Friendship, keeping friends, no one understands?

I was diagnosed 2 years ago at the age of 34 which was emotional. I looked back through my whole life and suddenly everything made sense, the outbursts, choices I’d made and the lack of friends. I had an explanation for myself but no way of changing things.

Somehow I managed in my adult years to make a few friends but slowly but surely they got bored, tired and turned their back on me. They have a gaslighting me, when I would get upset that I had been left out of a gathering they would say it was because I have ASD that I’m acting that way. Family pointed out that anyone would be upset and reassured me my feelings were natural. I didn’t walk away from how poorly they were treating me instead I begged for answers, cried and put myself down because it must be something wrong with me, right? Well I’ve come to the conclusion that they don’t understand me, I need to find people who get it. I’ve never been good at making friends I assume people won’t like me, once I’ve got friends apparently I’m too much or too emotional and can’t let things go, silly things.

All the over stimulation, over thinking traps that come with ASD that I push down and mask to fit in with all the people I’m trying to be friends with, I’m done. If your like me and struggling in a world that claims neurodivergent don’t have to fit into neurotypical box yet everyday I’m expected to smile and say good morning when I don’t want to lol, and are finding it hard to make friends your my kind of person I feel your pain and have done all my life. Let’s talk 

Parents
  • Just wanted to say I totally get it with friendships never quite working out. I had some very bad experiences with friends I'd made at uni, when it's came down to something that really mattered to me, but I was only ever the friend on the sidelines people used but didn't really care about. It's hard when you find out how little you mean to other people and you were only ever a friend of convenience. 

    But I have enjoyed being able to relate and share experiences here, with people that have also struggled, have been hurt and are trying to get through life as best they can too!

Reply
  • Just wanted to say I totally get it with friendships never quite working out. I had some very bad experiences with friends I'd made at uni, when it's came down to something that really mattered to me, but I was only ever the friend on the sidelines people used but didn't really care about. It's hard when you find out how little you mean to other people and you were only ever a friend of convenience. 

    But I have enjoyed being able to relate and share experiences here, with people that have also struggled, have been hurt and are trying to get through life as best they can too!

Children
No Data