Diagnosed at 46!

Thanks for the replies. NTs doing my bloomin' swede in. I've got my inlaws coming for the weekend tomorrow and staying till Sunday and it's going to completely ruin me!

Yes, fast tracked and only having to wait a year. I was originally told it would be two so not bad going.

I always have a bolt hole, normally a room where I can escape to. It just gives that bit of rest and release from masking. Do they know of your diagnosis? 

Yes, my mother in law is relentless with her talking, unsolicited advice, personal remarks and the like. I often have to go upstairs to make 'long phone calls'/ All that masking certainly takes it's toll. I will open a bottle of wine and drink it in bed when they leave.

I think my partner told them of my diagnosis but I doubt they know what it means.

Yes, my mother in law is relentless with her talking, unsolicited advice, personal remarks and the like. I often have to go upstairs to make 'long phone calls'/ All that masking certainly takes it's toll. I will open a bottle of wine and drink it in bed when they leave.

I think my partner told them of my diagnosis but I doubt they know what it means.

BMF said:

is relentless with her talking, unsolicited advice, personal remarks and the like.

sounds like my mom, and despite asking her to stop it she didn't, than I used blackmail, it didn't make me proud, that I'll stop visiting her if she won't stop before end of my holiday, before I go back home, she didn't, and so I cut contact, it's just her behaviour only was enough to make depressed  again.

good luck surviving that

put a sticker on a closet where you can hide ''entry to autorised peronel only''

I so identify with that. The phrase "if they aren't making noise then they aren't happy". I have concluded that for many people this is the only way to prove to themselves that they are still alive. Which probably seems a bit harsh but actually what is wrong with a sociable silence? This is why I am so fond of my cat. He is not affectionate, but he will relax nearby and never make a sound. You say it takes ages to recover from a large dose of NT people. Me too. What do you find helps with this?

Yes, I think I'll let rip with one of my special interests. I'm big into prepping and that makes a lot of folk uncomfortable haha.

Yes, It is a slow punishment, I start getting comments of, “ you’re very quiet,” it’s because I’m near a non verbal shutdown and need to recharge. When I want to play with them, I will talk about one of my special interests non stop, it’s like spraying Holly water on vampires, they seem to disperse to another room to talk about how busy the M25 was earlier.

Roy said:

comments are made about everything, it’s just inane.

Hell yea !  It's like enduring death by a thousand tiny cuts.  In isolation, you barely notice the odd few dozen - but after a while..........

BMF said:

I want to poke my own eyes out and start screaming.

.....I'm off to visit non-verbal nature for a few hours = probably the only thing (+this place) that keeps me sane these days!

Rant away Roy. I feel exactly the same. I used to just get drunk when she stayed until my partner got embarrassed cause she asked if I had a drink problem. I understand what you mean about it being inane. I have to do some serious masking. It takes ages for me to recover too, plus the change in routine is unbearable.

It’s not easy, I had family stay for Christmas, comments are made about everything, it’s just inane. They don’t understand that I have been like this  since birth, the sort of,” Try not to think about it,” is just brain numbing. I tend to stay in the kitchen, cook and self medicate. If they aren’t making noise then they aren’t happy. By the end of a stay, I feel empty and abused. It takes ages to recover. Sorry going into rant mode now.