Is Isolation easier due to our Autism?

The one thing I forgot to mention in my earlier post is I dread Thursday nights. My wife obviously knows I'm autistic, but I sense she's still disappointed I can't bring myself to clap for the NHS. I also panic about what the neighbours might think about my absence.

In my mind I'm clapping away, and I use that time on a Thursday to reflect on what a fantastic job the NHS are doing, but I can't display a public show of clapping. I get anxious on Thursdays until it's over.

I have found this pretty tough too and worked myself up enough to do it the first week out on the doorstep and then when I realised it was going to be every week and not just a one off the panic sunk in! I completely appreciate all the efforts made in this time but I too dread Thursday evenings! 
Now neighbours are adding pots and pans to the claps and it is all a bit much to face fully. My family have been great and knew I really wasn’t coping too well with it and now instead we go to the top bedroom window and have that wide open so we can join in without it feeling to pressurised. It also makes it a lot easier with that awkward ending the street seems to have on working out who goes inside first - may not help you but I have definitely found it much more bearable out of the window than on the front doorstep. It’s my answer to being involved in the clap without having to go outside or feel bad for hiding away may be worth offering as a compromise to your wife so you can do this together 

I agree with you and the post above about Thursday nights. At first I thought it was just a one off. But every week seems a bit much, plus it seems to come round really quick  I have still been doing it, but I feel awkward. I usually just clap for about a minute, then wave to a few neighbours, then quickly get indoors. I also feel that if I don’t go out, people will think I’m being rude or uncaring. It’s a bit of a difficult one. Plus to add even more pressure, one neighbour suggested about having some kind of street party when this is all over! Not being horrible, but I really don’t like parties or big gatherings. So I’m kind of hoping the party doesn’t happen  

Yeah true. I think I’ll just clap in front of the TV tomorrow 

I can't see what difference it makes where you are sat when you clap, the point is you clapped to acknowledge the NHS. if itt feels safer to do it in the house just do it in front of the TV when they're showing it on TV. you're still 'joining in' if you're doing it at the same time as the rest of the country.

And besides you're Autistic, if it causes too much stress/distress to do it outside then you shouldn't have to

Yeah it’s a bit of a difficult one, because now I’ve started the Thursday night sky clapping, it’s difficult to stop without raising a few eyebrows  I think I’ll maybe gradually phase it out. 

Tell them you're in the shielded group so lockdown won't be over for you when it is for everyone else! You have to wait for the vaccine (another 12-18 months off they say) and get everything delivered to your door so you don't have to go out.  The coronavirus is the best  'acceptable excuse ' for years to avoid social obligations and live in isolation if thats what you really want!

Luckily I have a front door (well it's kind of at the side of the house) and a back door.  so my 'front door is under a car port and faces the fence at the other side of my drive and there's no houses directly opposite so no-one would know if I was sat in my front doorway clapping anyway.  The back door looks out onto my back garden.

If I'm watching telly at the time they are showing people clapping I will clap a bit but where I am sat, I don't go outside to clap. Besides if the neighbour to front side asks I'd say I was at the back door and if someone who could see in to my back garden (from their upstairs window) said anything I'd say I was at the front door but as I told the 'gossipy neighbour' I had immune problems so had to avoid close contact (knowing she would tell the other neighbours for me) no-one knocks on the door! ...and I deliberately take the dog out really early while everyone else is still in bed.

Fortunately I live on my own so can do what I want!

Tell them you're in the shielded group so lockdown won't be over for you when it is for everyone else! You have to wait for the vaccine (another 12-18 months off they say) and get everything delivered to your door so you don't have to go out.  The coronavirus is the best  'acceptable excuse ' for years to avoid social obligations and live in isolation if thats what you really want!

Luckily I have a front door (well it's kind of at the side of the house) and a back door.  so my 'front door is under a car port and faces the fence at the other side of my drive and there's no houses directly opposite so no-one would know if I was sat in my front doorway clapping anyway.  The back door looks out onto my back garden.

If I'm watching telly at the time they are showing people clapping I will clap a bit but where I am sat, I don't go outside to clap. Besides if the neighbour to front side asks I'd say I was at the back door and if someone who could see in to my back garden (from their upstairs window) said anything I'd say I was at the front door but as I told the 'gossipy neighbour' I had immune problems so had to avoid close contact (knowing she would tell the other neighbours for me) no-one knocks on the door! ...and I deliberately take the dog out really early while everyone else is still in bed.

Fortunately I live on my own so can do what I want!

Yeah true. I think I’ll just clap in front of the TV tomorrow 

I can't see what difference it makes where you are sat when you clap, the point is you clapped to acknowledge the NHS. if itt feels safer to do it in the house just do it in front of the TV when they're showing it on TV. you're still 'joining in' if you're doing it at the same time as the rest of the country.

And besides you're Autistic, if it causes too much stress/distress to do it outside then you shouldn't have to

Yeah it’s a bit of a difficult one, because now I’ve started the Thursday night sky clapping, it’s difficult to stop without raising a few eyebrows  I think I’ll maybe gradually phase it out.