How forthcoming are you about your diagnosis?

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Information of that nature is a weapon and I am very careful in who's hands I place it, if I do at all.

I am very guarded about it. I wouldn't tell anyone without putting a lot of thought into it first. I want to avoid trading familiar problems for unfamiliar problems. However, I wonder if some people have guessed that I have AS without ever saying anything about it.

I don't....just this week I was talking to my boss, who is a maternal health nurse and very knowledgable about autism. We had a long chat about it after discussing a boy we both believe to be Aspergers. I mentioned it ran in my family, and she said it usually runs on the male side, so my kids will be ok. It was on the tip of my tongue..."I'm autistic too." But I didn't say it. There's someone else I want to tell, someone who I'm pretty sure thinks I'm a bit weird. On one hand she might understand if she knew...but then I'm worried that she'll just think I'm ret*d. That's the big thing for me, that people think autism means ret*d.

It seems like a lot of people, maybe NT's more, seem to need to give an excuse for why they are different. Which leads me to something I've been thinking about lately. Do I really need to explain myself all the time... Do I really need to give an excuse for things all the time... I'm NT, but I do always need to give an explanation even when it isn't really necessary.

If it comes up or I am asked about it I try to be honest. I have also told some friends and family about it, however I feel really touchy now because of their response or lack of response. I want to be honest and transparent with people but the overall lack of understanding about Asperger's Syndrome in the general public means that if I do disclose to them, they won't know what it means.
It kinda hurts a real lot to feel that the people in my life that are 'closest' to me do not understand or care to understand me. I however would still choose to tell it to people who matter to me, in the hope that someone would understand.

I tried out my suspicions on a few close friends, but only one believes me, and others were quite mean about it.
I don't want to get in the habit of using it as an excuse, or to be accused of doing so when I'm really in distress - that would really upset me - so I think I'll keep it to myself as much as possible.

I currently work in an area with lots of other geeks with bad social skills - I'm sure some of them have very mild AS - but since none of them seem to have the same problems with concentration, stress and sensory overload, they're likely to think I'm just a wuss.

It is a shame that so many people react so negatively. I guess so many people really just don't even really understand what AS is or autism for that matter. I really think most people don't even have a clue.

My own tactic is to be forthcoming but not use labels. I am clear about liking solitude and having problems with power/politics in social situations. I let people know how fascinated I am with details and how poor I am with names and with keeping up with fashions and fads. I just don't use labels like Aspergers or Autism because there is so little awareness and so much misinformation about what these words mean.

A few family members and very close friends actually are aware of my diagnosis. Everybody else gets to deal with the facts on the ground and these folks are not burdened with "theory".

I tell people on "need to know" basis. My new piano teacher astonished me by guessing it. At the start of Lesson 2 she mentioned Glenn Gould who had Asperger's etc. When I asked her what I'd done that seemed aspie to her, she was vague

I tell people if I want them to know. I don't really care what they think of me afterward.

I generally tell people about it. I helps me screen out people that don't want to be bothered with the autistic traits. Having AS-tolerant people in our lives is no easy task. We cannot afford to waste time on people that aren't and need to identify those who are not and exclude those people from our lives as quickly as possible. We can use the power of the law to force people to treat us in compliance with the law and shouldn't be shy about prosecuting those who don't. If someone doesn't like you already, you have little to lose by punishing them in accordance with the law.

I don't tell people straight off. Sometimes I will tell people if they see me at a site about it... OR people I know VERY well. The kind I can tell anything. But there aren't many of those. I also tell people I meet online fairly often. But I don't have to worry about actually meeting them and having thing treat me funny. Most people don't believe each other online.

I dont mind who knows about my AS and other diagnosis as long as they are willing to accept and try and understand things from my point of view.

Other than my family and my mothers friend, no one in real life knows I have AS.

I don't like telling people in real life. I seemed to get judged. I don't usually talk to people long enough in real life for me to build up enough trust to tell them.

Since I do not have a formal diagnosis I am just an “aspie”, but I certainly have no reticence in telling people if there is a “point”. Of course the fact that I do not consider myself any more disabled than NTs probably has a lot to do with that.

If people can not deal with differences them I would rather know that up from so I do not waste my time with them.

bookwormde

It is not a secret--yet, I have yet to have anyone reveal this to me. I know of a few people that most definitely are on the spectrum. I don't think they define themselves this way. All three are much older, before the days of AS/HFA. One reminds me somewhat of my own son who's eight! I know it sounds crazy--she's in her late 50's, a woman, but her mannerisms, the way she talks about something and widens her eyes all remind me of my son. She's a bit cooky, smart, and I'm very fond of her because she's so interesting to talk to.

She's very difficult to work with though and extremely one-sided, verbose and inflexible.

I don't think many people speak about Asperges. Most people, where I live, don't know what it is unless they're special ed people (even they are somewhat misinformed).

I do talk about my son's issues but don't feel the need to mention Aspergers. The times I did mention it, people were somehwat surprised or curious. The kids that have Aspergers in our school are much more impaired than my son.

It would be nice if people were more open about it.

After all, it's part of who you are but as the pscyh pointed out "...so much more than this." I agree.