Telling people at work

Post Reply New Topic

I've been working at my current place since September, and so far I've only told three people about my AS (the third one being today).
It makes me really nervous every time I do (I'm convinced that something bad will happen and it'll mean me being sacked or something) and yet the only way to get people to understand and respond to me in the way I need is to tell people.
The ironic thing is that I work in a special school, and yet there isn't a huge amount of knowledge about AS.

It's so awkward telling people - like making an announcement or something. I've had good and bad results. It usually depends on the person's familiarity with ASD and sometimes you can see them making some sort of mental adjustment; like thy're recategorizing you. I'm glad I told my co-workers though. I feel a lot less pressure to conform and they mostly disregard any eccentricities.

I usually don't tell anyone unless there's a very concrete, practical reason. It's either that or I'm talking to someone who studies psychology and I know that they find it interesting. As far as communicating with the more general NT population, I would say don't reveal any more than is absolutely necessary. They might interpret it as an "excuse" more than an explanation of any behaviors and you run the risk of distancing yourself even more from the rest of society.

I haven't told anyone, however I think the owner may know to some degree.

As some background, I handle broadcasting and media relations for a junior hockey team. I've been in that job for four years now, however it has changed a lot.

When I first started, it was broadcasting, media relations, and some public relations work. However, as one who isn't good with going out and just randomly talking to people, I was an epic failure on the PR portion. I was moved to sales-- same problem. I couldn't cold-call to save my life. After that, I handled receptionist duties, which I still do. I feel like I vastly improved in communication and in dealing with distractions once I was put into this role. It made me leave that comfort zone a bit, and come out of my shell, so to speak.

I still have problems with emotional blowups (I was actually anonymously quoted in the New York Times a year ago when I screamed at an opposing goalie on the air during a game and video of it went viral), but he's been surprisingly understanding of my occasional blowups without me ever having to explain anything behind it.

If you do feel compelled to say something, it would be a good idea to follow up that statement with a few ways that you are working on improving. Something like "I have Asperger's Syndrome, but I've been working on problems A, B, and C by doing X, Y, and Z" That's always a good idea to turn what could be perceived as an excuse into more of an explanation.

I didn't know I was autistic until after losing my last job, I've thus yet to tell anyone in a work environment that I'm on the spectrum - I don't shout it from the mountains but I don't hide it either, if it comes up in work then it comes up...but of course you're always scared something like this would work against you, people will treat you differently or that bosses will try to get you fired. It's amazing how much something like this can effect how people treat you, not the direct prejudice but the indirect prejudice and attitude change towards you.

The joys of ignorant staff working with people who have special needs - I didn't know I was autistic back when I was a teachers aid with disabled students, but within the past year I've been applying to voluntary jobs with disabled people or paid PA work for disabled adults...silly me thought being autistic would be a benefit, understanding needs of other disabled people...those in charge of hiring seem to think differently, they seem to be of the belief that being autistic I'm no different to those they care for, which in their eyes means incapable. A total ignorance of autism and the abilities of disabled people in general - it's very sad, and exactly the reason I want to work with disabled people.

I used to work with disabled people and I always heard comments like "the blind cannot lead the blind". The real incompetent people were those Doctors that let disabled patients rot in their wheelchairs while doing nothing to heal them.

I have never told anyone at work, too embarrassing.

So... do you think it is a bad idea to tell my co-workers that I have Asperger´s syndrome?

If my coworkers think that autistics are ret*ds why can't they diagnose me?

Personally, I do not tell anyone I have AS unless they specifically ask. Most of the time I keep it to myself.

I think it's best kept to yourself unless it's relevant and necessary to disclose. You may or may not want this, but I believe people will act differently around you if they know you have a 'mental condition.'

I worked several years at my last job and never said anything. I've been at my current job since June, and have not yet said anything. I'm sure people can quickly tell I'm different, but that doesn't change how we interact while doing our jobs because I haven't provided a label for them to stick on me. For all I know they wouldn't even care, but I'd rather not chance it.

I tell bosses if there's an issue, but otherwise they don't need to know. Same with coworkers. It's none of their business, you owe them no explaination.

I met an NT at a workshop who advised me so... Even though I didn't agree with her 100%, what she said did make sense to me.

1. If you know somebody for the first time, don't disclose that you have AS because he or she might reject you immediately after knowing that you have AS. Give him or her more time so that he or she can know you better.
2. If you know somebody very well, you may disclose that you have AS. He or she might have already suspected that you are "different from the rest" after witnessing your social faux pas. If he or she doesn't know that you have AS, he or she might not forgive your social faux pas.
3. You don't necessarily have to declare that you have AS outright. You can always drop hints instead, though I don't really know how to drop hints.