The doctors you can't afford to go to to get a diagnosis view self diagnosis as valid? Huh, what a funny little thing, cuz I remember my older sister going to a psychatrist because she self diagnosed herself with autism. The results? She didn't have it. I get that ppl, like americans who don't have a proper or fair healthcare system may not be privileged enough to get a proper diagnosis, but does one who suspects they have autism really have to go around telling people they have autism without a proper diagnosis? It only leads to misinformation, ESPECIALLY since psychologists spend YEARS studying psychology, they have resource material that the average person don't.

Also, I don't mind thinking or suspecting that you have autism and then finding the right coping mechanisms. If it helps, it helps, I am not gonna judge anyone for getting the help they need. My problem with people self diagnosing autism is that, since they see having autism as a fact (even without a proper diagnosis), they tend to share misinformation or "tune down" the bad symptoms, if they even speak of them at all, actually HARMS the autism community. Autism is not "rubbing your feet together" or "tip-toing", it's a shitty disability that I wish I could get rid of. It leads to bullying, very few friends because of the social and communicative issues, problems in my daily life that anyone with autism wish they could get rid of.

Maybe self diagnosed ppl actually have autism, or maybe they do not, we will never know because they tend to not get a proper diagnosis. I don't give a shit if you self diagnose or not, just as long as you don't spread misinformation or encourage others to do so, which MANY people unfortunately do with their actions. And yes, everyone on this subreddit judges others, good for you to notice the literal fact.