Is lack of eye contact an actual thing in Autism?

SheffieldMan1976

Back in 2007, I had an interview at Remploy in Town, and this woman kept passing comment on my lack of eye contact, among other issues including accusing me to my face of LYING about every word of what was on my CV! You what?!

Anyway, is the lack of eye contact an actual thing in Autistic folk or was she just being difficult for no reason?

rubin16

Yes it is an actual thing and a common trait amongst autistic individuals.

Rosie_Scope

Sorry you had that experience @SheffieldMan1976! Do you mean that she didn't understand why you couldn't make more eye contact and thought it was because you were lying?

SheffieldMan1976

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1109688#Comment_1109688

I just came out of the interview, went Home to Mum and went on a long swear filled rant about the blatant discrimination/ableism of this woman.

What REALLY annoyed me though was that this was Remploy, they're supposed to be PRO disability! About as much use as a chuffin' cardboard teapot, and that's being kind.

Rosie_Scope

I can imagine you did! You'd think they'd be much more understanding @SheffieldMan1976, that's so disappointing.

Catherine21

I wear sunglasses winter spring fall been known to look away from the person and talk to the wall wye contact impossible so i devolped sounds crazy but i could blur people out be looking at them but see noting about them eye colour hair colour noting but i appear to be engaging and i am not im zoning out took me 50 years to relize that like a filter

Ross1975

What happened to Chris's post?

OverlyAnxious

I've always struggled with eye contact as well. Don't know if it's part of Autism or anxiety in my case. Either way, I've been using dark glasses in public places for years now. Not that that's much better though, as I have had comments about it being weird or inappropriate indoors or in dull weather…