Do you tell people you have Autism?

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It's very rare that I tell people. Most of my friends, people I've known for years, I haven't told. Although recently I did work up the nerve to tell one very close friend. It was really nerve-wracking for me, but ultimately, I'm glad I told her. Her brother has it as well, so she was as understanding and accepting as anyone ever could be.Sometimes I hate having to try so hard to hide my Asperger's. Usually I don't tell people though, just because I'm sort of worried about how they would see me if I did. I guess I want to feel like I'm on equal footing with them, or something. Sometimes, it's annoying, though. It bothers me that I feel like I have to hide something because I don't want to be seen as somehow inferior.

I like to tell people to shatter they're stereotypes. I often do it on Multiplayer video games.

No, because of the bad stigma that's somehow attached to it which depresses me.

I am not a textbook Aspie, so I can get away with saying that I just have one of my co-morbids, like ADD or anxiety disorder. That usually covers me because I'm too odd to pretend I'm completely NT, but not odd enough to need to announce out my ASD.

Some of my neighbors and family friends already know, so I don't bother much with telling people.

I try not to. But I lack a filter at the best of times, and at the worst of times I tend to have an audible dialogue of any and every thought that passes through my head. Since I'm newly diagnosed and am analyzing how it is/does/has affected my life, when I'm stressed, it tends to come babbling out.

My husband, and some family, is the only negative reaction that I've had. My mother in law said she had to add me to the list of people that she has to deal with that are mental/have mental problems. My husband... that's a long story. He hasn't taken it well, refuses to learn about it, and prefers that I be medicated to 'make me normal'. However, today I told my dentist, who has been treating some pretty bad issues with my teeth as well as combatting an exceptionally strong phobia, and not only was she accepting (but she is AMAZING), but her tech chatted with me some, as her daughter is also autistic, and she suspects she has Asperger's instead of the ADHD they diagnosed with her with (but cannot medicate because she has hyperactive reactions to medications).

Alas, I ramble. But today was exceptionally stressful.

No.

But if they ask, I tell them I'm autistic.

If I feel like it, its not something I mention when introducing myself but I'll mention it if I get to know people well enough so they have a better understanding of why I might be a little weird sometimes.

I don't mention it unless I met someone who admits they are on the spectrum then I'd tell them myself because I see it as something we have in common. But to be honest where I work most people seem to accept Aspergers if someone has it, though the topic rarely comes up and I am able to socially blend in with everyone else.

I don't have to, it speaks for itself, loud and clear.



oh god that sounds a little too much like "autism speaks"

If they ask, i do. If they don't, i assume they don't care.