Telling others about AS - right or wrong?

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I used to bring up Aspergers Syndrome a lot with others, but what I got back was: "you can't hide behind it all your life".
Since then I've stopped telling others about it, and the people I communicate with nowadays may not even be aware that I have it at all.

The thing is, I've been wondering lately whether or not I should bring my having Aspergers to the attention of others. Sure, if I do I won't make any friends because of it but the cause of my obsessive and otherwise strange behaviour will become more clear to the norms.

So, your own opinion, do you think it is appropriate to let others know that you have AS?

Only if it is causing significant problems and people are going on and asking about why you do this and do that.
It is true, that it shouldn't be held accountable for everything, but I don't think being told you hide behind it is very fair, as if it is something you can remove at will.

NO.

You have to look at it from their perspective.

They will take it completel differently than you might believe. The people you will be telling are most likely neurotypical.

They won't be compassionate like you might be. Their attitude will most likely be, "I feel sorry for you, but I don't want to be your friend.."

It never helps. You are better off trying assimilate and understand that being neurotypical really is your best path to happiness.

My [personal life is no ones freak'n business. As far as I know none of my co workers know for sure that I dont cease to exisit once it's time to go home

I tell people that I have AS because it helps them understand me better.

I wouldn't go out of my way to tell them, but if they already suspect that you have it and still like you, no harm done in my opinion.

I second what Graelwyn said. I think it's only necessary if it's causing problems, otherwise it can really just complicate things because of all the assumptions and stereotypes that come with it.

I never tell anyone and it's working out pretty well.

Even my best friends don't know.

...Well, they might, but not because I told them.

My mother said something to me once: "Don't keep bringing up your disibality it will piss people off"

Nothing wrong with people knowing you have it, just don't talk about it all the time. Need a balance

I don't tell anyone I have it. I rarely do. I don't say out of the blue I do.

I dont tell anyone especially during a recession where people dont hire those with disabilities and the ones with disabilities are the first to be fired or laid off .Mine is mild enough I can slip under the radar and not tell them and they dont notice if I keep to myself.Its enough that I have a job and am doing ok acedemically in college.

Only my family knows I have it and a few teachers in my old high school.Nobody at college knows I have it.They just think Im different.

I tell people if it's relevant to the conversation. I think it helps that I tell people.

I certainly wouldn't tell anyone the first or second time you meet. I occasionally tell someone I become close friends with, but usually in a non-direct way. Like explaining why my daughter is on a special diet, because of my genetics for Aspergers.
It's easier than saying "By the way there is something you should know" which just sounds wrong to me.

I'd agree with not telling everybody &, if it's caused more problems doing so already, be careful who & how you tell. Can anybody give you constructive feedback, in RL? That's what you probably need; online, we don't know why you've had the reactions you have to telling people. There is a balance & it may be you told too many or too quickly? Sorry, hope we've helped?

I was told not to tell anybody about mine, but I picked a few people to tell, and even though I got different reactions, I didn't lose any friends from it. Except I'm picky about who I tell. And I'm good at hiding most of it. And most people I know have no idea what it is.

my experience have been if you dont tell....your thought of as a bit weird and if you do tell your thought of as a lot weird and sometimes they even try to diagnose you if you dont fit what they have read about Aspergers

All perfectly logical opinions in the matter.
From all this, it has become a strong debate whether or not my condition should become known among my peers, whether or not it would better my communications with them.