Reply To: Trying to emerge from loneliness

[Ewoud]

Hi,

I can empathise. I find it way easier to enjoy myself with my projects and interests than with other people, but still other people are important to me. What helped me loads is to learn over the years not to be too bothered about not being able to small-talk. The thing is. We like real conversations right? Those usually come over time. Small talk is just for people that don’t know what to say so they fill silence with it. My brain just doesn’t work that way and that is totally fine. We aren’t all the same.

My advice is that you could try not to be too bothered about the fact that you don’t have so much to say. But there is one more thing you could do. I don’t see your hobbies/ interests in your profile (I expect that you play guitar though… ;), but what you could try to do is to find some club where people have the same hobbies as you do. That makes it easier to relate to others and gives you a topic to talk about. Or maybe try to find people to play together with. And the focus doesn’t really need to be to make friends but to share something you enjoy doing with others. That’s nice for others and it is nice for you.

We aspies have to face the fact that we aren’t that good with social situations and crowds and such, but smaler social settings are ok. They take little time to get familiar with so that is a small step, but it is helpful too. Once you find your place it will be easier and rewarding.

Also. I think it is easy to just think “partnering up with someone” if one is single. But I think (even though I built this site) that a healthy focus can also be “friendships”. Finding people you resonate with. Both male and female.It’s easier to find and accept friends who understand how you are while you understand them. There are some others not too far away from you on this site, so why not contact them to see if they feel like hanging out.

Just thinking of solutions. The best solutions you find yourself in your own situation if you manage to think outside of the box and maybe even a small step outside of your comfort zone because staying in there makes the rest of the world increasingly more uncomfortable I have found out. So for me it is best to push myself a bit every now and again too…

I hope some of this helps.

Greetings and good luck,

Ewoud