Is autistic drunkiness a thing

Hi Sarah and welcome to the community!

RisinPhoenix said:

I wonder whether it was sensory overload from masking, trying to communicate, social awkwardness and that the music seemed to get louder or whether it just got worse the older we get. My ears ended up ringing and ended up with a headache and reduce executive functioning. It caused me to do nothing over the weekend which I hated.

It sounds like you might have experienced autistic fatigue. Signs of this can include headaches, increased sensory sensitivity, and physically shutting down. These articles explains more:

NAS - Autistic fatigue and burnout

NAS Professional Practice - Understanding autistic burnout

Self-management strategies for reducing the impact of masking include "energy accounting" (one version being "spoon theory"). This and other ideas are explained here:

NAS - Masking

If you're concerned, it might also be worth checking in with your GP, to rule out any other issues.

For future reference, there's some great (free) advice here from Dr Megan Neff - a neurodivergent author, clinician, and advocate:

Autistic Burnout Recovery: How to Build a Recovery Plan

I also have this book of hers. It's very user-friendly, including lots of diagrams and worksheets:

The Autistic Burnout Workbook: Your Guide to Your Personal Recovery Plan

Hi Sarah and welcome to the community!

RisinPhoenix said:

I wonder whether it was sensory overload from masking, trying to communicate, social awkwardness and that the music seemed to get louder or whether it just got worse the older we get. My ears ended up ringing and ended up with a headache and reduce executive functioning. It caused me to do nothing over the weekend which I hated.

It sounds like you might have experienced autistic fatigue. Signs of this can include headaches, increased sensory sensitivity, and physically shutting down. These articles explains more:

NAS - Autistic fatigue and burnout

NAS Professional Practice - Understanding autistic burnout

Self-management strategies for reducing the impact of masking include "energy accounting" (one version being "spoon theory"). This and other ideas are explained here:

NAS - Masking

If you're concerned, it might also be worth checking in with your GP, to rule out any other issues.

For future reference, there's some great (free) advice here from Dr Megan Neff - a neurodivergent author, clinician, and advocate:

Autistic Burnout Recovery: How to Build a Recovery Plan

I also have this book of hers. It's very user-friendly, including lots of diagrams and worksheets:

The Autistic Burnout Workbook: Your Guide to Your Personal Recovery Plan

Yes, I also experienced ringing in my ears. Thank you bunny and thank you for your lovely welcome