Asperger/Autism Disclosure Stories

Adults with Autism and Asperger Syndrome share their stories about disclosing their condition to prospective employers and other concerned parties. For the Asperger/Autism Network Disclosure conference on Saturday, March 14, 2015.

[@glenistergrotj3022]

I was diagnosed with aspergers at the age of 3, people have been treating me as disabled my whole life, now at 16 I’m finally understanding who I am and that I have great potential in life.

[@voiceofstem]

"You have nothing to lose by disclosing". Uhm, yeah you do. It heavily depends on who you're disclosing it to and with what purpose.

[@lovelyswimmer1]

Why are others so mean to these people? They are beautiful souls who deserve the world.

[@jack1235ify]

thank you.

[@Magus_Union]

Probably due to aspects of fear, jealousy, or self-centerness. I was bullied for most of my life for being different. Wasn't until I was 33 that I realized my 'difference' was partly due to my ASD. I was lucky in the sense that I could pass undergraduate college without having to study as much as my peers. But I wasn't lucky in terms of retaining friendships or finding acceptance with others.

[@lovelyswimmer1]

@@Magus_Union I deal with the same thing

[@annanieznanow1788]

I finally know who I am, when I figured out I have Asperger's. I fell so free now!

[@mrfelixnewblankatm8827]

living with asperger's has been difficult for me and this Dr imenherbal I meet on channel makes me feel great that someone knows what my life is like ..

[@TEst-vc4jd]

People don’t like things different than them regardless of what they tell you. I’d rather have people hate me because they misinterpret my actions as malicious, than constantly be patronized and treated differently for being honest.

[@tos100returns]

Yes, you do have something to lose with disclosure. For me, it's the ability to live freely that has been taken away from me.

[@ChaseTheLadiesMan]

I disclosed to a person I dated. Then she would say mean things about my family, and when I got upset would say "you misunderstood me, because of your autism". I have learned that disclosing makes me a scapegoat for other people's bad behaviour.

[@dambigfoot6844]

That is always the risk of disclosure. You tell someone and they go home and look it up for 5 minutes then make a judgement about you. I have learned that in relationships and friendships that when you are arguing that whatever you tell them can be used as ammunition to attack you. They can’t use what you tell them if you don’t tell them

[@vanessarosskopf5844]

These people are so reflective and self aware. I really want to meet them.

[@MrRemmington]

I was diagnosed at 31, I am actually happy that I got diagnosed late. Not knowing and simply having no choice but to figure it out and adjust my whole life molded me into who I am. Had I been diagnosed earlier, and knowing how my younger self was, It might have changed my perspective on things and I may have used it in a way to define me and in turn hindering what I could achieve.

[@henazz2561]

You know I love this comment because I am young and I have been recently diagnosed. And I just realized that I’ve started doing what you said you would’ve done had you been diagnosed earlier. Pretty eye-opening. Thank you.

[@MrRemmington]

@Harr_gzz As long as you are aware of it. That's enough to ensure you avoid the pitfalls. I'm glad I could be of help

[@esthereze6279]

Same. I am very intensely socialised.

[@MrRemmington]

@@esthereze6279 I understand this

[@JessBookgirlTV]

Just came a across this video. I too have Asperger’s Syndrome. As some people have stated in both the video and comments section, not everyone is accepting. If people can’t accept you for who you are is too bad for them. Just be you. There are a lot more accepting people in the world who would accept you for who you are.

[@mrfelixnewblankatm8827]

living with asperger's has been difficult for me and this Dr imenherbal I meet on channel makes me feel great that someone knows what my life is like .

[@squirrelgaming7853]

I’m 28 and Im just starting my journey of getting tested/evaluated. I’m just not sure where to start…

[@IHeartNoise]

Glad that I was a part of this project. Thank you.

[@marcusrayrosales1]

Very helpful for me. Been wondering if I should tell some people I have Aspergers, and I don't think I have much to lose.

[@yungmetro4889]

Moral of the story no one is actually normal we all just play normal. Some are better at it than others.

[@hachiroshirayuki7260]

I love this video it really helps me understand exactly what Asperger’s is I have Asperger’s and it really helps me understand what I’m going through and what I can improve In my own daily life to help me thank you deeply for your knowledge

[@tos100returns]

I told a close friend, and they replied, "I always knew there was something wrong with you." I told my mother, and she replied, "Now you have another excuse to lean on." I told a boss and they said, "Ah, makes sense," and then I found myself unemployed and unemployable. The trick, for me, is to learn how to accept being hated, feared, ridiculed, and unwanted.

[@jimmaier233]

Ya, nothing to lose .. If you're retired, enough money on the side, established few friendships with people you can trust, sure, then maybe you don't have much to lose. You don't know, how people react. They can react very differently. And there's people, who might not let know you, but put you silently on the list of "that person has got to go". The big relief of acceptance is awesome. But you'll never know, on which side the coin will fall. Just saying.. I don't know what path is best here..

[@Marblez_edits]

Bro I got diagnosed early with autism at 18 months 💀 me at 14 next month has improved a lot like naming or labeling all 197 countries, solving a rubix cube and making good content Also I do some art I'm not the best at it but I do pretty good Edit: Hope none of my fans see this 💀

[@pirmankun5654]

they're different than me,they had emotion when talking. hard to talk to anyone because they're can't understand my sentences. you can be a smart guy,but hard to be happiness guy. Asperger really make you so painful in mentally.

[@Nebulous0_o]

I don’t understand the desire to meet people and socialize among and/or with the normies. I have very little desire if any at all to socialize with anyone. Perhaps I’m worse.

[@ronniecorbett6306]

I still haven't told anyone yet. I have hinted and brought it up then dropped the subject. My wife doesn't seem to want to explore the possibility because there is nothing to be done about it. People think I am just different or on drugs. For a long time I thought it would be better to let them think I was a screw up than for them to know that I am not normal. I feel alone.

[@sofiya7786]

This only means one is more sensitive and likes to go into depth of things, if that’s a disorder so be it. Just sad it isn’t ordinary, would make the world a better place

[@therespectedlex9794]

I get that don’t define me by autism thing. Also, don’t blame all of my problems on something I was supposedly born with. It’s like sometimes you lose the right to sound clever and assertive enough about things. I have problems with bullying, coercive abuse and codependence. I sometimes view other aspies as very different to me. But all are probably philosophical about life, figuratively speaking.

[@mrfelixnewblankatm8827]

living with asperger's has been difficult for me and this Dr imenherbal I meet on channel makes me feel great that someone knows what my life is like .

[@matthewanthonydecurtis3242]

I wasn’t officially diagnosed with high functioning autism (Asperger’s) until I was almost 16 and I still struggle not to mention that I also deal with Dissociative identity Disorder and bipolar nos

[@robertjmccabe]

In a sense I’m been in the closet for 38 years. I’m heterosexual, but I’ve definitely had to pretend to be someone else my whole life. It feels great to finally accept myself.

[@user-du4gw]

Be in the closet for what? You said ur heterosexual (str8), im confused....

[@robertjmccabe]

@@user-du4gw it’s called a metaphor

[@user-du4gw]

@@robertjmccabe well that's useless

[@7C.2]

Whoever bullies you he is a hero and legendary man.

[@scotnick59]

Sounds sooo very familiar!

[@DrCory48]

Cool video

[@boywithadolphin]

From watching these videos I can see that I have it. I dislike social contact with so called normal people but get on well in the academic world. I am also creative and have unusual interests as can be be seen from the videos I make. If this is a disorder I have no wish to be cured.

[@beaus3911]

You should know about a school called Brightmont Academy the one to one school and Fusion academy same idea

[@austinkotz9233]

regular people can do the same things , idk why people like to make people feel less than for having a syndrome , people who don’t have it are just as good.

[@pineapple365]

3:46 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙌🏼

[@topkek_]

why would I disclose any "weakness" I have. for sympathy and understanding? really?

[@ToYourHealthAndMine]

Sympathy and understanding are very nice things to have, and vulnerability strengthens relationships.

[@walterdavies6434]

@3:00 agree

[@whyme3772]

They seem "normal" to me lol.

[@smbdupuis]

The background sounds really detract from an otherwise quality video. Wish I could turn off the “music”!

[@animalloverjulian8243]

3:05 As someone with aspergers, I would offer advice to that guy to calm Down, slow down, and get his composure.

[@peartist2]

I suspect i might be like someone with AS. But given that it encompasses a wide range of "symptoms" and "behaviors" with no real known cause or underlying pathology, I'd prefer to nix the label and just file it under one of the many types of human personality traits; nothing that needs to be "diagnosed".

[@pamgori8008]

As a woman with Asperger's it wasn't hard to figure out this video was tilted toward the men..the woman had about three minutes the men had the rest...this is why it's hard for us to get the help we need ...you should know better..BOSTON 🍀

[@weltgeist2604]

Asperger's is much more common in men so you would actually be discriminating against men if you were to make it an even split between men and women.

[@pamgori8008]

@@weltgeist2604 if a woman had post partem depression fifty years ago..she would've been given a lobotomy or shock therapy..the woman mask better to be accepted and men don't want to see an attractive woman who is wired diffently than the others..I had a guy tell me I was too pretty to have Asperger's ..plus if a doctor can tell a woman she needs BiPolar medication instead of cognative therapy.. they can make the money off of her for life...woman are told to be submissive and respect authority which is what a Doctor is... were easy to persuade..even worse if your an Aspie..I do my own research Where I'm safe from medical predators.. BOSTON 🍀

[@weltgeist2604]

@@pamgori8008 Asperger's is a trend towards the Extreme Male Brain, that is why it is more common in men.

[@pamgori8008]

@@weltgeist2604 what about the extreme female brain...or do you think we have one?

[@weltgeist2604]

@@pamgori8008 The extreme female brain would be one focused on empathy and cooperation, the opposite of Asperger's

[@dorisednaaa7330]

Ja mam 😢

[@marcussirles2995]

I have asperger syndrome

[@Dexter649]

I am on the spectrum

[@jagsrapperbestifalltimes5198]

I hate i have this

[@walterdavies6434]

@3:33 still sigma with aspergers

[@dimitrijmaslov1209]

.hm.

[@notboutit888]

Messi 🐐

[@arafath_shxfin]

Elon mask has it tho

[@anonymousmobster2444]

At this point anyone who's not a fat dumb jock gets diagnosed with autism

[@somexp12]

@@anonymousmobster2444 It’s about 1 in 30, at this point. That it is common (at least after merging Asperger’s into Autism) is uncontroversial. That doesn’t mean that simply being “shy” and “introverted” makes you a candidate. There are distinct differences in how autistic people process input, and these differences make cultural expectations that don’t take them into account unrealistic. If you’re the type of person who says things like “you know, I’m not the most sociable of people, but I still have enough *respect* to remember a face and recognize social cues” it’s because you are choosing not to get it.

[@somexp12]

@444 Being shy or introverted doesn’t mean you “don’t fit in at all”. Social anxiety, being raised in an unusual manner, and a number of other issues (psychological or otherwise) could easily cause this.

[@JaKommenterar]

He claims he has it on SNL, like a lot of pple who don’t have it do

[@flowerdoodle2438]

These ppl seem pretty fucking normal to me.

[@witcherycouture6957]

I think your really insensitive to say that.@flowerdoodle2

[@user-xw4od8kb7y]

@@witcherycouture6957 how so?

[@witcherycouture6957]

I have a son who is high functioning and many people have said the same thing you have just said but they are not as normal as they look. Many of the things they struggle with is socializing and much more. The problem is many people have no insight or close connection to someone in these situations and commonly make the mistake of thinking its an act. No no its real and you should start trying to be more empathetic to others. There is no normal and once you start being open in accepting this you will be able to see clearly. Next time you think about opening your mouth think wisely how you choose your words.

[@flowerdoodle2438]

@@witcherycouture6957 I am high functioning Asperger’s. So I do understand. It was insensitive of me. Sorry

[@gibraltar0553]

@@flowerdoodle2438 I don't know you but having Aspergers yourself, you should know better then to say something like that. I don't believe you.

[@gib501]

Take away the stupid sad music

[@IAMTHEANTICHRISTISWEARMAN]

right 😂

[@Senwaxa]

Lamb of God or In Flames? Killswitch Engager, perhaps?

[@bartekjaszczyk1974]

Aspergers is not disability :)

[@yureaurice6844]

Stop using the word asperger syndrome and it is a outdated term