70 Results in socialising

If I didn’t mask, I wouldn’t speak

I don't like the idea of masking because no one should have to hide who they really are. Individuality should be loved and accepted.  But masking is also a means of being able to interact, and often, if a person did not mask, they would not be able to interact at all. 

How reactive are you?

Someone who is unreactive might never say or do anything at all. Someone who is very reactive might talk too much, might talk inappropriately, might stand too close to people, be too "touchy-feely", or they might attempt to 'take over' an activity being done. The former is what you probably understand to be an autistic introvert, the latter an autistic extrovert.

Why have I become more introverted?

I quite often read that people feel they become more introverted as they get older. I was wondering how this was relevant to autistic people. Let me investigate...

When are expectations of people damaging?

One of the greatest challenges I experience with my relationships is the other person not adapting the way they interact or work with me despite me telling them that I have ASD. It's incredibly frustrating and disheartening having to deal with people who aren't flexible, but it happens to me so frequently that I am used to it.

10 ways to deal with unreliable people

I sometimes describe myself as being like a robot. In fact, other people often remark on how routine, reliable, disciplined and predictable I am. It is a characteristic that people admire about me. They tease me about it but then they also say that they wish they were more like me! The main drawback of being so reliable is that the majority of other people are not as reliable, so there is actually a mismatch a lot of the time between me and other people.

How to cope with not being able to integrate

Even though I always think that no one can tell I have ASD, there is at least one sign that I think should lead some people being able to work out that I do. I wasn't diagnosed with ASD when I was a child. Nobody thought anything was 'different' about me, but to be honest it was obvious there was something 'different' about me because I was...

Autism – a difference or disability?

In the UK autism is a recognised disability. I have noticed that some autistic people don't consider their autism to be a disability. This interests me as I feel strongly that my autism is a disability, however I can also see why people might think otherwise. What is meant by a disability? A disability is an impairment that affects a person's life.

The 3 factors needed to succeed in any situation

There are three very important factors that impact on whether or not I will have a positive and successful engagement. These factors are relevant to any and every engagement - work, hobbies, friends, dating, meetings, etc. It might be very helpful for you to recognise what these three things are. You might find you can incorporate something into a situation that you're already finding very hard and find that it becomes much easier; or you might find it explains why you struggle with one thing yet excel at something else...

Is it good to get outside your comfort zone?

There is some thinking that getting out of your comfort zone has lots of benefits. First, what exactly do we mean by 'comfort zone'? It generally means the activities we do that make us feel safe and comfortable, as opposed to activities that make us feel anxious and stressed. I think maybe when we think about comfort zones for autistic people or people with disabilities, they need to be thought about a bit differently. For example, I'm not sure getting out of my own comfort zone is always a good idea. In fact, I'd say that most of the time for me now, it's a bad idea. Defining your comfort zone I personally have a small number of situations that are inside my comfort zone. My house is obviously my comfort zone. My local area is my comfort zone. The way I choose to commute, by my bike, is my comfort zone. The places that I most frequently visit are my comfort zones. My routine is definitely my comfort zone. My hobbies and the way I do them are my comfort zone. My family is inside my comfort zone. My friends are inside my comfort zone (but only in certain contexts, see later). My places of work are probably just outside the edge of my comfort zone.

6 ways to be a more empathetic person

We can all develop our empathy for other people. It starts with putting yourself in another person’s shoes. This means as though you were them, not as though they were you. Here are some ways you can do this. 1. Focus on the other person’s personality When we are talking to someone, it’s common for… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only to members of our community. If you would like to continue to read thi…