• Welcome to Autism Forums, a friendly forum to discuss Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, High Functioning Autism and related conditions.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Private Member only forums for more serious discussions that you may wish to not have guests or search engines access to.
    • Your very own blog. Write about anything you like on your own individual blog.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon! Please also check us out @ https://www.twitter.com/aspiescentral

How do you feel in natural environments?

How do Aspies feel in natural environments

  • Relieved and relaxed, modern life is so noisy

    Votes: 16 84.2%

  • Neutral

    Votes: 2 10.5%

  • I hate it!

    Votes: 1 5.3%
  • Total voters
    19
T

Tigris

Well-Known Member
I am doing a survey to see if modern environments like cities are the cause of sensory overload in Aspies.

As an Aspies, How do you feel in natural environments like in a forest, grass field, swamp, seaside.etc ?

Take it that there is nothing artificial like a boat, or car making unnecessary noise or planes flying.
 
Interesting thread. Personally, I would say natural environments are relaxing if I am alone in said environment. If it's filled with people swimming at a lake, etc, then It's nerve wracking. (usually it is filled with people in my experience, such as a park). Sometimes I find cities relaxing, even with the noise. Some sounds like a train going by help me relax.

For me personally I think it's people that cause sensory overload, not just sounds.
 
I don't like natural environments too much, they are too quiet, they are extremely boring... I'd probably feel like smacking myself in the head (Although I wouldn't do it!) I like lots of noise, from many different sources.

I don't deal with talking from many different sources well though. I hate restaurants at peak time, complete overload for me.
 
I have recently begun jogging at a local cemetery, and I find it SO peaceful & relaxing! It makes me feel like a kid again...sitting in the grass, running outside, looking at birds, etc. :)

A while ago, I didn't like outdoors too much (mainly because it was away from my computer), but I have recently begun to be obsessed with exercise...so, I tried it outside, and I really really like it, and it improves my mood so much!
 
I love being in natural environments. A couple years ago I went to a place called Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge here in Nevada, and it as so quiet there that the only sound you heard were the animals and the sound of running water. It was amazing because I had never heard anything like that before.
 
I love natural environments - that's why part of my work is outside. I find them to be very beautiful, and if I'm by myself I enjoy being able to behave however I want without other people observing. The area where I work, however, can actually be quite noisy because of all of the insects. They can make a racket!
 
I have always loved taking a walk in the woods. We have a large government owned forest behind our house that is very nice and mountainous that leads to a river. It has become my favorite get away. My daughter loves playing in the woods too, but every once in awhile I escape for some alone time.

Early this morning I took my dog for a walk in another wooded area that was nice and peaceful. It was a beautiful, warm day here today after a long cold winter.

I just realized I replied to a 4 year old thread. Oh well.
 
Jimbo said:
I have always loved taking a walk in the woods. We have a large government owned forest behind our house that is very nice and mountainous that leads to a river. It has become my favorite get away. My daughter loves playing in the woods too, but every once in awhile I escape for some alone time.

Early this morning I took my dog for a walk in another wooded area that was nice and peaceful. It was a beautiful, warm day here today after a long cold winter.

I just realized I replied to a 4 year old thread. Oh well.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that, some old threads are worth reviving.

Oh, I love the woods and hills ;)
 
I enjoy taking shortish bike rides on paved or gravel trails through the woods, along a river, etc. I also enjoy taking walks in similar loxations on existing trails (they need not be paved). For longer distances, I prefer to stay near busier roads and civilization.

I don't ever care to forge my own trail through underbrush.
 
Wow this is an old topic. I forgot that it existed!

So is it ok to assume that most aspies dont find nature as sensory overloading as in cities?
 
Tigris said:
Wow this is an old topic. I forgot that it existed!

So is it ok to assume that most aspies dont find nature as sensory overloading as in cities?
Click to expand...

In my case, I agree, one of the things I am interested in further researching is, to put it simply, 'aspies in the wild'. Part of my work in the past was to take people on 'field trips' for a couple of weeks. Back then I didn't know I was an aspie but with hindsight I can say that those people I suspect or know of being on the spectrum faired much better in the wilds than NTs. It is becoming something of a pet project of mine now.
 
Last edited:
Noted but the rates of sensory overload is reduced significantly. Pls excuse me, I am writing a novel which involved a world that is inclusive of aspies. So I might wanna make environments.
 
Tigris said:
So is it ok to assume that most aspies dont find nature as sensory overloading as in cities?
Click to expand...

I'm not most aspies, but I don't find that big cities overload my senses, at least not once I'm used to being there. During the summer, I find any new environment, city, nature, or in between, loud. Once I'm used to it I can usually tune out traffic or birds and insects, except the less common sounds.

I find isolated noises from roommates or neighbors to be more bothersome.
 
Tigris said:
Noted but the rates of sensory overload is reduced significantly. Pls excuse me, I am writing a novel which involved a world that is inclusive of aspies. So I might wanna make environments.
Click to expand...

My post should have said I agreed that aspire in the wild have less sensory overload.

That's what comes of rushing a post out before work :)

I have edited my original
 
I absolutely love being in the woods. It's my favorite place to be! There are several large parks and conservation areas near my work where I love to go walking at lunch time. There is just something wonderful about being in the country/woods.
 
It really depends on the environment.
- I don't like the beach, all the salt and sand is very abrasive and dries me out.
- I'm not a big fan of swamps, because I associate that with the deep, deep South, specifically 80% humidity in 80F+ heat. And all that water means plenty of pesky mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and other annoying bugs.
- I love the desert! High heat, low humidity, and nice and cool at night.
- I love mountains and hills. All the trees, rocks, ups, down, the critters. That is my favorite place to be. Especially in the spring or autumn when the air is cool, the sun is warm, and the humidity is low. And it's colorful! Spring with flowers, autumn with the leaves.
- I'm about half and half on prairies. I feel very exposed, what with the only trees being nothing more than a runaway bush. But it is nice to have all that space to run around in and you can actually see a tornado as it comes. Unlike here, where there are plenty of hills and valleys for them to hide in before they just fall on you from nowhere.
- Small towns are fine enough, but cities are not for me. All that exhaust smells bad, hot concrete and asphalt has a weird smell, the constant rumble of cars is more grating than a cicada summer, and there are people in the city. I am not a people person. I have less sensory overload and more people overload. And their driving usually sucks too. One reason I stay away from Birmingham and Atlanta. They obviously got their license out of a crackerjack box.
 
juffur said:
Interesting thread. Personally, I would say natural environments are relaxing if I am alone in said environment. If it's filled with people swimming at a lake, etc, then It's nerve wracking. (usually it is filled with people in my experience, such as a park). Sometimes I find cities relaxing, even with the noise. Some sounds like a train going by help me relax.

For me personally I think it's people that cause sensory overload, not just sounds.
Click to expand...

Same here. I can be in any environment and be fine as long as I'm alone, but stressed if there are other people.
 
Personally I like peace and quiet. I especially like to be near water, and I love the sound of pigeons cooing, both in the country and in the city. The only thing that bothers me in the country is the sound of the crickets in summer, they are extremely noisy with their high pitched chirping. I live in the country, but did live in the city for a while. While I appreciated having easy access to services, it was too noisy and hectic. One thing that hit me as soon as I arrived was the smells... at first they seemed extremely pungent, but I gradually got used to them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom