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How did you disclose your diagnosis to people around you?

NAS82960

Where do you even start?!

There are 2 people very close to me who know I have gone through the process and it does not make an ounce of difference to them if I am diagnosed officially or not - they are very accepting. 

However, a lot of people that I know (or that know me) have no idea and I wouldn't even know where to begin trying to explain it to them. I think my biggest worry is at work as I'm just known as the quiet one with weird hobbies but I know there's so much more going on in my brain than just that.

I want it to be clear in my head before I try and explain it to people but the more I think about it, the more I go round in circles wondering where to start and how to approach it. 

Could I ask what your experiences have been in disclosing your autism, who you decided to tell, and the general experience etc.? 

Parents

  • I was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I think I was hasty in telling work colleagues, because I was just so relieved the process was over and I had some certainty. I think I was hasty as I didn't have anything to tell them but the label, and I haven't even gotten my head around the label. The diagnosis was an agonising wait for me so I forgive myself (when I'm not kicking myself metaphorically for it) for having disclosed too soon. I've since had offerings of adjustment and other support from my manager, and it has been awkward because I half don't understand the significance of the diagnosis, half don't think I need adjustments (yet there are a certain few things I would like to ask for but don't have the conviction). My dad has not really batted an eyelid, but my partner told him, not me, because I have a few emotional holdbacks when talking to my dad, and there are certain simple things I'm not comfortable saying for no evident reason, which is probably to do with my autism or is it just that I'm a coward?

    What I've said is what happened to me and it is just me spilling my thoughts trying to offer my account. It isn't a suggestion for or against for how you should conduct disclosing to people.

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  • I was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I think I was hasty in telling work colleagues, because I was just so relieved the process was over and I had some certainty. I think I was hasty as I didn't have anything to tell them but the label, and I haven't even gotten my head around the label. The diagnosis was an agonising wait for me so I forgive myself (when I'm not kicking myself metaphorically for it) for having disclosed too soon. I've since had offerings of adjustment and other support from my manager, and it has been awkward because I half don't understand the significance of the diagnosis, half don't think I need adjustments (yet there are a certain few things I would like to ask for but don't have the conviction). My dad has not really batted an eyelid, but my partner told him, not me, because I have a few emotional holdbacks when talking to my dad, and there are certain simple things I'm not comfortable saying for no evident reason, which is probably to do with my autism or is it just that I'm a coward?

    What I've said is what happened to me and it is just me spilling my thoughts trying to offer my account. It isn't a suggestion for or against for how you should conduct disclosing to people.

Children
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