Hi I’m new, anxious but I just want to say hello

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Aww! Thank you, he’s a real character! I like yours too, beautiful golden glow .

Love your profile picture BTW.

:⁠-⁠D

Hi thank you so much, it’s true, I do feel better on here knowing I’m not on my own, I really appreciate this space.

HiHuggybear and welcome. I can understand the lonely/isolated part, I think it goes with the territory. I hope you will be less lonely now you have found this place.

The feeling of vulnerability is interesting. It's an internal thing, so in theory it can be controlled.

I think it comes down to confidence and needing, or wanting, validation. 

The curious thing is why autism erodes confidence or requires validation. It maybe stems from masking; because people are often not fully authentic they therefore seek feedback to ensure the mask is correct, which makes them uncertain in new scenarios. But if they're authentic it feels unnatural, which also means it's hard to predict the response.

So either way, poking your head above the parapet seems hard 

Most people's written communication is fine and there's no need to be fearful. But yet it still somehow matters and is scary.

Since diagnosis I have been thinking carefully about all these things. Understanding helps me to minimise the problem.

Awthanks for your reply, I’m gettslightly more confident and I’m learning so much, and talking is definitely helping

Thank you for what you wrote, I’m feeling so more at home here, it’s so difficult to do things like this but I’ll get more confidence, even though I’m anonymous, I still feel vulnerable but, simultaneously, I feel safe and happier to be part of this community 

Ahh I am also into crafting! I always used to make cushion covers but I have been making more Christmas stuff lately. I also like to do crafts inspiration by characters from tv shows and games, I am a big Nintendo gamer and I love watching hing cartoons! I have also started getting into reading as well. 

Hi,

I'm also VERY new to all this and have had a life of not really understanding what was going on until recently. I find saying hello very difficult and in fact even writing this now is difficult if i'm being honest but I DO think that talking about things can at least get you some information on how to help yourself even if you don't like the talking too much!

Hello.

I've always found it strange why saying hello is hard. Particularly online where you are anonymous and physically unseen.

I suppose it has to be fear of rejection, or being ignored, or saying the wrong thing. But how wrong can "Hello" go? Still, logic doesn't override emotions, it just allows you to squash them.

Anyway, welcome. Once you've stepped over the threshold and made the first few posts it should be easier. The first time to do anything is always the hardest. Once it becomes a routine it's not just easier, you actually miss it.

If course with online communication, or any communication, misunderstandings are possible. The important thing is to either clarify at the time, if you can, or step away for a few hours and forget about it. Then come back with an open mind. I know from over 20 years of using forums it is hard sometimes if people disagree. But don't be scared. It is pretty calm here. You can offer your opinions on anything you like, within the forum rules.

Yes, crafts lots of sewing!reading and I have a love of words?!!

Thank you so much for your lovely response. 

Thank you, I love sewing bears, slow stitching that kind of thing

Thank you so much for all the info

Thank you so much, I do quiet hobbies like sewing which I guess helps

Hi and welcome to the community. I also felt nervous the first time I posted on here, but there is no need to be - it was good finding others who understand and I'm sure you'll feel the same after a while. Keep posting, ask any questions you have, and join in with conversations.

Hello and welcome to the NAS community! I can completely understand why you are nervous but you certainly don’t need to be here. I can understand how loneliness can feel and I hope you will find this forum to be helpful and make you feel less lonely. 

Do you have any interests at all?

Hi and welcome to the community! 

It can feel daunting at first here, but you're in good company and will, I hope, soon settle in. If anxiety is also a more general issue, then you might find the advice and suggested sources of support here helpful:

NAS - Anxiety

Huggybear said:

I was seeking some help with feeling lonely/ isolated and wanted to be engaging with others who may understand how I’m feeling.

Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for us to feel lonely or isolated. I’m currently working on the same thing myself.

In addition to hopefully finding some comfort in this community, you might find some of the advice in these articles helpful:

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

NAS - Making friends - a guide for autistic adults

You might like to consider asking your GP to refer you to your local social prescriber. I've had a course of appointments with ours, which I found very helpful. Their role is to develop a non-medical personalised care and support plan that meets your social needs, as well as your practical and emotional needs.

So this could, for example, include helping you to find local groups or socialising activities. The article below explains more (it relates to England, but the same model operates throughout the UK):

NHS England - Social prescribing

You might also be able to find some socialising opportunities via the the NAS's directory, or through a local NAS branch:

NAS - Autism Services Directory

NAS - Branches

As a final suggestion, you could search on Facebook and/or Google for any local groups that might fit with your interests and hobbies.