Difficulty going out

I can go out, but is almost always on my own, and I am only comfortable in my own space - I don't mind other people being in the vicinity as long as they are right 'on top' of me, and nowhere too loud.

I have to get a train to work - and  always want to sit on my own/feel anxious sitting next to anybody, especially if I think they might talk to me - if I see someone form my workplace it causes my anxiety to go through the roof, as I getting very anxious about having to make 'small talk' with them - it is only a 15 minute journey but the scariest part of my day. Once I can get to work at my PC, i am in a  world of my own and feel 'safe'..

As a kid I used make things resonate, trigger them to start harmonic oscillations of sorts, like moving thinger over the rim of glass until it started to sing, or slamming doors over and over so the wall started to vibrate :D I was driving my family mad

Resonance said:

I'll cross to the other side of the path if it's too busy or I'll just walk in the road.

I do that too

Going out is a big struggle. Avoid transportation like a plague don't trust people enough to sit with them on a bus or train. I'll cross to the other side of the path if it's too busy or I'll just walk in the road. Don't go out unless I have to. Normally I'll stay in and make music and listen to my favourite songs. When I go out I make sure I'm well protected, even though the law says not to which is f-ing ridiculous in my opinion. Word is full of nutters. Hence I and most others stay in.

You are very welcome.

Good luck with your autistic discovery journey, I hope your assessment goes well for you.

You are not alone, difficulty going out is common for many autistic people. I hope you find comfort in this.

loneliness stopped bothering me as much as before after 40, n

Hi #Purple. I too like many of the posts before have exactly the same problem. If I'm going into town (it's a very small one comprised of one street) I'm lucky in that my stepmum drives me there and back as she knows that if things overwhelm me then I have an escape route and she can drive me back home quickly to my safe space. We tend to go down around 9am when it's really quiet. Most of the shops don't open till 10am. Both my stepmum and dad do the weekly shop as I have major problems with going into supermarkets.

I work at night from home and during the summer months I end my working 'day' by going for a walk around 5-5.30am. Obviously not an ideal solution for many. It's a lovely peaceful time of day and I only ever see a few early morning dog walkers. I mainly walk around main roads as I am slightly nervous in going into green spaces at that time of the morning. 

I also have mental health issues. The other day I went to see the psychiatrist, totally broke down in front of him only for him to say at the end of the appointment 'You seem to be doing very well'. Totally patronising and inaccurate. Also I was finding it difficult to articulate myself properly. He said to me to take my time whilst constantly looking at the clock! I left and went into a complete state of shock, shaking, difficulty in breathing, felt like I was going to pass out and exceptionally inarticulate when I phoned my stepmum (yes she's awesome) to say that my appointment had ended. She came and walked me back to the car where we just sat and then we drove home and then I shut down for 4-5 hours.

If any one has any advice for this it would be most welcomed. I'm desperately in need of going to the dentist who is a stern, brash and very in-your-face (both physically and verbally) person. 2-3 weeks prior to an appointment my anxiety starts to grow. I cannot afford to go private and unfortunately there is a severe shortage of dentists where I live and so I am unable to change practices. Does anyone have any advice?

Yes I find it's an overload going out. I stay in now and don't go out unless it's for something really important. The anxiety gets to severe and my mental problems get triggered. I know how you feel, busy places are a nightmare.

hello, yeah, bloody hell, had a confused agitated and overwhelmed meltidown earlier on as it goes

idiot me had the stupid idea to go to a very busy packed, gentrified, noisy, crowded, well, ill stop there, place

and yeah, wasnt good, only calmed down once i got away from there and went to a quietish (london still) place i like and sat under a tree for a bit.

so yeah, far as i can remember ive always had trouble with it, would shutdown in pubs when younger, so developed a drink problem to "cope" with it and attempt normalcy.

pretty much whenever i went out with people id have meltdowns, well, i have mental health problems too so is always hard to know whats what, so yeah, not the most popular of people lol

underground trains i have trouble with.

waiting areas, especially if facing others.

am not diagnosrd though, but am in referral stage.

so far ive not found anything that truly helps, am much worse when alone though for some reason, although thats all the time nowadays,

but, i dunno, have to push through it when you can, and when too much, get away asap i suppose.

I hope so!

Hopefully it will get better for both of us :) 

I'm sorry you're so badly affected, thanks for sharing though.

Sorry you're affected too, but thanks for letting me know it's not just me.

Yes I have difficulty going out. I get so anxious and worked up I end up passing out or being sick, usually in shops, doctors or eye appointments. It's got so bad I avoid going out now as it even started happening just walking in town.

I prefer being in the garden or with my horses. I don't leave the house much now.

Except to work and shopping I try to avoid it. People would just trample you accusing you that you got in their way.

Organise meetings with friends somewhere secluded, like the least busy park or flat of one of us.

Thanks, I'm not diagnosed yet, although I've had several professionals say they think I'm autistic.  I've got an assessment in a few weeks, including ADOS.  Good to know it's not just me.  Green spaces would involve getting a taxi, which I find difficult, I only go out when I have to.

Be kind to yourself. I know that your reasons for your difficulty going out seem related to the fact that quite a lot of environments are not suited to autistic neurology and are chaotic/busy so are there any local green spaces you can visit? I find going to green spaces really calming.

Busy and chaotic places are not suitable for me either- just unnecessary stimulation. A lot of other autistic people on this forum will be able to relate. 

I hope this helps.