What's something you secretly liked about quarantine?

Yeah, that is so true. I wish more people thought that way.

I live my life by this saying-“You shouldn’t judge others because you can’t walk a mile in their shoes, you have no idea what they have been through and what they might be feeling”.

More people should think about what others might be going through. I don’t have anxiety by choice, I don’t choose to get overwhelmed and go in to meltdowns. It’s hard being autistic, no one in my life understands what it’s like. I know it could be worse but it could be a hell of a lot better.

Piper said:

Don't be too hard on yourself. Every one of us here can relate to feeling like this at the best of times. You're autistic and you are never alone in being this way.

Thank you It means so much that everyone here understands and can relate to how I am feeling.

Exactly this. I miss that too, the norm feeling that came with it. For one time we were all the same, all in the same boat and it was the norm. It was different for most, having to stay in; but for those of us who stay in all the time it was the rest of the world joining us.

Crazy times.

I realized how much I liked peace. I enjoyed quiet walks in the sunshine, as I remember a lot more sun in spring than some years. ( I do remember though one day wanting to go on a second walk and trying to reason that it was for a different purpose, as we were only supposed to do one a day). 

I enjoyed the slower pace of life, having to work from home and more time to do things like sewing. 

Not having the challenge of what to say when asked to go somewhere and socialize with lots of people.

It was our first year in a new house, so we bought seeds and grew easy plants like sunflowers to brighten things up in the garden. I also enjoyed seeing how other people had colourful gardens when I went walking.

Finding ways of solving problems ourselves, as you couldn't get someone in to fix things.

Everything,  especially the increases payments on universal credit.

I think I miss that my way of being became more normal. Everybody was staying in. There weren't lots of social events that I was missing or feeling left out from (conflicting feeling - I don't actually want to go but it would be nice to feel that others wanted me to go). I didn't feel as different.

August said:

Finally I could be myself and didn’t have to ‘Act’ a certain way

My fave part of that dreadful time as well - being free to be myself without the fear of being judged. I miss that. People can be very judging, not taking the time to think about how you're really feeling and struggling.

I liked not being allowed out as well. I’ve never been much outgoing and places with tons of people have always been a big No-No for me so being confined to my own home was pure heaven.

Holly Jane 

I feel like you have to be ND to truly appreciate how it feels. It's easy to see somebody who's different and instantly judge them without taking the time to appreciate what they're thinking and feeling. Most people judge without considering what someone is going through.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Every one of us here can relate to feeling like this at the best of times. You're autistic and you are never alone in being this way.

It seemed quieter and less hectic, people kept their distance and seemed more respectful or were "nicer" some how.What I did enjoy was the battle to find staple foods like pasta, rice, tinned stuff. I worked all the way through and I did envy the nonessential folk that got to sit in the sunshine.

I work in wholesale and the "toilet roll" panic buying was quite baffling, we'd sell 24 full pallets of the stuff in under 2 hours, day in and day out for weeks on end.

My brother liked that side of it too. I have to admit I have never been able to work, but I enjoyed not having to go out to the shops mostly.

Roy said:

I really didn’t cope with it all.

I know what you mean it was such a difficult time. I hope things are better now and you aren’t finding it as difficult. I take it each day as they come, cope best that way for me.

Roy said:

My wife summed people up, she is an NHS nurse, “At the moment we are saints and people are banging saucepans for us, give them 6 months and they will be back to spitting and assaulting us.” She wasn’t far off.

So sad how some people treat NHS workers. They work hard for not a lot and get a lot of sh*t from people, it’s disgusting.

Your experience was very similar to mine, the world was finally running at the correct speed! I was just starting to explore autism, when the world reopened I hated it, I think it was the point when I finally realised that I wasn’t the same as everyone else. I really didn’t cope with it all.

My wife summed people up, she is an NHS nurse, “At the moment we are saints and people are banging saucepans for us, give them 6 months and they will be back to spitting and assaulting us.” She wasn’t far off.

You aren’t alone with this. I miss the peace and quiet from the lock down times… Finally I could be myself and didn’t have to ‘Act’ a certain way, I could avoid contact with others without fear of judgment and didn’t have to hang around and make any small talk, something I have always found difficult and mostly pointless.

I didn’t know I was autistic then though so I still felt like I was a brown sheep amongst the white and black ones. I was different and I didn’t know why, that made me feel even more isolated and alone especially as I couldn’t meet up with family.

That was challenging for me. But in the countryside it was like a ghost town and I could go for walks and not meet anybody, it was bliss.

I definitely liked not having to go to work. Having to be sociable five days a week was exhausting and I had done so for over thirty years. The other great thing was the roads and streets being almost devoid of traffic. I sometimes get a form of overwhelm from traffic noise, being able to walk for miles without this was very pleasant.

I'll have to admit, just before either happened, when it sounded like we were about to go into lockdown I got excited at the idea of having some relief from all the social pressure.

Knowing that nobody was going to come knocking at the door wanting something, having everyone at arms length and being able to chose who we saw or not.

My wife was a key worker in a fairly low risk environment, so she  called in and got shopping while she was out at work, so I only ever worried about running out of loo roll or beer, otherwise it was great.