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Do you "do" large Groups?

Mr Allen

Mr Allen

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
Personally I don't, I hate large groups in general, much rather function in a 1 to 1 setting, or at best very small groups.

How about you lot? Is it an Aspie thing to not like large groups or is it just me?
 
Now that's something I'd wager is an "Aspie Thing" in general.

Too many people in close proximity can sometimes bring out the fight or flight response in me.
 
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Nope, can't do it. Conversations always get muddled and splintered, people talking all at once, and I can't follow, and then space out. And if it should happen that I can follow, I usually can't react quickly enough to interject.

This is the root of much of my not feeling like an adult, I think.
 
I used to, but did not handle it well. I went to a convention with my support group two years in a row. There were thousands of people there, and the only way that I survived it was to keep going back to my room and hanging out there reading or just doing nothing. Now I am not at all sure I could handle it at all.
 
It depends on the acoustics of the environment and how much of the group I am expected to interact with.

The benefits of it being more than just myself and another person, is that the conversation is less dependant on me.
 
I can't even go to Walmart unless it's early in the morning when the fewest people will be out shopping. No groups, large or small, for this small town gal.
 
I can tollerate large groups as long as its tied to one of my special interests. Such as model train shows, or shows where I take my restored garden tractor to. As everybody is there for the same interest, my anxiety of having to talk to strangers is kept to a minimum. But even then, I need extended down time alone once I get home and will be on a hair trigger for a meltdown the rest of the day if something goes wrong. I have leaned to cope and my wife has learned to leave me alone once we get home. Now large crowds at places I do not want to be, are unwanted and avoided as much as possible. We have both Walmart and a Meijer store that are open 24/7/365 so I can go late at night to avoid crowds. At country music concerts, we get end seats so I am on the aisle so that I do not feel trapped and can keep space around me. I wear a headset to make the music volume tollerable, but once again, I need extended down time once we get home. Its usualy time for bed so a relaxing hot shower and into bed under my weighted blanket and by the next morning I am ok. Mike
 
I can tolerate it for a little while. I attend a small church, only 50 or so, and the worst part is the passing of the peace. 5 minutes of social awkwardness. Its not too bad since I know a lot of people there, but its still sort of a fake forced situation that I could live without.
 
No, not at all! Like yourself: one to one for me. Sometimes I can cope in a small group, but rarely that happens.

Cannot cope with the noise and the sheer social aspect of it all and just want to run away!
 
Turanga Veela said:
Nope, can't do it. Conversations always get muddled and splintered, people talking all at once, and I can't follow, and then space out. And if it should happen that I can follow, I usually can't react quickly enough to interject.

This is the root of much of my not feeling like an adult, I think.
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I can't do it either. When I'm in a large group it feels like everybody knows what to say and has a perfect timing. I usually shut down after a while and just feel like leaving.

I prefer 1 to 1 settings or smaller groups, but in the second scenario it depends very much the people I'm with and how well I know them or feel comfortable around.
 
I don't mind large groups as long as I'm not expected to socialize with them. I can block out all the people, but then I literally block out everything except whatever I'm focusing on. I don't notice if anyone is talking to me, if I'm cold or if a bear is loose.

If it's a social gathering, though, I can't just block everything out. And that's when I can't do it. I try to follow a conversation, but all the voices mix and I can't hear anything. If I somehow manage to follow one conversation, I never feel like a can get a word in. Other people's conversation often seem to have such a natural flow that I feel like I disturb, if I try to join in.

I avoid large social groups as much as I can, but when I have to, I usually just sit quietly and look confused for the entire duration.
 
I can do it, but apparently it takes a serious toll. And I certainly need my downtime afterwards.
 
I am the same
My mind goes blank or vacant in large groups I feel like a rabbit in the spotlight
Yep one on one or my partner and I and another couple is good
 
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