Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
I have recently discovered I am autistic and currently awaiting a medical diagnosis. Since discovering I am autistic I have become really aware of how uncomfortable and awkward i feel in social situations even with my closest friends. For example holding eye contact or knowing when to laugh or what to say feels like such hard work. This mentally drains me and i feel embarrassed when i'm then on my own as i overthink how i've acted and it causes me severe upset. I am also diagnosed with depression and anxiety so this really doesn't help which leads me to then just wanting to spend more time alone in my room as i don't want to have to deal with communicating with others.
Does anyone have any advice or tips/hacks for making social interactions less painful? Or any other general advice for a newly diagnosed autistic adult (F21)
Thank you in advance
The best thing I ever did was read Marc Segar's book. It's called A Survival Guide For People With Aspergers Syndrome. I think it's online free somewhere. It's quite an old book (hence the title) but it's very useful.