My 17-year old son is so lonely that he says he doesn't want to live. He has had acquaintances through school and college but has never, until very recently, seen friends outside of school or college. Although he did go and meet some 'friends' from college in the next town over, they've since blanked him and it turns out he paid for everything the whole day, so it seems they were likely using him. He doesn't like sports and has no interests outside of his own specialised interests (hoovers, but he's left the online community he was in because he fell out with them, and Take That).
We live in a very rural area and there is no offer for ASD kids to socialise any closer than about 40 miles away - and even if there was, he hates his diagnosis and wouldn't want to go. He's utterly resistant to any of the suggestions I make to join clubs and activities and meet new people. When he stepbrother is with us things are a bit better but that's only every other weekend.
He has counselling but doesn't tell his counsellor the truth about how he feels. I've said I feel like he would benefit from going to the doctors but he just says he wouldn't tell them the truth about how he feels either.
Please, does anyone have any advice or has been in the same situation? I'm desperate to help him but just don't know how. Thank you for reading.
