(1/?) Sorry, this is going to be a multi-part ask because, boy, am I awful at concise communication! Um... basically, there are a few things I wanted to ask. Somethings been really freaking me out lately - your most recent post (possibly a few posts back by the time i've sent this) reminded me of it... Basically, I have a lot of issue forming relationships with people. Or, rather... caring about people. Er... no. That's not right. I guess more like thinking about them and empathizing and being
invested in what they are saying. I do care about people, I think. But I rarely think about anyone, and when I do it’s usually in some way about me. It makes me feel really awful and selfish. I think it might be an autistic thing… but it seems like a whole lot other autistic people care about others a whole lot. Meanwhile, I struggle to connect, to really care in that one way, and it’s really terrifying and gives me a lot of anxiety. Is this… bad? Are there any ways I can care about more?
Sometimes I get worried that I shouldn’t talk to people at all because it feels almost manipulative if I talk to people and have a mind like that. Is… does this sound like a symptom of any other disorder? I mean, mostly what I’m asking, in general, is… do any of you get this? How should I deal with it…? Um, I had one more question and this is more a curiosity thing. It seems like a brainweird trait but I’m not sure it’s autism or something else, on a whole different level.
I’ve always had a problem processing events… specifically things that happen. Bits and pieces come through like certain things that I thought (mostly thoughts, not usually emotions, or if they are they’re somewhat disconnected remembering that I felt them, not the emotion itself). So I’m very disconnected from my past and my memories are very incomplete. I don’t think it’s repression because it’s not like I ever had the memory, it just never processed. It’s like that for yesterday, it’s like that for earlier today. And… it’s always been like that. I’m fairly sure it’s brainweird, does anyone have any idea what sector it might be?? I have no idea what it is at this point. Thank you so much, and I’m very sorry for so many messages… I hope it doesn’t overwhelm anyone.
dont worry, i’m not overwhelmed! i hope that it’s all right with you that i pasted all of your messages, because i think it’s important to address all of it especially for others who may feel the same way.
i definitely feel like this is an autistic thing, possibly with comorbidity for other disorders. as someone who it autistic, i have a hard time connecting with others a lot – in fact, sometimes i just have a hard time imagining how anyone else feels at all, or how they would react to things, because i’m totally consumed with the way i experience it.
generally, when it comes to empathy, i try to consider the social “rules” of reciprocity: someone says how they’re feeling, so i address it. it can be really hard to actually force yourself to empathize, and unhealthy, so don’t do that! but if you feel like you need to be more responsive, i recommend listening and maybe asking a question when someone shares something regarding their emotions
and wrt the memory thing, i think a lot of that is either trauma-related, or autism-related, or both. i know i have a lot of post-traumatic stress and it makes my memory really fuzzy, and i don’t really have any emotions associated with the memories (again, because of both autism and ptsd). that’s definitely brainweird though, if any other mods want to add on, feel free!