Why get an Assessment for Autism, ADHD or AuDHD?

We Support the Choice to Self-Identify

Before we share why we support diagnostic assessment, we want to first affirm the choice to self-identify only. Not everyone chooses a formal diagnosis, and we deeply respect the many valid ways people come to understand themselves and their needs. That said, we believe that a comprehensive autism and/or ADHD diagnostic assessment can offer meaningful benefits across several important areas.

Access to Accommodations

A formal diagnosis provides the documentation needed to access workplace or school accommodations under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). These accommodations can make everyday life more manageable and inclusive.

Better Mental Health Treatment

Getting the right diagnosis helps ensure people connect with the right kind of care. Research has shown that when autism or ADHD go unrecognized—especially in gifted people, women and gender-diverse individuals—therapy can miss the mark or even make things worse. Diagnosis helps guide treatment that’s actually helpful and aligned with someone’s real needs (Lai & Baron-Cohen, 2015; Mandy & Tchanturia, 2015).

Better Overall Health

Autistic and ADHD adults are more likely to have chronic health conditions that often get misdiagnosed when providers don’t understand neurodivergence. When those differences are seen and understood, people tend to get better medical care and more appropriate referrals and treatment outcomes (Lai et al., 2019; Lever & Geurts, 2016).

Prevention and Early Support

A good neurodevelopmentally-informed assessment helps prevent more serious issues down the line—like eating disorders, trauma-themed OCD, addiction, sexual assault and even self-harm and suicide. Many of these concerns look different in autistic or ADHD people and co-occur at staggeringly higher rates than in the general population (Kinnaird et al., 2019; South & Rodgers, 2017).

Clarity and Self-Compassion

Finally, a diagnosis can be incredibly affirming. For those who’ve felt misunderstood or been misdiagnosed for years, it can bring real relief—putting confusing experiences into context and offering language and support for needs that were always there. Many late-diagnosed people say it helped them feel more self-compassionate and better able to understand themselves moving forward (Botha et al., 2020; Crane et al., 2018). This self-understanding guides the identification and assertion of needs moving forward.

If you have any questions or just want to learn more about what our assessments look like, reach out anytime.