Overwhelmed or ill?

Last week I got sick. I don't know if it was a genuine infection or a reaction to being constantly stressed, anxious and overwhelmed recently or just my body's way of slowing me. I thought it was a tummy bug, but about 5 hours after it started my legs got so weak and shaky that I could barely walk, and it stayed like that for the better part of a week. I was SO exhausted that I couldn't find the energy to get out of bed, or read, or go on social media or even eat that much. It was a real effort to even get to the toilet. I felt constantly weepy and found anyone near me too much. It was several days before I had enough energy to shower or get dressed or even just watch a movie.

Anyway, I have started feeling better this week and today I had to start taking the kids to appointments and it was so overwhelming. I haven't felt that bombarded in such a relatively normal situation for a LONG time. All the sounds around me became so unbearable that I started to feel hot and dizzy, and when someone came over for a chat I had real trouble making out what they were saying to me and felt like I took forever to work out how to reply. I desperately wanted to leave (or cry) for the entire time. By the time I got home I was really shaken and utterly spent.

Does anyone else get this? What is it? What's happened? Am I feeling so overwhelmed because I was ill or was I ill because I was already overwhelmed?

Parents
  • I think we get run down more easily than NT people because we are dealing with so much stress and so much overwhelming stuff to process all day that our bodies are too exhausted to fight viruses and bugs when we do get them. Just my theory anyway

    Im sorry to hear you've been through this, I hope you keep slowly feeling better. Just be kind to yourself and do things that you know make you feel safe and good

    I totally get the feeling overwhelmed when talking to people though and coming home exhausted, I go through the same thing

  • I often think this. I think long term stress impacts on our immune system. This is one of the reasons why I feel that autistic people need access to appropriate therapy and support - because our stress levels further impact our physical health and our life expectancy. 

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