Board index › General Discussion › General Autism Discussion

Going out in public

Page 2 of 2 [ 19 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

Previous topic | Next topic

Joe90
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 26,492
Location: UK

21 Nov 2021, 9:53 am

Most Aspies seem to be less uncomfortable around strangers, but I seem to be the opposite - my social anxiety only comes out when around strangers.

You know like how some physically deformed people feel OK being around friends and family but feel really self-conscious being in public? It's the same feeling with me. Being around people I trust or at least know is more comfortable for me than being around strangers.


_________________
Female


babybird
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 64,437
Location: UK

21 Nov 2021, 10:12 am

Joe90 wrote:
Most Aspies seem to be less uncomfortable around strangers, but I seem to be the opposite - my social anxiety only comes out when around strangers.

You know like how some physically deformed people feel OK being around friends and family but feel really self-conscious being in public? It's the same feeling with me. Being around people I trust or at least know is more comfortable for me than being around strangers.


That's a good thing Joe. I do feel completely at one when I'm around my daughter and my boyfriend as well and I am so much more happy around them that I am when I'm amongst strangers.

I reckon the stranger thing is that you can just walk away from them and you don't feel any obligation to maintain anything long term so it just feels easier. That's how it is for me anyway.


_________________
We have existence


Joe90
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 26,492
Location: UK

21 Nov 2021, 3:46 pm

babybird wrote:
Joe90 wrote:
Most Aspies seem to be less uncomfortable around strangers, but I seem to be the opposite - my social anxiety only comes out when around strangers.

You know like how some physically deformed people feel OK being around friends and family but feel really self-conscious being in public? It's the same feeling with me. Being around people I trust or at least know is more comfortable for me than being around strangers.


That's a good thing Joe. I do feel completely at one when I'm around my daughter and my boyfriend as well and I am so much more happy around them that I am when I'm amongst strangers.

I reckon the stranger thing is that you can just walk away from them and you don't feel any obligation to maintain anything long term so it just feels easier. That's how it is for me anyway.


I am a sociable person by nature, like an NT (which is why it bothers me so much that I don't make many friends easily), so interacting with people is desirable for me. When around people I know, my biggest fear is social rejection/exclusion, but when I'm in public my biggest fear is embarrassment or being judged. So my social anxieties and awkwardness are mostly centered around past traumatic experiences.


_________________
Female