Hello All

Hi Eliot,

Would they think you were odd or just interesting?  If some one I just met asked me about Love Island I doubt I'd know what to say; I don't understand why it's popular.  If someone I just met said "Hi, I grow mushrooms", well, I might not know much about that, but I'd certainly want to hear more.

Nice to meet you.  

Welcome home!

Hi Eliot

If you're looking to build a social life, just look back at all of the things you used to love as a child and find the grown-up version of it - you will find people involved will be on your wavelength.       For example, if you like Lego, there's the Brickish association.     If you're into history, there's loads of re-enactment groups and local history groups.

I wouldn't worry about not having an 'acceptable' back-story - most of these groups will be stuffed with ND people so we tend to be interested in your brain rather than your status.

There's also Meetup.com - it's a low-pressure social scene where people who want company post a meeting - like a pub evening or 10-pin bowling or a walk or a picnic - for people to sign up for.    You have no pressure to join in or be the life and soul.     I have a few quiet people who come along to my events - sometimes they join in, sometimes not - but at least they are out of the house and in an accepting group where they can choose to take part if they feel like it.

Most hosts will introduce you and metaphorically hold your hand if you're nervous.    I normally sit next to a nervous newby so the conversation hits me - just near them - so they feel much more included - wingman-ish.

Obviously, "20-somethings looking for fun" might not suit you but a local lunchtime 'coffee & cake' meet may be more your thing.  

Hi Eliot,

You're most welcome! 

Kindest regards.

Eunice Mod

create your own discussion in Autistic adults which is here

https://community.autism.org.uk/f/adults-on-the-autistic-spectrum

then click on Start a discussion 

stick in a sentence and then some text  and post it 

u can edit it once it is posted

Hi Eliot, I have a lot of psychiatric diagnoses too.  Sorry I didn't reply earlier.  I hope you feel very welcome on here.

Hi Eunice Mod,

I’m not sure if you’ll get this because I’m not sure whether or not I should use @, but hey!

Thank you for taking the time to reply and to send so much info. I truly appreciate it!

Take care

Hey @mrs.snooks

Thank you for the welcome .

Your message really cheered me up. I’m so glad to hear you love it here; that makes me hopeful. Also, your comment about trying so hard to be something that you are not...Wow, you just wrote my experience of life! That makes me super hopeful that I might finally have found my tribe.

...my presents are pretty kick-ar*e, aren’t they. It’s awesome to have someone who ‘knows’ me.

Take care

Hello aidie,

Thanks for the message. It is perfect. I was just about to cry as I could not see any replies and thought “Oh, God, just another place where I’ve said/done something wrong and nobody wants to talk to me!” 
Then I saw my profile pic, dived in and found your fabulous word. 
I like to eat the same thing every day - my favourite food. My husband says this is odd. I think it’s odd that people would chose to eat anything other than their favourite food.

Some odd my favourite oddities exist in the quantum realm, for example: apparently a vacuum is not always empty. Every now and again it borrows ‘matter’ (can’t remember whether it’s protons or blah, blah) from the future, which pop-in and then disappear - ODD and AMAZING ).

Anyway, enough waffle.

I’m glad to hear about your mushrooms.

Thanks for your kind and jolly words!

Hi Eliot,

Thank you for sharing this with us. May I suggest looking at our information about autism spectrum disorders:

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism

If you were interested in finding out if you are on the autism spectrum, you would need to have a formal diagnostic assessment. You may find it useful to have a look at the following link for further information about diagnosis and the benefits of getting one:

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis

 Furthermore, it is important the professional you see has experience of autism spectrum disorders. You can find details of diagnostic services on our Autism Services Directory in the Assessment and diagnosis section: http://www.autism.org.uk/directory.aspx

If you have further questions, you may like to contact our Autism Helpline team. They can provide you with information and advice about getting a diagnosis. You can call them on 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Friday 10 am to 3 pm. Please note that the Helpline is experiencing a high volume of calls and it may take a couple of attempts before you get through to speak to an adviser.

Hope this helps.

Kindest regards,

Eunice Mod

Hi. Welcome to the forum. Deciding on going for a formal diagnosis can be a huge choice, can't it. I'm not sure I can advice you either way, but whatever you decide it will be okay.

I hope you have a really positive time here on the forum. I love it here, because it is somewhere that I don't have to try so hard to be something that I am not.

I think your presents are perfect. 

nothing odd about mushrooms -- i regularly eat wild  puffballs  when they are about in autumn.  My "grow your own mushroom kit" didn't work so i emptied the kit onto my garden and then it worked a year later

are u odd --- yes  everyone is odd, the earth is odd, the universe is truly odd,  everything is odd

what do u have to explain ? 

most people really dont mind oddities life would be boring otherwise

would a diagnosis help  you, i would say yes because you really want to know so go for one and end the quest

hang out is this forum for a while and see what you think 

Welcome to this forum of weirdos, freaks and oddities