Sensitivity

Things seem to get to me very much. I'm not 'tough' enough, and it's upsetting me. I work as a volunteer, and I have to make phone calls sometimes, I'm not good on telephones, so people get confused, then annoyed.
Is being highly sensitive to others part of AS? I know sensory sensitivity is, maybe this is similar to the sixth sense I talked about on another thread (Asperger's and Women)?
I don't know how to become bolder and less scared of people and their reactions. This could be part of the inability to decipher what others are thinking through their body language, so I always fear the worst.
Have any of you experienced this?

I hate to make phone calls to people I don't know.
And even those I do know I'm uncomfortable because I don't like to make small talk.
So I'd be very stressed at a position like yours.

Which is one reason I got of management, the people interaction was just too much for me.

I think it will get easier for you Nitty - I used to be hyper-sensitive and never thought I would ever survive but I have (I do)

I'm always afraid of people's reactions to things I say. If someone is upset with me I'll hide from them until I know for sure that they are over it.

Of course you are going to be sensitive as you are on constantly alert as you can never truly relax because life is so unpredictable unlike the rational, logical minds we possess. But, experience helps and over time, you will learn how things work and what can happen at what times. Our sensitivity can be useful in this way because we are more likely to pick these things up because we have a desire and NEED to understand. There is so much negativity involved with Aspergers, but I think that's societies problem, it teaches us that life is unpredictable and we HAVE to conform to these sets of rules which are almost alien and non nonsensical a lot of the time.

But, we have the abilities to turn the negatives around, its just about accepting how you are and not believing you should live and think like the majority of NT's, use you special interests and abilities in a way which suits you. Society has to be a little more accepting, but we must make an effort to understand ourselves. Your sensitivity on the telephone comes from a fear that can be turned into understanding with patience and time, our openness to learning helps us to overcome this sensitivity and engage with the world more effectively. In time, the telephone will not be scary any more, it may take many years, but it will lessen significantly. If they get annoyed, its because, THEY are the ones who cannot adapt to you, I assume you do not shout back at them rudely or whatever, NT's have as much trouble adapting to us as we do to them!

I hope this helps in SOME way Nitty , I know how negative life can be and what you can feel (I understand sadness and hopelessness more than anything else thanks to depression), but I am starting to become more positive again thanks to various "interventions" in my life.

zombiefishstix wrote:I'm always afraid of people's reactions to things I say. If someone is upset with me I'll hide from them until I know for sure that they are over it.

OMG, I didn't realize that I wasn't alone in this! I really suffer trying to talk on the phone with strangers ( and people I know if I think they are upset with me). My photography business in Nebraska really suffered because of this. I ended up on some days not even answering the phone at the studio, just letting it go to message, then I could screen who I wanted to call back. I guess it had something to do with being able to prepare myself mentally for the conversation, prepare what I was going to say, and prepare responses to possible questions. I hated surprise phone calls. And when a customer would come in without an appointment (the door would make a sound I could hear so I could hear them before I saw them), I would get an immediate rush of intense butterflies in my stomach. But I tried really hard to not appear as if this were going on inside me. Most people probably thought I was very pleased to see them, which was not always the case. But I enjoyed my job, once we got going in the camera room, I was usually fine. I tend to enjoy photographing children and babies, weddings make me cringe, and senior portraits and adults make me nervous. I never made the connection before, but babies and children feel safer, and I don't feel awkward around them.

Anyway, I too hide at times. Then try to come up with some excuse that isn't so damning, as to why I've been out of touch.