How open are you about AS?

Post Reply New Topic

To become a veterinarian, social skills are a necessity for me, not only professionally but academically as well. I just don't see myself learning the necessary tools in order to make it through the 3 years of undergrad, 4 years of vet school, then the rest of my life as a doctor if I have this obstacle that I will most likely never overcome. Undergrad is all about networking and I need to get connected professionally.

Only one other person that I know personally knows of my AS. I'm not sure if explaining my AS would help others understand, whether it be in a class or a job.

I just recently learned much about it (since the day I joined basically). So I have told 3 people...

My Mom, to see her reaction and if she would agree with my self diagnosis (since she has known me my whole life, she could verify if the symptoms that I have are life long) and she did, so we talk about it here and there.

2 friends online that I do not know in person but am very close with from far away...

I wouldn't tell any of my co-workers at work because they might see it as a reason to view me as having less credibility if they don't get the chance to really learn what it means, and I am certainly not taking up a work day of my teams time to do a class on it just for something that makes me operate differently. It's my issue to work around and enjoy the benefits of not theirs.

I would tell my friends, if I had any close enough to tell that sort of thing to. However I don't have friends that I am close enough to even know what side of town they live on or what their phone number is (despite being pretty socially active for a person with aspergers)

There really wasn't a poll option to best describe my AS disclosure. I am very open about it if need be, but I don't go around advertising it. Basically, if a situation arises where knowing about my AS will make someone better understand why I am like I am or if I feel close enough to a person, I have no qualms about revealing my diagnosis. However, due to the unfortunate stigma that still greatly exists about neuropsych disorders, I do not tell people in situations where likely misconceptions and stereotypes will make them think I'm inferior. For example, only two people at my job know about my AS- my supervisor and my good work buddy. Nobody else needs/deserves to know, and I do not want people to think that having AS makes me incapable of answering phone calls politely and successfully. Similarly, I only ask for accommodations for things where I absolutely cannot function without an accommodation. I pass as "normal," just quirky, to the public, because I keep quiet and don't open up to many people. Very few people know the REAL me, which means that they have seen how problematic my AS can be.

Parents, siblings.. that's it.
I see no need to tell anyone. Most are probably unaware of AS to begin with, or if they have heard of it they probably totally misunderstand it.

Family, friends, some people in my orchestra, and one of my students (he has autism) and his mother.

I did mention it to some coworkers recently. I heard some rumors about how unfriendly I was, so I wanted to shift their perspective a bit.

besides parents and family, wjo might have known through my mom, nobody :Shh:

I don't have AS (sorry, my pet peeve), but I'd say I wouldn't disclose it to anybody but my closest relatives and a few friends (3, to be exact). I don't see any good in disclosing it to anyone at my work. It would be only one more thing to use against me.

I'm fairly open about my neurology. My close family and friends know that I have AS, as do some old co-workers of mine, and I am always ready to jump into a discussion about Autism, especially if I think that talking about my own experiences (I not only have AS, but also a younger brother with more classic autism) will be beneficial to the understanding of the group.

To me, it doesn't really matter that anybody knows.

I tell friends pretty soon after meeting & my family all know. I'm quite happy to discuss it as i feel people need to understand that even someone who you 'can't tell' has AS still can.

This. I only tell people who need to know, by which I mean employers etc.

For friends, acquaintances, colleagues etc they just don't need to know. I feel like they would be basing my personality on stereotypes and not on who I actually am.

Last edited by The_Final_Boss on 23 Feb 2012, 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

You should have added "other" as a poll option, because that's sort of the case for me. If someone asks me if I have it, I'm honest with them.

I haven't told anybody because I don't have any social contact in RL. My motto is "if something hurts, stop doing it". That's why I no longer have so-called friends and have broken off all contact with family members.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not open about my AS. I'd love to have a tattoo on my forehead that says "autistic". People wouldn't have to guess what is wrong with me and arrive at the most bizarre conclusions.

Currently, only my closest friends. I believe my Mother already knows, at least in general. She'd never admit it though..

Sincerely,
Matthew

My gf and the people on this board are the only ones that know. The rest of the world already thinks poorly enough of me, no need to give them more ammo to use against me.