VIDEO CONFERENCE: Alone or Lonely

A low cost International Support Group facilitated by Dr. Marshack. This video conference is only for Members of the Meetup group, Asperger Syndrome: Partners & Family of Adults with ASD.
Click here for membership details and to register for this call.
Topic: Alone or Lonely
Thursday, March 7, 2019 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM PT

VIDEO CONFERENCE: Alone or Lonely. At first I titled this conference “Alone and Lonely” but I don’t think that fits. As NTs we are actually OK with being alone. We get time to think, take care of ourselves, rest, create, etc. But it’s the loneliness that is compelling isn’t it? NTs like to balance alone time with people time. Even at a party, we might step outside for a minute to get some fresh air. Or maybe we take a few extra minutes in the bathroom. These are moments to re-center our energies. Other times we rebalance ourselves with a long walk, or playing with the dog (because dogs are not draining like people can be). But we inevitably need our people time too or we get glum. People time is important because with an empathic reciprocal interaction with others, we come to know ourselves better. With our Aspies we are always alone, even when they are in the same room with us. This creates loneliness because we can’t do anything about it, like we can with other people. They don’t have empathy so they don’t look into our eyes and see us. Thus we remain too long in a period of “aloneliness.” This quote from Hugh Jackman (to his wife) explains what it means to be loved and not lonely. “I believe in life we need to see and truly be seen by the most important people in our lives. Deb, from day one, we had that. 22 years later. . . it only gets deeper. You and the kids are the greatest gift I will ever receive. I love you a gazillion times around the world.”