13. Finding it Hard to Make Friends
Making friends is difficult for everyone, especially if you are neurodiverse. Individuals with autism frequently fail to establish friends because they are afraid of being vulnerable, suffer from social anxiety, and lack the social skills required to create new acquaintances. Autistic people may struggle with social connections. When attempting to form and maintain friendships, they may become easily overwhelmed or discouraged. Making friends can be terrifying, perplexing, and anxiety-inducing for autistic children. There are several reasons why persons with autism may find it difficult to form and keep friendships. For autistic children, conversation can be a minefield. It can be difficult to start a conversation (finding things to say). Even if they would like to discuss a specific topic, they may be too nervous to do so or are unsure whether the other person is involved in the conversation. When people are nervous, they may become tongue-tied or forget what they want to say entirely. This is especially true for some people on the autism spectrum. They may be unaware that being in close proximity indicates that people are attempting to be pleasant. Furthermore, they may find it difficult to understand why individuals seem pleasant to them when their body language or gestures to others are different. Many persons with autism may struggle to distinguish between true and false friends. Making friends can be stressful due to the high expectations of others and any self-consciousness that persons with autism may face. It can be more stressful to speak to friends than strangers because there is an expectation that the friendship would be compatible with other individuals. Feeling self-conscious, hesitant, and apprehensive can surely make it difficult for people with autism to form friendships. When negative self-talk takes hold, people tend to believe they are not as good as others or that they are incapable of making friends. It can be challenging if people are unaware of their specific interests and the qualities they seek in a buddy.
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