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Struggling

Ryan_1985

Hi, Just joined to see if this helps and to get advice from others who experience similar struggles. My name is Ryan. I’m 41 and from Manchester. I’m struggling a lot at the moment. I was diagnosed in 2015 after years of difficulties dating back to my early teens at school. Over the past 10 years, I’ve hardly left my home. I struggle a lot around people and experience mutism, though I’m able to speak once I feel safe. I'm struggling a lot feeling isolated, I have no friends and have hardly spoken to anyone in years.

Parents

  • Hello Ryan_1985, and welcome, 

    I am a newcomer to this site too. I find it an invaluable source of information about being autistic.

    It sounds like you are having a difficult time. However, although you don't speak much to other people, you have taken the opportunity to make contact on this site. 

    I not very good with social chit-chat whether it face-to-face or online. I was only diagnosed this year and this site was recommended by one of my assessors. I find it does me good to communicate with people here because it doesn't feel forced or artificial. By that, I mean you do not have to send messages, respond to or even read messages. So, there absolutely no pressure!

    Autistic people seem very keen on what are called hobbies. To me making things is a fundamental part of who I am and gives me the downtime I seem to require. So, as a starter, if you do jigsaws, paint, read books, play trains, play with Lego, etc. then why not seek out other people on the site by simply asking a question about your hobby/hobbies.

    Hope you enjoy your time here,
    Oscar    

Reply

  • Hello Ryan_1985, and welcome, 

    I am a newcomer to this site too. I find it an invaluable source of information about being autistic.

    It sounds like you are having a difficult time. However, although you don't speak much to other people, you have taken the opportunity to make contact on this site. 

    I not very good with social chit-chat whether it face-to-face or online. I was only diagnosed this year and this site was recommended by one of my assessors. I find it does me good to communicate with people here because it doesn't feel forced or artificial. By that, I mean you do not have to send messages, respond to or even read messages. So, there absolutely no pressure!

    Autistic people seem very keen on what are called hobbies. To me making things is a fundamental part of who I am and gives me the downtime I seem to require. So, as a starter, if you do jigsaws, paint, read books, play trains, play with Lego, etc. then why not seek out other people on the site by simply asking a question about your hobby/hobbies.

    Hope you enjoy your time here,
    Oscar    

Children
  • in reply to Oscar

    Thank you Oscar for your kind reply. Yes that is a good idea. I am particularly scared of living my whole life in isolation, and as I get older the more scarier that becomes. On the hobbies, I love old black and white movies from the 1930s and 1940s, a collector of old radios, telephones, camera, clothing and other props from the same era. I also like computers from the 1980s such as commodore, ZX spectrum, Atari 2600...