Socially awkward with someone I met online face to face

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I seem to find myself feeling socially awkward coming face to face with someone who had been speaking to me online, I have a had a few encounters with people I spoke to online and found it awkward in speaking to them, some of which I met at work and had served them. I feel bad though because I seem to feel as though they must be thinking ''Oh look its Chris, that weirdo who sending me all those messages on facebook.''

For a while there were times when I would go on social media and just send messages not just to people I was already ''friends'' with but even to their friends and even random people I didn't know venting my frustration and ranting about self esteem issues, comparison thoughts and so on and in response would just end up getting blocked, just ignored or get a reply which just sometimes ''Who the f*** are you ? Why are you messaging me ?, while others have kindly offered advice to help and some of which have strangely ended up befriending me maybe because they share my feelings and understand where I'm coming from, I don't know.

I still though seem to think its my fault because I've made myself look like an idiot to some of those people I've messaged and given them the impression that because of the messages and posts I made them think in their eyes I must be therefore a really depressed and boring person and not worth anybody's time and has lots of issues in his life. I don't want people to think I am a weird and depressing person. I even seem to think that was what the last person was thinking about me who I used to know in my college class who came into my place of work with her kids and buying something even though I can't dictate what people think.

Conversing with social media contacts can be difficult for NT's, let alone autistic folk. Don't be too hard on yourself.

As for randomly messaging people, you have to be skilled at building a rapport with strangers to do that, which isn't exactly the autistic forte.

If you are not careful, you will get the feeling that the other person thinks you are creepy, even if you have not said anything creepy/have good intentions.

Also, being negative to strangers from the get go is a red flag for the person on the receiving end, in the majority of cases, I would imagine.

Yes I've had that happen. Someone I met in a mums' social group online, and my daughter's nursery teacher.

I know why: online I'm articulate, fun, relaxed etc. Apparently I'm totally different in person. This did not go down well with the mum and nursery teacher! They seemed shocked that I was so different.

Aw, I am sorry that the disparity between your online presentation & your in person presentation was causing some issues. I think it is common for autistic folk to be extremely sociable and fun online, but many obviously struggle in person in real time. It's just a part of autism, I wouldn't feel bad about it.