However, a high functioning adult can equally not expect much help (from the public system) for other diagnoses, such as personality disorders, especially not if the issue cannot be remedied by medication. And still people seem to be more inclined to dismiss an autism diagnosis as useless than other conditions around the way the brain works.

I think this has to do with confusion about diagnostic terms. For instance, I told a relative who is an elementary school teacher about my suspicion of being on the autism spectrum. Her instant reply this couldn't be the case for me because I'm not severely disabled.

Never mind Einstein had Asperger's.

I would have thought teachers for young children in Germany had some training these days to recognize the condition, even if relatively mild, for specialist referrals. But no, the presence of the word spectrum in ASD completely eluded her. Same for a German social worker friend. My theory why autism assessments are deemed useless for (high functioning) adults there's a common misbelief the only purpose of them was to claim disability benefits. I find this totally illogical. I have been plagued with social and mental issues all my life, ostracized and fired from jobs, and if indeed I am on the spectrum frequently beaten by my parents for being invisibly handicapped. Most people would consider it helpful for someone with a long history of crippling back pain to get diagnosed, even if the condition is unlikely to warrant disability benefits. Both back pain and autism are invisibe, yet perceived very differently, probably because people know physical pain can well be unbearable, whereas those with issues related to brain function are supposed to just get over it or worse, labelled psychopaths.

In short, it appears opinions on the value of autism assessments are largely based on ignorance.