Apologies, I understand that it’s not accessible for a lot of people, but I’m in the uk and getting a diagnosis is free, and I write from my own perspectives and experiences. My articles are always my personal thoughts. I also think that because I’m a person of colour, it is a different experience entirely. I cannot afford to say I’m autistic, without a diagnosis because no one would believe me or acknowledge my challenges. Even if I lived in a country where I needed to pay for my diagnosis, I would because I would pay for clarity above all else. I can only advocate for getting a formal diagnosis because I think there are real benefits. I believe self-diagnosis is valid, but there are 1000s of people who will see one TikTok video, fuelled with misinformation who then believe they’re on the spectrum. I think it’s only fair to call out misinformation, as it does happen all the time.