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Description
Next: Group Therapy

Previous: Uncertainty

More on communication, and continuing the little mini-arc I've got going on in the comic.

I went through a lot of how difficult communication is last time, but then there are other worries besides if I did something wrong or not in a social situation.

Honestly, I personally don't really worry if people think I'm weird, and I doubt anyone would think I'm stuck-up because I sometimes won't talk to them...
But those are assumptions people make in social situations, and kids can often be harsher critics and judges on character than adults.

Granted, I haven't gotten into many social situations once I hit 18, but I did go to college for a little bit, and I've been to various meet-ups (such as for NaNoWriMo). The majority of the people there were adults ranging from 20-50 in age, and they were much more forgiving about my social insecurities.
...not to mention the Asperger's group I went to a couple of times.

I found that school was always the hardest for me; in college, none of my other classmates really cared what I did in class, or if I had to leave the room, or if I sat by myself in the corner.

Though, school and work are places which judge harshly. Meetings at work (I used to work in child care, and there were still staff meetings to go to) were very stressful for me because I was expected to participate and I couldn't just sit by myself in a corner...nor could I just get up and leave the room if I had a panic attack.
In school, I had to ask to be excused, and at work...welp, it was just as harsh.
College was the most laid-back experience for social situations...probably because most people became friends due to clubs/activities and-or their dorms.

My art class was friendly, but there were only about 10 of us in total, and I was one of the youngest ones so I guess some of the older people (particularly one woman who must have been a mother) didn't mind if I was a little weird, or my projects were vastly different from theirs due to the fact that I think and see things differently than they do.

Often times, when I'm singled out or feel pressured in a social situation, I would wish I was normal.
I don't really wish that anymore, as I'm proud to be autistic...though I wouldn't mind if my panic attacks decided to pack up and leave.

In elementary school, I didn't even realize I was different; I actually had no wide-range vision of what I appeared like to other people; no social awareness at all even when I was made fun of for it (granted much of the bullying I went through in elementary school was alienation or just being called "weird". It hurt, but it wasn't enough to make me realize that there was this social aspect I was missing).

It was probably middle school when I became more aware of the fact that people called me "weird" and found my behavior "odd"; I would catch them making fun of me behind my back (usually imitating my stimming behaviors and laughing), or sneering and staring every time I had to leave the room due to a panic attack.

During those times, I definitely wished I was "normal".
These days, I've accepted who I am and what I have (though there are still times when I get frustrated, and I do wish that the panic attacks would just go away forever), but it's not uncommon for someone who sees the world differently to wish they are normal when they realize/know they're not like their peers.

In short/tl;dr:
Know what?
As long as you aren't hurting anyone, you're fine.
What's "normal", anyway? Just another label people put on things.
It's okay to feel like you want to be "normal", but also realize that you're fine just the way you are.

If you like this artwork and wish to help support me in doing them, please take a look at my patreon page at www.patreon.com/mdchan

Description
Next: Group Therapy

Previous: Uncertainty

More on communication, and continuing the little mini-arc I've got going on in the comic.

I went through a lot of how difficult communication is last time, but then there are other worries besides if I did something wrong or not in a social situation.

Honestly, I personally don't really worry if people think I'm weird, and I doubt anyone would think I'm stuck-up because I sometimes won't talk to them...
But those are assumptions people make in social situations, and kids can often be harsher critics and judges on character than adults.

Granted, I haven't gotten into many social situations once I hit 18, but I did go to college for a little bit, and I've been to various meet-ups (such as for NaNoWriMo). The majority of the people there were adults ranging from 20-50 in age, and they were much more forgiving about my social insecurities.
...not to mention the Asperger's group I went to a couple of times.

I found that school was always the hardest for me; in college, none of my other classmates really cared what I did in class, or if I had to leave the room, or if I sat by myself in the corner.

Though, school and work are places which judge harshly. Meetings at work (I used to work in child care, and there were still staff meetings to go to) were very stressful for me because I was expected to participate and I couldn't just sit by myself in a corner...nor could I just get up and leave the room if I had a panic attack.
In school, I had to ask to be excused, and at work...welp, it was just as harsh.
College was the most laid-back experience for social situations...probably because most people became friends due to clubs/activities and-or their dorms.

My art class was friendly, but there were only about 10 of us in total, and I was one of the youngest ones so I guess some of the older people (particularly one woman who must have been a mother) didn't mind if I was a little weird, or my projects were vastly different from theirs due to the fact that I think and see things differently than they do.

Often times, when I'm singled out or feel pressured in a social situation, I would wish I was normal.
I don't really wish that anymore, as I'm proud to be autistic...though I wouldn't mind if my panic attacks decided to pack up and leave.

In elementary school, I didn't even realize I was different; I actually had no wide-range vision of what I appeared like to other people; no social awareness at all even when I was made fun of for it (granted much of the bullying I went through in elementary school was alienation or just being called "weird". It hurt, but it wasn't enough to make me realize that there was this social aspect I was missing).

It was probably middle school when I became more aware of the fact that people called me "weird" and found my behavior "odd"; I would catch them making fun of me behind my back (usually imitating my stimming behaviors and laughing), or sneering and staring every time I had to leave the room due to a panic attack.

During those times, I definitely wished I was "normal".
These days, I've accepted who I am and what I have (though there are still times when I get frustrated, and I do wish that the panic attacks would just go away forever), but it's not uncommon for someone who sees the world differently to wish they are normal when they realize/know they're not like their peers.

In short/tl;dr:
Know what?
As long as you aren't hurting anyone, you're fine.
What's "normal", anyway? Just another label people put on things.
It's okay to feel like you want to be "normal", but also realize that you're fine just the way you are.

If you like this artwork and wish to help support me in doing them, please take a look at my patreon page at www.patreon.com/mdchan