Feeling stupid to ask but here we go

[Canismajoris]

Hi

I keep it possible, but not 100% sure, that I am neurodiverse in a way or another. I am still figuring out if it is wise to enter into the official process which would find it out. I fear that it could mean that I loose my job etc. which would be like a disaster as it is me who need's to feed my family.

It is possible for me to operate pretty normal by using masking (I believe it is called by that) but it is not fun. Very consuming actually. But pays the bills.

What do you think? Is it better just to play with the masses as it is somewhat possible for me, or should I get my head examined so to say? Is there a risk of losing job if the employee would find out me being aspie?

(Ofc it depends about the boss and job, but in general, are high functioning aspies seen as a possibility with superpowers or something that needs to be released from the duty asap.?)

 

[china autie]

These are good and valid questions.

Depending on the country you are in, you may or may not have legal protections after disclosing any sort of medical diagnosis.

In the USA, asking for any sort of accommodations means having a doctor or other professional write you a note, usually.

There is something called "need to know" information.

Does your employer need to know?
Can you perform the basics of your job without any accommoations?
If not, what might help You?
What do you hope to gain by letting them know something?

Seeking an official diagnosis yields similar questions:
How will a diagnosis help me get the support I need?
Why do I want a diagnosis?
What if I am not neurodiverse?
Are the professionals I am going to experienced with dealing with Autistic adults? ADHD adults? Other forms of neurodiversity?

If you are not in the USA, other people here will have more info than I do.

 

[Judge]

Do you reside in the US? If so, whatever medical records you have must remain confidential by law, at least within the terms of privacy outlined under HIPAA.

Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

Outside of that concern, I wouldn't divulge any positive diagnosis for forms of autism unless you absolutely feel that you have to. Keep it on a "need-to-know" basis only.

You can't be fired simply for being on the spectrum of autism. However that doesn't preclude an employer from potentially terminating you based on other reasons given the employ-at-will legal doctrine. In the simplest terms if you choose to tell your employer and consciously abandon masking your traits and behaviors, it may amount to a crapshoot as to whether you are treated for better or worse.

In effect, you can still obtain a formal diagnosis, but keep it to yourself. Unless of course you are seeking government entitlements based on a perception of disability. Under those circumstances you are forced to become more transparent of your neurological status.

 

[MeghanWithAnH]

In the US and many other countries, your employer will only know about it if you tell them. Of course, you would need to tell them if you are seeking accommodations. On the other hand, sometimes just knowing why you are the way you are can be helpful even if you don't seek accommodations specifically for your diagnosis. For example, I know that I miss a lot of spoken information, so I request that people either give me a written copy of what they want me to do or give me a chance to write things down. I don't need to tell them why I need to do that, they just appreciate that I'm making sure I know exactly what they want so I can do it right. I also know that certain kinds of socializing exhausts me, so I carefully choose what I need to participate in and what I can skip. I also know that I have trouble filtering out background noise, so I often use high quality earplugs that block it out but still let me listen to the person who's talking to me. None of these things require telling anyone else that I'm on the spectrum, but it never occurred to me to try them until I talked to an expert on ASD.

Unfortunately, not everyone who thinks they're an expert actually is. I wondered about being on the spectrum for years before I found someone who was even worth talking to about it. If you can find someone with experience working with adults, though, I'd say go for it. One thing that really helped me was to study the diagnostic criteria and make a list of things from my life that fit each of the criteria. The person who actually diagnosed me was clearly unfamiliar with high functioning adults on the spectrum and I don't think he'd have even known what to ask to find out the relevant information if I hadn't already been prepared with the information I knew he needed. Putting it together also helped me figure out for myself whether I actually was on the spectrum. When I put everything together and compared it to the diagnostic criteria it became very obvious.

 

[Autistamatic]

Forgive me for playing Captain Pedantic, but everyone on the planet is neurodiverse. To deviate from the accepted norm such as being autistic is to be neurodivergent

It's never an easy question to answer because whatever legal protections you may have, human nature must be taken into account. Diagnosis can be a great release of doubt, but disclosure is a decision that takes careful consideration.

 

[Bronzelincolns]

well, the answer really is, it depends on the boss and the job.

are you finding it hard to do your job due to this newly discovered "neurodiversity"? is it effecting your work performance? usually an employer isn't going to get rid of you unless you're not capable or competent enough to do the job you're being paid for.

 

[Canismajoris]

Thanks for the wise and good answers! There sure is a lot to ponder from various angles.

I don’t live in US (and English is not my native language, so I apologize my rough language) but in Europe. I think that in my country the rules are somewhat the same though: you cannot fire people because of medical condition, unless it is obvious that they cannot do their job anymore. And even then the employer should try to shift position to more suitable. If not possible (small company etc.) I have understood that the situation is more practical: find a reason to kick out. I know a lot of stories like this: maybe not because of neurological reasons, but because of the age for example.

 

[Suzanne]

Not at all stupid, so don't hunch over your screen, if you are!

You ought to move to France! I am on the road to a formal diagnosis and have been told that once diagnosed officially, that many doors will be open to me, as more and more recognition of those of the spectrum who need special environments to work, are being catered for.

My dream job is to do any where there is only me in the room. I can then imagine myself at home, feeling relaxed and that should make me proficient in what ever I do.

 

[china autie]

I am the only person in my office and usually in the whole building and work is wonderful!!!

 

[RachelN]

I'm not sure. I haven't had a lot of problems, but I also work in the Game industry. There are a lot of Aspies that work for us. So, maybe pursue an industry like that?

 

[Canismajoris]

I'm not sure. I haven't had a lot of problems, but I also work in the Game industry. There are a lot of Aspies that work for us. So, maybe pursue an industry like that?

Actually I was 7 months in a game company (doing producing/scheduling (in which I such), writing content (which I am good at) and doing FB-marketing). Nice experience, but the game didn’t sell and it was better to head for new adventures in my old industry. But you are right, there was quite much room for diversity there. Maybe one day again I could do something there; since the last time I have learnt new skills like 3D modeling which I actually enjoyed a lot.