Break out of my shell

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Hey all.

I have sort of been in a slump the last 3 years or so, not doing much else besides working and spending time on the computer. I WANT to go out and do stuff with people, yet lately I feel I can't, and I have let all of my friendships wither and die. My schoolwork has suffered to the point that I have gone from a Straight A student to not even finishing my high school.

I was never popular, and was always socially awkward, but I have been much more withdrawn the last few years than I ever was before. Has anyone else gone through this, and how did they break out of their shell?

I'm 18, and have been like this since around the time I turned 16 by the way. I quit going to school shortly after I turned 16.

I have a unique way of funneling my frustration that entertains others. I generally make jokes, as well as arguing and placing pro-marijuana posters around my school. Earn their respect and they will talk to you.

Woah, you're actually responding to me after I completely reamed you out in the other thread....I feel bad now I think everyone in that thread misunderstood each other and things got out of hand.

Anyways, it's not that I literally can't (as in no one will talk to me), it's that I fear I will be rejected, as if my bedroom has become a safety net of some sort....Does that make any sense to you? I sometimes cancel dates or plans I have with people, and make up dumb excuses for doing so.

I dunno, I guess maybe I've been rejected so many times in society for being different or weird that I don't want to do it anymore, yet I long for Social Interaction (a little bit contradictory I know). Maybe I'm just nuts or something, who knows?

I've read that it is common for people around my age to withdraw themselves from being around others when they have Asperger's....as if they are "unwillingly detached from the outside world". Perhaps that is all this is....

I'm just curious....how do you take advantage of withdrawal from the outside world? I sat and thought about that for a moment, and I can't think of any way to do that. I spend too much time on my obsessions now, so my social life and my education have all suffered.

I guess that is a good way of looking at it!

However, one of my main obsessions is law, but I simply could not make a good lawyer. My communication skills aren't good enough....so it could be viewed as a waste of time.

I'm heading back to school in September to hopefully get my high school done finally. Maybe I will get a bit better then....who knows...

Thanks for posting though with your thoughts!

trapped, yours sounds very similar to my high school situation. Unfortunately I didn't learn about AS till after I had graduated, because I think things could have been very different for me. You can consider yourself fortunate to have figured out your weak spots early in life, so you can have more time to work on improving them.

The way I dealt with my withdrawl in high school was by getting a part time job. It gave me an obligation, somewhere I _had_ to be, even if I didn't feel like it. I got to meet people and socialize a little at work, and have made a few friendships that are still going. Plus I made a little money which I used to buy stuff like books or movies to help keep me from being so depressed during those times I was home alone.

Hmmm, I never thought an autie (OK, quick question, heard this term used for autistic but not AS people before, is it politically correct or should I not say it?) or an aspie would make a good lawyer. Although I guess lawyers are very monotone, non-sarcastic and literal....however, I'm not very social, so that could pose a problem as well. I guess I could still look into it, and if worse comes to worse, I could be a paralegal.

SkippyP: Hey. I did try getting a part-time job in High School, and pretty soon it became an almost full-time job, then I quit high school and started working full-time and tinkering with my obsessions the rest of the time, and the situation just got worse from there. I've decided to quit working now, and focus exclusively on my high school. However, that probably won't fix my social life.