How hard is it...

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Question for those of us with comorbids. How hard is it to tell others that you have a condition like, say, bipolar, schizoaffective or schizophrenia? Which is harder to share... the AS, or the comorbid? Am I the only one who REALLY wants nobody to know? Is it a good or bad thing to share one's diagnoses?

you can't be diagnosed with asperger's if you have schizophrenia

There are individuals on this forum who are diagnosed with both. Asperger's and autism are conditions from birth, schizophrenia tends to develop later in life. So someone could be diagnosed aspie as a kid, then have their comorbid kick in when they're older.

Anyone?

For me, and when there is an actual need or when I think it could be helpful for someone to know, I have no great difficulty talking about or explaining myself. However, I would certainly not want to have to wear some kind of insignia for all to see.


In most situations where something really does need to be said, I would rather just talk about my AS/HFA and possibly mention the fact of occasionally having some related difficulties or struggles.


I think there are plenty of people here who would prefer nobody else ever know.


I do not think the sharing of a diagnosis is either good or bad, just something to be done carefully and thoughtfully, if at all.

Depends on the people.

My friends know I'm depressed but most don't know about my aspergers. I'm more open to friends about my feelings

At work more people know about my aspergers, and few know about my depression. I spin aspergers as a plus with increased intelligence and less interest in wasting time with social chit chat.

Only a few family member know about my PTSD. It's hard enough for me to accept. I have little interest in trying to explain it to others who will never remotely understand what it is like.

I am more secretive about the AS than I am about my comorbid anxiety/panic attacks. It's easier to to be honest about anxiety because it's so common. Quite a few people get panic attacks so more people understand it when it happens.

I think I'm more ashamed of my comorbids, because of the stigma of mental illness. There are some people I'd like to be able to trust, but it's impossible because I can't share who I am with them. I never want them to find out that I'm "defective" that way, because then I might be picked on or bullied all over again. It's got to the place where I no longer trust anyone, which means I cannot make friends with anyone anymore.