I\u2019m not sure if this is part of an atypical neurology or simply a personality quirk, but I definitely have problems reading people.<\/p>\n
The minor examples include not knowing when someone is initiating a conversation or ending one.<\/p>\n
I also don’t always notice what it is someone is really trying to discuss. It seems people introduce personal topics obliquely, which I miss almost every time.<\/p>\n
If you want to discuss how you feel about yourself, apparently the norm is to talk about someone with a similar problem or condition. This makes some logical sense, but I’ll miss the point. This can make me seem like a lousy friend, I’m sure.<\/p>\n
When someone is nice, I don’t always notice, nor do I always notice someone being impolite or slightly abusive<\/strong>. I’ve definitely missed signals from other people, positive and negative. Comments calling me “smart” or a “geek” can be misconstrued more often by me than most people. I tend to take things as compliments that aren’t compliments at all \u2014 even confusing a statement like, “You seem to know everything about (topic x)!” as an invitation to volunteer more information.<\/p>\n When the attitudes of others are finally obvious enough, the emotional reaction is intense and lasting. This can have negative consequences, as well.<\/p>\n Because I tend to feel isolated (and who doesn’t at times?), I appreciate any friendships. The problem is that I end up overly responsive in many cases, or I have been led to do whatever the person asks of me \u2014 since you’re always supposed to help a friend. Such simplistic reasoning can be disastrous.<\/p>\n I’m the “easily obligated” friend<\/strong>. I respond to every e-mail, return every call, and will extend myself too far for others. I end up trying to meet unrealistic expectations, in the name of keeping friends, many of whom never thought of me as among their closest friends.<\/p>\n Since I try too hard, I come to expect the same from others. I worry that I have offended someone if I don’t receive a reply to a message within a day or two. I feel rejected, deeply, when someone vanishes from my life. My self-image constantly suffers because the reality is that people come and go from our lives, no matter how much I might not like that.<\/p>\n It would be nice to have “normal” expectations of people… and to be normal, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019m not sure if this is part of an atypical neurology or simply a personality quirk, but I definitely have problems reading people. The minor examples include not knowing when someone is initiating a conversation or ending one. I also don’t always notice what it is someone is really trying…<\/p>\n