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I am not suggesting masking, I’m suggesting finding useful and effective tools and strategies. Masking might have been useful in the short run, but as you mention - it is unsustainable.
There are plenty of ways that don’t require it, but they are somewhat culture and context specific, as well as require some care and support to make sure you’re not accidentally masking.
A psychologist or other trained specialist might be very useful to figure out a more sustainable way for this and related situations (if you feel you only have unsustainable strategies in a particular domain, they can help). Your support network might also be able to help, and I warmly recommend finding other neurodivergents to share camaraderie and experience how many ways there are to both be more of yourself, and a more effective communicator.
For many neurodivergents, finding a community of like minded is both freeing - as your peers are both conscious and practiced not to mask, and helpful - as you get to witness and discuss many different strategies, as well as how they can be adapted to different personalities. Correctly done, it is also a great way to improve your self-reliance.
Again, maybe a start would be to have a look at the neurodivergent comms here on the fediverse (as they will have experience with Lemmy situations), but feel free to find a group/groups suited to you, online or offline.
When I play 4X games, I don’t like to trade with the other empires and choose one of those “I give you ten money for five turns” deals. I’d rather give 50 money now. I think that’s a common, natural, and healthy reaction. Humans don’t like putting in ongoing effort to something. They want to fix the problem or accomplish the goal now. Get it all over with in one go, so they aren’t drained later on. It’s a good emotional reaction.
But sometimes that’s not possible. My problem getting along with people is a tough problem. You wanted to solve it. You wanted to do all the work in one go and good my life. But it’s not always that easy. Sometimes the answer to these problems has to be ongoing effort to mitigate one’s own biases. It’s a displeasing thought. It sucks. I’ve been putting in ongoing effort for years and years. I did it. The idea that other people need to do that too? That society isn’t perfect? That your own judgement isn’t perfect? That you have to put in effort to not hate the way a pwNPD talks? Scary thought. Terrifying.
I already have great tools. But tools don’t work if other people decide to have a problem with the way I am. I’m autistic and NPD. In autism communities, people don’t like that I have an air of superiority. In NPD communities, people don’t like that I’m technically minded and nonresponsive to norms. I can’t turn either of those off. The problem is empathy, or as I like to call it, mind reading. People can tell I think of myself more highly than them, and it personally offends them. They feel like it’s an attack? I don’t say it, I don’t act like it, but they feel it. As for my part, well I feel violated that people are reading my mind without consent. Those thoughts are private. I can hide the thoughts by masking, but I don’t want to mask. The strategies I have are how to resolve conflicts and be respectful while being who I am. While wanting to live.
My conduct in the exchange at the top of this thread is exemplary. Personally, I think you’re just using vibes based judgement instead of facts based judgement. I have aggressive vibes, I know. It’s who I am, but it’s not how I act. I speak with a precision and clarity that is like a blacksmith’s hammer relentlessly striking metal. But I am gentle, but for the noisy clang of steel, when I choose to be. I was choosing to be gentle in that conversation up until they said I was banned again. If you disagree, I would prefer to be told so in facts rather than vibes.
I am not suggesting masking, I’m suggesting finding useful and effective tools and strategies. Masking might have been useful in the short run, but as you mention - it is unsustainable.
There are plenty of ways that don’t require it, but they are somewhat culture and context specific, as well as require some care and support to make sure you’re not accidentally masking.
A psychologist or other trained specialist might be very useful to figure out a more sustainable way for this and related situations (if you feel you only have unsustainable strategies in a particular domain, they can help). Your support network might also be able to help, and I warmly recommend finding other neurodivergents to share camaraderie and experience how many ways there are to both be more of yourself, and a more effective communicator.
For many neurodivergents, finding a community of like minded is both freeing - as your peers are both conscious and practiced not to mask, and helpful - as you get to witness and discuss many different strategies, as well as how they can be adapted to different personalities. Correctly done, it is also a great way to improve your self-reliance.
Again, maybe a start would be to have a look at the neurodivergent comms here on the fediverse (as they will have experience with Lemmy situations), but feel free to find a group/groups suited to you, online or offline.
When I play 4X games, I don’t like to trade with the other empires and choose one of those “I give you ten money for five turns” deals. I’d rather give 50 money now. I think that’s a common, natural, and healthy reaction. Humans don’t like putting in ongoing effort to something. They want to fix the problem or accomplish the goal now. Get it all over with in one go, so they aren’t drained later on. It’s a good emotional reaction.
But sometimes that’s not possible. My problem getting along with people is a tough problem. You wanted to solve it. You wanted to do all the work in one go and good my life. But it’s not always that easy. Sometimes the answer to these problems has to be ongoing effort to mitigate one’s own biases. It’s a displeasing thought. It sucks. I’ve been putting in ongoing effort for years and years. I did it. The idea that other people need to do that too? That society isn’t perfect? That your own judgement isn’t perfect? That you have to put in effort to not hate the way a pwNPD talks? Scary thought. Terrifying.
I already have great tools. But tools don’t work if other people decide to have a problem with the way I am. I’m autistic and NPD. In autism communities, people don’t like that I have an air of superiority. In NPD communities, people don’t like that I’m technically minded and nonresponsive to norms. I can’t turn either of those off. The problem is empathy, or as I like to call it, mind reading. People can tell I think of myself more highly than them, and it personally offends them. They feel like it’s an attack? I don’t say it, I don’t act like it, but they feel it. As for my part, well I feel violated that people are reading my mind without consent. Those thoughts are private. I can hide the thoughts by masking, but I don’t want to mask. The strategies I have are how to resolve conflicts and be respectful while being who I am. While wanting to live.
My conduct in the exchange at the top of this thread is exemplary. Personally, I think you’re just using vibes based judgement instead of facts based judgement. I have aggressive vibes, I know. It’s who I am, but it’s not how I act. I speak with a precision and clarity that is like a blacksmith’s hammer relentlessly striking metal. But I am gentle, but for the noisy clang of steel, when I choose to be. I was choosing to be gentle in that conversation up until they said I was banned again. If you disagree, I would prefer to be told so in facts rather than vibes.