What a ASD diagnosis can do ?

[Sa Skimrande]

Now this may apply to adults more than it does children where it can be good news to us to receive a diagnosis to at least put paid to all those things we have questioned, but what is others perception of us post diagnosis, does it change and if it does what are others seeing ?

 

Has anyone experienced differential treatment from others, be they work colleagues, friends or family once they learned of your diagnosis ?

 

And to you, was this perceived as good or bad ?

[oakers]

After much consideration I decided to tell people at work and it was around October I guess, about a month or so after my diagnosis. I kept swinging from telling to not telling, with pros and cons for both. Considering I'd had quite a lot of trouble with communication issues with two colleagues (the ones I work work in an office with) I decided the best thing to do was to tell everyone in my department, that way no one was in the dark, and no one had to tell others behind my back.

 

I told a trusted couple of people first to test the waters and I was happy enough that, perhaps, everyone would be ok with it. I'd say three of my colleagues are a bit... not so great I guess... and I feel like they have started treating me like I'm thick at times. This is rather frustrating as I know that I'm anything but thick, as do they as I've worked with them for 3 years and they've seen what I can do, and what I do every day.

 

Anyway, I think for the most part it has been positive, but I'm not sure what I'd do if I was going for another job. To tell or not to tell, that is the question!

 

Now, with family it was a no brainer, I told my mum and my brother straight away. My father was on holiday from Australia when I was going for my tests and I told him that I might have it, and he decided to throw it back in my face when we had a rather wild argument thanks to his gf... so, that was probably the hardest reaction I've had to deal with.

 

The friends that I've decided to tell have been perfectly fine with it

[oakers]

double post, sorry

Edited January 10, 2013 by oakers

[alanm]

I'd say three of my colleagues are a bit... not so great I guess... and I feel like they have started treating me like I'm thick at times. This is rather frustrating as I know that I'm anything but thick, as do they as I've worked with them for 3 years and they've seen what I can do, and what I do every day. Anyway, I think for the most part it has been positive, but I'm not sure what I'd do if I was going for another job.

It was a shame those few were like this but I am now firmly in favour of disclosing on balance as I felt I had been in worse trouble for not disclosing, being told in appraisals to "improve" at communication skills. I posted this comment:

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/29731-drs-appointment-tomorrow-re-ref-for-diagnosis/#entry344532

as a thread where the poster is starting out in the diagnosis process, quoting mainly work place issues, and the second post I quoted is from an adult diagnostician highlighting why the diagnosis may be needed as proof for employment and benefits reasons rather than merely "just want to know".