Overwhelmed by social interaction?

[Caelix3]

So I've joined three roleplays on Tumblr. I've been getting better at role playing and stuff, which is good. But I noticed I was starting to get overwhelmed by all the social interaction, even though it was online. Like I was actually getting anxiety like I couldn't breathe. I actually had to make a post and say I was gonna take a little break from replying for a bit, since I was getting overwhelmed. While I do also have anxiety, I never experienced getting overwhelmed from social interaction before. Not in this way. Is this common with Autism? Getting overwhelmed by social interaction, whether it be online or not?

 

[Jorg]

My psychiatrist told me is normal in asperger's, when I come home after a party/reunion or something I feel anxiety and a little sadness, I call it "social hangover".

 

[the_tortoise]

I get overwhelmed from all types of social interaction.

 

[The Penguin]

Me I avoid the main stream social media sites as it overwhelming for me.

 

[Warmheart]

Yes! Facebook messages, emails, phone messages, texts-- all demanding a social interaction, and a response! Ouch! A "social migraine" (actual physical pain) can happen to Autistics with too much social interaction, even online.

We need to schedule unavailability, because solitude helps us heal.
In this s way, we can keep ourselves fresh, caring, and available for those we care about.

 

[Caelix3]

Yes! Facebook messages, emails, phone messages, texts-- all demanding a social interaction, and a response! Ouch! A "social migraine" (actual physical pain) can happen to Autistics with too much social interaction, even online.

We need to schedule unavailability, because solitude helps us heal.
In this s way, we can keep ourselves fresh, caring, and available for those we care about.

I noticed once I took an hour break, I felt better and less overwhelmed. Taking a break really helps!

 

[ksheehan88]

Not so much online, except video calls... But actual socialisation takes it out of me, like I'm knackered afterwards, I get headaches and stuff.

 

[texkag]

So I've joined three roleplays on Tumblr. I've been getting better at role playing and stuff, which is good. But I noticed I was starting to get overwhelmed by all the social interaction, even though it was online. Like I was actually getting anxiety like I couldn't breathe. I actually had to make a post and say I was gonna take a little break from replying for a bit, since I was getting overwhelmed. While I do also have anxiety, I never experienced getting overwhelmed from social interaction before. Not in this way. Is this common with Autism? Getting overwhelmed by social interaction, whether it be online or not?

Yes. Definitely. I get overwhelmed by Facebook. I had to deactivate my account. The expectation of response was too great. Real world social interaction is often too much unless it takes place within the structure of my voluntary work or people I know well. Many of us have social anxiety disorder as well as Aspergers.

 

[The Penguin]

Yes. Definitely. I get overwhelmed by Facebook. I had to deactivate my account. The expectation of response was too great. Real world social interaction is often too much unless it takes place within the structure of my voluntary work or people I know well. Many of us have social anxiety disorder as well as Aspergers.

I find the 90's and prior was better when none of these technologies existed.

I find what make things horrible for today people can use a Smartphone that haves a camera and over share too much stuff of their lives.

 

[Judge]

The one thing that has haunted me about becoming to terms with being on the spectrum is that even the positive, successful social interactions usually give me a headache. And to think I used to assume it was just some kind of mental "rush".

Only to realize that it wasn't some kind of mental "victory dance", but rather my brain just telling me I'm allergic to socialization in general. That the more there is, the less I can so easily tolerate.

 

[Moviefan2k4]

The main thing that overwhelms me in social situations, is the constant changes at every moment. I'm the kind of person who thrives best on routine, though I'm not OCD about it. If I manage to plan something that interests me, I want to have it done ASAP, instead of waiting another week or two. I've also been surrounded for years, by people who acted like I was supposed to read their minds; what part of "I'm not telepathic" don't they understand? If you don't tell me any different, then there's at least a 90% chance I'll have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Butterflux]

Yes social anxiety makes people scary.

 

[texkag]

I find the 90's and prior was better when none of these technologies existed.

I find what make things horrible for today people can use a Smartphone that haves a camera and over share too much stuff of their lives.

Yes I quite agree. I remember the 1980's when the nearest things to social media was CB Radio. At the risk of sounding like a misanthrope, I miss the time when we were all disconnected, electronically speaking.

 

[Moviefan2k4]

Yes I quite agree. I remember the 1980's when the nearest things to social media was CB Radio. At the risk of sounding like a misanthrope, I miss the time when we were all disconnected, electronically speaking.

My former pastor in Dallas did a message maybe 3 years ago, talking about how a lot of people were actually more social on their own, before the birth of the Internet. They gathered on house porches or decks, left their houses unlocked, and trusted people a lot more in general. Personally, I think that all started to change in the '80s, when the kids from the "free love" of the '60s became parents.

 

[toothless]

i have a lot of issues with being overwhelmed by interaction, interacting is one of my biggest autism issues,because i was severely autistic i had grown up with no interacting and then suddenly in my twenties it was required as i started to speak on online instead of just read,i struggle greatly with back-forth chat,and with private messaging because its back forth chat as well.
in terms of offline chat,i have a script that i say,that is what made me become interactive,but at the same time i am overloaded by the socialisation and just want to be quiet doing my own thing.
me and my best friend peter dont interact as such [but when we do we talk the same script either about our staff or cats],we just sit with each other maybe have a coffee together or go to the pub which is nice,we dont interact really as both of us have significant interaction issues [for me its classic autism, for him,its his severe intellectual disability].
i dont like having people over at my place for a long time as it wears me down.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Yes, I've had this in the past. Events can leave me exhausted. People constantly contacting me on social media can be irritating. I like people talking to me but I can't deal with them all the time. I wish they could understand this and say it in a way that doesn't give them a negative feeling towards them because I don't want to hurt the majority of them. It's just such a pain.

At the moment though I'm pretty good with that sort of stuff. I look forward to meeting people I know like family functions and the like. I used to never been bothers or feel anything towards them. I feel like a light has come on in my head that says, "actually, these things are nice". So that's good. I still think I have my limits though.