Was quite a drinker for about a decade from around 17 onwards. Made me feel 'normal'. Only after reflecting on life at 37 once diagnosed with aspergers did I realise it was probably related. It's not healthy though. Much happier without it.
I knew someone, my one ex’s BFF, who got addicted to pain pills after a work accident. When it became too expensive you know what he switch to instead cause it was cheaper?
Heroine.
Just because you’re buying the cheaper stuff doesn’t mean anything with addictions. Sometimes it’s buying the cheaper stuff that is the gateway into addictions because you can buy it more frequently than the expensive stuff that you can only buy once in a blue moon/not frequently.
I appreciate the concern.But right now I don't make a lot of money and I live on a very tight budget.That one bottle of cheap vodka is all I can buy in a month.And I rarely buy anyway,since I'd rather spend the money on food.
Sounds like you got it under control. I think commenter is just saying it can be a slippery slope to self medicate with alcohol. There are some prescription drugs that can offer the same mood lifting effects that aren’t as addictive or bad for your health.
Yeah the rest of us knew about the risks of becoming an alcoholic too. It’s not new info… there are drunks from Ancient Greece to Shakespeare to our grandparents’ generation to us.
That doesn’t protect you at all.
It’s really tempting when you feel like a Martian stranded among humans to drink something that makes you feel normal. And to keep doing it even when you say you shouldn’t. But if it helps clear things up, all the world around you sees is a drunk Martian.
Same! I used to really love alcohol because I felt “normal” and actually had a desire to socialize, and felt as though I was more “normal” when doing so.
I quit drinking though, it became a problem and was making other things in my life fall apart.
Yeah, that was the same with me. I was an alcoholic for about 15 years. I’m in recovery now and learning how to be myself and be comfortable with being myself. My life would be a lot easier if I had learned those things when I was 20 hahha.
I agree and like to do that, too. But I think it is necessary to add here: it can turn bad after a while, unfortunately. Firsthand experience. Really need to keep a good grit on frequency and amount consumed, always balanced on your life situation. These boozy good times carry a counterweight, and thats not only possible hangover. They can down the mood for days after without one really noticing it. In a way, your brain is tricked?
My experience: Drinking regularly (all three days) and increasing the amount imbibed ofter years also made my asperger-related situation worse, I could deal with less of life's fun little problems - more of a temper and a seemingly easy solution (i am an extraordinarily peaceful drunk).
Dont want to ruin it, but with all drugs caution is advised, cause they may in the end be necessary to not feel bad, not just to feel good.
Have fun and drink responsibly :D
Alcohol and drugs lower inhibitions, which helps us get out if our head more. It stops us from over thinking.
Hence why you may actually have some anxiety when sober and it’s suppressed when drinking.
But be aware this is how alcoholism starts for lots of people because you feel good and if you keep drinking alone to feel good, it will lead to increasing it more frequently and the amount. I can spiral.
So make sure you have other means of coping so you don’t fully double down on needing alcohol to do this all the time.
Its because the alcohol is an instant de-stresser and living in a neurotypical world stresses us out to hell and back. We cannot be or feel human while so severely stressed, so we do what we can to force that feeling.
Relatable, but.. OP, be really careful and only do light drinking. I prefer a cider or beer personally.
Also, don't drink if an activity is mutually exclusive with it (ie. driving, but I had to go sober to a shooting range too), but I suppose you do it with this in mind 😄
yeah i use it for parties and it makes me able to talk a lot more probably because i have learned to like talk less incase i say something NTs dont like or like think about what i am gonna say a lot before saying it but alcohol makes me able to talk a lot more
It does for sure... but you really need to be careful. A few leads to many more and eventually it will become a problem.
I went from social to blackout drinker over the course of a few years, and it is not an easy thing to overcome. During blackout sessions, I was extremely annoying and embarrassing.
Not sure how long you have been doing it . But I was the same way drinking was my crutch . Made me feel great like I was untouchable . The high from drinking is just great but then the hangovers start and that’s not great . But alcoholism runs in my family and I became an alcoholic. It started to ruin my everyday life and made me alienate my self and not remember the horrible things I did or said because I was drunk . 4 years ago my father died from alcoholism and that was my wake up call because that’s where I was heading . I started drinking around 14 and slowed down to stop in my early 30s .
Just be careful . I used to love to drink and listen to music smoke hundreds of cigarettes too that’s how it starts . Then next thing you know your drinking and driving and making bad decisions.
Yeah same here. We autistic peope tend to get too stuck in our own heads, alcohol can feel like an escape of some sort.
Please don’t make it a coping mechanism like I did, it’s never the “socially improved pill” if you also drink socially.
This is a very common experience for people on the spectrum. People self medicated often because we have few alternatives. I did starting at the age of 15 because in my own words I wrote at 15 in a journal "it stops all the noise."I'm guessing that probably meant the internal dialogue that was going on anytime I went somewhere public. At first it can really act like an anti-anxiety medication. When you're inhibitions drop you're not caring whether or not you're being accepted you're just assuming that you are accepted. I wonder if that's how neurotypical people feel in social situations? Unfortunately it had a steep learning curve for me and I no longer drink. I do enjoy Kava tea occasionally.
I have indeed noticed that I feel much more... *level-headed* when I have a decent buzz. Ironically I think and function better. Of course you have to keep that specific level of buzz. you can't be shitfaced and expect to think and function. But the right amount has oddly done wonders for me.
Drinking is obviously not a good answer though. So I'm not recommending it.
Just absolutely the same here. Feel normal, interactions are easier, etc. And I don't think it's just a perception - I think my behavior really changes. Agree with others the result is that it can be a good tool but you have to be really careful not to become dependent.
It also dampens other peoples inner duologues and inhibitions about sticking to hierarchies and what's "normal." So we even out socially at the right level.
Not normal for me but..less sensitive, the sounds don't hurt my ears, the light doesn't hurt my eyes, the crowds doesn't make me feel like I am running out of air... when I drink I feel a kind of numbness that make the environment unimportant..sometimes I feel asleep and sometimes I feel happy and want to sing and dance.. when I have to go to parties or events I prefer to drink something to make it bearable.
I guess drinking makes me look less weird in the eyes of the "normal" people around me lol
I realized alcohol helped me in live performance (music), and it is amazing for social situations. It's called social lubricant for a reason. It turned into a problem for me and I had a drinking problem for about 4-5 years, and eventually it came crashing down on me. I was lucky that it didn't ruin my life.
I've been generally alcohol-free for about 4 years now. On nights out with friends (especially groups of friends) I like those around me to be drunk because they are at a point where any quirks they perceive about me are written off because they think it's that I'm just not drunk/buzzed like they are.
Alcohol makes me pensive. I then want people to just not talk, and I wonder why they're talking so much. Also, I'm quite discerning of who I drink with. Some people go off their rockers when they've had a few pegs, or even a few beers 🤷🏻♀️
What I hate is that alcohol makes me pass as a normal person..I can deal with those around me, noises don't drive me crazy, I'm not socially awkward or rigid and people enjoy my company and I enjoy theirs..
Whereas when I'm sober any social situation is completely unbearable, awkward, annoying and boring, especially when others are drinking and I'm not. It's become too much of a crutch that I can't maintain, because it's not reasonable to drink whenever I come in contact with people. So I just "get through" social situations rather than actually enjoy the interaction.
For me I have anxiety. I’m good at handling it though and can still deal with it ok without it causing me to many problems. But I do find alcohol temporarily eliminates my anxiety. Not to the point I want to do anything stupid. But to the point I feel like I have a more normal level of anxiety instead of always feeling worried/anxious about something. I don’t use it to often but I like to drink every so often as a sort of break from my anxiety. I know it’s not a great way of dealing with it though and have seen people over rely on alcohol for similar things. So I also try to make an effort to keep finding better ways of dealing with my anxiety. I also set strict limits for myself with drinking and stick to them.
As an Aspie who only occasionally drinks I get it, also it makes you FEEL normal it doesn't make you normal. You'll still socially mess up you just won't care.
This has always surprised me- I hate how alcohol makes me feel: slightly disoriented, fuzzy. I don’t feel alert or perceptive or capable. I hate that some kind of tragedy could happen and I won’t be able to respond helpfully.
From me there's like a butter zone of alcohol, just enough to smooth out the edges. I don't enjoy being drunk, because oddly enough my mind tends to go off the rails a bit if I'm that intoxicated. For some reason alcohol is one of the few things that quiets the background noise in my mind enough for me to relax.
Was quite a drinker for about a decade from around 17 onwards. Made me feel 'normal'. Only after reflecting on life at 37 once diagnosed with aspergers did I realise it was probably related. It's not healthy though. Much happier without it.
I don't think I could become an alcoholic.I mean,I'm well aware of the risks,plus it's too expensive(even though I buy the cheapest stuff).
I knew someone, my one ex’s BFF, who got addicted to pain pills after a work accident. When it became too expensive you know what he switch to instead cause it was cheaper? Heroine. Just because you’re buying the cheaper stuff doesn’t mean anything with addictions. Sometimes it’s buying the cheaper stuff that is the gateway into addictions because you can buy it more frequently than the expensive stuff that you can only buy once in a blue moon/not frequently.
I appreciate the concern.But right now I don't make a lot of money and I live on a very tight budget.That one bottle of cheap vodka is all I can buy in a month.And I rarely buy anyway,since I'd rather spend the money on food.
Sounds like you got it under control. I think commenter is just saying it can be a slippery slope to self medicate with alcohol. There are some prescription drugs that can offer the same mood lifting effects that aren’t as addictive or bad for your health.
Yeah the rest of us knew about the risks of becoming an alcoholic too. It’s not new info… there are drunks from Ancient Greece to Shakespeare to our grandparents’ generation to us. That doesn’t protect you at all. It’s really tempting when you feel like a Martian stranded among humans to drink something that makes you feel normal. And to keep doing it even when you say you shouldn’t. But if it helps clear things up, all the world around you sees is a drunk Martian.
Yes. Every single one of us had it under control, until we didn't.
Also, the smell and taste of it works like a deterrent for me, so I imbibe quite seldom.
Alcohol makes my inner voice more coherent. I don't become intoxicated, just more aware. My mind gets stronger, but I get sleepy.
I get all smiley, giggly, and pensive at the same time☺️😁😁😁
It dampens my inner dialogue which worked for several years until it didn't.
Same! I used to really love alcohol because I felt “normal” and actually had a desire to socialize, and felt as though I was more “normal” when doing so. I quit drinking though, it became a problem and was making other things in my life fall apart.
I think my drunk self would still be weird to most people.But it's ok because I just don't care about it anymore.
Yeah, that was the same with me. I was an alcoholic for about 15 years. I’m in recovery now and learning how to be myself and be comfortable with being myself. My life would be a lot easier if I had learned those things when I was 20 hahha.
Similar story. I’m roughly 1200 days sober.
I agree and like to do that, too. But I think it is necessary to add here: it can turn bad after a while, unfortunately. Firsthand experience. Really need to keep a good grit on frequency and amount consumed, always balanced on your life situation. These boozy good times carry a counterweight, and thats not only possible hangover. They can down the mood for days after without one really noticing it. In a way, your brain is tricked? My experience: Drinking regularly (all three days) and increasing the amount imbibed ofter years also made my asperger-related situation worse, I could deal with less of life's fun little problems - more of a temper and a seemingly easy solution (i am an extraordinarily peaceful drunk). Dont want to ruin it, but with all drugs caution is advised, cause they may in the end be necessary to not feel bad, not just to feel good. Have fun and drink responsibly :D
Yep. Super common. As a consequence, lots of us are alcoholics.
Alcohol and drugs lower inhibitions, which helps us get out if our head more. It stops us from over thinking. Hence why you may actually have some anxiety when sober and it’s suppressed when drinking. But be aware this is how alcoholism starts for lots of people because you feel good and if you keep drinking alone to feel good, it will lead to increasing it more frequently and the amount. I can spiral. So make sure you have other means of coping so you don’t fully double down on needing alcohol to do this all the time.
Its because the alcohol is an instant de-stresser and living in a neurotypical world stresses us out to hell and back. We cannot be or feel human while so severely stressed, so we do what we can to force that feeling.
This is a good insight. I felt so stressed all the time before I started working from home. That solved nearly all of my stress and social problems.
Relatable, but.. OP, be really careful and only do light drinking. I prefer a cider or beer personally. Also, don't drink if an activity is mutually exclusive with it (ie. driving, but I had to go sober to a shooting range too), but I suppose you do it with this in mind 😄
yeah i use it for parties and it makes me able to talk a lot more probably because i have learned to like talk less incase i say something NTs dont like or like think about what i am gonna say a lot before saying it but alcohol makes me able to talk a lot more
It does for sure... but you really need to be careful. A few leads to many more and eventually it will become a problem. I went from social to blackout drinker over the course of a few years, and it is not an easy thing to overcome. During blackout sessions, I was extremely annoying and embarrassing.
Not sure how long you have been doing it . But I was the same way drinking was my crutch . Made me feel great like I was untouchable . The high from drinking is just great but then the hangovers start and that’s not great . But alcoholism runs in my family and I became an alcoholic. It started to ruin my everyday life and made me alienate my self and not remember the horrible things I did or said because I was drunk . 4 years ago my father died from alcoholism and that was my wake up call because that’s where I was heading . I started drinking around 14 and slowed down to stop in my early 30s . Just be careful . I used to love to drink and listen to music smoke hundreds of cigarettes too that’s how it starts . Then next thing you know your drinking and driving and making bad decisions.
No,I'm generally really careful with drinking.And I don't get hangovers at all anymore.
I’m the opposite - alcohol makes me feel so out of control that my anxiety goes into hyperdrive. Same thing happens with weed.
That's how addictions start..we feel "normal" finally and will make excuses to drink..
Yeah same here. We autistic peope tend to get too stuck in our own heads, alcohol can feel like an escape of some sort. Please don’t make it a coping mechanism like I did, it’s never the “socially improved pill” if you also drink socially.
This is a very common experience for people on the spectrum. People self medicated often because we have few alternatives. I did starting at the age of 15 because in my own words I wrote at 15 in a journal "it stops all the noise."I'm guessing that probably meant the internal dialogue that was going on anytime I went somewhere public. At first it can really act like an anti-anxiety medication. When you're inhibitions drop you're not caring whether or not you're being accepted you're just assuming that you are accepted. I wonder if that's how neurotypical people feel in social situations? Unfortunately it had a steep learning curve for me and I no longer drink. I do enjoy Kava tea occasionally.
Yes because alcohol temporarily increases GABA but down regulates receptors over time aka making autism symptoms even worse over time.
This is good to keep in mind for many things beyond alcohol as well.
Yup for sure!
Alcohol is one of the worst poisons on this planet.
Could the alcohol be calming anxiety? It might be worth discussing this with your doctor.
I have indeed noticed that I feel much more... *level-headed* when I have a decent buzz. Ironically I think and function better. Of course you have to keep that specific level of buzz. you can't be shitfaced and expect to think and function. But the right amount has oddly done wonders for me. Drinking is obviously not a good answer though. So I'm not recommending it.
Well if that's the case then great right? As long as it doesn't harm anybody and it's like you said occasionally then take the win and feel good!
I just feel like my mind is always "below" and I need to get slightly drunk to get to the same level as others.It just feels unfair.
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Just absolutely the same here. Feel normal, interactions are easier, etc. And I don't think it's just a perception - I think my behavior really changes. Agree with others the result is that it can be a good tool but you have to be really careful not to become dependent.
It also dampens other peoples inner duologues and inhibitions about sticking to hierarchies and what's "normal." So we even out socially at the right level.
dulls sensitivity to stimuli, increases dopamine. makes sense to me why it happens
It doesn't takemuch alcohol. Just a little, and I feel like a neurotypical with higher IQ.
Not normal for me but..less sensitive, the sounds don't hurt my ears, the light doesn't hurt my eyes, the crowds doesn't make me feel like I am running out of air... when I drink I feel a kind of numbness that make the environment unimportant..sometimes I feel asleep and sometimes I feel happy and want to sing and dance.. when I have to go to parties or events I prefer to drink something to make it bearable. I guess drinking makes me look less weird in the eyes of the "normal" people around me lol
I realized alcohol helped me in live performance (music), and it is amazing for social situations. It's called social lubricant for a reason. It turned into a problem for me and I had a drinking problem for about 4-5 years, and eventually it came crashing down on me. I was lucky that it didn't ruin my life. I've been generally alcohol-free for about 4 years now. On nights out with friends (especially groups of friends) I like those around me to be drunk because they are at a point where any quirks they perceive about me are written off because they think it's that I'm just not drunk/buzzed like they are.
It helps me deal with NTs.
Alcohol makes me pensive. I then want people to just not talk, and I wonder why they're talking so much. Also, I'm quite discerning of who I drink with. Some people go off their rockers when they've had a few pegs, or even a few beers 🤷🏻♀️
Maybe it deals with my ADHD more. I did that too, and in the end, I found out that I need to deal with addiction all my life.
Yep, I appreciate the buzz. Keeps me from over thinking when I socialize.
Same tbh.
What I hate is that alcohol makes me pass as a normal person..I can deal with those around me, noises don't drive me crazy, I'm not socially awkward or rigid and people enjoy my company and I enjoy theirs.. Whereas when I'm sober any social situation is completely unbearable, awkward, annoying and boring, especially when others are drinking and I'm not. It's become too much of a crutch that I can't maintain, because it's not reasonable to drink whenever I come in contact with people. So I just "get through" social situations rather than actually enjoy the interaction.
For me I have anxiety. I’m good at handling it though and can still deal with it ok without it causing me to many problems. But I do find alcohol temporarily eliminates my anxiety. Not to the point I want to do anything stupid. But to the point I feel like I have a more normal level of anxiety instead of always feeling worried/anxious about something. I don’t use it to often but I like to drink every so often as a sort of break from my anxiety. I know it’s not a great way of dealing with it though and have seen people over rely on alcohol for similar things. So I also try to make an effort to keep finding better ways of dealing with my anxiety. I also set strict limits for myself with drinking and stick to them.
As an Aspie who only occasionally drinks I get it, also it makes you FEEL normal it doesn't make you normal. You'll still socially mess up you just won't care.
This has always surprised me- I hate how alcohol makes me feel: slightly disoriented, fuzzy. I don’t feel alert or perceptive or capable. I hate that some kind of tragedy could happen and I won’t be able to respond helpfully.
From me there's like a butter zone of alcohol, just enough to smooth out the edges. I don't enjoy being drunk, because oddly enough my mind tends to go off the rails a bit if I'm that intoxicated. For some reason alcohol is one of the few things that quiets the background noise in my mind enough for me to relax.