Is a diagnostic assesment worth it?

During my secondary education I was labeled as a dyslexic student, but due to it's status as a state school, along side my parents relatively low income, I had never been diagnosed. My university's, wellbeing services offer a referral for diagnosis at a reduced rate (albeit still considerably expensive), I managed my accomodation loan to incorporate the cost of the assesment, and since, I have been diagnosed with dyslexia and (surprisingly to me) dyspraxia. However the wellbeing staff I had spoken to consistently expressed they believed I had Autism, and ADHD, (and showed symptoms of OCD, however that was less so mentioned,), they urged me to look into autism in girls, in particular, and since i have done some research, but not an excessive amount. The assesments for ADHD and autism via the university's referral are around the £1000 mark each, where as the dyslexia assesment was £350. a grand seems a massive amount to pay for this, especially considering it's certainly not in my budget, especially considering my parents do not offer me any financial support.

My question is simply is there a point in attempting to get assessed? I could try to precure a part-time job alongside studying, but I'd struggle to maintain a work-life balance as it would throw of my internal schedule.

is it worth it, at all?

During my secondary education I was labeled as a dyslexic student, but due to it's status as a state school, along side my parents relatively low income, I had never been diagnosed. My university's, wellbeing services offer a referral for diagnosis at a reduced rate (albeit still considerably expensive), I managed my accomodation loan to incorporate the cost of the assesment, and since, I have been diagnosed with dyslexia and (surprisingly to me) dyspraxia. However the wellbeing staff I had spoken to consistently expressed they believed I had Autism, and ADHD, (and showed symptoms of OCD, however that was less so mentioned,), they urged me to look into autism in girls, in particular, and since i have done some research, but not an excessive amount. The assesments for ADHD and autism via the university's referral are around the £1000 mark each, where as the dyslexia assesment was £350. a grand seems a massive amount to pay for this, especially considering it's certainly not in my budget, especially considering my parents do not offer me any financial support.

My question is simply is there a point in attempting to get assessed? I could try to precure a part-time job alongside studying, but I'd struggle to maintain a work-life balance as it would throw of my internal schedule.

is it worth it, at all?

With any diagnosis, it is only useful if you feel it could be of help to you now. A label is just a label and does not change many things, unless you need it. I would be wary of believing the wellbeing staff, unless they have specific knowledge/diagnostic trg in these diagnoses. I often get referrals for these type of diagnoses where it is clear the referrer has a very crude understanding of these difficulties, so always take it with a pinch of salt.

Good luck,

Greg

For these diagnoses if you are indeed autistic and ADHD you can begin accepting yourself more. For me as I get closer to diagnosis I can accept myself more, then I don't feel like I need to conform to typical norms.

For ADHD there is treatment like medication and behavioural. For autism there isn't much although at least you know. OCD can be quite debilitating.

Right but I don't tend to conform to 'typical norms' either way, mainly because I don't socialise in the first place,
Treatment wise I would only be able to do while at university because my mum's against any type of psychiatric drug,
My mum reckons i have OCD because she believes she has OCD and my Nan has OCD (diagnosed, unmedicated)
But Id that is the case surely its irrelevant as I am managing it myself? Same goes for ADHD, I can live with a short attention span and some insomnia
Thanks for your input, cowboy 🤠

It's not irrelevant as your quality of life would be significantly better if you got treated for ADHD and any other disorders you may have. So you should still go for the assessment.

I think that is a personal perspective and may not be the same experience as many other people (plenty of people i work with never go on medication or if they do find it worse than being without). The idea of a "Disorder" is a very contentious point (there is more variation within people who have a diagnosis than between said people and the typical population, as well as a whole raft of other issues), and a diagnosis rarely leads to significant benefits unless you get a good/meaningful intervention (which is not always related to a diagnosis).

So what im trying to say, its great you had a good experience and a "Disorder" being diagosed is relevant to you, but that does not equate to positive impacts for everyone else.

Greg

I think that is a personal perspective and may not be the same experience as many other people (plenty of people i work with never go on medication or if they do find it worse than being without). The idea of a "Disorder" is a very contentious point (there is more variation within people who have a diagnosis than between said people and the typical population, as well as a whole raft of other issues), and a diagnosis rarely leads to significant benefits unless you get a good/meaningful intervention (which is not always related to a diagnosis).

So what im trying to say, its great you had a good experience and a "Disorder" being diagosed is relevant to you, but that does not equate to positive impacts for everyone else.

Greg