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blue1skies
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09 Jan 2013, 10:19 pm

Most of the time, my differences from other people are pretty apparent. No matter where I am, I just can't ignore them. But some days, I just feel totally normal, like I'm the same as every other NT around. Those times are very rare, but I do have them. Usually it's when I'm out doing something in public, and I actually feel relaxed.
Anyone else ever had a similar experience?



WerewolfPoet
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09 Jan 2013, 10:26 pm

I cannot say that I have ever felt entirely "relaxed" around others, though I do have episodes of extremely accurate mind-reading and being able to decode non-verbal communication that cause me to question my lack of neurotypicality.



scarp
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09 Jan 2013, 11:51 pm

I tend to feel like this when I spend long periods of time alone. For example, during my freshman year of college, I was pretty much a ghost. I had a room to myself and wasn't part of any social groups or extracurricular activities or anything, and I didn't make any friends. I just sort of phased through classes and spent my free time walking around the city in total solitude.

Given all this, I really had no point of reference other than myself. Everything I did was "normal" because there was no one around to compare myself to, and no one to comment on my thoughts or behaviors.

It wasn't until I attempted to join this writing group that I felt that jarring difference. I just felt incredibly awkward, like everyone was judging me and I didn't really know how to socialize or relate to what they were saying. Naturally, I didn't stick around for long. After two or three meetings I decided that I didn't belong there and decided to remove myself that situation.

But to answer your question, yes. Sometimes I do feel "normal" when I'm able to completely isolate myself.



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10 Jan 2013, 2:58 am

Every once in a while I'll have a social interaction with a stranger that goes "normally" if not well, and I'm surprised by how easy it was to smile, shake hands, remember to give them my name and answer their initial small-talk question well (many more than two or three such questions and I invariably run out of things to say). Coming away from moments like that, I feel both validated and nervous, as if maybe I've been kidding myself about having AS all this time. It feels a lot better than the times I know I screwed up though and want to crawl in a hole and die.


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Sylvastor
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10 Jan 2013, 3:00 am

Same thing here.
Sometimes it happens, but then I usually end up asking myself "What is wrong with you, is that really you?" and such moments are rare anyway.


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Dreycrux
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10 Jan 2013, 3:21 am

The only time I feel normal is when others are having deep philosophical conversations with me or they actually say something interesting or peculiar. Other than that I can't relate to whatever normal people talk about.



rebbieh
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10 Jan 2013, 6:02 am

StarTrekker wrote:
Every once in a while I'll have a social interaction with a stranger that goes "normally" if not well, and I'm surprised by how easy it was to smile, shake hands, remember to give them my name and answer their initial small-talk question well (many more than two or three such questions and I invariably run out of things to say). Coming away from moments like that, I feel both validated and nervous, as if maybe I've been kidding myself about having AS all this time. It feels a lot better than the times I know I screwed up though and want to crawl in a hole and die.


This. Especially with people I've known for a while though. Not strangers. Anyway, I get very confused after experiencing moments like that.



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10 Jan 2013, 6:09 am

blue1skies wrote:
Most of the time, my differences from other people are pretty apparent. No matter where I am, I just can't ignore them. But some days, I just feel totally normal, like I'm the same as every other NT around. Those times are very rare, but I do have them. Usually it's when I'm out doing something in public, and I actually feel relaxed.
Anyone else ever had a similar experience?


I don't know what NTs feel like so I can't say if I've ever felt like one. I don't believe so though. I spend my whole time feeling very different from everyone else.


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10 Jan 2013, 7:20 am

Yes when I feel in control.



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10 Jan 2013, 9:56 am

On rare occasions I feel particularly social (usually around people I know well) and I'm in a good mood and conversation just seems to flow and I seem to just say the right things. At those times I wonder: "is this how 'normal' people feel all the time?" I think it's an impossible question to answer since I've never experienced the world through anyone else's mind and never will.



Sylant
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10 Jan 2013, 10:28 am

Every now and then I nail social interaction to the point that I imagine it looks totally normal and effortless, but it actually required a lot of conscious thought and more often than not, quite a bit of luck.

It depends also on the person, some I feel more comfortable talking with and that makes it easier, but the moment I realize it's not going well I tend lock up as my mind simultaneously races and loses focus at the same time.



chamthabo
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10 Jan 2013, 10:35 am

FMX wrote:
On rare occasions I feel particularly social (usually around people I know well) and I'm in a good mood and conversation just seems to flow and I seem to just say the right things. At those times I wonder: "is this how 'normal' people feel all the time?" I think it's an impossible question to answer since I've never experienced the world through anyone else's mind and never will.


Same as me, situation like this also makes me feel like I am normal.



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10 Jan 2013, 10:55 am

I don't know what it feels like to be autistic, let alone like anyone else.



LilFlo
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10 Jan 2013, 11:31 pm

Sometimes I feel more social, is it enough to make me feel a bit like a NT ? I doubt it.
How can I know how a NT feels ? Maybe a NT has its moments in which he/she feels like an Aspie, who knows...