What are you like after a day of socialising?

[Judge]

I think I'm not drained by socialising if it's not many people, the place isn't busy and I can hear the people well and don't have to do a ton of mental gymnastics to understand what they say at all.

To hell with behaviourism and ignoring causes of issues and putting square pegs into round holes.

It does reflect the amount of "multitasking" we are forced to contend with, and in real-time.

Making me highly critical at times of my own ability to multitask. Which can sometimes be pretty effective, provided it does not involve one thing. - Simultaneous communication with another person or persons.

 

[Judge]

But what is the difference between autistic social exhaustion and NT social exhaustion?

None that I can see. Especially when you consider that social anxiety which can happen to anyone. That in itself is exhausting.

One of those conditions where ND and NT issues overlap one another. Which might be said for other comorbid factors of autism as well. OCD, clinical depression, etc.

 

[vergil96]

It does reflect the amount of "multitasking" we are forced to contend with, and in real-time.

Hmmm. To me it just feels like:
1. I can't hear much, when many people talk, they blend into one big noise and there is nothing to hear there, like in an old TV
2. The volume of all senses is too much, it bothers me. Busy places drain me. Movement, bright lights, noises, smells, everything. Or I straight up get a panic attack from the sheer volume.

 

[Roisin]

How am I after a day of socialising? It depends on who I'm with how loud or unpredictable it is... if I can relax and just be myself in a good sensory environment then I will likely recover after a sleep and a few hours quiet time.

If I'm anxious, have to mask, eg it's a work related experience or a complex situation then I will be wiped for a few days.

I haven't had a buzz from socialising for years, probably 20 at least.
I remember feeling full of energy and elated after successful social situations, where I had felt connected to others.

 

[Judge]

Hmmm. To me it just feels like:
1. I can't hear much, when many people talk, they blend into one big noise and there is nothing to hear there, like in an old TV

Beyond a face-to-face conversation with one person, having to hear other persons in the background do make it hard. And if a second person enters the same conversation, yeah...I begin to lose track of it all in the process. Having to fake as if I was keeping up. Awkward.

I hate having to admit such things, but it's true.

 

[FayetheAspie]

Beyond a face-to-face conversation with one person, having to hear other persons in the background do make it hard. And if a second person enters the same conversation, yeah...I begin to lose track of it all in the process. Having to fake as if I was keeping up. Awkward.

I hate having to admit such things, but it's true.

Multi direction conversations are harder to keep up with and it's hard to know who to look at too. I don't want people to feel like I am favoring a certain person so I sometimes glance from face to face back and forth but then I think they think I have " a shifty gaze". Supposedly I didn't have these struggles when I was little.

 

[Stardust Parade]

It depends but usually I’m tired afterwards.