Dear Ann,

Being a teenager is tough enough. For those that have Asperger syndrome it is even more difficult. Individuals with this disorder may have significant problems with social interaction. More specifically, it can be difficult understanding many of the verbal and nonverbal cues and elements of social interaction that most of us take for granted. It is often beneficial for children and adolescents with this disorder to have help and training to strengthen their social skills and awareness. For this reason, I am disappointed to hear that your parents don’t allow you to interact with others outside of school, because that is an opportunity to strengthen social skills. Therapeutic socialization groups facilitated by licensed therapists trained to work with people with autism can be extremely helpful.

The fact that you have begun cutting yourself is an indication that you are feeling overwhelmed with your emotional life and may not know how else to cope. It is also an indicator that you would benefit from counseling. While many teens don’t love the idea of talking to a psychotherapist, if it’s a good match, it can prove very helpful. In your case, meeting with a counselor can help you learn more effective ways of coping with the challenging emotions that you are experiencing. The counselor can also, with your permission, help your parents to better understand what you are going through so that they can be more supportive. Often times, parents want to be helpful when their children are struggling, but they just don’t know how. The counselor can also help you find a therapeutic group in your area where you can meet with other teens struggling with similar issues to provide you with peer support. While your situation certainly sounds overwhelming, know that there are solutions to the problems you are facing if you are willing to work on them with a professional that you can trust. Consider letting your parents know that you would like to speak to a counselor with this area of expertise to help you. That would be a great start.