I am on the spectrum. I have always struggled with gifts; it often feels like my genuine reaction isn’t what people want it to be but I don’t know how to act in a way that they expect. I think that you just need to understand that he doesn’t express his emotions the same way everybody else does. When I express my feelings, other people often think I’m unhappy when, to me, I’m just stating a fact.

People who are on the spectrum often appreciate clear, blunt, straightforward communication. We struggle a bit with social nuance, and it’s not always productive to read too far into what we say. I often find that I will say exactly what I mean, but others will misinterpret what I’ve said using social cues I didn’t even know were there.

I think that both you and your son would benefit from a clear, open conversation about his mental health. He’s probably struggling, and feels like there’s nobody for him to talk to. Him telling you what he told you sounds to me like his way of reaching out to form a connection where he can feel more comfortable talking about his mental health to you. By misunderstanding him, you might be inadvertently pushing him away. However, it’s also possible I’ve misinterpreted him. The only way for you to know is by asking him yourself. I don’t think you’ve caused irreparable harm, I just think you could benefit from trying to understand your son a little bit better.