Is this video/page helpful?
OK, I found this video. I'm not from the UK, so I don't know how autism is viewed there. However, I was wondering of what people thought about it:
Should I tell people I have autism?
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The part about not going up to random strangers and saying, "Hi, I have autism" is obviously sensible; it's best only to tell people to whom it would matter; friends, employers (though not necessarily potential employers if you can help it), perhaps a landlord if you're going to have specific noise/roommate requirements, but telling strangers is awkward and pointless, unless you're in a situation in which you need help and the information is directly relevant (dealing with a meltdown/sensory overload, etc.). Comparing autism to excema, asthma and epilepsy however is illogical. None of those conditions impair social functioning or make others think you're odd, disturbing or creepy. Even an epileptic in the middle of a seizure at least has a recognisible medical problem that others recognise is outside of their control, unlike autistics, whose behaviours can often come across as deliberately bizarre, even when they're not.
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Ehh im not sure how much i agree with that because I know
of a lot of medical conditions people have. Like i know about
several friends of my parents. Tony has sciatica, Sam has diabetes,
Carol has chrone's. And I know about it cause they mention it. I
think a lot of ppl talk about what they have. and someone should
be able to mention having AS the same way.
Now if Sam walked up to strangers and said "Im Sam I have diabetes"
that would be weird or silly of course.
Thanks for replying. I guess I asked because I found what she said a little rude. I also have asthma, and people don't think I'm odd if I mention it, even if they are a stranger.
I feel it's because of a stigma. I relate it to both being gay or having a mental illness. People tell you not to worry about being that way/having it, while at the same time stigmatizing it by making it odd to passively mention. If you were in a conversation and mentioned asthma, people would NOT have the same reaction as saying you are autistic.
My problem is this: I tend to over-share. I'm also very sensitive when people tell me to stop, because they are often mean (as in, yelling). I feel like making a first impression or being on your best behavior is deceptive, and thus lying. I can't really lie. I've been doing OK with kind of acting, but my acting is limited. I do a professional kind of act where I embody my mother (she is a professional) and people in Lifetime movies. What I mean is this enables me to make appointments and talk in a professional manner, but this isn't always a good thing.
When I'm not acting, I often sound as if I am giving a a professional educational lecture. Now, I probably wouldn't tell the person at Subway taking my order that anything is wrong with me. However, I interpreted the video to be potential friendships, also.
I'm left wondering is it "obviously" awkward to tell a potential friend there is something different? When people give you that "look" (I've learned to finally see it sometimes), is it OK to tell them so they don't think you are weird, crazy, so on? People, apparently, are annoyed with me: over-sharing, talking too much, not understanding the "give and take" of conversations, talking about "boring" things aka my interests
So, in relation to what that woman said, if you get the "look" or people verbally tell you things like "shut up, stop being arrogant, why don't you smile, why are you angry, you never let me talk, you talk too much, you are weird", is it then OK to tell them "Hey, I wasn't doing this to purposely be rude. I have/am ________"?
Part of the reason I'm left wondering is because I'm finding it hard to see a very thick "line" between over-sharing and something being necessary in order to help people understand I'm really a kind person and not MEANING to appear to be mean, an a**hole, or crazy.
Also, I thought it was kind of weird because I can totally see an autistic person questioning her advice. I found myself first saying, "Why can't I do that?" I have certain trouble with social expectations, so I personally see nothing wrong with walking up to a stranger and saying that. In fact, strangers often tell me personal things, and I listen to them. It seems like saying words like "obviously" is lost on someone who doesn't intuitively "get" how to be social, if that makes sense.
