[comprev]

In industries like tech which have a large percentage of non-neurotypical (not quite sure how to describe it - suggestions?) people, it's fairly common to have a "work" and "home" version of yourself. It's exhausting but necessary.

For example, someone who might suffer from depression/anxiety/bipolar or a dozen other conditions will have to look in the mirror and put a smile on before meeting their colleagues each day.

The stigma around conditions can very quickly change the opinion of colleagues/management (whether intentional or not) and could result in situations like "Can we trust Joe Bloggs to finish X on time for client Y, or will he be in the middle of another depressive episode for which _we_ all need to pick up the slack? Is this a risk we can take?"

Before you know it, Joe Bloggs is on a "Perfomance Improvement Plan", and because he didn't raise his condition/illness before with HR (through fear it would haunt him)... Joe Bloggs is quickly out the door.

I would go so far as to say it's the norm in tech for a large number to have a different work/home personality.

[uejfiweun]

The word you are looking for is neurodivergent. And yes, I absolutely agree. There are things that I would just never say/do as a tech worker.

[comprev]

neurodivergent - noted, thanks. I knew it was neuro-something!