Published on 12, July, 2020
I was diagnosed with AS many years ago and at the time, I wasn't really happy about it.
The process was a bit confusing for me as I viewed it as being a criticism of my abilities or lack of ability in communicating with people confidently.
Since then, it's not something I like other people to know about me. I don't know how common this feeling is.
Hi Seamas, Having recently found out I have ASD (no formal diagnosis yet and I won't hold my breath) and while I am comfortable knowing I have it I am very wary of telling anyone else except a very close few.
However, knowing you have ASD is, to my mind, a positive not a negative. All self knowledge is good and for me it makes me more self aware in situations and should stop me putting my foot in it so much. I am lucky in that generally I don't care what people think about me and don't have too much social anxiety (53 years of ignorance of what I am doing has done that) but I don't want to insult/shock those close to me and knowing I have ASD helps me to check what I say first even if it means I keep a bit quieter than maybe I have been.
Exactly.