[Elementaco]

I was diagnosed with Aspergers at a young age and I feel like I have developed social anxiety. I am a senior in highschool and literally haven't had a single friend since the fourth grade due to social deficiencies that are entirely my own fault. The only person I can talk to IRL is my family and teachers with my brother being the only person I actually just plain socialize with and I only get on forums and such out of necessity, and even then with panic attacks and which sometimes result in me just deleting all messages before they can be read or running from the site altogether.

I just started watching a show about hikikomoris and I fully realize the threat of me going that road, though American society seems to do better with these situations.

I don't want to feel alone anymore and the future seems bleak can someone please give me any advice.

[manwithnofriends]

Simple really: it hasn't stopped you from developing a career. You can do that all by yourself.

[RichardBrooks]

I think you've taken the first and biggest step by reaching out.

[Betty1Boop]

Originally Posted by Elementaco

I was diagnosed with Aspergers at a young age and I feel like I have developed social anxiety. I am a senior in highschool and literally haven't had a single friend since the fourth grade due to social deficiencies that are entirely my own fault. The only person I can talk to IRL is my family and teachers with my brother being the only person I actually just plain socialize with and I only get on forums and such out of necessity, and even then with panic attacks and which sometimes result in me just deleting all messages before they can be read or running from the site altogether.

I just started watching a show about hikikomoris and I fully realize the threat of me going that road, though American society seems to do better with these situations.

I don't want to feel alone anymore and the future seems bleak can someone please give me any advice.

I've already responded to a few posts here and I hope if I've seemed offensive the moderator will delete it. I don't want to say the wrong thing but eventually I will. I think we have to try to post--if we don't we are at the same place we were yesterday.

I obviously don't have all the answers but I stopped feeling so alone when I found things to do that I'm really good at. I paint and I garden--among other things. I also found MeetUp. I went to lots of different kinds of meetings and I enjoyed most of them. And then I started my own group. I post things I want to do and without fail other people sign up to go do them with me. It works! Monday night we are going out for chocolate martini sand manicures!

[Elementaco]

Thanks for the advice and sorry about my first post being needy, I'll try and stay on here for a while.

[Hellion]

I think I certainly developed social anxiety, from AS...essentially being treated not so kindly by other kids and some teachers due to being weird from having AS made me socially anxious because I am afraid people will judge and ridicule me. I did have some friends here and there throughout middle and highschool but not really any close ones...I've also had 'friends' that just turned out to be using me which is almost worse then not having any friends.

Also I don't think you should blame yourself for all the social deficiencies, it is not like you chose to have a disorder that effects social functioning. The only real advice I have is maybe to try and find some therapy for the social anxiety...as for getting out and making friends though I really don't have much advice for that as its something I struggle with myself.

but yeah most people I meet are pretty much through other family members, like my brother who's a few years younger has a lot of pretty open minded friends so sometimes I hang out with him and his friends.

Are there any groups or extra-cirricular activities or anything at the school you could maybe join to potentially socialize with people with simular intrests? Though depending on your level of social anxiety it might be best to take those things kind of slow so its not too overwhelming.