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I watch other people talking and I think I'm doing the same as them but it doesn't "work" like it does for them. Maybe it's my facial expression, which apparently doesn't always match what I'm saying? I also can't cope with more than one person at a time. When I try to speak I am ignored, often for someone to repeat the same sentence and get laughs/interest.

I've spent the past 4 years trying very hard to fit in with other parents since my daughter started school and one by one everyone has started ignoring/avoiding me. I'm never unkind, I don't break promises, I try to support people but somehow I'm not good enough. 

So largely I just ignore everyone.

Fraiselongue said:

I watch other people talking and I think I'm doing the same as them but it doesn't "work" like it does for them. Maybe it's my facial expression, which apparently doesn't always match what I'm saying? I also can't cope with more than one person at a time. When I try to speak I am ignored, often for someone to repeat the same sentence and get laughs/interest.

It can be the facial-behavioral and or the vice-versa vocal-verbal expression thing involving vocal intonation discordance and spoken timing or subject incongruence errors ~ like in a sense a musician playing the right note or chord at the wrong time or in the wrong way at the right time, or in a dancing sense like stepping on toes, not catching someone or not being caught oneself at the appropriate time with a spin or twirl.

Deepthought - Could you remove my "Quoted" text please.

I feel differently about it today and my self-esteem is fine thanks. It was a temporary blip.

Deepthought - Could you remove my "Quoted" text please.

I feel differently about it today and my self-esteem is fine thanks. It was a temporary blip.

Thank you Deepthought, much appreciated.

Yes I worry about that too, and all the things I've posted in the past. But as no one  I've told seems to believe that I have ASD, the chances of anyone I know reading anything on this forum, I hope, is negligible. Although I do post a lot less than I used to, mostly for this reason. 

Hi Nope, thanks yes you're right. But I worry that someone could recognise me and all my thoughts are out there to be seen - quite a cringy thought! Also my thoughts chop and change whilst I'm working out how to deal with it.

Hi @Raccoon, as soon as any written words are sent on the internet, (forums, emails etc etc) they are no longer in your control. They can be quoted, misquoted, changed however or by whomever they want. But you are anonymous, no one knows who you are, and your words may help others in the future who were feeling similar to you (and this comes from me, a serial "post-and-deleterer") 

Deepthought, please could you remove my "Quoted" text. Thank you.

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if you believe that you are rubbish with words (when there is no example of which here being the case) it seems that you are being too much your own critic and as such your own worst enemy ~ as your self-esteem and confidence like so many on the spectrum, and many not on the spectrum, needs instead of sabotage much more along the way of development involving positive facilitation and affirmation.

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I would not go as far as stating that conversing with others is impossible, but it can most certainly be extremely difficult when one does not have the confidence or familiarity with the rhythms and motions of conversation, or is unaware of the particular types of it and their ritualistic steps and stages.

One of the most poignant examples of learning about the 'stepped and staged' rituals of human interaction and verbal-behavioral transactions for me; was when I started studying psychology and sociology at the end of my teenage years ~ and I read the book GAMES PEOPLE PLAY ~ THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN RELATIONSIPS, [by] ERIC BERNE, M.D., most particularly this bit to begin with as being a major revelation from the 3rd chapter on Procedures and Rituals:

Of more significance as an introduction to game analysis are informal rituals, and among the most instructive are the American greeting rituals.

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1A; "Hi!" (Hello, good morning.)

1B: "Hi!" (Hello, good morning.)

2A: "Warm enough for ya?" (How are you?)

2B: "Sure is. Looks like rain, though." (Fine. How are you?)

3A: "Well, take cara yourself." (Okay.)

3B: "I'll be seeing you."

4A: "So long."

4B: "So long."

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It is apparent that this exchange is not intended to convey information. Indeed, if there is any information, it is wisely withheld. It might take Mr. A fifteen minutes to say how he is, and Mr. B, who is only the most casual acquaintance, has no intention of devoting that much time to listening to him. This series of transactions is quite adequately characterized by calling it an "eight-stroke ritual." If A and B were in a hurry, they might both be contented with a two-stroke exchange, Hi-Hi. If they were old-fashioned Oriental potentates, they might go through a two-hundred stroke ritual before settling down to business. Meanwhile, in the jargon of transactional analysis, A and B have improved each other's health slightly; for the moment, at least, "their spinal cords won't shrivel up," and each is accordingly grateful.

The "their spinal cords won't shrivel up" refers to lack of social stimulation and developmental atrophy being avoided.

This ritual is based on careful intuitive computations by both parties. At this stage of their acquaintance they figure that they owe each other exactly four strokes at each meeting, and not oftener than once a day. If they run into each other again shortly, say within the next half hour, andhave no new business to transact, they will pass by without any sign, or with only the slightest nod of recognition, or at most with a very perfunctory Hi-Hi. These computations hold not only for short intervals but over periods of several months. Let us now consider Mr. C and Mr. D, who pass each other about once a day, trade one stroke each—Hi-Hi —and go their ways. Mr. C goes on a month's vacation. The day after he returns, he encounters Mr. D as usual. If on this occasion Mr. D merely says "Hi!" and no more, Mr. C will be offended, "his spinal cord will shrivel slightly." By his calculations, Mr. D and he owe each other about thirty strokes. These can be compressed into a few transactions, if those transactions are emphatic enough. Mr. D's side properly runs something like this (where each unit of "intensity" or "interest" is equivalent to a stroke):

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ID: "Hi!" (1 unit.)

2D: "Haven't seen you around lately." (2 units.)

3D: "Oh, have you! Where did you go?" (5 units.)

4D: "Say, that's interesting. How was it?" (7 units.)

5D: "Well, you're sure looking fine." (4 units.) "Did your family go along?" (4 units.)

6D: "Well, glad to see you back." (4 units.)

7D: "So long." (I unit.)

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This gives Mr. D a total of 28 units. Both he and Mr. C know that he will make up the missing units the following day, so the account is now, for all practical purposes, squared. Two days later they will be back at their two-stroke exchange, Hi-Hi. But now they "know each other better," i.e., each knows the other is reliable, and this may be useful if they should meet "socially." The inverse case is also worth considering. Mr. E and Mr. F have set up a two-stroke ritual, Hi-Hi. One day instead of passing on, Mr. E stops and asks: "How are you?" The conversation proceeds as follows:

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IE: "Hi!"

IF: "Hi!'

2E: "How are you?"

2F (Puzzled'): "Fine. How are you?"

3E: "Everything's great. Warm enough for you?"

3F: "Yeah." (Cautiously.) "Looks like rain, though."

4E: "Nice to see you again."

4F: "Same here. Sorry, I've got to get to the library before it closes. So long."

5E: "So long."

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As Mr. F hurries away, he thinks to himself: "What's come over him all of a sudden? Is he selling insurance or something?" In transactional terms this reads: "All he owes me is one stroke, why is he giving me five?"

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An even simpler demonstration of the truly transactional business-like nature of these simple rituals is the occasion when Mr. G says "Hi!" and Mr. H passes on without replying. Mr. G's reaction is "What's the matter with him?" meaning: "I gave him a stroke and he didn't give me one in return." If Mr. H keeps this up and extends it to other acquaintances, he is going to cause some talk in his community.

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http://rrt2.neostrada.pl/mioduszewska/course_2643_reading_3.pdf

So maybe give the free edited highlights of the GPP book PDF a read or even buy the book itself possibly.

Another book I found useful also was THE ART OF CONVERSATION ~ CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITH CONFIDENT COMMUNICATION, [by] JUDY APPS. The cover was what got me first:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Conversation-Change-Confident-Communication/dp/0857085387              

I also really liked the typeset, layout and design such as this:

                                    www.amazon.co.uk/.../0857085387