Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
I live in a building with a communal laundry room. I struggle at the best of times because it's a small, loud, sometimes hot place, and I never know who is going to be in there. So I mask my struggles when I'm able to face going down there, and my anxiety is very high. I've only shared with a couple of people in the building that I'm autistic, but I'm still really anxious around them.
So, sadly, a few people have passed away or moved out recently. This means that I will have 6+ new neighbours in the near future. I just don't know the best way to deal with this level of change. And with navigating meeting new people in this small space.
I always feel like I have to make small talk or listen to the problems they share. Sometimes, I manage this, but most of the time, I want to be left alone. The strain is damaging my already fragile mental health.
Do I get myself a badge explaining I'm autistic ? For me, wearing headphones down there would feel rude (I wish that it didn't), as I feel that they would expect me to take them off and listen to them.
Something has to change because I can't carry on like this. Pretending everything is okay, and I'm okay - when I'm not.
I'd appreciate your thoughts. Please be kind x
Is your laundry room open 24/7? If so, why not do your laundry late at night or really early in the morning when it's less likely that anyone will be there?
Prior to Covid, I used to grocery shopping at WalMart at 4 AM. The super store was nearly empty at that time. Employees typically outnumbered customers because they were cleaning and stocking. Sadly, in our post-Covid world the local Walmart doesn't open until 6 AM.
If your laundry machines are coin operated and if you have transporation, you could try going to a laundromat. While there would still be people at this facility, the place would be larger.
You could also try wearing a headphone. You're assuming that people will talk to you if you're wearing a headphone but this isn't necessarily true. If they did, you could explain that you're going through a rough time and that you really don't feel like talking to anyone just now. I've found that this is a lot easier than saying that you're autistic because a lot of people don't know what autism is which means that you might have to explain it to them.