Hello everyone.
I have been feeling down this evening.
Mid-conversation, a mental health helpline worker asked me to guide him on how he could best support me and my next concern. To help him understand how to support me best, I shared that I am autistic and that this impacts my communication. Despite my explicit disclosure, the volunteer responded by focusing on my perceived strengths. I know that I am not alone in my struggle, as it is a common experience among many autistic individuals. I am also aware that I have strengths.
While the intention might have been positive, it completely missed the point. I was not seeking validation of my strengths, which I already recognised. I was trying to articulate the very real struggles I encountered. The helpline worker’s response felt dismissive and invalidated my experience. It reinforced past experiences of being reminded about my strengths. It is as if my struggles were being minimised or erased because I possess other competencies. It shut down the conversation I tried to have about my difficulties.
I left the chat feeling worse than I felt.
I only want to talk about my feelings and feel validated. I am not looking for any solutions.