Making friends when you have autism because you have such an obsessive mind. It is hard to do things in moderation when you have autism. Travis shares some useful tips and strategies for teaching children and teenagers with autism how to learn the step by step process of making friends without obsessing over their new friend. Travis explains how he works through the grey areas to get through life and find the different colors in life. Life is beautiful but with autism Travis thinks in terms of very black and white thinking. This makes it hard for him to build friendships because he is either wanting to talk and connect with his friends every day all day long or not interact with them at all. Travis has great difficulty in understanding and comprehending the grey areas of a friendship in which you might not talk to your friends every day but maybe a few days per week. Travis also explains why it is hard for him to disengage in friendships because his brain fears if he disengages that his friends will not be there any longer. Travis also explains his struggle with understanding the concept of object permanence in friendships Much like a new born baby who does not understand his or her mother is still there even if they cannot see them Travis has always struggled developmentally with being able to comprehend that his friends are still there even when he can not physically see or interact with them. This causes Travis to display socially inappropriate and clingy behaviors that can frustrate his friends. Travis will share his story with the reader to help parents and clinicians as well as friends of autistic people understand us better so we can have better friendships.
