Autism help??????????

Question

I met someone online via myspace and fansites and we have been chatting for over a year now. we have no plans to meet up just normal chit chat. He has told me today he has autism.

This is no way affects our friendship and i dont see how it should.

Although does anyone know of anything i can do to maybe help without him knowing i was helping?

Thanks

Answer 1

The best thing you can do is be there for him and be supportive as he needs it. Other than that, treating him any differently may make him feel alienated, even if you are attempting not to. Most people with disabilities, no matter how severe just want to be treated like everyone else. Don't bring it up unless he does, and just continue on with your friendship as you always have.

You should feel free to look into the disorder though if only to understand some things if you were to notice strangeness in his behavior that seemed strange, namely if he seems distracted a lot of has a short attention span in conversation, but do it for the sake of knowledge, not for the sake of being a white knight :) I'm sure he's learned to live with his diagnosis and is just pleased to have a good friend.

Good Luck.

Answer 2

you  carnt help someone whth autism its not like a relationship wih your parrtner the best you can do is maybe there for them if theyre upset or anything

Answer 3

Just keep being a good friend. You wouldn't believe how much help it is for someone with autism to have a good friend. It's hard for people with autism to make friends and to keep them in the longterm.

Answer 4

I would imagine you are helping just fine by being his friend.

Answer 5

Like everyone else is saying, you are helping him most by chatting to him.

I guess the one other thing you could do is give him some slack if he misreads a social situation, or misreads what you are thinking/feeling. A lot of autistic people aren't superb at understanding nuances. So don't go off in a huff if he misreads something.

otherwise, just carry on being a great friend. And don't be shy of asking questions. he will be pleased you havent run away.

Answer 6

Assuming he is an adult now the possibility that autismeffects his life now is very rare. Generally aautismbegins during childhood and it effects the development of the child such as behavioral, social, and language skills. But if treatment is seeked the chances that autism is overcome is great such as speech, behavioral, and occupational therapies help the development. Now that he is an adult most likely the autism rarely effects him, if it does however there is not really much you can do to help him without him knowing. Autism requires a lot of hand on treatment and there is not much to do without being known. The best thing to do would to educate yourself with the facts of autism and Adult autism like visiting the national autism website.

Answer 7

YOU ARE DOING ALL YOU CAN NOW