Disclosing to someone that you are autistic is a very personal decision. It will depend on many factors including the person, the situation and how comfortable you are in discussing it with other people.  

You may decide that you want to tell others about how being autistic affects you and what support you need. 

Should I disclose? 

It’s often hard to understand the benefits and drawbacks of disclosing your autism diagnosis. You may be thinking about whether your friends, family and work colleagues will understand and react to your disclosure in a positive way. 

Benefits 

• You won’t have to try and hide that you are autistic 

• Employers are legally obligated to support you and make reasonable adjustments for you at work  

• Your friends and colleagues may understand you more.  

Risks 

• You may be met with a lack of understanding from other people

• You may be worried about prejudice from a potential employer. 

How do I decide what to do? 

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. If you do decide to tell people you are autistic, you could try writing a list of benefits and drawbacks of doing so beforehand. You can ask a friend to help and list your strengths and potential difficulties. This may help you identify how people can support you and what adjustments could be made if you are disclosing to your employer. You should also decide what is helpful and not helpful for other people to know.  

How to tell other people about your diagnosis 

You could start by showing them our What is autism? film and then give information about how autism affects you. This may include: 

• your communication preferences

• sensory differences

• your need for routine and to prepare for change

• that you need more time to process information. 

Next steps

• Read our advice about disclosing at work
• Read about post-diagnostic support for adults
• Join our online community.