Do You Avoid Friendships Out of a Fear of Being Conned?

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The only friend that does not take advantage of you is man's best friend.

Uhh... Why do you ask? </sarcasm> Seriously though, I do find many NTs to be untrustworthy. It's just like Postperson said, it's all a power struggle for them.

The answer quite simply is: Yes.

I have recently stopped trying to be friends with people at work. Three people who I thought were at least casual friends turned on me at the same time. This was the latest incident in a series. I've decided to keep my work life and my private life strictly separate from now on.

I'm still open to friendships outside of work. At least if something goes wrong I won't have to see the person every day.

You see, THIS is the exact attitude that keeps people from being your friend, and its the exact attitude that makes people want to "con you". Friendship isn't life or death. If the person doesn't like you, or you don't like them, move on. If you like them, and they like you, then be friends with them. If they have a problem with you at some point, then they suck and it's their problem, not yours. Most of my friends don't call me. Ever. So I call them instead and everything works out fine. I have seven people I trust. Sadly, only two are within driving distance, and one goes to college in New York. I'm an excellent judge of character, so it's easy for me to see who is friend material and who isn't. So bottom line is, don't put people on a pedestal, cause PEOPLE SUCK A LOT. You know, kind of like how you can't put women on a pedestal. Women suck too. And so do men.

oh I attract psychos, people who want to befriend me are often crazy or turn out to be. and not 'good' crazy either.

No, I avoid friendships out of a fear of being bored.

I have been manipulated most of my life and I was only susceptible because I have AS, I think I can tell when someone is trying to con me now although I wouldn't want anyone to test that theory...

P.S. I forgot to answer the actual question, no I don't avoid friendships because of that. I try and get as many friends as I can. I do however am easily tricked into ordering stuff on T.V. and now I rarely watch T.V. anymore.

yes, last year i had money and video games stolen from me. i wont be so trusting anymore.

Unfortunately I've attracted my share of psychos and sickos. I married two of them. When I really screw up, I invite my whole family to celebrate the occasions. The betrayals are too many to mention. I too am open to friendships but now am unwilling to be the one to stick my neck out. I don't think I'm fearful of making friends... just very cautious.

This.

I fear getting close to people and getting hurt. Those close to me are the only people who can hurt me.

I don't fear being alone, I fear being with people for this reason (I've been hurt really bad once, and I don't want to ever go back to that place again).

I don't avoid friendship at all. But I've stopped bending myself into a pretzel to fit in with a person so they'll want to be my friend. Which, for an NLDer like me, is the same as avoiding friendship. It was hard enough making a friend when I DID bend myself into a pretzel, let alone now that I don't make 1/10th of the effort.

Another thing that's new in me is that I don't stay in a relationship till the bitter end as I did all my life. When I see a sign or two that the person is showing less interest than before, I quit.

I don't avoid friendship but I need time to trust truly someone because I've been cheated on by my so-called friends before... I just don't know anymore who is honest and who's not... well, before I thought everyone was honest in friendship !

I dont actively avoid friendships but do keep myself to myself a lot. I think its a mixture of being taken advantage of when I was younger by so called friends and fear of having to start and maintain conversation with others.

I do have a small circle of close friends, and am starting to make friendships in my new job so im getting there slowly at 31

i avoid "friendships" not deliberately.
i just do not see them on my horizon so i never navigate toward them.