I’m sorry you’re feeling this way and I feel this deeply for you because you’re transitioning into adulthood during an exceptionally difficult time. It’s even harder then when I graduated from high school in 1996. What I can say is that you’ve got youth on your side and plenty of potential.

May I ask about your skills and passions? Maybe with dedication and time you can parlay these skills into a career. When I graduated from college and the career that I had trained for did not work out, I had computer skills that I could fall back on. It was a long and hard crawl to make a living at and I’ve had better years and worse years. Right now, I’m underpaid but steadily employed in state government. I don’t have much hope for advancement.

While nothing would make me happier then to be able to tell you it will be alright, alas I am unable because the future is and always has been uncertain But I can tell you that you have youth on your side. At 46, I’m at the age where age discrimination is a real thing

Yo, it’ll be okay.

FWIW I’m almost 50… basically pre Asperger’s, etc. I was diagnosed a few years ago. Like a lot of guys my age, the people I’ve been drawn to as an adult, personally and professionally, have something going on. I stuck to my interests, had decent enough instincts about career options, and worked with people I gelled with. Consequently I’m relatively successful as a developer. Am I Ok? I deal with the same stuff as the rest of us… social burnout, masking, struggling to get chores done, guilt, yadda yadda. Most neurotypicals have their own shit going on, too. You can get to a point where you forgive yourself for being different. You have your own strengths and weaknesses. That’s it.

From my experience, things work out eventually. It’s the waiting and the uncertainty that feel terrible, but you just have to hang in there and make the best of the opportunities you get. When I left school behind, I didn’t know what to do with myself and, honestly, I still don’t; but when I look back at the years since then, I can see I’ve grown and changed my life in little ways that I didn’t recognize at the time.

So, I’m fairly sure it will be okay. I believe in you.

I felt this way too and it does get better. Put yourself in positions to meet new people and make new friendships. Clubs, study groups, weekend groups, anything to find people with like interests. Give it time and it’ll happen before you know it. High school can be great, but so can the rest of your life. Best luck 🍀

I’m not autistic myself but my wife is.

It takes time but you’ll find your way to live a happy life. Whether it be friends you’ll feel comfortable enough to be yourself around, a job that suits you, a lovely and supportive SO if you need one, a place to live and enough hobbies to keep focused.

You’ll be ok, mate.

Another voice here to tell you that there’s hope. I felt like you after high school too, but I found my way eventually. Hang in there. Keep reaching out for help when you need it. Things absolutely can be okay, and more people want to support you than you’d expect.

It’ll be okay 🎶

It will get better. Right after school I felt disoriented by the lack of structure and overwhelmed by the decisions to make. Once you work through that, you will be less overstimulated and able to tackle things again!

It’ll be ok. This too will pass. You’ll find the things that bring you contentment and meaning, and there you’ll find your people

It’s gonna be ok buddy you can do what ever you want

You’ll be increasingly able to choose who you surround yourself with everyday.

More people around you will be more mature and tolerant.

You have learnt many techniques for handling the world, and you will learn more.

If you made it this far, it will definitely be okay.