Autism and communication

@Eden1919

This is very relatable.

Hi @Eden1919 i remember having a chat here and finding you so empathetic and compassionate. I personally think u have great social skills and empathy.

Maybe u have not been around loving or good people

@EternalFlower thanks i think that only applies with certain situations though because like on here it is easier because i can relate to people and so i understand better what someone may be going through and i do care about other people and how they are feeling and stuff but i just cant do small talk and for some reason that is very off putting to some people like i have lost over 6 support workers because of them saying they didnt know how to work with me and that they thought i didnt like them and i am struggling to find more who are a good fit and idk it is just very frustrating because like spaces like here we dont have to do small talk and so everything is interesting enough to keep the conversation going or there is a prescribed topic to cover but outside of that structure i can struggle.

Wow @Eden1919 I really relate

I have also had issues with support workers but I fired them moreso I never enjoy their company. So I could also wander ....can start to doubt myself...but I think with support workers therr are so many flaky ones so I wander if u just have boundaries as that scares them away

They like ppl easy to manipulate.

I understand how much better it is to talk to ppl who understand

U do care and that shows. It feels genuine to me.

It can be difficult

My mother had the double whammy communication issues. With Autism + being deaf

@EternalFlower yeah i have had some pretty bad ones before unfortunately and sadly there are a bunch who are just there for the money there are some good ones out there but they are hard to find and keep. but yeah i am just struggling to find good ones.

Support Worker, if there for Social support that includes conversations, then you can note down/PRINT/COPY your interests, hobbies, likes and dislikes on the Paper and share with each of them, so they are aware of it, and can undertake their services in an informed way!!!

@Eden1919 I used to be very shy and hang my head, but did a workshop in the 198Os called Self Transformation, where we did activities on maintaining eye contact. It really helped me. I am no popularity queen or social butterfly, though.

I am not big on small talk either but learning to find a path that allows me to be authentic and not always too heavy.

7 interests is a few. Enough to broaden into conversation if the other party puts in.

Yep @SchizOttie that’s an idea. We all have to learn on the job, so support workers should try too. They are paid for it.

@DogMan79 wow that is a double whammy.

Hard for you too.

@EternalFlower 💙🍎

@Appleblossom hey apple, thanks for writing - i won't lie i find most support workers terrible - but i've had some fire me also - mainly the coordinators

2 in a row said i was not easy for them and got rid of me - no handover, no support, no care. @Eden1919 so many terrible ones. sometimes i find them also just overall unsavoury, unstable, ungrounded, and i dont like being arond them 😞

I have had a mixed bag @EternalFlower

today I went to my physio garden, said good bye to it, spoke to the manager who is good, but had to ask her to cancel all appointments as what my physio did last session was not acceptable. She bullied and interrogated me about funerals and graves. Not on.mI am learning to be quicker to fire them and not be played for a fool. Discrimination in NDIS is serious. But I appreciate any good. No BS though. At least this time I acted firmly and didn’t agonise for months. The manager got it. They will miss my custom and garden, which I tended for 5 years.