Leaving the house

During Covid, apart from my virus related work, I hardly left the house at all, and took sensible precautions to avoid getting the virus.

That lasted for nearly two years, and then I found going out at all became a struggle...

Sometimes you just have to MAKE yourself do stuff. The key (for me) is to MAKE yourself do stuff when YOU decide, and not when someone else does. 

I decided I needed to go out more, so I started finding reasons to...

Yeah, I also just like staying at home and never leaving the house,  However, I force myself to go outside to the local park once a day.  I find that helps clear my head before I return home again.

I want to leave my house and to go and leave by myself with someone supporting me and helping me and l want to leave my family and go and live with other people. I can’t l shut down to other people and bend outside.

Can I ask how you got diagnosed, I have all the symptoms and only leave the house to go to work. My daughter is autistic too. If you are happy like I am staying home then there isn't anything wrong it. It's where I feel most safe

Can I ask how you got diagnosed, I have all the symptoms and only leave the house to go to work. My daughter is autistic too. If you are happy like I am staying home then there isn't anything wrong it. It's where I feel most safe

I'm not a diagnosed aspie but my daughter is, so probably am too. As I've got older I like to leave the house less, and my social circle is smaller as well. There is no norm and although you don't want to make it anxiety provoking by not going out ever, staying in and doing stuff on your own is fine. Try to go out though once in a while, so you don't feel as much as a fish out of water when you have to.

As I get older, I feel more anxious about leaving the house.

I think this is very common for us autistic people. Since my burnout I have done less things, I used to travel to London and to sports events round the south of England but since my burnout I havnt really been able to do this at all even though I would like to

I do get very anxious leaving the house sometimes and find it difficult

To be honest with you I dont really like leaving the house unless it is to go out in nature, I go feed the ducks and go to the zoo and everything apart from that I would rather not do 

You're not being a complete and utter mess at all and I regularly do the same. Most of my hobbies are indoor based.

However, I do think it is good, wellbeing wise, to get out of the house at least once a day. I was diagnosed quite recently and that gave me a bit of a push to try and set out what I call my 'healthy rules'. I like writing lists! Anyway, one of those is that I should leave the house every day for a run or a walk. I've been putting off going out all day to be honest, but I know I will feel better for it. 

I have always been a homebody, but when I was younger I did go out and do things. Since my burnout in 2020, I have gotten so much worse. I leave the house for appointments, work and to run errands when necessary. Other than that it’s a struggle. I’m fully aware I don’t need a buzzing social life, and I am perfectly happy on my own doing my hobbies, but I am finding I am putting off things more and more because I’d rather stay in my safe place. This isn’t good, and I am working on it. 

It's only a problem if you think it is. 

Question: Are you happy at home alone with your hobbies? If yes; problem, what problem?

If no; try turning your hobbies into a group thing, online or face to face.

Personally, I like a bit of both. Friends to bring me out of myself, counterbalanced by time bo one intrudes on in my 4 walls doing what I like when I can't be bothered with the world outside my front door.

This is pretty common, a lot of parents of autistic children have asked things like does anyone know why they won't leave the house. 

Hobbies of autistic people are more than just hobbies, they mean so much that some autistic people forget to do things like eat because they're so deep in their interests.