Do You Feel Like You Can Be Yourself With Other People?

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Nowadays, the one person that I can completely be myself with is my wife. I can mostly be myself with my kids. They definitely think I am a bit odd.

I definitely do not act the same in public, as I do when:
- I am by myself
- I am with just my wife
- I am with just my wife and kids

Though, I assume this is the same for everyone. Of course, how would you know?

I can totally be myself only with my adult son (he's in his 40s). He absolutely "gets" me. And we share the same off-the-wall sense of humour.

I had a close female friend for years (over 20 years) and finally decided to let my guard down and just "be me". Result: she started making hurtful comments, leaving me out of social activities she organised, talking behind my back to mutual acquaintances... End of friendship.

However I am more, or less, guarded in my interactions depending on the qualities of the person I am speaking with. This is one area where "less is more" is simply not true for me, and perhaps most ASD people (if not all).

I realise in the past that there have been many instances where I have over-disclosed to my own detriment.
Have learned to be more discreet. But that took a long time.