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Trying to find ways of meeting people

Deleted User

I'm looking for ways to find and meet other autistic or neurodiverse people for friendship and more, real life has not been fruitful as Swansea is completely hostile to NDs.  I always feel like an anomaly and interaction through text, online or phone is wearisome, I want a real flesh and blood person in front of me.

My purposes would be companionship and also to identify potential romantic interests.

  • Dear EXILe,

    Thank you for being a part of our Online Community. We hope that you find friendships with other users here.

    It may be within your interest to try searching on our Autism Services Directory for support and social groups in your local area.

    You may want to look at our branches. We have 115 volunteer-led branches across the UK. Our hard-working volunteers run support, information and social activities for autistic adults, children and their families in their local area. They also organise and join in with fundraising and campaigning. Find out more by searching for a branch near you: https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/local-branches 

    We also have volunteer-led online branches for autistic people to reach out and seek peer support for a shared interest, identity or experience: https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/branches/online

    I hope this is helpful. 

    Kind Regards,
    Rosie Mod

  • You might find it helpful, as a starting point, to read the advice in these articles:

    NAS - Loneliness - includes links to examples of some other autistic people's experiences of loneliness and how they cope.

    NAS - Making friends - a guide for autistic adults

    In terms of some more specific, practical suggestions:

    • You could ask your GP for a referral to a social prescriber (as I've just done, due to being socially isolated and lonely myself). The prescriber's /  link worker's role is to work with you, potentially over several sessions, to develop a personalised care and support plan that meets your practical, social and emotional needs. This model operates throughout the UK. For example, in Swansea: 

      https://www.scvs.org.uk/newwaystowellbeing

    • You might be able to find some socialising opportunities via the the NAS's directory - whether through a local NAS branch, or other types of support group or social programmes:

      NAS - Autism Services Directory

      NAS - Branches

    • You might be able to find some local groups by searching on Facebook and/or Google.