What is your social kryptonite?

[Jusdifferent]

Yep. Too many people moving too quickly (shopping malls at holidays) can and have left me with a "flight or fight" response.

Usually I leave in one helluva hurry and do shutdown elsewhere for a bit.

LOL. See? You've come to the right place. We know EXACTLY what you are talking about. You are NOT alone here.

Me too. *Not Christian, so I don't have to worry with holiday shopping, but just going to the stores this time of year can be so traumatizing - the crush of a sea of bodies, so many sights, smells - all the lights, the crazed din of the populus... No, no, NO!!!

EVIL CONFESSION : When I am forced to go into the shops, I wish so desperately for a tail - a sleek reptilian tail - with a nasty barb on the end - to smite the ignorant, unwashed when they get to close! ( Sorry, I am on day 9 of my "monthly trials", and just full of holiday cheer, and goodwill >;-[ I think I will get out of here, and go take a nap; perhaps I will awake fully human once again.]

 

[Jusdifferent]

That might work. Thanks. I eventually just put on my headphones and listened to music.

Me too. I think I would die this time of year without my MP3 !

 

[Calendril]

Mine would have to be a social event (Party) where the number of people I don't know well is greater than the number of people I know well enough to chat with. I've gotten to the point where I can sit on the periphery and watch (and enjoy) what's going on, but after a little while I start getting anxious that I'm drawing attention to myself by sitting there and not being social. People probably think I'm weird or "too much effort to talk to" ( <-- that's a direct quote). The best outcome is when I'm just invisible. And any forced interaction just leaves me trying to ignore panic (my ears get hot, my heart starts pounding, it's difficult to breathe comfortably, etc).

But if I have a good group of people I know and am comfortable with... no problems. I can smile, be chatty and friendly. Until the balance shifts, then I shift on a dime.

Overall, it's not a good time, but I keep trying - hoping I'll eventually figure out some way to combat it.

 

[Knit Hat]

Pretty much any setting where I don't know anyone very well.

 

[Adonisus]

Big loud crowds were my kryptonite when I was a kid. I eventually was able to overcome that, but it took some serious initiative on my part.

But these days? It's attractive women. I turn into a sweaty, stuttering mess.

 

[Manuheleku]

Noise, loud noise, I put in my earbuds and find some place to disappear. Even loud music, I love it when I'm alone like when I'm driving, but throw in another person and I stress out. Earbuds and earplugs are the norm for me.

 

[OFelixCulpa]

There are several others, but one thing where I really noticed the difference between me and everyone else is the game Balderdash. I am completely unable to play. The goal of the game is to lie convincingly. I never understood before, but I always came in dead last--no one ever chose my answers. I now see that the problem is that everyone else knows how to lie, but I don't. NT's can see through my "lies" immediately. I eventually learned that Balderdash is just no fun for me. The best thing to do is to politely decline to play. I've never tried poker, but suspect I would also be terrible at that.

 

[ExplosiveTMT]

Any team sports.
Never could wrap my noggin around it; every attempt I did make at playing them turned me into a comedy show.
It also doesn't help that I don't have any motivation to try to understand team sports either.

 

[Manuheleku]

People who try to make fun into a competition. Just having fun with friends and someone wants to turn it into a competition.

 

[Alex Dame]

For me, I'd have to say the main thing that dissolves my normalcy is seeing Disney's Frozen everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Not just Disney's Frozen, but also Disney's Big Hero Six, "Disney's" Star Wars, "Disney's" The Avengers, "Disney's" X-Men and Marvel- It's just so different from the cute and funny song-and-dance Buena Vista Disney that I grew up with. And it's everywhere, stocking shelves, being advertised on posters and the internet, there's no way to get away from it. The worst of it is seeing Disney's Frozen everywhere, advertised, elaborated on, making it seem like it's that much more appealing to little kids, while I've been coming up with ideas, many of which were significantly better than Frozen for as long as I can remember. Nobody's ever going to recognize MY work like that. What they're going to do is say that my Jewel character, whom I came up with before Disney came out with Frozen, thank you very much, is a knockoff of Queen Elsa! And that's why, every time I see that ice queen and her sister on a piece of merchandise, I feel as though they're laughing at me. I don't exactly spill my guts about why, but I've complained to people around me, other shoppers, people in line, even the checkout person, about how I hate being surrounded by that merchandise. (Sigh) But it's just something I've got to deal with. My brother's daughter loves Disney's Frozen, and so does my best friend's granddaughter. Some day, I hope I can let it go (No pun intended).

 

[Sindri]

I don't get jokes quite often...either at all, or I understand the joke much later, after thought. Also, I think my sense of humour is much different than most, so when the joking begins, it's clear I don't find it funny, or that I'm confused. Often I pretend to laugh just because it's easier. :/

I'm also called out when I'm on sensory overload that most people can deal with. I can sometimes have a panic attack and need to be led out of the store by my S.O., if there are too many people at the store/it's too loud, my thinking will become all scattered and I will literally forget where the front/exit of the store is. I often notice people looking at me oddly when I'm trying my best to suppress the overload I feel.

 

[AnthonyH]

When older people I don't know that well ask me about future plans. That always seems to break me down, unless I know that person confidently and I know they know my personality well.
Oh, also recently I was in a situation where I met up with some classmates who are obsessive over video games and online games and such. To be honest I had no clue what they were saying, so I just stood there like a tree, trying my best to decipher their conversation, however I knew ultimately it would be a vain attempt. I hopped in every now and then when I could, buuuuuut mostly I just stood there......

 

[bowski]

Mine would have to be playing a humorous game with many people that I don't know very well (e.g. Cards Against Humanity). When it is my turn to read, I cannot interpret the humor while maintaining my genuine tone. In other words, I feel forced to laugh because people think certain things are funny, and then it is just incredibly uncomfortable. The safe bet seems to be just picking whatever the group found to be the most amusing. This is not to say that my humor machine is broken, I just can't maintain that much going on. I can't focus on the cards because I'm consumed by the group dynamic.

I actually did this two weeks ago. My boyfriend and I were going to a party with his friends who I'd never met before, and he told me we were going to play that game. I was so nervous because I hate reading out loud, because it's hard to focus both on reading loud enough, and understanding what I am actually reading. But when we got to the party, everyone downloaded an app, and we played with our phones. The different cards everyone chose popped up on the tv-screen, and that way no one ever had to read anything loud! I was so relieved, and I actually won the game. It is my kind of humor though, usually people find the fun things I say completely inappropriate. Anyways - if you're going to play that game again, ask to do it over wi-fi. It's genious.
I guess it's obvious that I'm not like everyone else when it comes to meeting new people. I look and act normal, but I just can't talk to them. I never ask any questions, and I basically just answer "yes" or "no". And I smile too much. I guess it is a defense mechanism, look happy all the time and no one will notice how uncomfortable you are.

 

[Chuck2]

I have a lot of what has already been mentioned. The one thing that bothers me the most is having to say good-bye to family who I won't see again for months. I hate hugging some people more than others. I have the hardest time hugging my immediately younger sister and my dad, he also has a very hard time hugging me. We feel like we have to but we really don't want to.

 

[freewaydog]

What's my "social krytonite" u ask? My damned voice!

 

[odmo]

People probably think I'm weird or "too much effort to talk to" ( <-- that's a direct quote).

I get this as well, and it continues to baffle me. Small talk must go completely over my head, I'd rather get to know the details about a person's life or tell them something genuine that is going on with mine. Those interactions, for whatever reason, seem to be off-putting.

Until the balance shifts, then I shift on a dime.

This resonates with me.

 

[odmo]

Even loud music, I love it when I'm alone like when I'm driving, but throw in another person and I stress out.

Driving is my go to! Don't have to think about anything besides the 50 feet in front of you, a time of peace. Even when there are stupid drivers, it is nice to just laugh at how silly their annoyances are. But then throw in another person and I (usually) can't be in peace anymore. My focus is on them, and maintaining the situation.

 

[odmo]

When older people I don't know that well ask me about future plans.

Graduating college this week, and I have been having fun with this one. When asked, I'll answer with something along the lines of "I have no idea, so I'm gonna travel for a while." The reactions vary, and it seems to be very telling of the person you are talking with. Some will be interested/excited about the uncertainty, and for others it almost seems like they are personally distraught about it. Like the fact that you don't have definite life plans offends them, and they feel like a resolve is needed. How absurd is that! It is rather amusing, and makes me realize how much everyone wants to control everyone in this game.

 

[odmo]

he different cards everyone chose popped up on the tv-screen, and that way no one ever had to read anything loud!

This sounds brilliant! I am definitely going to try this if that situation ever pops up again. Thanks

 

[OrSomething]

When I'm afraid someone will say one of my "meltdown trigger" phrases. I won't go into detail about what they are because there are a lot of them. But I cover my ears, rock back and forth, mutter to myself, and just generally look socially undesirable.