TLDR: "That's why self identification is a very important path to an official assessment, since the adult Autistic population can not rely on random clinicians to recognize their Autistic traits."

I have posted a confused and misdirected ramble "Why not some other Label" about three months ago, shortly after my self identification through "Unmasking Autism" by Devon Price. The community cleared up my confusion, and recommended great resources for further research. A lot of you asked why my psychiatrist and psychologist dismissed my suspicions about being Autistic. As a reminder, that is what I posted then:

"My psychiatrist dismissed it very quickly without a second thought, but she doesn’t know me that well, she is mostly involved in treating my recurring depressive episodes with antidepressants and helped me through university with her assessments and fought for me successfully when I was expelled several times until I got my degree. She is very pragmatic. My psychologist dismissed it as a possibly problematic idea that I shouldn’t entertain since I am „cured“ (in the sense of functioning quite well in society compared to 7 years ago) and my life is going very well right now (which is true) so he was afraid I could be opening an new can of worms an jeopardize my positive development."

I thought an update might be in order, since I have revisited this topic with both. My psychologist stayed dismissive and since I am officially "cured" the sessions were concluded. My psychiatrist on the other hand actually consulted Autism specialists in her professional circles and devised an interview for me and we revisited this topic in a 120 min session. (which is rare, she usually offers 20min. consultations) After that very inquisitive interview she concluded, that it is very likely that I do have Autism and she recognized how and why that has been missed so far. Afterwards she referred me to an official assessment with an expert, since she is not qualified to do it herself.

I had my assessment this week, it took six hours and I had to do lots of tests and interviews with three different clinicians. Although the diagnostic statement will only be ready in two to three weeks, the leading psychologist already told me in the end that I am a "textbook Autistic" and there is not the slightest doubt. I asked her how this was missed, since I have been in intermittent psychiatric and psychochological care for over a decade now. She replied that adult Autism assessment is a relatively new field and that it is absolutely plausible that past clinicians just didn't even consider the possibility, it never even entered their mind. She said, that even just ten years ago, there was no established assessment for adults available and that adult Autism assessment is still in its infancy and that they are working on it. Furthermore she concluded: "That's why self identification is a very important path to an official assessment, since the adult Autistic population can not rely on random clinicians to recognize their Autistic traits."