More than you think, autistic people crave friendship and connection. Throughout their lifespan, they face many challenges. They are excluded or lack social skills. They can also be bullied or experience hurtful situations. These experiences make life so much different and harder to bear. Having a peer or someone similar take interest in them can mean the world to them. Yet, not everyone has good intentions when it comes to befriending an autistic person. That is why doing your homework is crucial. Only allow those in your life who want to be there for the right reasons.

Often, we as autistic people do not educate ourselves. We lack the skillset it takes to understand that other things matter. Being open and honest about what we want is essential. We should know what we are really looking for. We also need to understand what is socially acceptable before making the push to find someone. We often think that if we are receiving attention, we are going to get what we truly want. But we overlook that communication is key. It helps in finding those who do the right things for the right reasons because they genuinely care.

Being autistic can bring challenges into our lives. It is often more challenging to find ways to make friends. There are so many tools online today that can allow this to happen. Still, many people out there do not have the same intent as you. You need to educate yourself. It is important to screen through the people that offer and want to connect. Otherwise, things can be pretty scary. Autistic people often face challenges. They struggle with understanding social norms and pragmatics. They also find it difficult to grasp things that are not clearly made known.

Our brains push us to want people to be our friends, especially as people on the spectrum. We do this without always realizing the need to consider right and wrong ways to approach friendship. As autistic people, we face challenges. Anxiety, for example, can interfere or cause us to shut down. This leads us to avoid the possibility of connecting. It can make being brave and taking the leap outside of our comfort zone challenging and difficult. But when connections are made, communication and consistency are key to success. It is important to know that you have the ability to say no. You should not do things that make you feel uncomfortable. Respect must be given, understood, and accepted when things are uncomfortable for those on the other end.

There can be a strong drive to want someone as our friend. We must be willing to do what it takes to have that person. They should really care about us and have our back. They should respect us for who we are and know that no means no without a question. When you have the right people in your life, they respect you and care for you. They honor you for who you are. They are a keeper and show that they are a true friend for the right reasons.