Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello all,
I got my autism diagnosis 2 months ago, aged 50. I've told my manager at work, but am unsure about telling my family - specifically my children. They are 18 and 22, and fantastic. I've been a single parent for 18 years and we're very close. Part of me would like to tell them as they'd be very accepting, and it might help explain why we've never been on holiday, or eaten in a restaurant, or all sorts of things. But I worry it's inappropriate as it's my problem to deal with.
Has anyone been in a similar situation and has any advice? Thank you very much.
Hi Badger
Congrats on your diagnosis and I’m very happy that it has cleared things up for you. I have just turned 50 myself but undiagnosed atm. My youngest age 9 is autistic and we are basically the same. If diagnosed in the future I plan to tell as many people as possible. I’m sure given your fantastic relationship with your children they would be very supportive should you choose to share it with them. I want to share this so that my son feels he can be very open about his own neurodiversity and not try to hide it like I have (subconsciously) I too may well be a single parent in the future as my relationship is severely broken which is daunting but I’m ready for a challenge. Being a single parent for 18 years is an amazing achievement and I hope you feel proud about that.
I am sure whatever you decide to do about your dilemma will be a good decision.
Thanks for sharing your story
Hi Badger - congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community!
There are some great resources here, which you might find helpful:
NAS- Talking about and disclosing your diagnosis
NAS - Emotional support for family members after a diagnosis