Published on 12, July, 2020
How do you guys go about turning down parties? I can't deal with big social events at all and avoid them like the plague for a variety of reasons (anxious amongst lots of people, will not dress up for going out, hardly like any food so meals are a problem, noise, can't deal with all the conversations). I don't really like to explain this to people especially as I'm not diagnosed so I can't even give that as a reason. I usually go with distance or money. There is a party being organised for work at the moment and several people are trying to persuade me to go. I find these conversations very difficult and they keep coming up with solutions to my reasons for not going. How would other people deal with this?
I don't like parties. I stopped going to work do's a long time ago. I just don't go. However I was coerced (more like forced to show willing) into one just today and I hated it. Too much going on and disorientating. I'm already going through an anxious phase at the moment and just very recently declared to my work that I'm going for an assessment. for Aspergers. Just so happened my line manager had a sit down with me later in the day to talk about my declaration. My manager (who has a role in disability issues in the workplace, bless) said I should never feel under pressure to go to an informal work gathering. Apparently I could have just say no. Politely of course.