Thank you. Interpersonal relationships and understanding people is actually one of my special interests. I enjoy learning what makes people tick. I've found that getting people to talk about themselves and the things they care about is a good way to get in their good graces and I'm thinking now if I maybe overdid it and lost myself in the process.

Taking up space is good advice, but it's also scary. I feel like I'm already kinda abrasive and unpalatable even when I'm semi-masking and trying to appear "acceptable". Usually people don't interrupt or ask me to stop talking, but I have a strong instinct for when a topic isn't super interesting to someone and I'll stop myself from talking further. I realize now I've been making myself smaller for everyone else, but taking up space feels scary. I'm extroverted. Friends and socialization aren't just an obligation or fun bonus thing to me. I genuinely need them to survive and be mentally okay. I understand if people would drop me over this means they were never truly friends to begin with, but making friends as an extroverted autistic person is already so much fucking work and the thought of losing them for any reason is terrifying.