Image of a screenshot of Twitter of a screenshot of Facebook.

The Facebook screenshot reads:

Fun fact about me: When I’m having a conversation with you, I will periodically bring up personal experiences from my own life, interspersed withing your own stories that you’re telling me. I’m not doing this to try and make the conversation about me, or to take away from your own experience. Actually, what I’m attempting to do, is to try and show you that I do, in fact, understand what you’re trying to tell me, and that I am giving your story my full attention.

It can really be off-putting to some people, so if I’ve ever done this to you during a conversation, I just wanted to make sure you know that I wasn’t trying to take over your story, I was just doing my best to connect with you in the moment.

The screenshot of Twitter reads:

This. I am fully aware that I do this. And I feel so guilty every time, but this. Understand this.

  • @Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    19•2 years ago

    I’ll often consciously play a game where I try to get my conversational partner to ‘open up’, telling me more personal information than a person would normally tell. Meanwhile, I keep my revelations to a minimum, keeping the ratio as high as I can. I’ve had people cry and hug me, all while knowing nothing about me. I do like helping people and comforting them though.

    Probably sociopathic behavior now that I think about it. Forget I mentioned it.

    • ChetzemokaEnglish
      5•2 years ago

      Hahaha, as a nurse, I think you should become a nurse. This is a clinical skill we are taught called “therapeutic use of self.”

      I will selectively tell stories from my own personal background explicitly for the sake of drawing more information out of a patient, letting them know they’re not alone I’ve been through something similar, or sometimes just a funny anecdote to distract them from something uncomfortable.

      But it’s never about something I’m particularly interested in talking about. It’s only because it’s relevant to the patient’s current situation and I feel like it might help them in some way. Because, after all, love y’all and everything, but I’m at work here, not trying to socialize with ya.

      And yes…it sometimes feels a little sociopathic lol

    • @AngryCommieKender@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2•2 years ago

      Apparently I do this subconsciously. I’ve literally had thousands of people tell me that, “You’re so easy to talk to,” or “I wouldn’t tell anyone else this, but you make me feel safe.”

      I’ve yet to figure out how to actually use this autistic power for good.

    • volvoxvsmarla English
      2•2 years ago

      This sounds like a kind of, admittedly wicked, talent. Wanna share how you would go about it?