Is “just be yourself” harmful advice for awkward or neurodivergent people?

[Vesuvius87]

I was told that long ago. What if being yourself or acting your normal self gets your judged? In your school years, if you really had issues, accidentally misinterpreted things and said the wrong things, are naturally awkward or seen as shy, that alone gets your bullied.

So is ''just be yourself'' or ''act normal'' the worst advice ever? What if it's another person like me within the spectrum?

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4 d

Then in your younger years, you get rejected, corrected or ostracized for being your authentic self, for acting naturally.

[genericname85]

i mean "professionally" speaking, "being yourself" is often not the best idea. but privately, that's good advice i think. yeah if you are a certain way, maybe you'll have a harder time finding friends or mates but do you wanna be loved for the role you're playing or for who you actually are? you'll find your crowd.

[loveslongnails]

Sorry, I have to digress a bit. "Just be yourself" is harmful advice for at least half the population. LOL

[rose_noire]

It's not harmful to be yourself, what's harmful is telling people to "just be yourself" and then not teaching them how to translate it so others can actually meet you halfway.

[Rorroto]

That's a good way of phrasing it.

For example, in my experience groups of guys, especially younger guys, really love edgy, gross, sexual humor. Groups of girls are significantly more likely to absolutely hate that... but they can like it too, but usually in much smaller doses.

[Agape93]

Nope because starting any relationship with a lie is much worse

[Vesuvius87]

Yes off course you have to be honest in a relationship. I'm referring when told to just be yourself but those same people then judged you or see you as weird when you're acting your natural self.

[Vesuvius87]

For intance someone that has a habbit of naturally laughing at things not that funny (is being their true self) can be judged as crazy, creepy or weird by others... and that very person can be left feeling confused, not understanding how just being themselves is causing issues.

[NathanDavis]

but that's not the full advice...


it is... just be GENUINE... and also better

don't be the bad version of yourself that could suck

be the best that you can be, lol

[KostasKouvalis]

I will say "yes", as most people see neurodivergent behavior as a flaw

[strateguy632]

the opposite. you would make them nervous! they should be themself natural. say what you feel like saying.

[Anonymous]

if you behave properly, be yourself

[jahaims]

Nope