I’m an independent software developer working on programming languages, compilers, formal methods, static analysis, and software security.
I’m considering publicly disclosing that I have been diagnosed with psychopathy. Before making that decision, I would like to understand what the professional consequences might realistically be in the software industry.
If you learned that a developer you worked with, or whose software you used, had publicly disclosed such a diagnosis, would it change how you viewed their technical work?
Would it affect your willingness to collaborate with them, use their software, recommend their work, or take their research seriously?
Assume that their technical claims can be evaluated independently through source code, reproducible tests, benchmarks, formal arguments, and external verification. Would you judge the work on those merits, or do you think the diagnosis would still create a professional or reputational barrier?
I’m not asking for medical advice or for anyone to assess the diagnosis itself. I’m specifically interested in how disclosure might affect someone’s career and professional reputation in software development.
I’m asking before making this information public because once something like this becomes associated with your real name and professional work, it may be very difficult to undo.
I would appreciate candid answers, especially from people who have worked professionally in software development, open source, security, or research.