Seeking advice about social interaction and romances

Hi everyone, this is the first time I've put something on a site like this, so forgive me if I don't know how it works. For some context, I'm a 17 year old guy who is graduating from high school. I'm someone who struggles a lot with social interaction, partially because of the fact that I'm autistic. However, I really want to make friends and hopefully one day have someone love me romantically. Every time I try to put myself out there, I seem to only ever push people away. The things I want most are the hardest for me to achieve. I want to know, is it me that's the problem? Do I need to find some way of changing myself to have the connections I want?

Hi Maybe Not Quite: I hope that you do manage to make good friends and have a healthy romantic relationship in your future. You wrote that you are graduating from high school, did you or do you attend counseling in school? I am asking because a quality counselor can help you, in person, to develop basic social skills that will help you in your goals (to make friends and have a romantic relationship). You wrote that you try to put yourself out there, but you "seem to only ever push people away"- do you know what about your expressions or behaviors (how you come across to other people) pushed people away from you? Amie