[Kate*]

I've had my diagnosis about 8 years now, and I'm still struggling with this. At first it was devastating, then it was empowering (like I told you so, it's real!), and now for the most part, I'm back to it being a pain in the ass it always has been. Technically, nothing changed. As the neuropsych said when I had the testing done "You're the same person you've always been." But, in a lot of ways it doesn't feel like it. I haven't gone a day since diagnosis without thinking about it, whereas before it was just my normal. I still switch between all the terms and language because I haven't settled on an "identity" if that makes sense.

Depending on how your workplace is, I would disclose and then see what their policy is about documentation. Personally, I've disclosed, but I'm so used to working without accommodations that I just power though unless I really need something. And so far, the only thing I've needed is a walkie talkie so I can ask where things are or have someone check inventory. Certain positions get them automatically, mine wasn't one of them, so I just asked for one. And it was really a "common sense" thing rather than an accommodation. The only time I considered having it declared as an official accommodation was when there weren't enough of them and I was always the one who had to give mine up.