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Talking about your autism

Wombles

I am recently diagnosed but I have suspected I was autistic for a while.  From the outset, I adopted a policy of being completely open with people about my autism as it felt like the right thing to do, because I thought that if people knew what it was like, it would help them to understand me.

Now, I am starting to wonder if I am oversharing with people.  I have noticed people try to change the subject whenever I start speaking about it and I do wonder if it is starting to annoy people. That then makes me anxious and I spend hours after spending time with colleagues and friends agonising over whether I have made an idiot of myself.  I would be interested to hear people's experiences of what they did post diagnosis and any strategies you have around oversharing stuff.  Thanks.

Parents

  • Hi, I’ve tended to tell only a few people outside of family. Most  responses have been positive. I found family have been harder at accepting it, my mother still won’t use the words  autism / autistic. I think she would burst into flames!  
    The first friend I told came straight back with,” I thought you was, I was diagnosed as autistic 15 years ago.” We get on even better now and have some amazing conversations. We chat but never go out socially together. Unfortunately he is moving to the Isle of Wight on Friday. My other friend, yes I have 2, is severely dyslexic so is also neurodiverse, his reply was, “ I thought you was”.  The strangest was when I decided to tell a customer, I was falling massively behind with work I was doing for him. His reply was, “ I’m so sorry, I’m going to pray for you”. I really didn’t know wether to laugh or cry. My advise is to choose who you tell because once you open Pandora’s box to them, you then can’t close it. Some people are loud and proud and that’s obviously brilliant, some never tell anyone. You just have to gauge the person which I know is a challenge in its self. Does the other person or you have anything to gain from them knowing. It is a hard question. 

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  • Hi, I’ve tended to tell only a few people outside of family. Most  responses have been positive. I found family have been harder at accepting it, my mother still won’t use the words  autism / autistic. I think she would burst into flames!  
    The first friend I told came straight back with,” I thought you was, I was diagnosed as autistic 15 years ago.” We get on even better now and have some amazing conversations. We chat but never go out socially together. Unfortunately he is moving to the Isle of Wight on Friday. My other friend, yes I have 2, is severely dyslexic so is also neurodiverse, his reply was, “ I thought you was”.  The strangest was when I decided to tell a customer, I was falling massively behind with work I was doing for him. His reply was, “ I’m so sorry, I’m going to pray for you”. I really didn’t know wether to laugh or cry. My advise is to choose who you tell because once you open Pandora’s box to them, you then can’t close it. Some people are loud and proud and that’s obviously brilliant, some never tell anyone. You just have to gauge the person which I know is a challenge in its self. Does the other person or you have anything to gain from them knowing. It is a hard question. 

Children
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