Going for the 2nd appointment of diagnosis on 21st aug. According to the docs almost everyone they spoke to in te 2nd stage received an AS diagnosis and thet my initial results point that way. Now, I am not so sure if this is a positiv eor negative thing. To tell the truth i get a bit frightened. I rock from the positive of having the knowledge to eventually move myself forward in life, to negative of not wanting anyone to know and worrying about what others will think or how they will treat me. "Does Johnny take sugar?" kind of thing. Or worse treated with suspicion by some who dont understand what AS is. Am I going over the top? Right now I feel like I may be exagerating(probably because i feel good at the moment) but at other times i do have genuine fears.
Well, that depends on the way you'll choose to express yourself. Are you going to be completely open about to everyone, when it could be relevant to mention? Like, when you meet a new colleague with whom you'll frequently interact with? Or on job interviews?
I can relate though, disclosure to any person might have a negative outcome on your relationship - of any degree - with said person. I don't think there's a golden rule to this, all I can do is think things through, meaning:
- Trying to learn what's the person like who I might tell it.
- Same goes for the influence of the environment (other people who might learn of it through the person and/or may influence the eventual reaction to you and your AS)
- Trying to deduce what would happen if you didn't tell it, or at least euphemistically.
And then, of course, the key is to find a way deal with the answer to those questions - with a positive outcome. The downside of this is that this will require an 'act' to maintain your image, but it might outweigh the other 'extreme'; that is not being taken seriously or even mocked with in the worst case.
I think that in a lot of cases it's going to a choice between evils. However, I also believe that acceptance grows with the development of a relationship - the more stabile a friendship you have with someone, the more you will able to get away with; but also, the more you'll be able to get out in the open. This also takes small and delicate steps, but you know where I'm going.
All I'm saying is that in a world that seems sometimes awkward and incomprehensible, it's better to be cautious instead of to be sucked into the awkwardness yourself. So as long as most people are not aware what having an asd really is, ponder about every step you take in the unknown realms of the social world. And while you're at it, take your time.
(Sorry if sounded too preachy. My posts tend to be longwinded, I really have to learn to be brief! :oops: )
Oh, and good luck with your 2nd appointment. Don't hesitate to share your experiences. I'm in the process myself, and it's interesting to hear how other people got their diagnosis.
Thanks for your reply. I attended last monday, but I don't know what to make of it. I have to attend again early October and after that. Someone from the mental health department sat in on the meeting and I'm not sure if they think I have additional, related or seperate problems. Is it the norm for diagnosis to be so protracted? Maybe I'm just impatient as once again life has stalled. Does anyone else have that experience?
Gerry