A guide to help you decide when, how, and who to share your autism diagnosis or autistic identity with
Deciding whether to share that you're autistic is a personal choice and an ongoing process. There's no right or wrong answer - it depends on your situation and your goals, which can change over time.
The aim of this guide is not to persuade you to share, but to support you in exploring your options and figuring out what's right for you.
This guide was co-designed with autistic adults as part of research, adapting evidence-based strategies from the 'Honest, Open, Proud' programme.
What to expect
There are three main sections in this guide:
Weighing the pros and cons of sharing in different settings and different levels of disclosure
Crafting your personal story and choosing what to share from it in different situations
Identifying a good person to share with and preparing for possible reactions
In each section, you'll find:
Real-life examples
Quotes and videos are used to show the different views and experiences that autistic people have. You may relate to some more than others. This is to be expected as there is no 'one size fits all' approach to disclosure.
Practical exercises
Reflection exercises are designed to help you to apply what you have learned to your own situation. Your responses are completely private and not for us or anyone else to see (unless you choose to share them).
Different starting points
We recognise that people coming to this guide will be at different stages of exploring and sharing that they are autistic.
Want to know more about this guide?
Find out more about what's in the guide, who created it, and how to use it.
New to autism?
Look at further information on autism, before or alongside using this guide.
Not sure where to start?
Answer a few quick questions to figure out where you're at with sharing and what you'd like help with.