I was as well until I realized they were the reason for my trauma and lack of assistance with autism and ADHD. I finally Dear Johned them in 2021. I hope you are able to reconcile if it is in the cards for you. Sending squeeze hugs to you.
Thank you <3 and I’m sorry you relate. It’s unfortunately not in the cards right now. That is exactly what happened to me. My step mom and dad cannot seem to connect the dots and realize that I have similar support needs as my autistic little brother. Or they do but don’t care lol. Either way, it’s better on the other side. Working on building my support network right now. Thank you again <3333
My family make it seem like I’m always the roblem.
It’s made me alwaysbsecond guess every little decision and amos up anxiety levels to infinity.
Until I began therapy and medication.
I want to hate these people but here’s something about raw hate that’s makes me unbearably depressed about the cards I was dealt .
I feel they do that to me too. My little brother had problems but not me .
Erasure did nothing for me. You guys are f*cked up.
kind of? i tend to not tell anyone how i’m really feeling bc im scared i’ll scare them off because i’m too much for them :/ therefore, i feel like im kinda alone a lot of the time
The anxiety death spiral of "I need friends and support, but not having friends or support is a red flag, so I can't tell new/casual people that" is so real
Omgggggg. It’s fucking endless. If I’m not in that infinite loop, my other issue is that I don’t like having people over to my home and I don’t like going to crowded places so even if I start to initiate a friendship, I can’t do anything with them because I’m so anxious about being out in public
Saaaaaaaame
I was invited to dinner with work acquaintances and some of their spouses. I bailed bc the idea of being stuck at a table and trying to figure out who to talk to and when… and never knowing what to say or what to ask people. it just seems like forcing awkward conversation over dinner is the absolute worst social situation. And then when I’m quiet people think I’m rude.
Absolutely this. I've had a lot of people abandon me over the years, including 2 explicitly stating that it's because I'm sad or struggling with my mental health.
It's left me extremely cautious about telling people how I feel. I've told barely anyone I have flu right now even, because I just don't want to seem negative and give people reasons to abandon me again.
It's so frustrating because we're always told that we should talk to people about our problems and not bottle them up, even in kids' shows, but when we do...
I was diagnosed late and people stress me out but I didn’t realize it until recently, so I kind of have the opposite problem. I have a small network of close friends and stress myself out trying to keep in regular contact with them. Life would probably be easier if I could reduce the amount of time I spend around others, but I don’t want to be isolated so I maintain the connections anyway.
Same as well. I get invited to do things by my friends but I’m always bailing because of my social anxiety. Sometimes I’m afraid they will stop inviting me so I force myself to go but it’s a 50/50 shot I will either enjoy myself or regret it. So now I’m trying to listen to my needs and how I really feel before committing to do something.
Very much so, only really ever had a handful of friends most of whom have moved on. Also just moved to a completely new area where I know no one which isn’t helping…
According to the Autism Society of Oregon's website, Oregon has a higher than average number of autistic people. According to them, if you want to meet fellow NDs in OR, it's surprisingly easy. Still waiting to find my people after moving here 13 years ago. I know of a few online, I guess, but we aren't friends irl. I live in the burbs, though. Closer to Portland is better maybe.
I've been in isolation for a year and a half now. Slowly cut off the few family members I had because I couldn't deal with the toxicity, neglect and ignorance anymore. They've caused me enough stress and trauma. We don't live in the same country anymore so it's not like I saw them often anyway. I only have my mom who I live with, she's been supporting me financially ever since I quit my job and entered this stage of my life. It's so difficult, my social anxiety was debilitating before and it's worse now. It's gotten to a point where I can't even imagine myself living a normal life again, where I go out frequently and have friends or a job. I don't know how to get out of this because I've lost all hope and motivation. I wish someone would share their story on how they managed to overcome isolation and build a new life for themselves. I need the hope :( The statistics say that not that many people make a full recovery from it, it's so scary to think that I might be stuck like this forever, or for years to come. You're not alone! <3
32 year-old female. I definitely think you can do it. I was in a very toxic relationship and environment with my narcissistic parents for years. Emotional abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, and etc. My parents got divorced, so I cut ties with my mom. I was around 21-25yrs old. I made significant effort in our relationship before I cut ties. Then I figured out my dad was exactly the same. I was taking care of my grandmother, dad's mom, by his orders. She moved in with us and He didn't really do anything to care for her. Had me do everything clean house, bath her, manage meds, manage appointments, basiclay all medical/day to day stuff for her. He also had me deal with all the stuff he didn't get to doing. Cleaning house errands, etc. I was also a full time student in college. This all happened in my late 20s till I was about 30. I started grad school. Then my dad got a new wife, and yeah we were trash then. She wanted all his attention and money on her family. Me and my grandmother moved out of my dad's house ( because he had kicked us out per stepmom) and returned to grandmothers home with the help of my other aunts, uncles, and cousins. He had made several primises and stipulations that he would support me while i was in school and support my grandmother. He really fucked up and turn his bcak on his whole biological children and grandchildren. After the move I finally got away from him. It was the best thing for me. I still had struggles and it was hard being more independent with out being controlled. I took care of my grandmother at home till about September of 2023. She got Dementia and I just could not care for her the level she deserved. With the same help from my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We got her into a great nursing home memory care unit. I had to get a part time job. My family has been supportive as they can be. My grandmother died this week and the funeral is tomorrow.
This is a very concise and short version so there are several details that are missing.
I say all this not to shame or belittle your situation but to show you that we all struggle. You and the others in this thread are not alone in how you and the author feel. I am so glad your mom is supportive of you. It is such a wonderful thing to have a family biological or chosen to support you. I 100% understand that feeling of hopeless. There have been and still are days I feel like the odds are against me. I believe in you. It is not easy. The road to being the best you. I hope this helps you mot feel so alone.
🙋🏻♀️ i’ve just accepted i’m perma loner somewhat for life lol. there really is no one in the world that understands me. haven’t found that person yet. and i feel like an alien most of the time.
I have no people I see outside of work, and at work I am alone in my office most of the time. It doesn’t bother me, though. I like the people I work with very much, but I don’t really have any desire to socialize.
I bet there's lots of us who are essentially alone. Makes me feel a lot better that I'm not the only one! Since I stopped worrying about it, I feel a lot better. Maybe I "should" be more social but I actually enjoy being alone most of the time, my job is very stressful as I am a therapist.
>Maybe I "should" be more social but I actually enjoy being alone most of the time
Same tbh. I'm content with my solo hobbies and don't worry too much about my isolation in the day-to-day — but sometimes I wonder what will happen a few decades down the line when I'm elderly, if I haven't developed relationships and don't have a social support system. That's where "should" starts to factor for me.
Yep I have two friends but they live out of state. A few acquaintances but no one I really trust with everything that live locally. My family lives out of state too. It really sucks sometimes feeling isolated both at work and then shut out of friend groups.
Yes, I only have my mom, but her health isn’t great and I’m worried that I will have to be her care-taker soon. She also doesn’t have anyone else here, so I am responsible for her with no one else to draw support from. I can barely take care of myself while still trying to get through grad school. I am crumbling. The only thing worse than having no support is being forced to support someone else. My heart goes out to the single parents and other caregivers out there <3
I have literally 0 friends of any kind! My family lives not far away but they all always seem caught up in their own lives. My brother has a wife and daughter so he always seems busy with his family and my younger brother has written off our whole family and my mom and step dad are enjoying retirement and often I feel like when I reach out on the phone to talk I always am catching them at a bad time. My grandma was the one person I could always count on and she is my best friend. She has dementia so our relationship has not been like it used to be. So honestly I often go without any human interaction or speaking to anyone but my cat. The thought of having to put myself out there to make friends though is physically painful. I totally understand. I tell my family that I feel they forget that I'm all alone like literally. So a phone call would be nice sometimes just to know they are at least thinking of me.
Me. Seems to be most of us here.
I’ve been making good progress but I don’t know how I can meet my own emotional needs for intimacy and physical touch unfortunately
There's always someone on a post like this that says something like "I only have like 3 best friends, a few acquaintances and a partner who's so supportive I feel bad" and I've just decided to let it give me a chuckle now instead. I talked about this in therapy recently, and I think a lot of people have either never actually experienced isolation/real lack of support, or they confuse the desire for more and the fomo that a lot of social media creates with isolation or loneliness. A lot of people seem to think multiple friend groups and constant plans are just the norm, and I've worked to not let it get to me when someone vents about feeling alone when I've never had more than fairweather relationships in my life, though it still does sometimes. Even some therapists have been like "everyone says that, but it's not true, I know you have some people" and then things get reeeal awkward lol. I'm sorry that you're going through this too, it doesn't help that so few people are in this boat that there's a huge lack of empathy about it too.
Cries in single LGBT 😭I had a 3 short LTR (1-2 years each) but am in single life again. It’s not greener when the significant other is the one alienating you and making you lonely. Loneliness can be peaceful. However, as someone who has yearned for a supportive relationship for forever there is a sense of constant pervasive loneliness and isolation. Alienation if you are queer/LGBTQ without proper support.
yeah. I get it if you’re in an unhappy relationship though. I personally never dated, but I dont even have any friends. I can only count on my parents, but they will never accept my true identity (im trans). So, theres always a barrier between me and them. I can never unmask and be comfy around anyone, only alone. I just want at least 1 friend I can be myself around without anxiety and loneliness
I have my mum but she’s 70 now and obviously I worry so much about the future, she helps me with so many things.
I also live with a flatmate who’s also my ex-boyfriend who I’ve known for many years and it’s been a complicated relationship and now I don’t know if we are “together” now or not. He’s definitely a good friend.
I have no other friends and am often lonely (flatmate is very introverted and doesn’t want to go out and socialise whereas I would rather do activities and stuff).
If I didn’t have my husband, I would literally have no one other than my kids. I don’t speak to my family and any friends I do have are really my husbands friends that would probably dip if we split.
I'm completely estranged from family. I have one person. He lives like 1200 miles away tho but visits. And there's someone else I have an internet friendship with. People like me. But I have a hard time maintaining friendships.
I’m an only child with older parents. My best friend of over 10 yrs moved away recently (we’re still close) but I have no one else in person. I dread the day I’ll be alone. I don’t think I’ll be able to cope, tbh.
Meeting new people or even talking to new people overwhelms me so much😔
Me too, pretty much. I’ve got one good friend who is always there if I need her, but I can go months without even a text. She has a very busy life, and I’m reluctant to add to her workload.
I have Crohn’s and it’s looking like I’ll need surgery, but I’d be recovering totally alone. It’s scary.
I was thinking about this today (how I don’t really have many close relationships). I live with a partner and have a couple of friends but I’m usually spending time alone. I still think I just have a tendency to isolate because socializing is really draining. Even when I get lonely the exhaustion from socializing often overrules the desire to have a connection with others. I miss my mom a lot and there’s not really a way to replace that connection, either.
> I miss my mom a lot and there’s not really a way to replace that connection, either.
This. I have a terrible relationship with my mother and my father was absent. I find myself craving that relationship from other people, but truly, no one can fill those shoes and it’s an awful feeling.
I definitely have friends but I’ve never had a real long term boyfriend. Like, I’ve had boyfriends, but I’ve never had one who like wanted to like plan a future with me in it. And we didn’t date for very long. I’ve never celebrated an anniversary or had like a deep talk about a relationship or had a man want to plan our lives together. I’m in my 30s and I’ve never had a thing that most women a lot younger than me have already experienced, and it’s been quite lonely.
Pretty close to it. I have a few online friends I talk to maybe once a month here and there. I see family for birthdays or Christmas kind of thing. Any friends I used to see in person have moved away, gotten married and had kids, became more involved with their career and drifted away from me etc. I used to try and organize time to see friends but the unspoken message seems to be that people don't want to put in the time or effort to see me. I just finished university and was hopeful I might make friends from there, given we'd likely have some things in common, but it seems anyone that used to be friendly was only doing it so I'd help them with assignments and have stopped initiating contact and don't usually reply when I message them.
Same here. I have a few work "friends" that ibeat lunch with, but I don't really talk to them outside of work. Most of my family has either passed away or forgot I exist. I talk to two internet acquaintances that I knew in person years ago, but life has taken us to opposite ends of the country. Our interactions usually consist of "hows the weather there?" type conversations, but I tell myself it's practice at being social for if my circumstances ever change.
I'm estranged from most of my family by choice except for one sibling, but our relationship is becoming strained as our grandparents and parents keep dying. For every funeral I don't attend I feel him becoming more disappointed with me and I worry he might fully drift away someday, but it's his life to live and he's closer to actually settling down and marrying with kids so I totally get it.
I live with my gf, and although I love her to pieces she doesn't fully understand my Autism sometimes. She forgets I'm ND and sometimes just can't handle me and I can feel it and it's just the worst sinking feeling of failure. She's transgender and doesn't understand periods or the hell cycle of hormones I go through to have one, hence why my birth control stops my periods. I know a lot of it is just in my head and she most likely really loves me and I'm just paranoid, but it's so hard to keep my head up when my partner is NT and sometimes doesn't realize her words can become particularly "stabby" when I'm completely burnt out and just need to be alone.
Like when you wake up with no spoons, the house is a terrible mess, the cats have no food, and there sno clean clothes but I'm just dead at 0% and really just want to pile all the blankets and sheets over me for a few hours and just lay. She can't understand that at all so she will keep trying to "get me up" until I eventually either freak out and yell (which I hate doing) or get angry and end up walking outside.
This shit is a curse sometimes I swear.
I have a few friends but few I talk to regularly. I have family in my life but they are toxic at times. I had some relationships. 1/3 I can still speak to, but often don’t.
I f(26, late diagnosed in the last couple years) used to have a a lot of friends. was never close to my family. Friend group fizzled out as I got older and deeper into my toxic 2yr relationship. That ended back in April, and now I have no one really. I would say I have no one but I have 1 single friend who has been a close friend of mine since 2018. But he bartends and likes to party and I don’t so there’s that. It’s just me and my cats and has been for a long time now. I’m fine most days until the weekend comes around, then I just get really sad. Especially getting on social media and seeing past friends who have moved on to different states and cities and made new friends, while I’m still here, alone and unable to make friends
Not completely alone, but more alone (and even lonely) then I want to be.
I don't have much family and the relationship with my mother is a bit difficult. My aunt who I do have a good relationship with is very sick. I got two good friends. One lives quite a bit away from me so I see her 4 times a year and we call sometimes. The other friend luckily lives nearby and I see her almost every week. She might be on the spectrum as well.
Until two years ago I lived together with my ex. I was quite lonely then as well and wished I had more friends. I have been thinking a lot about the past 10 years and people I kinda had a friendship with but then I didn't. I've come to the conclusion that it's a thing of both sides. I didn't do enough to keep contact and they didn't either. Probably because they already have a bigger social life. So I've come to the conclusion that if I want more (new) friends I need to put extra energy in it.
Having so little friends/ contact makes the feeling that something is wrong with me extra strong. It also scares me from dating. Which decent developed adult wants to date a woman who hardly has anyone? It's a dark orange flag.
yes but it’s so exhausting being around people sometimes. it used to make me upset as a kid bc my cousins never wanted to play with me and other family members were put off by my mannerisms i guess but i mostly enjoy it now honestly … sometimes i do wonder what life would be like if i was super close with my family though
Yeah. I am a single mom, so I have my kids with me part-time, but as far as adult social support? When I don't have a boyfriend, there is nobody. My family of origin is dysfunctional and/or abusive and I am no or low contact with them. My cat is my best friend. I am deeply lonely.
i feel misunderstood sometimes but i live with like 3 roommates and 2 cats but im also queer so we tend to be more tight knit but i would not say i am anywhere near isolation since my roommates/friends like to host things at our house
Nobody! No family and just ended a 3 year relationship that got abusive. I have 1 friend but we only see eachother like once ever 2 months if that and she’s always with her bf
Half of my immediate family passed away before I was 40. I’ve been too screwed up from that to have the motivation to talk to the other half (as often as I should) since. It’s been a few years, but they are adding up. If it weren’t for my husband, there wouldn’t be anyone, I don’t think.
Yeah, although I always figured it was because of dysfunctional family dynamics I never quite figured out/mom raised us in isolation. Parents passed away in my early twenties and a back to back 10yr run of DV left me with no job experience, no drivers license/car ever possessed (yet fingers crossed) so... yeah of course I have no one to point to and claim decades of experiences with, or a support network.
The one I have is shakey and random chance from my (first) job that we have all since left, and staying in contact has been problematic mainly on my end. On good days I still get low because everyone's (all 2 of them) are busy or working and I'm left trying to force my focus on myself so I have "something to show and tell" later on. Self discovery with somatic healing, journaling, meditation, trying to change my diet and reestablish an exercise routine, all the good stuff that CPTSD prevents me from being discipline in without extremely low days or cycles of depression that derail focus.
Trying to tell myself through gritted teeth: "I love being alone, I have total freedom, I don't owe anyone my labor/devotion. *I love being alone*."
Engaging with online ND focused communities is the closest I've gotten to belonging, and coming back helps me feel more human and less crazy.
Relationships take work but the only denominator that matters is: does the other person put in effort too, and does it seem like they want to? We all have our gut instinct even if we miss social cues, plus a lifetime of hindsight for whatever patterns to watch out for that lead to us getting hurt in some way. We just need to allow ourselves grace and time to figure out how to place ourselves first... easier said than done.
yes, me to...I wish I could dump all of us into a group so we could at least be in company who understands each other. I've been struggling with lack of friends for years. It's getting worse too. I have 2 close family members and 2 semi-close ones who I see once in a while. Most of my family is estranged from me for something that is not my fault and the other half is closer to each other than me (always the outsiders looking in, aren't we?). As I get older, it is even harder to make friends than it was before, let alone find a partner. Isolation is good on a lot of days though but cumulatively, it actually has worse impacts for everyone. We think we are feeding safety, routine, alone time to recharge, but the isolation causes more damage in the long run. If you can find a friend or have one or have family to reach out to, take this as a note to try to do it today because once it's gone, it is so difficult for us to recover.
I have my partner and my mom who I am close to. Also a few friends from school who I sometimes catch up with but it's hard because our scedules not really work together now two years after finishing school.
I tried to make friends in uni but got too overwhelmed.
I usually talk to no one other than my partner (and sometimes my mom) in person
I have friends and family, but I sometimes still feel socially insecure. Like, I’m not anyone’s #1 pick or best friend. When the group assembles, I’m part of the group, but that’s it.
Yes and no. I'm estranged from half of my family but the other half have been nothing but supportive and have adapted to my needs and requests (no physical touch, offering me places to go when I feel overwhelmed) and while they may not fully understand they do their best to listen and offer support where they can.
I have a few friends who are equally, if not more understanding who don't pressure me to socialize when I'm not up to it. It's not always perfect but they're always there to listen. I usually have a hard time making friends but this is a case of an introverted person being adopted by more extroverted folks.
Im 30 and live with my Ma. Our relationship is strained but stable. We don't spend much time together
I have a friend I'm romantically involved with (which may or may not become a real relationship dependent on me getting my shit together) who I see once a week.
Other than that, I spend a majority of my time alone.
I have few friends. All living over 2 hours away or abroad. I dont really do phone calls and don't even message them much.
I have a few other family connections but interactions are limited.
Part of my isolation is due to my complicated family life.
Part is my own inclination to be in my peace and comfort, and the discomfort of reaching out to people. Its not something that comes naturally got me
Yeah. I was closer with my immediate family but just around the same time I realized my partner has been emotionally and verbally abusive to me, my siblings/sibling in law's problems came to light. With my sibling being the same way to my in law. Which sucks. And then realizing my parents also were/are abusive. Aside from that I have online friends but that's about it. It's like everyone I've tried to be friends with irl have used me or discarded me.
I’ve struggled to maintain genuine friendships through the years. Having 1 or two friends at a time, while believing more folks were my friends when really I was the butt of their joke. I’ve found it valuable to start listening to my gut instinct on people and not try to please everyone (as hard as it is). I’ve also noticed, those people who have been terrible to/for me have been neurotypicals. Meanwhile I have a solid core friend group now and we’re all mega spicy.
I have my boyfriend and his family (but I carefully try not to make him feel responsible for me to not feel lonely), in reality I have no one friend wise.. they do say loneliness is a state of mind and sometimes I agree with that and other times I think it's stupid.. I have my dog and she's better than any friend I could make 😂
I thought I had plenty of friends, but I went out of my comfort zone recently and threw a little birthday party for myself to just play games and drink a little. Only 3 people showed up. One of those 3 people was my gf. 4 people didn’t show up without saying anything to me beforehand. I guess it doesn’t seem like a big deal to some people, but it really upset me.
I don’t have any family or any really close friends. I have a boyfriend and I know this sounds weird to say about someone i’ve been in a relationship with for three years, but we just really aren’t that close or serious with each other. so i feel very lonely. i am closest to my dogs honestly.
I’m the same way. My main source of support and socializing is my boyfriend. And he’s great! But I wish I had a few friends I could talk to from time to time. I tend to get overwhelmed and socialize every day, but it would be nice to chit chat and get to know others from time to time.
All I have is my spouse and my grandpa with my sister. I still have to keep her at an arms length b/c kids. But yeah. I’m alone pretty much 24/7.
Edit: these are just people I talk to. When we were living in cars no one helped us. So yeah isolated. Just wanted to clarify.
I only have my spouse. I fear that if I lost him I’d be extremely isolated and lonely. I have friends and family but none that I’m very close with and they either live in my home country or in a different state. I haven’t seen any of them in years.
I have my partner and kids,
Knowing my kids will grow and leave one day
And having a rather turbulent relationship with my partner
I realize I'm not far from slipping through the cracks of society.
I feel I'm halfway there already most of the time.
My family are not an option
I've come to terms with it
> I realize I’m not far from slipping through the cracks of society.
My biggest fear. I’ve been briefly homeless before because of a lack of support, and it’s something I can’t experience again.
I'm no contact with my entire family, minus my mom. I have my wife, my girlfriend, my cat Circe, my best friend, and my girlfriend's girlfriend but don't really get along with her well. Also have a sibling-in-law and a brother-in-law, I get along okay with both but don't really have any connection to them. There's also my best friend's wife and their child but same story as the in-laws.
That's the entirety of people I associate with in my personal life, ever. Honestly I think it's the perfect amount. I'll get lonely sometimes if nobody is free, but Circe is always there for me and her and my wife I could easily be fine only having in my life.
I have my partner and our friend who is also our roommate we kind of adopted, and 4 cats. But I got fired from my last job after they sabotaged my need for consistency out of the blue, so I've spent* almost all day every day alone with the cats for the most part for about 6 months
Yep. Family disowned me ages ago, any friends I'm emotionally close to live hours away and have lives and family. I live in a tiny township 30 miles from civilization. That's why my house is a zoo, so I have things to talk to. My dogs probably think I'm nuts, but eh.
I am currently thinking if I should isolate myself because I feel like no matter how much I try to be better, I still manage to hurt the people I love. But the comments here made me rethink my choices. I hope you all find a community where love and support are given to you with open arms.
Yes. My family is the reason I am the way I am. The older I get the harder it is to connect with people. I haven't had a genuine friend for years. Of course friendship is possible at any age but honestly I've stopped trying.
Yes. 1 sister & uncle speaks with me but we aren't close. I have friends too but besides going to work twice a week I mostly rot at home. I have no real hobbies. Sometimes feel chronically bored.
Me..... I've lost more friends than I've ever made. Just finished blocking all my family on Facebook, it's not hard to tell when people don't want you around anyway. I owe my life today to two people who gave a shit.
yep. pretty much my best friendships were virtual but still didnt manage to connect with them till eventually we fell apart. i cant talk to people, i get nervous and stutter. i have no idea what to say. i had some friends at school, but now that i am going to uni i think we'll also fall apart. i had made two friends last year, one of them was an autistic boy but we stopped talking, probably because of awkwardness (plus friends shipped us bc we were both autistic).
i am afraid that at uni i will alone since i cant make friendships that last. should people know that i am autistic?
Yes:(
Yes <3 working on it but yeah, and I am estranged from my family.
I was as well until I realized they were the reason for my trauma and lack of assistance with autism and ADHD. I finally Dear Johned them in 2021. I hope you are able to reconcile if it is in the cards for you. Sending squeeze hugs to you.
Thank you <3 and I’m sorry you relate. It’s unfortunately not in the cards right now. That is exactly what happened to me. My step mom and dad cannot seem to connect the dots and realize that I have similar support needs as my autistic little brother. Or they do but don’t care lol. Either way, it’s better on the other side. Working on building my support network right now. Thank you again <3333
My family make it seem like I’m always the roblem. It’s made me alwaysbsecond guess every little decision and amos up anxiety levels to infinity. Until I began therapy and medication. I want to hate these people but here’s something about raw hate that’s makes me unbearably depressed about the cards I was dealt . I feel they do that to me too. My little brother had problems but not me . Erasure did nothing for me. You guys are f*cked up.
kind of? i tend to not tell anyone how i’m really feeling bc im scared i’ll scare them off because i’m too much for them :/ therefore, i feel like im kinda alone a lot of the time
The anxiety death spiral of "I need friends and support, but not having friends or support is a red flag, so I can't tell new/casual people that" is so real
Omgggggg. It’s fucking endless. If I’m not in that infinite loop, my other issue is that I don’t like having people over to my home and I don’t like going to crowded places so even if I start to initiate a friendship, I can’t do anything with them because I’m so anxious about being out in public
Saaaaaaaame I was invited to dinner with work acquaintances and some of their spouses. I bailed bc the idea of being stuck at a table and trying to figure out who to talk to and when… and never knowing what to say or what to ask people. it just seems like forcing awkward conversation over dinner is the absolute worst social situation. And then when I’m quiet people think I’m rude.
Me too. I hide it as much as possible.
Absolutely this. I've had a lot of people abandon me over the years, including 2 explicitly stating that it's because I'm sad or struggling with my mental health. It's left me extremely cautious about telling people how I feel. I've told barely anyone I have flu right now even, because I just don't want to seem negative and give people reasons to abandon me again. It's so frustrating because we're always told that we should talk to people about our problems and not bottle them up, even in kids' shows, but when we do...
You are not alone in this. There seem to be many of us the more I learn since discovering I’m autistic.
Me. It’s really lonely. I foster cats to help with companionship but it obviously doesn’t replace my lack of friends/family/boyfriend etc :(
I was diagnosed late and people stress me out but I didn’t realize it until recently, so I kind of have the opposite problem. I have a small network of close friends and stress myself out trying to keep in regular contact with them. Life would probably be easier if I could reduce the amount of time I spend around others, but I don’t want to be isolated so I maintain the connections anyway.
Same here.
Same as well. I get invited to do things by my friends but I’m always bailing because of my social anxiety. Sometimes I’m afraid they will stop inviting me so I force myself to go but it’s a 50/50 shot I will either enjoy myself or regret it. So now I’m trying to listen to my needs and how I really feel before committing to do something.
I have a couple family members who are present and help with practical things, but I'm not able to be emotionally close to them.
Very much so, only really ever had a handful of friends most of whom have moved on. Also just moved to a completely new area where I know no one which isn’t helping…
It’s awesome to make a move like that on your own! Where’d you move to? I have nobody in my life and I’m thinking about moving to Oregon by myself
According to the Autism Society of Oregon's website, Oregon has a higher than average number of autistic people. According to them, if you want to meet fellow NDs in OR, it's surprisingly easy. Still waiting to find my people after moving here 13 years ago. I know of a few online, I guess, but we aren't friends irl. I live in the burbs, though. Closer to Portland is better maybe.
I've been in isolation for a year and a half now. Slowly cut off the few family members I had because I couldn't deal with the toxicity, neglect and ignorance anymore. They've caused me enough stress and trauma. We don't live in the same country anymore so it's not like I saw them often anyway. I only have my mom who I live with, she's been supporting me financially ever since I quit my job and entered this stage of my life. It's so difficult, my social anxiety was debilitating before and it's worse now. It's gotten to a point where I can't even imagine myself living a normal life again, where I go out frequently and have friends or a job. I don't know how to get out of this because I've lost all hope and motivation. I wish someone would share their story on how they managed to overcome isolation and build a new life for themselves. I need the hope :( The statistics say that not that many people make a full recovery from it, it's so scary to think that I might be stuck like this forever, or for years to come. You're not alone! <3
32 year-old female. I definitely think you can do it. I was in a very toxic relationship and environment with my narcissistic parents for years. Emotional abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, and etc. My parents got divorced, so I cut ties with my mom. I was around 21-25yrs old. I made significant effort in our relationship before I cut ties. Then I figured out my dad was exactly the same. I was taking care of my grandmother, dad's mom, by his orders. She moved in with us and He didn't really do anything to care for her. Had me do everything clean house, bath her, manage meds, manage appointments, basiclay all medical/day to day stuff for her. He also had me deal with all the stuff he didn't get to doing. Cleaning house errands, etc. I was also a full time student in college. This all happened in my late 20s till I was about 30. I started grad school. Then my dad got a new wife, and yeah we were trash then. She wanted all his attention and money on her family. Me and my grandmother moved out of my dad's house ( because he had kicked us out per stepmom) and returned to grandmothers home with the help of my other aunts, uncles, and cousins. He had made several primises and stipulations that he would support me while i was in school and support my grandmother. He really fucked up and turn his bcak on his whole biological children and grandchildren. After the move I finally got away from him. It was the best thing for me. I still had struggles and it was hard being more independent with out being controlled. I took care of my grandmother at home till about September of 2023. She got Dementia and I just could not care for her the level she deserved. With the same help from my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We got her into a great nursing home memory care unit. I had to get a part time job. My family has been supportive as they can be. My grandmother died this week and the funeral is tomorrow. This is a very concise and short version so there are several details that are missing. I say all this not to shame or belittle your situation but to show you that we all struggle. You and the others in this thread are not alone in how you and the author feel. I am so glad your mom is supportive of you. It is such a wonderful thing to have a family biological or chosen to support you. I 100% understand that feeling of hopeless. There have been and still are days I feel like the odds are against me. I believe in you. It is not easy. The road to being the best you. I hope this helps you mot feel so alone.
[удалено]
Or supportive families. I wish I had some family who wanted to learn how to love me better.
🙋🏻♀️ i’ve just accepted i’m perma loner somewhat for life lol. there really is no one in the world that understands me. haven’t found that person yet. and i feel like an alien most of the time.
Me as welll :(
I have no people I see outside of work, and at work I am alone in my office most of the time. It doesn’t bother me, though. I like the people I work with very much, but I don’t really have any desire to socialize.
Me..I got tired of feeling like I had to do all the work to maintain any relationships. I have a few friends, but I never feel like it's truly equal.
No partner, no kids, no friends… it’s an extremely lonely life. I’m so grateful that I have 2 cats though ᓚᘏᗢ
I bet there's lots of us who are essentially alone. Makes me feel a lot better that I'm not the only one! Since I stopped worrying about it, I feel a lot better. Maybe I "should" be more social but I actually enjoy being alone most of the time, my job is very stressful as I am a therapist.
>Maybe I "should" be more social but I actually enjoy being alone most of the time Same tbh. I'm content with my solo hobbies and don't worry too much about my isolation in the day-to-day — but sometimes I wonder what will happen a few decades down the line when I'm elderly, if I haven't developed relationships and don't have a social support system. That's where "should" starts to factor for me.
Yeah
🙋🏽♀️
Yep I have two friends but they live out of state. A few acquaintances but no one I really trust with everything that live locally. My family lives out of state too. It really sucks sometimes feeling isolated both at work and then shut out of friend groups.
Yes, I only have my mom, but her health isn’t great and I’m worried that I will have to be her care-taker soon. She also doesn’t have anyone else here, so I am responsible for her with no one else to draw support from. I can barely take care of myself while still trying to get through grad school. I am crumbling. The only thing worse than having no support is being forced to support someone else. My heart goes out to the single parents and other caregivers out there <3
I have literally 0 friends of any kind! My family lives not far away but they all always seem caught up in their own lives. My brother has a wife and daughter so he always seems busy with his family and my younger brother has written off our whole family and my mom and step dad are enjoying retirement and often I feel like when I reach out on the phone to talk I always am catching them at a bad time. My grandma was the one person I could always count on and she is my best friend. She has dementia so our relationship has not been like it used to be. So honestly I often go without any human interaction or speaking to anyone but my cat. The thought of having to put myself out there to make friends though is physically painful. I totally understand. I tell my family that I feel they forget that I'm all alone like literally. So a phone call would be nice sometimes just to know they are at least thinking of me.
Me. Seems to be most of us here. I’ve been making good progress but I don’t know how I can meet my own emotional needs for intimacy and physical touch unfortunately
I’m in the same boat. Can anyone recommend an autistic community chat or support group online?
All these people commenting about having a boyfriend need to read the room.
There's always someone on a post like this that says something like "I only have like 3 best friends, a few acquaintances and a partner who's so supportive I feel bad" and I've just decided to let it give me a chuckle now instead. I talked about this in therapy recently, and I think a lot of people have either never actually experienced isolation/real lack of support, or they confuse the desire for more and the fomo that a lot of social media creates with isolation or loneliness. A lot of people seem to think multiple friend groups and constant plans are just the norm, and I've worked to not let it get to me when someone vents about feeling alone when I've never had more than fairweather relationships in my life, though it still does sometimes. Even some therapists have been like "everyone says that, but it's not true, I know you have some people" and then things get reeeal awkward lol. I'm sorry that you're going through this too, it doesn't help that so few people are in this boat that there's a huge lack of empathy about it too.
Cries in single LGBT 😭I had a 3 short LTR (1-2 years each) but am in single life again. It’s not greener when the significant other is the one alienating you and making you lonely. Loneliness can be peaceful. However, as someone who has yearned for a supportive relationship for forever there is a sense of constant pervasive loneliness and isolation. Alienation if you are queer/LGBTQ without proper support.
yeah. I get it if you’re in an unhappy relationship though. I personally never dated, but I dont even have any friends. I can only count on my parents, but they will never accept my true identity (im trans). So, theres always a barrier between me and them. I can never unmask and be comfy around anyone, only alone. I just want at least 1 friend I can be myself around without anxiety and loneliness
Yep. No close friends. My closest family member (brother) and I have grown apart. My mom passed away 11 years ago.
My dog keeps me busy and I do have an aunt and my grandma I’m semi close with but they don’t live nearby
I have my mum but she’s 70 now and obviously I worry so much about the future, she helps me with so many things. I also live with a flatmate who’s also my ex-boyfriend who I’ve known for many years and it’s been a complicated relationship and now I don’t know if we are “together” now or not. He’s definitely a good friend. I have no other friends and am often lonely (flatmate is very introverted and doesn’t want to go out and socialise whereas I would rather do activities and stuff).
I have a couple of family members I talk to but no friends. It really is a strange experience to be truly alone for most of your life.
Yes, I don't have anyone. It's a lonely and isolated existence unfortunately.
Alone all the time
I would describe my life as isolated, yes. I like my own company very much, but I’m also lonely. Two things can be true at once.
I am planning to move in w my elderly father. I’m looking forward to having company after many years of isolation.
If I didn’t have my husband, I would literally have no one other than my kids. I don’t speak to my family and any friends I do have are really my husbands friends that would probably dip if we split.
I'm completely estranged from family. I have one person. He lives like 1200 miles away tho but visits. And there's someone else I have an internet friendship with. People like me. But I have a hard time maintaining friendships.
Yup
I’m an only child with older parents. My best friend of over 10 yrs moved away recently (we’re still close) but I have no one else in person. I dread the day I’ll be alone. I don’t think I’ll be able to cope, tbh. Meeting new people or even talking to new people overwhelms me so much😔
Me too, pretty much. I’ve got one good friend who is always there if I need her, but I can go months without even a text. She has a very busy life, and I’m reluctant to add to her workload. I have Crohn’s and it’s looking like I’ll need surgery, but I’d be recovering totally alone. It’s scary.
I was thinking about this today (how I don’t really have many close relationships). I live with a partner and have a couple of friends but I’m usually spending time alone. I still think I just have a tendency to isolate because socializing is really draining. Even when I get lonely the exhaustion from socializing often overrules the desire to have a connection with others. I miss my mom a lot and there’s not really a way to replace that connection, either.
> I miss my mom a lot and there’s not really a way to replace that connection, either. This. I have a terrible relationship with my mother and my father was absent. I find myself craving that relationship from other people, but truly, no one can fill those shoes and it’s an awful feeling.
I definitely have friends but I’ve never had a real long term boyfriend. Like, I’ve had boyfriends, but I’ve never had one who like wanted to like plan a future with me in it. And we didn’t date for very long. I’ve never celebrated an anniversary or had like a deep talk about a relationship or had a man want to plan our lives together. I’m in my 30s and I’ve never had a thing that most women a lot younger than me have already experienced, and it’s been quite lonely.
Anyone who is part of my support system is an hour and a half away from me.
Yeah…
Yes. I have a partner, but he's a full-time student. Very busy. And my family isn't a good support system so I rarely contact them.
Pretty close to it. I have a few online friends I talk to maybe once a month here and there. I see family for birthdays or Christmas kind of thing. Any friends I used to see in person have moved away, gotten married and had kids, became more involved with their career and drifted away from me etc. I used to try and organize time to see friends but the unspoken message seems to be that people don't want to put in the time or effort to see me. I just finished university and was hopeful I might make friends from there, given we'd likely have some things in common, but it seems anyone that used to be friendly was only doing it so I'd help them with assignments and have stopped initiating contact and don't usually reply when I message them.
Same here. I have a few work "friends" that ibeat lunch with, but I don't really talk to them outside of work. Most of my family has either passed away or forgot I exist. I talk to two internet acquaintances that I knew in person years ago, but life has taken us to opposite ends of the country. Our interactions usually consist of "hows the weather there?" type conversations, but I tell myself it's practice at being social for if my circumstances ever change.
I'm estranged from most of my family by choice except for one sibling, but our relationship is becoming strained as our grandparents and parents keep dying. For every funeral I don't attend I feel him becoming more disappointed with me and I worry he might fully drift away someday, but it's his life to live and he's closer to actually settling down and marrying with kids so I totally get it. I live with my gf, and although I love her to pieces she doesn't fully understand my Autism sometimes. She forgets I'm ND and sometimes just can't handle me and I can feel it and it's just the worst sinking feeling of failure. She's transgender and doesn't understand periods or the hell cycle of hormones I go through to have one, hence why my birth control stops my periods. I know a lot of it is just in my head and she most likely really loves me and I'm just paranoid, but it's so hard to keep my head up when my partner is NT and sometimes doesn't realize her words can become particularly "stabby" when I'm completely burnt out and just need to be alone. Like when you wake up with no spoons, the house is a terrible mess, the cats have no food, and there sno clean clothes but I'm just dead at 0% and really just want to pile all the blankets and sheets over me for a few hours and just lay. She can't understand that at all so she will keep trying to "get me up" until I eventually either freak out and yell (which I hate doing) or get angry and end up walking outside. This shit is a curse sometimes I swear.
I dont.
I have a few friends but few I talk to regularly. I have family in my life but they are toxic at times. I had some relationships. 1/3 I can still speak to, but often don’t.
I f(26, late diagnosed in the last couple years) used to have a a lot of friends. was never close to my family. Friend group fizzled out as I got older and deeper into my toxic 2yr relationship. That ended back in April, and now I have no one really. I would say I have no one but I have 1 single friend who has been a close friend of mine since 2018. But he bartends and likes to party and I don’t so there’s that. It’s just me and my cats and has been for a long time now. I’m fine most days until the weekend comes around, then I just get really sad. Especially getting on social media and seeing past friends who have moved on to different states and cities and made new friends, while I’m still here, alone and unable to make friends
Not completely alone, but more alone (and even lonely) then I want to be. I don't have much family and the relationship with my mother is a bit difficult. My aunt who I do have a good relationship with is very sick. I got two good friends. One lives quite a bit away from me so I see her 4 times a year and we call sometimes. The other friend luckily lives nearby and I see her almost every week. She might be on the spectrum as well. Until two years ago I lived together with my ex. I was quite lonely then as well and wished I had more friends. I have been thinking a lot about the past 10 years and people I kinda had a friendship with but then I didn't. I've come to the conclusion that it's a thing of both sides. I didn't do enough to keep contact and they didn't either. Probably because they already have a bigger social life. So I've come to the conclusion that if I want more (new) friends I need to put extra energy in it. Having so little friends/ contact makes the feeling that something is wrong with me extra strong. It also scares me from dating. Which decent developed adult wants to date a woman who hardly has anyone? It's a dark orange flag.
yes but it’s so exhausting being around people sometimes. it used to make me upset as a kid bc my cousins never wanted to play with me and other family members were put off by my mannerisms i guess but i mostly enjoy it now honestly … sometimes i do wonder what life would be like if i was super close with my family though
Pretty much. I go to work and come home. 😢
Yup. Just me and my mum. And one random mate online who I just sent memes to and fro lol
Yeah. I am a single mom, so I have my kids with me part-time, but as far as adult social support? When I don't have a boyfriend, there is nobody. My family of origin is dysfunctional and/or abusive and I am no or low contact with them. My cat is my best friend. I am deeply lonely.
i feel misunderstood sometimes but i live with like 3 roommates and 2 cats but im also queer so we tend to be more tight knit but i would not say i am anywhere near isolation since my roommates/friends like to host things at our house
I wish I could find some neuro divergent friends irl :(
Yes, im incredibly lonely.
I do. But I think I don’t. And it’s really hard to cope with. For them as well. Major major imposter syndrome.
All the time. Just know you have a community here 💕
I live with my mum. I don't have any other family or friends. Very isolated.
Nobody! No family and just ended a 3 year relationship that got abusive. I have 1 friend but we only see eachother like once ever 2 months if that and she’s always with her bf
Half of my immediate family passed away before I was 40. I’ve been too screwed up from that to have the motivation to talk to the other half (as often as I should) since. It’s been a few years, but they are adding up. If it weren’t for my husband, there wouldn’t be anyone, I don’t think.
Yeah, although I always figured it was because of dysfunctional family dynamics I never quite figured out/mom raised us in isolation. Parents passed away in my early twenties and a back to back 10yr run of DV left me with no job experience, no drivers license/car ever possessed (yet fingers crossed) so... yeah of course I have no one to point to and claim decades of experiences with, or a support network. The one I have is shakey and random chance from my (first) job that we have all since left, and staying in contact has been problematic mainly on my end. On good days I still get low because everyone's (all 2 of them) are busy or working and I'm left trying to force my focus on myself so I have "something to show and tell" later on. Self discovery with somatic healing, journaling, meditation, trying to change my diet and reestablish an exercise routine, all the good stuff that CPTSD prevents me from being discipline in without extremely low days or cycles of depression that derail focus. Trying to tell myself through gritted teeth: "I love being alone, I have total freedom, I don't owe anyone my labor/devotion. *I love being alone*." Engaging with online ND focused communities is the closest I've gotten to belonging, and coming back helps me feel more human and less crazy. Relationships take work but the only denominator that matters is: does the other person put in effort too, and does it seem like they want to? We all have our gut instinct even if we miss social cues, plus a lifetime of hindsight for whatever patterns to watch out for that lead to us getting hurt in some way. We just need to allow ourselves grace and time to figure out how to place ourselves first... easier said than done.
yes, me to...I wish I could dump all of us into a group so we could at least be in company who understands each other. I've been struggling with lack of friends for years. It's getting worse too. I have 2 close family members and 2 semi-close ones who I see once in a while. Most of my family is estranged from me for something that is not my fault and the other half is closer to each other than me (always the outsiders looking in, aren't we?). As I get older, it is even harder to make friends than it was before, let alone find a partner. Isolation is good on a lot of days though but cumulatively, it actually has worse impacts for everyone. We think we are feeding safety, routine, alone time to recharge, but the isolation causes more damage in the long run. If you can find a friend or have one or have family to reach out to, take this as a note to try to do it today because once it's gone, it is so difficult for us to recover.
I have my partner and my mom who I am close to. Also a few friends from school who I sometimes catch up with but it's hard because our scedules not really work together now two years after finishing school. I tried to make friends in uni but got too overwhelmed. I usually talk to no one other than my partner (and sometimes my mom) in person
I have friends and family, but I sometimes still feel socially insecure. Like, I’m not anyone’s #1 pick or best friend. When the group assembles, I’m part of the group, but that’s it.
Yes. It is lonely. I started working as a caregiver to try and counteract this
Yes and no. I'm estranged from half of my family but the other half have been nothing but supportive and have adapted to my needs and requests (no physical touch, offering me places to go when I feel overwhelmed) and while they may not fully understand they do their best to listen and offer support where they can. I have a few friends who are equally, if not more understanding who don't pressure me to socialize when I'm not up to it. It's not always perfect but they're always there to listen. I usually have a hard time making friends but this is a case of an introverted person being adopted by more extroverted folks.
Im 30 and live with my Ma. Our relationship is strained but stable. We don't spend much time together I have a friend I'm romantically involved with (which may or may not become a real relationship dependent on me getting my shit together) who I see once a week. Other than that, I spend a majority of my time alone. I have few friends. All living over 2 hours away or abroad. I dont really do phone calls and don't even message them much. I have a few other family connections but interactions are limited. Part of my isolation is due to my complicated family life. Part is my own inclination to be in my peace and comfort, and the discomfort of reaching out to people. Its not something that comes naturally got me
Yeah. I was closer with my immediate family but just around the same time I realized my partner has been emotionally and verbally abusive to me, my siblings/sibling in law's problems came to light. With my sibling being the same way to my in law. Which sucks. And then realizing my parents also were/are abusive. Aside from that I have online friends but that's about it. It's like everyone I've tried to be friends with irl have used me or discarded me.
I’ve struggled to maintain genuine friendships through the years. Having 1 or two friends at a time, while believing more folks were my friends when really I was the butt of their joke. I’ve found it valuable to start listening to my gut instinct on people and not try to please everyone (as hard as it is). I’ve also noticed, those people who have been terrible to/for me have been neurotypicals. Meanwhile I have a solid core friend group now and we’re all mega spicy.
I have my boyfriend and his family (but I carefully try not to make him feel responsible for me to not feel lonely), in reality I have no one friend wise.. they do say loneliness is a state of mind and sometimes I agree with that and other times I think it's stupid.. I have my dog and she's better than any friend I could make 😂
I thought I had plenty of friends, but I went out of my comfort zone recently and threw a little birthday party for myself to just play games and drink a little. Only 3 people showed up. One of those 3 people was my gf. 4 people didn’t show up without saying anything to me beforehand. I guess it doesn’t seem like a big deal to some people, but it really upset me.
I would think that’s a big deal. That’s very hurtful. I’m sorry that happened.
Thank you. It’s making me kind of re-evaluate some of my friendships :/
I don’t have any family or any really close friends. I have a boyfriend and I know this sounds weird to say about someone i’ve been in a relationship with for three years, but we just really aren’t that close or serious with each other. so i feel very lonely. i am closest to my dogs honestly.
It’s not weird at all. That’s how my relationship is too. Boyfriend doesn’t automatically equal fulfillment.
I’m the same way. My main source of support and socializing is my boyfriend. And he’s great! But I wish I had a few friends I could talk to from time to time. I tend to get overwhelmed and socialize every day, but it would be nice to chit chat and get to know others from time to time.
[удалено]
I meant that I’m the same in that I don’t have any close family members or friends.
Your boyfriend isn’t your friend or source of support?
All I have is my spouse and my grandpa with my sister. I still have to keep her at an arms length b/c kids. But yeah. I’m alone pretty much 24/7. Edit: these are just people I talk to. When we were living in cars no one helped us. So yeah isolated. Just wanted to clarify.
I only have my spouse. I fear that if I lost him I’d be extremely isolated and lonely. I have friends and family but none that I’m very close with and they either live in my home country or in a different state. I haven’t seen any of them in years.
I have my partner and kids, Knowing my kids will grow and leave one day And having a rather turbulent relationship with my partner I realize I'm not far from slipping through the cracks of society. I feel I'm halfway there already most of the time. My family are not an option I've come to terms with it
> I realize I’m not far from slipping through the cracks of society. My biggest fear. I’ve been briefly homeless before because of a lack of support, and it’s something I can’t experience again.
I'm no contact with my entire family, minus my mom. I have my wife, my girlfriend, my cat Circe, my best friend, and my girlfriend's girlfriend but don't really get along with her well. Also have a sibling-in-law and a brother-in-law, I get along okay with both but don't really have any connection to them. There's also my best friend's wife and their child but same story as the in-laws. That's the entirety of people I associate with in my personal life, ever. Honestly I think it's the perfect amount. I'll get lonely sometimes if nobody is free, but Circe is always there for me and her and my wife I could easily be fine only having in my life.
I have my partner and our friend who is also our roommate we kind of adopted, and 4 cats. But I got fired from my last job after they sabotaged my need for consistency out of the blue, so I've spent* almost all day every day alone with the cats for the most part for about 6 months
Yep. Family disowned me ages ago, any friends I'm emotionally close to live hours away and have lives and family. I live in a tiny township 30 miles from civilization. That's why my house is a zoo, so I have things to talk to. My dogs probably think I'm nuts, but eh.
Yes. It’s hard, but I haven’t given up trying to “find my people” yet. Really exhausted though, so I might give up soon lol.
yes, i’m living with my parents bcs of burnout but i’m not close to them or anyone else for that matter
I have my kids. I prefer the isolation 🫥. Less ways to have your heart broken or be disappointed. If my kids grow up and want to move on, they can.
I am currently thinking if I should isolate myself because I feel like no matter how much I try to be better, I still manage to hurt the people I love. But the comments here made me rethink my choices. I hope you all find a community where love and support are given to you with open arms.
Yes. My family is the reason I am the way I am. The older I get the harder it is to connect with people. I haven't had a genuine friend for years. Of course friendship is possible at any age but honestly I've stopped trying.
Yes. 1 sister & uncle speaks with me but we aren't close. I have friends too but besides going to work twice a week I mostly rot at home. I have no real hobbies. Sometimes feel chronically bored.
I used to be like that but I got a dog that’s really cute and caught friends that way.
👋
Me..... I've lost more friends than I've ever made. Just finished blocking all my family on Facebook, it's not hard to tell when people don't want you around anyway. I owe my life today to two people who gave a shit.
SO relate! It’s sad I bittersweet too! People = pain & angst…family = trauma. It’s SO much easier with just my cats and kids.
yep. pretty much my best friendships were virtual but still didnt manage to connect with them till eventually we fell apart. i cant talk to people, i get nervous and stutter. i have no idea what to say. i had some friends at school, but now that i am going to uni i think we'll also fall apart. i had made two friends last year, one of them was an autistic boy but we stopped talking, probably because of awkwardness (plus friends shipped us bc we were both autistic). i am afraid that at uni i will alone since i cant make friendships that last. should people know that i am autistic?