I guess that kind of helped me understand how my ex had to deal with her past. She was far superior at conveying intimacy & affection than me. And complained alot of times that no matter how much affection I gave, it never seemed enough... But other times she was distant and unconnected (insert better term here?) But she was fairly normal otherwise.
I know after she told me, she said she felt some relief of having told someone. The only person other than me, she told, ended up pulling that card on her during an argument, and that was the end of their friendship. She had seen several therapists over the years, but never told them about it.
As for his worrying about others' knowing. Not something you want people knowing outside of a few close friends, but it helps those understand the times of severe detachment and mood swings and such, that may happen during social interactions, and stuff.