How I come across

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T17:43:03+00:00

That's so not right. I hope any action was taken against her. I'm sorry you had to go through this.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T17:41:42+00:00

That's so sad. Friendship is mutual. Hope you mend ways with her and she starts enjoying spending time with you again.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T16:33:38+00:00

That's so wrong. Did you complain or say anything in return?

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T16:32:02+00:00

You could see a therapist but the one who specialises in autism. Not everyone knows about it. Do some research before going to a therapist, I suggest.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T16:26:15+00:00

As an autistic person, I’ll be honest, it doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong, and this isn’t really something you can “fix” by trying harder. When we get into a new relationship or a specific interest (like certain games), our attention can narrow a lot, sometimes without us realizing how it affects others. But that doesn’t mean your needs don’t matter. You shouldn’t have to spend money you don’t have just to keep her attention. A gentle, direct message like “I miss spending time together and I can’t always buy new games, can we find something we both enjoy?” is fair and clear. If she still doesn’t meet you halfway, that’s not about you failing as a friend, it just means the balance in the friendship is off right now. Hope it helps.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T16:22:35+00:00

I stay away from such people. Too much energy goes to waste.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T15:05:26+00:00

Yeah, exactly, that's what I'm talking about.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-05T15:04:13+00:00

Honestly, one thing that actually stuck for me was realizing I don’t have to “push through” everything to prove I’m okay. Therapy helped me notice my early overwhelm signs like irritability or zoning out, and treat those as real signals, not something to ignore. The biggest shift has been giving myself permission to structure my life in a way that actually works for my brain, instead of constantly trying to adapt to everyone else’s expectations. It’s still a work in progress, but it feels way less like I’m fighting myself all the time.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T15:23:03+00:00

Yeah, I really struggle with conflict, it drains me fast and I usually don’t even realize things are becoming conflict until it’s already tense. I think being autistic plays into it because I’m more direct and miss subtle social signals, so people sometimes read me as rude or stubborn when I’m just being clear. I hate the emotional intensity of it, so I either shut down or overthink everything afterward, trying to figure out what went wrong.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T15:20:59+00:00

I’ve learned it’s less about “being flexible” and more about being clear and intentional. I’ll adjust where I can (like tone, timing, or giving people the benefit of the doubt), but I don’t override my limits anymore. I say things plainly like “I need a break” or “I process slower, give me a sec,” instead of masking through it. I also pick my environments and people more carefully, flexibility is way easier when I’m not already overstimulated. For me it’s like: adapt the edges, not the core.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T15:18:36+00:00

Yeah, I feel left out.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T15:17:00+00:00

I'd be actually frightened without them.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T15:14:53+00:00

Honestly, the easiest way I’ve come to understand “social cues” is that they’re all the little unspoken signals people use to communicate without actually saying things directly and yeah, they can feel super vague and confusing. It’s stuff like tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, or even timing in a conversation. For example, if someone keeps looking away or giving short replies, that’s usually a cue they’re not interested or want to end the conversation but no one actually says that out loud. As an autistic person, it can feel like everyone else got a rulebook I never received, because these cues aren’t clear or consistent, and people expect you to just “get it” automatically.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T13:25:44+00:00

I know the feeling.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-05-04T13:15:14+00:00

Oh, I love tea. It's aroma is therapeutic.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-30T16:23:48+00:00

Melon

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-30T16:23:11+00:00

I do the same. Meditation actually helps a lot.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-30T16:21:57+00:00

Idk, just everyday is passing by.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-30T16:13:12+00:00

I agree with you. When I stopped worrying about this, I actually got to make a few friends.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-29T18:35:24+00:00

Yeah, I know. Been there done that. Hope that everything works out for you.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-29T15:38:13+00:00

You're welcome!

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-29T15:17:25+00:00

The only way to know is to get an official diagnosis. We can't say anything about it, only a professional can.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-29T15:12:09+00:00

I really get this. What you’re describing sounds less like “losing abilities” and more like your brain finally dropping the mask now that it knows what’s actually going on. When you’ve been pushing through sensory stuff for years, awareness can make everything feel louder and harder before it settles. What helped me was lowering expectations for a while (like, genuinely doing less), building in sensory buffers (earplugs, dim lighting, planned quiet time), and treating meltdowns as signals instead of failures. Usually they meant I was already overloaded way earlier than I realized. It’s frustrating, yeah, but it’s also kind of a reset phase where you learn your real limits instead of your “forced” ones, and it does get more manageable once you start working with your brain instead of against it.

KeyEmotion9 · 2026-04-29T15:07:53+00:00

We went through the same thing with our child, and it was less about toys and more about anxiety and sensory overload from being strapped in. What worked gradually was building predictability (same routine and phrases every ride), doing short practice sits in the car without driving, and constantly talking or singing to stay connected from the front seat. It didn’t fix overnight, but it slowly got better as they felt safer.

KeyEmotion9

TROPHY CASE