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My introduction

O

Oz67

Well-Known Member
Hi, I am Oren. I have ASD (Originally known as PDD-NOS).

I used to have trouble understanding the context of nonverbal cues until I got older, but by that time, I had a belief that no one had facial expressions, until I developed better social skills, but I still have a very hard time understanding mixed messages.

My social skills became more intact as I got older, but have severe problems with social-emotional respiratory.
 
Welcome, Oren. You certainly are not alone in not understanding social communication. I have been working through cPTSD stemming from social/sexual isolation as a teen and young adult precisely because of social anxiety resulting from my social deficits. I eventually was able to change, though at the time Autism was rarely diagnosed and I had to help myself and was only diagnosed at age 60, over a decade ago. I approached social communication like an anthropologist, reading a lot about it and body language. Then, started joining activity groups to get experience being social in a structured venue. This took several years and by 28 I was significantly more mature emotionally and socially.

I still take a lot of time to process social communication and am sometimes dissapointed in myself for not recognizing a positive attempt at connection. But I am OK with that, though a little sad.
 
welcome to af.webp
 
Hello.
I have trouble with mixed messages too. I drive my mother crazy with my demands for her to choose a line of thought and stick with it. For example, my mom asked my husband to build some shelves for her but then didn't start the work. Later she complained to me about the work not being done because the shelves were important. So I said I would ask my husband to get the job done and she said "No, don't do that. It's not important." :confused: So I said "Either it is important or it's not, but it can not be both things at once."
My poor mom. :)

Welcome to the forum!
 
Hi and welcome, yes many of us have those challenges. Did you mean, social and emotional responses? Those can be confusing and central to our communication differences. I hope you enjoy it here and find it useful and supportive.

:bicyclist::runner::snowboarder::surfer::swimmer::rowboat::rocket:
 
Welcome Oren, to the forums!

There are a lot of people here with social interaction difficulities.
I think you will find being here very helpful.

@Suzette I'm always getting into trouble and feeling annoyed when I can't see literal logic
in people saying things like you mentioned with your mom.
I wish people would just say what they mean and mean what they say.
It becomes so confusing as it doesn't make sense in my way of thought.
 
Hi and Welcome,

If someone gives me a mixed message, I take the one I like better and ignore the rest. ;)
 
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