Published on 12, July, 2020
I was never diagnosed growing up and finally been diagnosed well into adulthood.
I have had a very traumatic year and in the process of being treated for that, I was diagnosed with autism. I was told by the doctor that it is not uncommon for women to be diagnosed later in life.
I have a very hard time making friends. People just look through me and I am often mocked and ridiculed for things I say and often I cannot work out what I said that was wrong.
Also, sometimes I say things that I believe to be inoffensive and harmless but people get offended. I don't know what to do about this? I absolutely hate conflict and do not want to hurt or offend anyone but this is hard when I cannot figure out what I said or did wrong.
The subtlety and nuance of diplomacy and polite conversation is often lost on us autistic folk.
Many people are not used to being spoken to in such a direct or precise way. I usually don't worry about it. Or I start off gently, then quickly revert to my normal way of communication, just when they're feeling comfortable. I can't maintain the facade for very long.
It can cause problems at times, but sometimes we just have to explain that it's how we process information and how we communicate. I agree though, the number of times I found myself trying to dig myself out of a hole... it can be exhausting.
Oh that's useful. I find that too. People aren't used to being spoken to directly or precisely. They must lead very inefficient lives.