Wishing I could just be "normal"

Yesterday felt like a pretty rough day, mentally speaking. I'm suspecting (but not officially) that I am autistic, since my 11 year old daughter (middle child of 3) was diagnosed last year. Ever since I've felt more acutely aware of every way I behave and do things, including when things get overwhelming for me.

The problems I had yesterday just seemed to keep piling up in my head:

  1. Had to help my youngest daughter pack for an overnight camp.
  2. Convince my ASC daughter that she really does have to change her bedsheets today after ignoring it for months. She refuses anyone to go into her room (and locks the door when she's inside), so we have to have so many conversations and arguments through a closed door. Finally she did do it herself, but I just felt drained from the experience.
  3. My wife is getting upset because neither of us know how we can communicate to ASC daughter through a literal closed door, how to help/support her, what she even needs if she can't tell us. Daughter is oblivious to all this, but it's taking a toll on the rest of the family.
  4. My other two children (older son and younger daughter) also don't like it when ASC daughter just shouts at them for no reason, they just don't understand why she sometimes communicates that way, which they can't be blamed for. Naturally it hurts their feelings and changes how they feel towards her.
  5. Oh, did I mention all of the above is happening at the same time? It is, so I'm having to context switch constantly and can't keep track of what I should be focusing on next, so I force myself to remember all of it at once.
  6. Went to a last minute event that was meant to be some fun time for me and my son, but I was uncomfortable with the sudden change of plans and didn't enjoy it as much. Also, it was a comic-con, which I thought I would enjoy, but instead I was just watching everyone else have fun, being friendly to each other, "fitting in" and not understanding why I can't do any of that.
  7. At the end of the day I've still got all these thoughts in my head, nearly all of them unresolved (which I hate).

After all that I felt so drained from trying so hard to keep everything together, because that is what a parent/adult must do it seems, be the stable part of the family. But it was mentally exhausting, and while I'm trying so hard to support everyone else, I fear it wouldn't work the other way around with me. My final thought at the end of the day before I went to bed was simply "I wish I was normal so I didn't have to be like this".

This was a bit of a rant, sorry. It is a new day now so perhaps I will feel better today, but I had to get this all out of my head somehow. I suppose if I had a question for anyone, it would be do you ever feel this way sometimes? And if so, how do you get past it?

Parents
  • #NotAnExpert!

    1. it is ok to come here and vent. If there is any group who understand, it is us!
    2. Are you able to get some therapy for your daughter?  They would need to have a good understanding of autism.  there is a good directory of therapist on the 'psychology today' website.

    3. if it is causing a big problem, you really need to deal with it.  There is a difference between tolerating her difficulties and allowing her to get aware with abuse.  If she drives away her family, it will be very bad for her long-term.

Reply
  • #NotAnExpert!

    1. it is ok to come here and vent. If there is any group who understand, it is us!
    2. Are you able to get some therapy for your daughter?  They would need to have a good understanding of autism.  there is a good directory of therapist on the 'psychology today' website.

    3. if it is causing a big problem, you really need to deal with it.  There is a difference between tolerating her difficulties and allowing her to get aware with abuse.  If she drives away her family, it will be very bad for her long-term.

Children
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