"Coming Out" after Diagnosis

[Straycatblue]

How many of you have told friends/relatives/employers etc about your diagnosis? Has it been positive or negative?

I have only told one friend who has been very positive in her support and some of my family members who initially were supportive/shocked but now several unfortunately do not really believe that I have Aspergers which is incredibly hurtful.
I have not told anyone I work with as I think it would only have a negative impact.

There is a part of me that wants to shout it from the rooftops so that people see there is a reason for me being me . I also guess on some level i want to feel vindicated about some of the things that have happened in my life that I know understand in the context of my diagnosis. However the sensible part of me acknowledges that people will still believe what they want to believe about me and it could actually make things worse for me in many of my social/work situations.

Just noticed my other thread had "After Diagnosis" in it as well, must have had it on the brain when i posted this!
I also mean to include people that have self diagnosed or suspect.

I've told people at work that I'm being assessed for asd and they were surprised, but admit that I'm 'odd' and there's something not quite right with me. They imagine people with asd to be profoundly disabled.

One woman, whos niece has autism was when she heard I was being assessed, but she didn't know it is a spectrum disorder with different degrees of functioning and abilities.

If I am identified as having asd I won't make it a secret. I'm sick of things being a secret with me.

If I don't have it, I'll just have to go back to being 'odd' which will probably be worse for me.

I don't shout it from the rooftops but I don't hide it either. Most of my colleagues know by now, I started with my boss and the colleagues I work with day to day and went from there. Most people said they weren't surprised. I also told most of my family.

I was worried about it making things worse for me at work (there's a couple of members of staff who I think would be along the lines of 'autism? Nah, just bad parenting' and others who think they know everything and would question my diagnosis) but nothing negative has come back to me. And I'm happy that I have some legal protection if needed, there have been a couple of instances of colleagues making complaints about me for reasons entirely related to my AS.

I haven't told friends but that's mainly because it hasn't come up in conversation! It seems a bit random to just come out with 'hi, how are you and the kids? By the way, I'm autistic. Did you want a tea or coffee?' but if the subject of autism/Asperger's came up then I would tell them.

I've told most people that I know fairly well, but haven't elaborated with others. As one of my dx came via work it's tied up with that. I'm leaving work anyway.

As for family - DM is in denial, DB self-obsessed and uninterested. DSF (who's also AS) is nicer, as is DH of course.

Tell who you feel comfortable with, that's my advice fwiw.