Should I tell my classmates at Uni that I have AS?

Post Reply New Topic

I only tell my close friends after I've known them for a while. Unfortunately, we still live in a time where people can easily misinterpret what Asperger's is, possibly mistaking it for "mental retardation" in my case, or as a severe, debilitating handicap, which it isn't either.

AS is merely a set of personality traits specific to some people; it's a category we've all been lumped into to help aid us in finding our way through life. Their knowledge of you having such a diagnosis shouldn't have to change how they see you.

I told two of my friends when I was drunk once and given how quickly rumours go around the group I've always assumed others know and have some conformation of this. I think it helped me somewhat as people now understood what made me so differently and so were not so put off.

My advice is drop it to a couple of people casually in a conversation and if everyone talks about you behind your back then soon everyone will know, yet since you've not made some big announcement its all still casual. If you do go for an announcement, it means you expect people to care and they probably actually don't, you just are merely someone to talk about.

Then again, it depends on the people probably. Perhaps I'm prejudiced but the people I shared it with - postgraduate philosophers - are usually more open minded than your average person.

Thanks for your replies.

It turns out I got Special Accomodation in 3 of my exams due to my AS where I get to type my answers.

However I still got issued seat numbers for the normal exam hall which means it'll be empty on those days.

The people who always sit near me will be wondering where I was.

Dilemna for whether to tell them or lie has arrived...

You could imply you are dyslexic as that got me up into another seat and thoroughly worried my classmates. Say an undisclosed learning impairment.

Hmm...not sure how much of a difference it would even make.

I havent had anyone give me crap for me telling them I have AS. A lot of people I know dont even know what AS even is still...

People are just gonna be judgemental regardless of what you tell them. Some people might be already able to tell that you have AS and are maybe just shrugging off.

You never know.

I think it depends on who you tell. I once told a friend, who then said he has Aspergers himself. Such luck is rare, obviously.

Two of my NT friends know. One guessed that I had Aspergers, and he is still my friend. Both are about twenty, and are far more mature than most twenty year olds. I know this is hard for us, but use your judgement if you want to tell a specific person. Everytime you share with that person, you have to do a cost-benefit analysis.

I am interested. what did you do in the end and how did it go?

I am teaching on the topic of AS and one of the questions is whether a student should share it with the class to give them an opportunity to understand them, or to keep it hidden and instead of having a medical diagnosis, to just have them think s/he is weird instead.

The way I see it, if you stand out, and people with AS can stand out, you are going to be a target. In the UK, being a bit weird is not protected in law, but having AS is. If you share it and they still bully you, it is illegal and the school ahve to take action. If you do not tell and they bully you, it can be brushed under the carpet too easily just as "horseplay" or the like

I personally wouldn't bother, as I don't care to explain myself to people who want to gossip behind my back. Telling them that wont necessarily make them understand, perhaps some would make an effort... but the gossipers might then gossip about your autism and if they think its valid or not and blech, best to just pay no mind to gossip or it encourages it.

Hello,

I am autistic and its part of me, I am very open about it. I have found since I have been able to tell people who I am odd it's been better. When people were left to guess they'd assume I was not a nice person or arrogant.

My life improved a ton when I started being open about it and now I have a bunch of friends who really help me. My friends are typically 5-10 years older than me and met via professional channels relating to my interests,

Perhaps for me it's more obvious, I'm often unable to speak and carry for 4 foot plush lion everywhere with me. I am hardly subtle.

Perhaps it's my location (UK near london) but I have found autism acceptance to be pretty good.

I've been around for about a month and looks like this is a recurring question.

Short answer: no. Don't tell anyone, not even those you consider the dearest. Perhaps that one friend that proved his valor more than once in your life or your mother - not your girlfriend. Pick at most one person to talk about that and make sure you're doing a good choice.

Long answer: think, if people were smart enough to notice there's something different about you and still can't treat you with a minimum of respect, they'd rather push you around and mock you, do you think it'll be any different when they know for sure that you are "sort of wrong in the head"? They are monkeys throwing crap at you, life isn't fair and don't show them your weaknesses.

Before you ask about this in the future: don't trust people you have a crush in to confide things like that as well. Wait for a relationship to be firmly established before you tell anyone something as personal as your diagnosis.

I guess, if I'm in an especially confessional mood, I might go around telling people of my history. And I have.

But, most of the time, especially in a class full of younger people who might have ingrained prejudices, I would hold off on telling them you have Autism/Asperger's, or that you're on the Autistic Spectrum.

Personally, I would base that decision on how you get on with them already.

At school or uni, had I had an autism diagnosis, I probably would have told people. Things couldn't have been much worse, so I may as well have explained why I was the way I was. But if you've got something to lose, maybe not.

Your friend sounds very immature to generalize as such. It doesn't help to build community. People are individuals. If you remember that than you will be ok. No need to go telling people you're an aspie or what have you. Just be you. Some will like you and others won't. It's that way for everyone.