Published on 12, July, 2020
I’ve been considering making a GP appointment, as my boyfriend, family members and a few colleagues have mentioned they think I have autistic traits. My mum has said it since I was a little girl, but she didn’t want me to be labelled. I’ve made a list of symptoms that I think may be linked to autism, but I can make eye contact and can carry ’small talk’ conversations, even though I find it very difficult. I think I’m quite good at looking like I’m comfortable in social settings, and sometimes I am, but I have to have them carefully planned/rehearsed in my mind. I’m apprehensive as my younger brother was instantly turned down from an assessment as he could make eye contact with the assessor.
Just after some advice from anyone who may have been in the same position.
you should go ahead as the gp will say its a spectrum and you dont have to match every single tiny little trait as its a spectrum, you may have some and not other traits... but if the assessor was that strict with your brother on a single trait then i can see the issue and why it would put you off.ive met plenty of diagnosed autists who can hold eye contact. theres one at work who only the other day was speaking to me while staring direct in my eyes.
I most certainly do not make eye contact, and even if it might look like I am, I'm not, my eyes are totally intentionally out of focus. Eyes make me want to throw up. If someone's too close it's like 'get the ***k out of my space'.
yeah i usually use my peripheral vision, which can likely seem worse to them as usually i end up staring in other places, like a fat person it probably looks like im staring at their big belly.
yeah my eyes might appear to be looking at the boob area sometimes when im not looking there lol not my fault they have awkward features in awkward places and leave me nowhere decent to rest my eyes.
That's funny, it made me laugh. Just so long as you're not staring at their boobs, or moobs?? I generally end up looking at shoes! You can tell a lot about a person by their ****ing shoes, you know what I'm saying!