To whom do you disclose?

Post Reply New Topic

Just curious. I haven't disclosed that I have ASD. But I have disclosed to a few individuals (acquaintances/casual friends -- I don't have close friends) that I have NVLD & explained it in easy terms ("It means I process visual things too slowly and have a hard time reading and responding to nonverbal social cues"). It's hard to say the reaction, but I think it was negative and leads to more silent exclusion.

I can't imagine what would happen if I said I had HFA. The next question would probably be whether I owned a gun.

So I'm curious what others have done and how NT's reacted.

EDIT: the self-diagnosed are welcome to vote in this poll because I'm concerned mostly about your social experience based on disclosing (or not).

I don't disclose. Accept me or not.

I'm not sure whether I am supposed to vote on the poll because I didn't get an official diagnosis yet.

In my case, I only let my closest family know about the suspicion of me having AS, this includes: Mother, father, brother.
My mother seems to understand (she seems to have some autistic traits too and is very introverted, I gave her a book about AS that she's reading), my father is quite neutral and sometimes seems to forget that I am definitely not normal and my brother... well, he is skeptical, I bet for the reason he mentioned to me ("those people just want your money through therapies and such"), although I am slowly starting to finally convince him by being stubborn and explaining it to him on a regular basis, someday he must give up.

Okay, since a self-diagnosis is fine: Voted.

I guess there is a fair chance that I won't tell my friends until I find out what they think about that topic.
It's just that even though they have been loyal, I fear they would treat me differently - not to mention that our ways are slowly parting because of their party-phase (the only way to prevent that would be go to the cinema with them from time to time but I don't really like most modern movies for various reasons..). I might reconsider it though after I have done an offical diagnosis so they know why exactly I do not want to party with them, because often I feel like I catch strange looks if I refuse to go by train to a discotheque and drink until my brain shrinks to the size of a peanut.

EDIT: Am I hallucinating now or is your post gone, Tyri0n?

I have disclosed to my parents (Mum, Dad and stepmother), a favourite aunt and uncle, and a couple of friends that I trust. So far the reaction has been positive, but I have been very careful about whom I choose to tell.

It was easier disclosing ocd then it was autism...with autism my mom was like "That makes a lot of sense, So that's why you were so dopey all the time!" ahahahaha yes mom...that is why . She gave me a hug and said I was very brave for disclosing my autism to her and she then asked "So what causes autism?" I said no-one knows...I tried saying high functioning autism but also added in Asperger's like "I guess you could call it Asperger's" I just don't like the name Asperger's.

And to my best friend I was like screw this and told him "I have ASSSSSSBURGERS!! !!"

I don't really disclose my diagnosis with anyone. Usually they find out anyway when they take the psychology class here at my school, because I discuss ASDs twice a year for them for my senior project.

To family, a few friends and obviously those people I meet from either here or at disability meetings.

I just disclosed on my Facebook page, which is set pretty exclusive. I want to help reduce the stigma. These people know I'm pretty normal only slightly odd, quirky, intense! I was sick of trying to come up with excuses for myself. Now I can just be me, and they can like it or lump it! My family have known of my suspicions for years, but just last year I received a formal diagnosis so I feel on firmer ground to spread the news more widely.

I also disclosed my genderqueer status a few weeks before, and people said I was very brave about that too.

It's just me

Hey, first post on WrongPlanet and I thought this would be a fine place to start.

I used to be really picky at first about who I disclosed to, and at first, only my parents and my one best friend knew. As I started to learn more social skills though, and made some new, genuine friendships, I've ended up disclosing to them. Strangely enough, the reply I got from my friends when I disclosed was: "Wow, I didn't really even seem to notice. What is it exactly?"

It's interesting what disclosure can do; for me it's been a good thing. It helped spark my research into Asperger's and high-functioning autism and has helped make my friendships that much better because my friends have a better recognition of my disability and are much more willing to provide advice to em when I do something awkward or socially inappropriate.

Maybe close friends if I had any. I would feel they deserve to know. My family of course and my husband. Probably his family too since I am their daughter in law. My husband disclosed it to them. Then of course people online and on forums.

When I talked about it to one of my friends, she went on treating me like she did bofore. The same happened when I told it to another friend.
When I talked about it to one of my acquaintances, he went on treating me like he did before.
When I talked about it to one of my classmates, she went on treating me like she did before.
This is because they were all intelligent people. In fact I don't talk to stupid people, if not to criticize and contradict them.