Disclosure … or not? Risk vs Benefit

First you receive your official (or self) diagnosis of autism. Finally (hopefully) something/s make sense in your life! All these feelings and emotions whirl through your mind. So… who do you tell? Do you keep it to yourself for a while, in order to process those 3 words (you.are.autistic)… or do you shout it out to the world (a bit melodramatic but you get the drift, right?). Disclosure, for many newly diagnosed autistic folk is a big thing. It can weigh on your mind, for hours, days, weeks. Who to tell? What will they think? Will I be met with the cliché “Oh you don’t look autistic”! How would you feel if you heard those words? There is more to disclosure, however.