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renaeden
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05 May 2017, 3:01 am

Right now college takes up a lot of time so I'm thinking I could be more open about my HFA there. There are two other autistics there, one I am more friendly with than the other. He was the one who told me that he's autistic within 5 minutes of meeting him and so I said, "Hey, me too." And we shared a high-five.

Apart from him, I told a teacher that I'm autistic in response to a question about why I want to do Certificate IV in Programming. I need that in order to get a job testing software that's specifically made for autistics at a university.

Other than that, no. People can think I'm strange, I don't care. ;)



ASPartOfMe
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05 May 2017, 4:35 am

crystaltermination wrote:
A hard question to answer. I feel like I am going through major transitions, right about now. I was officially diagnosed with an ASD only last November. As an adult, you've already built up major 'beliefs' about oneself - and then for this to happen: I don't begrudge learning a hard truth, but it is still a very, very difficult thing to digest. I've read an awful amount about ASD since then - it's actually a bit frightening how many personal re-assessments I've gone through since then, but about being open... I absolutely hate lies. I can't bear them, and as my childhood best friend pointed out once, I'm extremely bad at creating them anyway. I have a really low tolerance for the sheer energy it takes to play-act, 24/7.
Last weekend, there was a belated Easter family gathering for me - I actually did what I wouldn't have dared to do not too long ago and just brought a book with me when I sat down with my Granddad and uncles in the living room. I knew I needed something 'safe' to concentrate on around the social occasion and just thought - screw it. Turned out wonderful. No one was bothered at all. I know it might seem rude to be immersed in a book when everyone else is talking together - but I am listening as well as reading! That was me being as open in a stressful situation as I can so far manage. ;)


It is common to have all these reassesments because learning as an adult is you are autistic is a very big thing. Even more then getting a major physical illness a lot of times because it is finding out your brain, what makes you, you does not work like you thought. I would advise letting your autistic brain figure things out before deciding if to disclose or who to disclose to.


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Parisisautistic
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05 May 2017, 9:21 am

I so envy you guys for being able to talk so freely about it :) in my country, France, people have huge misconceptions about Asperger, especially in the workplace and higher education, and there is no way I can get it out there without risking trouble. It is soooo exhausting pretending to be normal (with dubious results though :wink: )



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06 May 2017, 11:57 am

I'm open to a point. When it comes to employment it's don't ask, don't tell. But in every other aspect of my life I'm open about it. I would love to be able to tell employers but it's too easy to conceal prejudice beneath a veneer of "downsizing"or "incompatibility" or whatever. Granted, I don't think most employers would discriminate against me because of my ASD but I'm not taking any chances. I'm in the somewhat fortunate position of "passing as normal" so I might as well take full advantage of that.



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06 May 2017, 12:52 pm

I'm openly autistic. In every sense of the word.


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06 May 2017, 1:00 pm

I used to be. Now I'll only admit to it if someone else brings it up. But no, I will NEVER bring it up again on my own.


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06 May 2017, 1:02 pm

I'll reveal it sometimes in the context of attempting to relate to someone who is relating struggles similar to my own to me, when I think it safe to do so. Otherwise, sometimes I will reveal it to certain people, as an explanation for possible behaviors like not engaging socially as much, because I can get drained from too much sensory input, again, if I think it safe to reveal.


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teksla
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06 May 2017, 2:09 pm

I rarely bring it up in conversation, but when i do it is only to people i trust and in situations where it is beneficial for them to know.
If i have very close friends i will tell them eventually, since it is a part of who i am.

I do however tell teachers whom it may concern (if i struggle with something) but not all teachers know.


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AshtenS
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07 May 2017, 7:40 am

I think its pretty obvious that I have some mental disability but its not always as noticeable. I have difficulty bringing up topics into conversation so I can only really tell someone if they ask. They rarely say anything but if they were to I wouldn't hide my autism.



Unwanted1forever
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07 May 2017, 7:52 am

No I am not open about my autism and I prefer to keep it that way I deal with to much belittling to be open with my ASD so I keep to myself I don't speak much and I stay out of the way hidden behind the scenes and it works for me



Last edited by Unwanted1forever on 07 May 2017, 8:17 am, edited 2 times in total.

SpaceDorito
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07 May 2017, 8:03 am

I rarely bring it up unless it's being discussed. Not due to any hang ups I have about it (like I used to) but because I don't really feel the need to explain it to people. I understand how being open about having ASD can be beneficial to people though, just with my sort of personality I prefer to keep things to myself unless I'm asked about them.



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07 May 2017, 9:14 am

Since I retired, yes, I am openly autistic. When I was working, I wouldn't have told anybody about it. But then, I didn't know until after I retired. I wonder if it would have protected me in the workplace. This is one of life's practical jokes.



MidoriNoKaori
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07 May 2017, 10:23 am

No. I don't feel like telling about it very openly, but I think I might have "given it out" a couple of times. (I mean I haven't talked about it openly but there were times during my life when it might have showed somehow).

I also had an idea of disclosing my diagnosis every now and then since I got diagnosed as a teenager but I have only once to my teachers (when I was at high school) and two times to the nurses of my other school.

It might have something to do with that I have "only" mild AS... I just don't see any point in disclosing. I think that being yourself with your traits, your interests and your hobbies and other else things belonging to personality or what you are or you do is far more better approach to the life or way of thinking in general than single diagnosis.



Jacoby
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07 May 2017, 10:29 am

People probably can tell if they're not ignorant of it maybe I dunno, I am not "open" about it however and it seems like most people carry an extremely negative connotation of autism around. My perception is all screwed up tho, I read situations probably overly negatively and just assume most people dislike me. Too much discrimination, too much ignorance, not enough empathy.



Unwanted1forever
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07 May 2017, 4:01 pm

All I have dealt with is hate and anger and abuse because I have Asperger's syndrome I've never been treated like a human being ever so if people are going to treat me like an animal they are gonna get an animal



Canadian Penguin
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07 May 2017, 10:56 pm

It's not something I typically bring up, though my friends and family are aware after a long message explaining it.

I've no issue mentioning it if I believe it's pertinent. Then again, I don't often readily volunteer any information about me, where or why that started I've no idea.


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