Diagnosed Today...Now Moving Forward
Just got back not too long ago from a follow up with the psychologist and it's official:
I'm on the spectrum.
It's been a strange but fascinating path of self-discovery really.
I work at an adult day program where for the past few years I've worked
one-to-one with a guy about my age who's autistic and non-verbal.
It wasn't until I started working with him that I researched autism, which
led me to all the online info and tests, e.g. the AQ test, RDOS, etc.
And, much to my initial surprise, I found myself consistently scoring
in the Aspergers range and relating to the described symptoms and what not.
And today those personal suspicions that I myself am on the spectrum have been
"officially" confirmed.
I guess I wonder now, should my workplace know?
Is that even necessary for them?
See, I've been trying to advocate that we make part of our building sensory-friendly
for autistics, and I wonder if "coming out" as an aspie myself might lend credit
to what I'm saying.
Or, might it have the opposite effect, and lead them to view me
differently, condescendingly?
Any thoughts?
Is that even necessary for them?
See, I've been trying to advocate that we make part of our building sensory-friendly
for autistics, and I wonder if "coming out" as an aspie myself might lend credit
to what I'm saying.
Or, might it have the opposite effect, and lead them to view me
differently, condescendingly?
Any thoughts?
It's not necessary for them to know - it's entirely up to you whether you want them to.
How they may treat you after disclosure probably depends on how long they've known you and what your relationships with your coworkers are like.
The one time I told an "employer," they already knew I had a disability going in and I spent 6 months trying to explain to them what it was and how it affected me, but they couldn't have cared less and kept insisting I was "just shy."
OTOH, where you work (hopefully), they already understand autism, so that might make them more understanding, or they might claim that AS/HFA aren't real autism, because it doesn't look like what they're used to seeing.
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,483
Location: Long Island, New York
Happy D(iagnosis) Day
If things are going well with this job I would not disclose. I would think the expression "If it isn't broke don't fix it" applies here
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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