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Eye contact

NAS61718

Hey, I'm new here and have no diagnosis, reading through some of the threads I completely relate.

I'd like to ask what everyone's views and experiences are on eye contact...I seem to be okay under normal circumstances, however, this changes when emotion is involved, or confrontation. I really struggle and my partner hates that I can't give eye contact when she feels she needs it. If have an argument you can almost gaurentee that at some point she wil demand that I look at her. It makes me really mad because I don't know why people insist on eye contact. It is physically uncomfortable! She understands that I have seriously considered the idea that I'm autistic but knows very little about autism. Which I think, most of the time at least, I am glad of, as she sees and accepts me as me. But the eye contact thing is really difficult and makes an already difficult situation harder. 

Has anybody else had similar problems? Have you managed to overcome it or got any strategies that I could try?

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Parents

  • I also don't have a diagnosis, but I have always been aware that I have issues with eye contact.

    I'm terrible at conversation anyway, so often look away while thinking what to say, but when it comes to one on one situational like interviews or meetings I usually find myself devoting an awful lot of time worrying about whether in making too much eye contact, or not enough, or if I'm doing it right, or maybe I should look away for a minute in case it's getting creepy.

    Usually when I've ended up in an argument the other person will ask why I'm not even looking at them. I think I find out easier to think that way, like it's less distracting.

    I don't know if eye contact comes naturally to most people, or if everybody is making a conscious effort, I just know that it feels really awkward for me.

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  • I also don't have a diagnosis, but I have always been aware that I have issues with eye contact.

    I'm terrible at conversation anyway, so often look away while thinking what to say, but when it comes to one on one situational like interviews or meetings I usually find myself devoting an awful lot of time worrying about whether in making too much eye contact, or not enough, or if I'm doing it right, or maybe I should look away for a minute in case it's getting creepy.

    Usually when I've ended up in an argument the other person will ask why I'm not even looking at them. I think I find out easier to think that way, like it's less distracting.

    I don't know if eye contact comes naturally to most people, or if everybody is making a conscious effort, I just know that it feels really awkward for me.

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