Problems with socializing around parents

Page 1 of 1 [ 9 posts ] 

Ai_Ling
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,891

28 Dec 2010, 3:04 am

I am finding that I have a problem socializing with my parents around. I just cant do it very well and I dont quite know why, its like I have a mental block in my head. But when my parents aren't their, I am ok at socializing. For instance, my mom had a gathering where she invited her friends and some family, I socialized a little but I started retreating to my room a lot. But this past thanksgiving, I went to my friends relatives house because I was far away from home. While I wasn't terribly social, my social skills were better. I remember actually being able to hold conversations with the people their and keep them going, make sufficient eye contact, etc. In the social gathering my mom just had, some people talked to me but often times I allowed the conversation to drop more easily and I wasn't making eye contact very well. Its like I didn't know how to talk to them. Im thinking, I can do better then this?

During this time of year, we tend to see relatives a lot. For some reason, I just don't socialize with them very well either, and of course my parents are there too. I'm theorizing this is cause, for so many years, I was very quiet and never socializing at all. But when I finally learned to socialize was mostly in college, my parents are not around cause I go to college out of state. So with my parents around, I retreat back to that antisocial kid in me. Its hard to utilize my current social abilities in old enviorenment's. One of the problems is that my mom gets frustrated with my lack of sociability and unfriendliness that she sees in me. And she is constantly like, "I hope you don't act this way around your friends." Shes never seen how far Ive actually come socially since highschool.



Megz
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Dec 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,028

28 Dec 2010, 3:33 am

Yeah I do that too. Like if I have the choice to lean on and hide behind my mom, people usually leave me alone, talk to me less, which I usually prefer, so I hide more. But when I don't have the choice to hide, I'm ok at socializing for limited amounts of time. Like yesterday we were at my aunt and uncle's house, and I couldn't even make eye contact for more than a quick glance when eye contact usually isn't a huge problem for me most of the time when I'm with my friends. I'm realizing I'm not making much sense, I think I'm going to try sleeping now....



Maje
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Oct 2010
Age: 44
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,802

28 Dec 2010, 10:15 am

This was a big problem earlier, but it has become better. My mother is watching me a little too much and at the same time she thinks she knows me and misinterprets me a lot and corrects me/interrupts the conversation. I think she feels it is necessary to save my conversation partner and to teach me that Im behaving badly.
I think she feels responsible for me and she doesnt like the way I am and is afraid that I offend people. I used to have a constant pressure of knowing that she could interrupt any time. Also because she signalizes that she doesnt like me, I naturally used to try to comply with her wishes. I constantly failed in this matter.
She clarified "my bad behavior" like this to other people, because of her behavior! so that I had no chance but being a bad person in everybodys eyes.
This has become better after we talked about AS, and I think she finally understands that Im not a bad, stupid, aggressive, stubborn and heartless person.



kfisherx
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 3 Nov 2010
Age: 61
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,192

28 Dec 2010, 10:36 am

socializing with realtives is always the hardest for me too. NOTHING but small talk in that situation and I just suck at that. I had one Uncle go through great lengths to talk to me about my football playing season the last time I was in town. It was the most I had ever talked to him.



BroncosRtheBest
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 4 Sep 2010
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 375

28 Dec 2010, 11:54 am

Same here. I can't really talk to anyone when my parents are around. That may be because I don't really trust them to not leak everything I say instead of an Aspie thing though...



hesting
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 25 Nov 2010
Age: 46
Gender: Female
Posts: 88

28 Dec 2010, 3:08 pm

Same here too. I think I'm another person when my parents are not around.

Having problems getting asleep last Friday I thought that socializing might have been a problem within my family first - the problems at school which led to my first diagnosis developped later. Actually I remember that I never knew where I used to belong - the younger children (my sister, my male cousin and his sister) excluded me from their games most of the time, our parents excluded me from their talking ... but maybe that's just a snapshot.
Jokingly at Christmas Eve my aunt mentioned our former tradition to have the children seated separately ("Hesting, you will sit with the children." - she giggled - "No, we will put the desks together, of course.").

I think I always was quite jealous of the other children in my family at these times. And so I still am when I see someone being more successful in life than I am.



Gedaechtnis
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 27 Dec 2010
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 29
Location: Another planet...I think

28 Dec 2010, 6:48 pm

That's definitely me. I'm intensely private (and I have a poor relationship with my parents) to the point where I will not speak to a friend if my parents are there.



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Posts: 117,090
Location: In my little Olympic World of peace and love

28 Dec 2010, 7:54 pm

I also have trouble socializing around my parents. My upbringing has a lot to do with. They tried to raise the autism out of me, by trying to train me not to talk about my special interests. They also tried to force me to lose my Cockney accent. That's why I have trouble talking to and around them, and that's why I present myself on WP the way I do.


_________________
The Family Enigma


buryuntime
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Dec 2008
Age: 86
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,662

28 Dec 2010, 8:14 pm

No? I don't see why it'd be any different but I've nobody to divulge things to IRL that I wouldn't want my parents hearing. Is that the only reason? I assume everybody is a bit awkward in situations like that then.