• Replies 28 replies
  • Subscribers 95 subscribers
  • Views 9948 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

ASD diagnosis (reactions from those around you)

RuthTaylor

Hello All,

I got diagnosed with Aspergers earlier this month and have been surprised by people's reactions to my diagnosis (not that I've told a lot of people but close friends, family, employer and a few medical professionals) and these are the responses that I've had:

  • You don't look autistic
  • Oh no I'm sorry to hear that
  • You don't act autistic
  • Don't people get diagnosed as children (A Pharmacist said this)
  • You seem normal to me
  • Oh but you're intelligent (My dad)
  • Is that a learning disability (My dad)
  • I've never seen you being violent or screaming

Just wondered what responses you got from those around you when you told them that you were diagnosed with ASD?

Thanks 

Ruth 

Parents

  • Hi Ruth,I’m really sorry you’re going through this. I have also had difficult responses to disclosure, and I know how tough this can be. Some of these reactions include:

    • I would never have known.
    • you don’t seem very autistic.

    • but you’re so empathetic!

    • But you can be really chatty.

    • but you were really confident and bubbly until you were 12.

    • but don’t you just struggle with social interaction because you’re blind?

    • but lots of people have intense interests/sensory sensitivities, And they are not necessarily autistic.

    • what’s the point in having a diagnosis?

    • I think everyone has a little bit of something in them. 

    And the killer:

    •I think of autistic people as people who really can’t engage with anything. 

    I think many of these come from misconceptions, some of them innocent enough, others potentially harmful. Remember that you don’t have to single-handedly educate society. i’m not saying this is what you do or how you feel, but I know it can be a tendency of mine, and it’s a mammoth, exhausting, and ultimately impossible task to perform alone.

     

    I hope the responses to your post can help lift any sense of loneliness that comes with all of this, and perhaps some of the confusion and weariness as well. always feel free to reach out if you need to. Good luck with everything.

  • in reply to sphynx

    Aww thanks Sphynx, appreciate your support :-)

Reply Children
No Data