How can I better communicate how I feel?

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maxxim
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16 Feb 2011, 11:52 am

I'm trying to work on becoming a better communicator when talking to doctors, therapists and just about everyone else. Looking back on things, I realize that so much of my younger years was spent trying to comunicate what I felt was wrong with me and failing at that. Anyone have any good tips?



emlion
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16 Feb 2011, 11:55 am

Write down what you have to say before you say it.
Not like a speech, but the main bullet points.



AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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16 Feb 2011, 2:07 pm

emlion wrote:
Write down what you have to say before you say it.
Not like a speech, but the main bullet points.

I have done this with doctors, and literally handed the doctor the piece of paper. And yes, like your three main issue, keep it brief, phrase not sentences.

This usually works. Nothing always works because us human beings are just too complicated, ourselves fully included.



druidsbird
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16 Feb 2011, 2:28 pm

I have the same problem, and what I am going to try is to write down my difficulties as simple algebraic equations.

Example:

ASD x Ag (agoraphobia)=EI (extreme isolation)

EI x L (loneliness)=D (depression)

SI (social interaction) / ASD = A (anxiety)

W (work) / ASD = SM (sensory meltdowns)

(W+SI+EI) -R (where R equals Routine) / ASD = (SM + A + D)squared


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emlion
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16 Feb 2011, 2:30 pm

I don't think that'll help people to understand you more.
Just seems to complicate it further.
Especially with NT's words are better than calculations I would say (mass generalization here)?



druidsbird
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16 Feb 2011, 2:39 pm

emlion wrote:
I don't think that'll help people to understand you more.
Just seems to complicate it further.
Especially with NT's words are better than calculations I would say (mass generalization here)?


You may be right. Like I said I haven't tried it out yet.

Just seems like to me, NT's tend to mistake specific things I'm telling them as general ideas and run with them based on their own misunderstanding. I thought the concrete language of math might lessen that. Words are so subjective.


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AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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16 Feb 2011, 3:03 pm

druidsbird wrote:
Just seems like to me, NT's tend to mistake specific things I'm telling them as general ideas and run with them based on their own misunderstanding. . .

Yes, people sure do tend to take some specific description of autism and run with it as if it's the end-all and be-all. Instead of seeing, it is something that is sometimes true for some people with autism.

I just wish people had more patience and gave themselves time. And on a specific topic, take the view, this is something that's sometimes an issue for me, and sometimes it's not.

That is, I'm a growing, evolving human being just like anyone else. I just have (somewhat) different issues. :D



wavefreak58
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16 Feb 2011, 3:13 pm

A Star Trek universal translator?


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maxxim
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17 Feb 2011, 11:50 am

wavefreak58 wrote:
A Star Trek universal translator?

haha...this would greatly simplify things.