catlover02

Hard time making friends.

Posted on 11/10/08, 12:44 am

Does anyone here have a hard time making friends? Or does anyone here have any kids that have a hard time making friends? I have Asperger's and I have always had a really hard time making friends. I find it really hard to socialize with others. I have a really hard time starting conversations and keeping conversations going. I also sometimes will say or do something that other people may consider inappropiate. What is a good way for me to make friends at my age of almost 26? Thanks for responding in advance. Dawn

• Reply #1 11/10/08  4:13pm
  
  Zophie
  Hi Dawn,
  
  I can understand how you are feeling. I am very shy and have to think about what to say too. I work around people all day long and what works for me is to ask people questions about themselves and their life. I have found that women usualy will talk about their kids and men like to talk about their job.
  
• Reply #2 11/10/08  6:39pm
  
  catlover02
  Hi Zophie, Thank you for replying to my post. I really appreciate it. I live my myself in my own apartment so I get lonely a lot. Take Care. Dawn
• Reply #3 11/10/08  7:49pm
  
  MawBear
  Dawn, my son is your age. He has always had a hard time making friends. I think I can only count 3 friends that he had through school. Never all 3 at once. I can understand where you are coming from. He has a lot of people that he associates with but not really any true friends. How he started broadening his social life was by playing pool (he is a pretty good pool player)and would go back to play pool again the next week. Sometimes some of the same guys were there and it ended up that they all entered a tournament. That was a big step for my son.
  Now, you are probably not the type to go out and play pool but there are other avenues to broaden your social life. Have you tried joining any clubs or organisations? They may have some in your area, such as a cooking class, cat lovers club. Any thing that will get you out at least one night a month to socialize.
  
  Hugs!
  MawBear
• Reply #4 11/14/08  10:10am
  
  AliciaP
  Hi, Mawbear I was going to say the same thing, group activities. If you join a class or group, like a cooking or pottery class than you have the option to say hello or just concentrate on the subject. It takes alot of the tension and stress off. My son is 10 and is having a very hard time making friends. He's made one friend and even then he doesn't always want to be with him. It's so hard and I feel for you. I've tried to explain that sometimes you just have to go through the motions to maintain a friendship especially when you don't want to. This is the hardest part of the Autism problem with us. Alicia
• Reply #5 11/16/08  7:24am
  
  Johnson2007
  Julie has a hard time making friends she doesnt stay out of others space, and can be aggresssive, she does have one friend who she met through therapy they have thier little get togetheres weekly, and even go on outings togethere, and her mom and I have become friends so we both gained a great friend..
  
  And catlover there is a autism support group In your area once a month, at MGH its at 7pm I believe the third thursday of the month, there are usually only a few people there, I havent went lately no time, but wanted to let you know about it..
• Reply #6 11/16/08  11:04pm
  
  catlover02
  Thank you everyone for replying to my post. Johnson, I would really like to go the Autism support group at MGH, but I don't have a ride because the bus stops running at 6:30 P.M. Is that group just for people with Autism and their families or would I be allowed to go too since I have Asperger's Syndrome? Thanks for reminding me about that group. Take Care everyone. Dawn
• Reply #7 11/18/08  6:39am
  
  Johnson2007
  Dawn its for anybody,,,,,hugs

ADL Center is a nonprofit organization providing services to families and individuals with Autism and other challenges. There is a heavy emphasis on Autism services however we provide services to anyone diagnosed with a disability regardless of age or income. It is our mission to provide more than the typical clinical environment. Our mission is to bring diagnosis treatment education social and vocational opportunties in one location.