Belated greetings from the other side of Canada! This adventure was tough to hear about, having experienced a similar situation a decade ago (prediagnosis) from which I still feel its disruptions as present-moment overstimulation (continental EU visit for three months.) One doesn't typically think of travel as traumatic but I think it may be one of the most disruptive/disregulating autistic experiences, especially for the un-/late-diagnosed. Perhaps it's different once one is autistically self-aware, but the circumstances of travel are immediately and perpetually at odds with monotropic needs for consistency/stability; masking is 24/7 out of necessity because even those quiet moments of rest are random/unfamiliar and prone to disruption. It may even be worse for a week-long trek compared to a longer stay, given that one is abruptly ripped from one's routines, forced into survival mode, and almost as abruptly returned to the familiar, now made temporarily strange by the heightened adaptive reactions of displacement - on the three-month excursion I got comfortable with perpetual discomfort, so the disregulation was more diffused and sustained, even upon return - come to think of it, coming home was like a slow-motion burnout: it took weeks to realize that I wasn't recovering as one would expect; rather, it felt like jet lag lingered for a month afterwards. (If supersonic flights ever become standard again I expect autistic folks would benefit enormously from the compressed flight times.) Also: is it just me or is the grocery store our number one location for unexpected meltdowns? It's like an autistic mobile lab for field experiments: "Am I really okay? Let's see what happens in the produce aisle..."
That comment about grocery store meltdowns made me laugh very loudly! 🤣 You are so right! Nothing like standing in a supermarket to bring out the meltdown!
@@TheGreatReveal Right? It always reminds me of the chase scene in Memento, in that even though one is aware of one's surroundings it nevertheless takes a ridiculous effort to keep things in context. (That scene, for reference: ruclips.net/video/J1gol0HwAXM/видео.html )
Wow, I'm on a roll right now finding AuDHD women I relate to and it's SOOOO helpful ... thankyou so much for sharing your experience!! You've had a lot of insights that will help you in the future, and it's kind of you to share them so others can benefit. I was journaling this morning about what unmasking might look like for me. I'm so far self-identified, 49, soon to be evaluated and either diagnosed or given more insights into how my brain works.
I get a lot from people commenting too, it has helped me understand my brain by reading other people's experiences. And just understanding how different experiences are has almost made me feel like I have permission to feel how I feel.
Belated greetings from the other side of Canada!
This adventure was tough to hear about, having experienced a similar situation a decade ago (prediagnosis) from which I still feel its disruptions as present-moment overstimulation (continental EU visit for three months.)
One doesn't typically think of travel as traumatic but I think it may be one of the most disruptive/disregulating autistic experiences, especially for the un-/late-diagnosed.
Perhaps it's different once one is autistically self-aware, but the circumstances of travel are immediately and perpetually at odds with monotropic needs for consistency/stability; masking is 24/7 out of necessity because even those quiet moments of rest are random/unfamiliar and prone to disruption.
It may even be worse for a week-long trek compared to a longer stay, given that one is abruptly ripped from one's routines, forced into survival mode, and almost as abruptly returned to the familiar, now made temporarily strange by the heightened adaptive reactions of displacement - on the three-month excursion I got comfortable with perpetual discomfort, so the disregulation was more diffused and sustained, even upon return - come to think of it, coming home was like a slow-motion burnout: it took weeks to realize that I wasn't recovering as one would expect; rather, it felt like jet lag lingered for a month afterwards. (If supersonic flights ever become standard again I expect autistic folks would benefit enormously from the compressed flight times.)
Also: is it just me or is the grocery store our number one location for unexpected meltdowns? It's like an autistic mobile lab for field experiments: "Am I really okay? Let's see what happens in the produce aisle..."
That comment about grocery store meltdowns made me laugh very loudly! 🤣 You are so right! Nothing like standing in a supermarket to bring out the meltdown!
@@TheGreatReveal Right? It always reminds me of the chase scene in Memento, in that even though one is aware of one's surroundings it nevertheless takes a ridiculous effort to keep things in context.
(That scene, for reference:
ruclips.net/video/J1gol0HwAXM/видео.html )
Hope you will feel better soon! And your story is very relatable. I started an autism support group this week and even find myself masking there.
That's so wonderful that you've started an autism support group! Not automatically masking is so difficult to do.
Wow, I'm on a roll right now finding AuDHD women I relate to and it's SOOOO helpful ... thankyou so much for sharing your experience!! You've had a lot of insights that will help you in the future, and it's kind of you to share them so others can benefit. I was journaling this morning about what unmasking might look like for me. I'm so far self-identified, 49, soon to be evaluated and either diagnosed or given more insights into how my brain works.
I get a lot from people commenting too, it has helped me understand my brain by reading other people's experiences. And just understanding how different experiences are has almost made me feel like I have permission to feel how I feel.
Glad your back and please continue to give yourself space and time to recover properly. Thank you for sharing this very relatable experience.
Thank you 😊
yes, we like you. rest well.
Thank you! 😊