Autism social groups: anyone go? What are they like for you?

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The one I attend doesn't need a diagnosis, but they'd prefer people to be in the process of actively getting one.

I'll go to one in a city I frequently travel to occasionally, and I co-organize one in the city I'm closest to, along with a NT colleague who is passionate about ASD issues.

Both are very casual and meet at different locations every time, depending on what the event is. There's a wide range of personalities in each of the groups, though the one I co-organize consists of young adults only, with me being the oldest one on the spectrum there. I like getting to know the other members and finding out how AS affects each of them.

They are both very inclusive environments where there is a safe space for people on the spectrum and no pressure to "act normal", and with both of these groups I've been experimenting with shedding this "social front" that I normally put on around most people. Overall, I've had some great experiences with both groups.

I just went to my first one this Saturday, I was earnestly trying to find a group specifically not 'parents of' or teen heavy. I found a group listed on the Loyola Marymount site and emailed, thinking it might be a dead link but eventually someone answered and forwarded me the meeting flyer.

I felt weird just showing up and thinking I was being that guy, the dreaded Unannounced Visitor.

I was struck that it was a little 'too' informal at first; no name tags and nobody to walk me through. After about 20 minutes of light stimming I began to relax and realize I was among my people. At one point I commented on how the creaking hinge on the cooler tends to startle me someone thoughtfully explained the biological response behind it.

Anyway it was a good experience, good age range (I was approx in the younger 1/3), good mix of functionality, and it's not too far for me to attend as they rotate houses fairly close to me. Only things are it's only monthly, it's only a small region of a greater geographical area, and I'm still clueless about exchanging contact info

While in college, a therapist I was seeing recommended I join their generalized group therapy sessions with about 10-15 other people to work on my social skills...it wasn't specifically for Asperger's but I'm positive some of the participants were diagnosed. Anyway, it wasn't much use for me...even after a few months, I was terrified to talk in front of these people and the therapists leading the group would have to coax answers out of me lest I never open my mouth the entire time. I think the environment was far too structured and some of the pub/bar/more casual settings and groups specifically for Asperger's some of you have mentioned, sound much, much better.