Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi
I'm not sure the title is a good one but it's the best I could come up with.
I'm wondering if this is an autistic trait or just me and if it has a name. Sometimes, and I never know when it might happen, I feel like I shouldn't do the simplest of things until somebody gives me the permission to do it. Examples might be - not calling on my neighbours because they're not expecting it, not sending somebody a message in case they're busy, not saying hello to somebody that I know in a restaurant because they're eating. The list is pretty much endless and being added to daily.
Another problem I have is that I sometimes take instructions too literally. I doubt many will relate to this but for a telly gameshow, I was tied up and told to untie myself. I spent about 5 minutes doing just that. If they had said what they really wanted - to free myself - I'd have done it in seconds. Does this have a name?
I do often hear "if you don't ask you don't get" but I know if I just flat out ask, I will get myself in trouble. As I have done.
It's a case by case thing. I do feel like I need someone to tell me that it's actually safe to do - it's not necessarily the rejection I fear the most, but actually just creating a huge mess.