Acting more autistic after realising you are

[vergil96]

Did you also experience that? Since I've noticed that eye contact makes me nervous or distracted, I stopped doing that and probably don't make as much facial mirroring as a result. I just don't see the point why I have to do that in every single conversation including talking to cashiers. And with people who I do like, they also seem to not make much eye contact either or push for it.

Or I won't talk, because I don't feel like it.

 

[Rodafina]

You are not alone.

https://www.autismforums.com/thread...autistic-since-self-dxing.44504/#post-1002997

 

[Shamar]

Did you also experience that? Since I've noticed that eye contact makes me nervous or distracted, I stopped doing that and probably don't make as much facial mirroring as a result. I just don't see the point why I have to do that in every single conversation including talking to cashiers. And with people who I do like, they also seem to not make much eye contact either or push for it.

Or I won't talk, because I don't feel like it.

Are you acting more autistic? Or are you acting less neurotypical because you dropped the mask?

 

[Knower of nothing]

Yeah I've noticed this. Mostly in the shape of being less instantly apologetic about it. I used to really think I had to apologize for every little thing I did that was outside of the norm like it needs some sort of justification (3 guesses where a tendency like that comes from). On the flipside, I'm more actively managing the condition as well and have experienced far less of the truly bad side effects like meltdowns or lock-ups.

 

[Fino]

Less masking, yes, especially if I'm around people who know I'm autistic.

 

[vergil96]

I used to really think I had to apologize for every little thing I did that was outside of the norm like it needs some sort of justification

I felt like issues with sensory things or with not being able to figure out things that appear the same to neurotypical people but not to me is something to hide and be ashamed of and "just deal with it".

 

[MNAus]

I'm getting a lot of "you never used to do it THIS much" like I'm spreading it on thick nowadays. Also asked someone very close if they could help out by humouring me on a couple of things which, though I can imagine are kind of annoying, I was hoping weren't too much of a burden to bear. Their answer: "Sorry, no, that's too annoying". Nice.

 

[Aspychata]

I noticed that l don't like phone conversations and those calls have dropped to the wayside. Like l prefer to text. If you want to be friends, you better get use to that. I don't blame myself anymore for not wanting to make eye contact. l also don't feel guilty for enjoying my alone time anymore as l understand l need downtime. If l stim, l recognize it as stimming and think if l feel agitated about something that l am not being aware of, and a need to be mindful more. I don't feel guilty about my boundaries and can ask they be respected in a nice tone. Lol. So maybe l just dropped my mask. Now when l put on my mask, l recognize l am doing that and it's okay too.

 

[Jeff T]

Maybe somewhat so, in that steering clear of social groups is now the SOP.
Being diagnosed, and the resulting info-diving on autism symptoms and behaviour,
has resulted in understanding better how my behaviour has deviated from NT norms.
That information can help in providing a template for an adequate mask out in public,
compared to the wholly inadequate masking before diagnosis.