Published on 12, July, 2020
I suffer badly with sea sickness. I've tried every technique going and nothing works. I know a couple of other people who I suspect are autistic but haven't been formally diagnosed, and they are exactly the same.
Just curious to know whether others on here are the same, and also equally interested to hear from people on the spectrum for whom it's not a problem.
Any techniques / remedies welcome, (though I've probably tried it :) ).
Yeah I get this. Video games can make me ill for days. I once tried call of duty about 10 years ago and was unwell for about three days. I could hardly get out of bed. I get quite dizzy and disorientated if I’m just walking along the footpath and I turn to see if the road is safe to cross.
I agree with duckbread a out a full stomach helping, I need carbs when I start feeling motion sick. Or if it’s quite bad I need to lie down till it’s eased off then eat a load of sugar.
I haven’t found anything to help it really. Other than avoiding ships, and knowing if I’m flying to take extra snacks.
I've always wondered why I get dizzy just turning my head. I can't ride a bike unless I just fix my eyes ahead and I had to stop driving lessons as just looking at the mirrors made me really disorientated.
VR headsets are like kryptonite to me too!
Do you wear glasses?
That’s horrible you have to stop driving lessons. It gives you so much freedom being able to drive and avoid public transport.
I tried a VR headset a few years ago. I didn’t feel right for about two weeks it was horrible.
Ha ha - I ought to try that one, thanks! I have quite a few friends who are quite preachy about environmental issues (not that I disagree with them in principle), and I'm occasionally struck that I'm probably "greener" than any of them. But it takes me no effort at all, so it just doesn't occur to me to see it as virtuous. I was always encouraged to have the "make do and mend" mentality as a kid, and many of the trapping of modern life seem like they'd just complicate my existence too much. Fixing something fished out of a neighbour's skip isn't "recycling" - it's a fun project!
and pedestrians
Trogluddite - luckily now I can use the "it's bad for the environment" reason for not driving and most people are on board!
I've worn glasses for over 10 years... don't think it'll be getting better!
I fell off a bike this weekend!! I only learnt to ride in my late 20s after many failed attempts. I can ride it if I'm on a wide empty path but as soon as there's visual stimuli (other bike riders, dogs, bollards) it's like I can't process it quickly enough and my brain panics and I end up either constantly stopping to avoid crashing, or I give it a go and get it all wrong and end up on the floor. I don't think I've ever been for a bike ride and not fallen off. And it gets more painful the older I get!!
How long have you been wearing them? When I first started wearing them when I turned about 23 I got so motion sick from them. The optician said for people that haven’t worn them before you aren’t used to turning your head to see things, so just moving your eyes as you’re used to means you catch the unfocused bits around the lenses and can cause motion sickness in sensitive people. I’m just wondering if you’re new to them and you’re trying to look at a lot of things at once when driving that it can be adding to your dizziness. I couldn’t wear them at all, I felt so dizzy all the time.
Your not alone with the disorientation problems when trying to drive - I gave up my lessons for similar reasons. Even using a mirror to shave sends my proprioception wonky - if you've ever seen the "rubber hand illusion", that's basically what happens to me - my mind starts to think that the reflection of my hand is my actual hand, and then I have to go looking for sticking plasters!
And yes, being unable to drive does make one feel like something of a second-class citizen these days, doesn't it?!