For example: I was called “the perfectionist” at my kindergarten for having routines and wanting to do things the same.
I mean, probably all of them, but one thing that never sat well with me, is people calling me shy, because I wasn’t talkative. Or assuming that I would have stage fright, because I wasn’t talkative. Or thinking I was antisocial, because I wasn’t talkative.
Like, man, I just don’t have anything to say, please stop interpreting that.
I hate it when people interpret my behavior.
- Social confusion was taken as disregard or purposely offensive.
- Relating to others by sharing similar experiences was taken as being self-centered.
- Pointing out errors in logic was seen as disrespectful, even when asked to do so. Screw you, Dr Shepherd. Your study sucks because HPV can’t be cured! Anyone with basic sex ed isn’t going to fall for your stupid deception because it’s not even possible.
- Meltdowns were seen as crying for attention.
- Not being able to sit still and being hyper active was seen as misbehaving.
- Lack of eye contact was seen as disinterest.
I relate to your experiences.
I had people in my life who look down on me until I finally got along with my parents and got specialists and employers who care about me unlike the people I know that I despise now.
Thank you for relating. I think I’m on your same path, just a little behind. I had to basically clear everyone out first, just like a lady told me a year and a half ago. I’m still working on rebuilding, but since I don’t know how, it’s a really slow process. And since I’m so insistent on never falling into those crazy-making places again, the slightest hint of it makes me run. Slowly, I’m learning to assess if a place is safe and made a mistake, or it’s a purposeful manipulative tactic. But just like that freaking lady said, I rather be alone and peaceful that surrounded by jerks. Damn it, she was right about everything.
I’m really happy you found your people :)
Thanks, user.
As a child, I was told that I was shy. I was always upset about this because I knew that I wasn’t.
I don’t think you’re shy.
I was often labeled as a jerk because I act disproportionately to the world around me while people attack me because sometimes I do things they don’t like but they don’t know why because either they don’t let me explain or they don’t care or even they don’t know me.
My confusion and lack of social awareness has labeled me as ‘rude and disrespectful’ from so many people in my life, including my parents.
Not that my parents and I don’t get along now better than before, more like people outside my family pick on me for how I normally act compared to normal-minded people I know.
The funny thing is, other people who aren’t nice I consider rude and disrespectful instead and they’re usually the ones targeting me.
But I do get along with my parents better now.
Though even other autistic people pick on me only because each autistic person is different.
So basically, everyone picks on me.
Even people claiming they’re helping me because they think I don’t know any better.
I can’t really talk about who without facing liability because how I act is more important than what I personally think or feel myself.
