie in reading, so I enjoy doing that.
I feel like I can understand myself more and therefore can accept myself more easily with a diagnosis.
Also there are groups like these where you can feel part of a group, instead of feeling isolated all the time.
You can more easily identify your strengths and weaknesses and so play to your strengths.

I do think the main thing about being diagnosed as an adult is feeling that there is an explanation for social awkwardness and rejection.

The negative aspects are that instead of playing to your strengths, if you feel depressed you may say to yourself that you are socially inept and there is 'proof' to reinforce this.
You may feel upset and angry as an adult that you were called shy and riduclued for it, where really there was a good explanation to why you act like you do.

I think the benefits outweigh the negative aspects though