Easily discouraged?

Post Reply New Topic

Is anyone else sensitive to criticism and easily discouraged?

I was discouraged by an insensitive moron regarding a special interest and now feel hurt and demotivated.

I'm EXTREMELY sensitive to criticism. If I had to choose between getting punched and getting criticized, I would probably choose getting punched... I know it sounds a bit extreme, but that's honestly the way I feel about it.

I've always been told no and that I couldn't do certian things ever since childhood. I'd have to say it's turned me into a "that's what you think" hot head as oppsed to being easily discouraged.

Yup. Easily discouraged.

Yea, exactly. Although when it comes from somebody whose opinion I really respect and care about, then it gets to me.

Yes, but it shouldn't because it gets on the nerves of normal people. Especially since I don't meet them halfway by being at least semi-social or enjoyable to be around, they wonder to themselves: "This A-hole... I don't have to be nice to him but I am and yet he's still quiet, he's not funny, he's weird, #*$%!" and that is usually followed by social isolation or mean-spirited attitudes.

That's the trouble, isn't it? The only way I was able to avoid such attitudes wwas to focus myself on not being quiet, and trying to be funny. It's a cruel world to live in if you don't meet others halfway

Sucks for those who lack that ability.

That may be extreme but depending on the circumstances i would probably agree...

That's not to say go along with it, but even if everyone in the world was an aspie, we'd have to learn to interact with each other and express ourselves. I mean what are we talking about on all these threads, if we truly can't express what we're thinking to others? It's the fear of not being accepted, I think, that gets in the way.

Thus the problem of fearing criticism.

Yeah. I often feel I am being chased away from the creative work I enjoy when people criticize me. I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I frequently lose sight of why I enjoy something when people question why I made a particular choice or tell me how I should have done the work.

Well everyone in the world is not one...but seriously I do tend to lack the ability to start a social interaction, unless there is a common intrest there. like say I was at a bar after a couple drinks I might feel comfortable making a comment about beer in an effort to start a conversation.......but if someone sits next to me at the bus stop but says nothing I don't say anything to them either........if they talk to me though then I will certainly indulge in conversation.

I've met quite a few AS people who don't know they have AS but meet literally every requirement of the definition. (including my young brother in high school whose made amazing strides towards normalcy). I've seen how they've "survived" the things they do to get by, and I've seen them "act" out NT behavior, not always well, but you see them trying. To make them aware of their AS may help them out but I can see it as a crutch and an excuse to not try. So yes, it can be done, though you'll always be off a tad (or in the case of my brother, acting the part of a normal person very very well), you can survive and make it in this cruel world.


The story for me is quite different, and there's nothing can change me as it is a physical drawback (my brain that is...) and am far more extreme in some of my symptoms then other AS I've met (and in some cases, less so). But yea, To express myself as I am would probably make me homeless, unemployed, lonely, and suicidal.

Oh, and for the record...

I may not like being criticized but I handle it pretty well for an AS person. I only function on two modes: Stressed and more-stressed, and criticisms elevates my stress levels drastically but it is still stress and something I'm not foreign to.

I work my tail off to correct it, and that paired with my kindness often causes people to mistaken my it for weakness and take advantage of me.

The only really really bad part about criticisms is that I review it and overthink the entire interaction in my mind, and it plays like a movie on infinite replay, I sometimes add alternative outcomes to that movie like the guy who daydreams on the show Scrubs, but I cannot escape it for some reason.

I cannot always start social interactions......like I cannot walk up to someone I don't know and strike up a conversation with them. I don't know why but its like I litterally cannot even approach them. I mean if I go somewhere for food I have no problem ordering food because in that context I am supposed to talk to them to get food..but a random person on campus for instance...if they want an interaction they would have to start it otherwise its not going to happen.

Why do you value their opinion so much?