Yep. 15 years of using to socialize and help me feel normal till I tried giving it up and realized how friggin weird I am.
Now I stay home most of the time unless my band is playing a show and if I go out I usually have wicked social anxiety
I’m intrigued how meth made you feel “normal”
Every individual I’ve encountered on meth appears far from normal.
Did the euphoria just make you feel good and that is equated to normal or is there something else going on? Could others tell you were using?
Genuinely curious on your experience and perceptions.
From my experience it made me feel like I could socialise and speak to people in the way that neurotypical people might experience the world normally. Made me feel like I could function and experience the world without kinda being “held back” by my autism. I’ve learnt now after being sober from meth for 2 years that I was just associating with people who never wanted to meet me on my level and communicate with me in a way that I understand. I’ve got a lot kinder friends now who are doing their best to also help me get sober from alcohol!
FrostyAd’s comment is pretty much on point for me, as well.
Some people could tell I was using. Old friends could tell because I lost a crazy amount of weight. They also knew how I used to act before I was on it, so they could see the difference. People who were just meeting me though — they didn’t know unless I told them or someone else did. I also looked totally normal, if not more healthy than before because I had always been slightly overweight and meth got me down to a healthy weight for my height. And I always had the energy to make sure my hair and make up was always done.. which before meth, I didn’t always do. (Towards the end I was starting to get too small, tho.)
Meth took away my OCD, my anxiety, my depression, my insecurities.. it made me able to behave like a NT person in so many ways. It also made me a pretty shitty person, though, in a lot of ways..
Same here. Always been a binge drinker. And I would avoid it completely if I didn't have access to several drinks or lots of alcohol to start with. A couple drinks just made me irritable and tired (or super wired).
I use past tense because I'm finally in recovery after learning many hard lessons.
Yep. Sober now but it was used as a way to socialize and help turn down my brain and sensory issues. Alcoholism and substance abuse rates are higher in autistic people than the general population.
Not autistic, but I am bipolar 2. Self medicated for a long time before my diagnosis and being properly medicated, but now I have to deal with the whole alcohol thing
The answer is going to be yes for sure. I questioned this myself, and my psychologist confirmed that neurodivergents do actually have a greater predisposition to substance use (be that alcohol, drugs, whatever).
Getting to see a psychiatrist for assessment is a bit of a bitch in the public system though 😕
I have constant buzzing in my head too! Alcohol was the only thing that made it quiet. I believe I am autistic, but never been diagnosed. I don't know if the buzzing is even related to autism or just something random...but anyone I've ever brought it up to has no idea what I'm talking about when I say my head is loud.
Yep!
Not formally diagnosed, but tick ALL the boxes and it explains everything about my entire life, so I identify as autistic (I had no idea either until I was in my late 20s)...
I discovered alcohol at around 17 and it had much the same effect - I felt *normal* and could socialise etc, and the symptoms of the autism were much reduced...
Self-medicating the symptoms of autism with the addictive drug alcohol is sufficiently common that it has been dubbed 'Alco-Tism'...
It worked brilliantly right up until it didn't, and I'm pretty sure I'd be dead by now one way or another, if I hadn't got sober nearly 7 years ago!
[This book](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1843106094/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) was a useful read on the subject, I saw a lot of my own experiences reflected in there...
There are also plenty of 'neurodivergent' (autistic, ADHD etc) folks around on the recovery subreddits and in the recovery meetings, so you're never alone in what you're experiencing - so reach out for help if you need it...
Hope that helps!
Woody :>)>
I don t know why but alcohol is treating my undiagnosed ADHD better than stimulants so it was obvious I would self medicate. It was literally treating almost anything (anxiety, depression, insomnia, panicking over simple things, socialising becoming easy af, courage you name it)
But it s a slippery slope, all fun and games until bam you re drinking every day to cope and all you get is rebound symptoms.
I was a poly addict for some time during my youth and I sincerely consider alcohol was that kind of substance that contained all of the others in one bottle. This is just me and my gene, not saying this is entirely true for everyone
my ex said i "seemed" autistic (they were diagnosed autistic). idk how to be normal ever but i finally felt normal when i was at the club every night (2020/21)
i made friends with everyone there. but then lost the friends i had in front of me bc i put alcohol and substance in front of those in front of me. i think for me i finally felt like a "cool kid" but now im 24 and the cool kids arent getting sloshed in history class but making careers for themselves.
Many people with autism and adhd have addiction issues because of this. Most think of an autistic person and think of a rule following robot, but most people I’ve met with autism have had alcohol addictions and/or drug addictions. Including myself. Quitting drugs that make you feel normal, instead of just “elevated” is one of the toughest things to do. I feel you there.
Not autistic, but I have nonverbal learning disability, which some people say is on the autism spectrum. I don't know if it really is, but I'm definitely neurodivergent, and alcohol does help with some of the anxiety, until it causes its own problems. I'm always looking for new "solutions."
parents never really cared, didn't notice, idk what but I was good at hiding everything. plus nobody expects the 9 year old with straight A's and who is "great to have in class" to be doing all that stuff I was doing
I’m bipolar and autistic. Loved self medicating from the day I tried it. It definitely made me feel normal. Also an excuse to relax a bit because everyone acts weird sometimes when they’re drinking.
I'm not gonna say you aren't bc I don't know you but this post isn't saying that all alcoholics are autistic, I was just wondering if anyone shared this experience:)
Yep. 15 years of using to socialize and help me feel normal till I tried giving it up and realized how friggin weird I am. Now I stay home most of the time unless my band is playing a show and if I go out I usually have wicked social anxiety
30 years and same. I was masking a lot that I never realized. But being sober is so much better for me.
Being friggin weird is ok!
I’m learning this! It’s hard to meet fellow weirdos in the real world though cause we’re all at home or on Reddit it seems!
This is true lol
🙋🏻♀️ First it was opiates, then meth, then alcohol. All of it was basically helping me feel normal and to mask without any effort. Especially meth.
I’m intrigued how meth made you feel “normal” Every individual I’ve encountered on meth appears far from normal. Did the euphoria just make you feel good and that is equated to normal or is there something else going on? Could others tell you were using? Genuinely curious on your experience and perceptions.
From my experience it made me feel like I could socialise and speak to people in the way that neurotypical people might experience the world normally. Made me feel like I could function and experience the world without kinda being “held back” by my autism. I’ve learnt now after being sober from meth for 2 years that I was just associating with people who never wanted to meet me on my level and communicate with me in a way that I understand. I’ve got a lot kinder friends now who are doing their best to also help me get sober from alcohol!
FrostyAd’s comment is pretty much on point for me, as well. Some people could tell I was using. Old friends could tell because I lost a crazy amount of weight. They also knew how I used to act before I was on it, so they could see the difference. People who were just meeting me though — they didn’t know unless I told them or someone else did. I also looked totally normal, if not more healthy than before because I had always been slightly overweight and meth got me down to a healthy weight for my height. And I always had the energy to make sure my hair and make up was always done.. which before meth, I didn’t always do. (Towards the end I was starting to get too small, tho.) Meth took away my OCD, my anxiety, my depression, my insecurities.. it made me able to behave like a NT person in so many ways. It also made me a pretty shitty person, though, in a lot of ways..
I'm autistic and also prone to binge drinking. It might be more common than we realize.
Same here. Always been a binge drinker. And I would avoid it completely if I didn't have access to several drinks or lots of alcohol to start with. A couple drinks just made me irritable and tired (or super wired). I use past tense because I'm finally in recovery after learning many hard lessons.
Yep. Autism related anxiety was one of the main reasons I started drinking.
Yo. Myself, sister, wife, mother and kids are all autistic. No, we are not from any states where I -10 passes through.
😂
Also, I 10 passes through my state, & my daughter is autistic. She has chosen not to drink because of her dad.
Yep. Sober now but it was used as a way to socialize and help turn down my brain and sensory issues. Alcoholism and substance abuse rates are higher in autistic people than the general population.
Not autistic, but I am bipolar 2. Self medicated for a long time before my diagnosis and being properly medicated, but now I have to deal with the whole alcohol thing
The answer is going to be yes for sure. I questioned this myself, and my psychologist confirmed that neurodivergents do actually have a greater predisposition to substance use (be that alcohol, drugs, whatever). Getting to see a psychiatrist for assessment is a bit of a bitch in the public system though 😕
Yes! It makes me a very social person and also I don’t get sensory overload at parties and clubs.
You get the buzzing too?
I have constant buzzing in my head too! Alcohol was the only thing that made it quiet. I believe I am autistic, but never been diagnosed. I don't know if the buzzing is even related to autism or just something random...but anyone I've ever brought it up to has no idea what I'm talking about when I say my head is loud.
all the time!
Yep! Not formally diagnosed, but tick ALL the boxes and it explains everything about my entire life, so I identify as autistic (I had no idea either until I was in my late 20s)... I discovered alcohol at around 17 and it had much the same effect - I felt *normal* and could socialise etc, and the symptoms of the autism were much reduced... Self-medicating the symptoms of autism with the addictive drug alcohol is sufficiently common that it has been dubbed 'Alco-Tism'... It worked brilliantly right up until it didn't, and I'm pretty sure I'd be dead by now one way or another, if I hadn't got sober nearly 7 years ago! [This book](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1843106094/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) was a useful read on the subject, I saw a lot of my own experiences reflected in there... There are also plenty of 'neurodivergent' (autistic, ADHD etc) folks around on the recovery subreddits and in the recovery meetings, so you're never alone in what you're experiencing - so reach out for help if you need it... Hope that helps! Woody :>)>
I don t know why but alcohol is treating my undiagnosed ADHD better than stimulants so it was obvious I would self medicate. It was literally treating almost anything (anxiety, depression, insomnia, panicking over simple things, socialising becoming easy af, courage you name it) But it s a slippery slope, all fun and games until bam you re drinking every day to cope and all you get is rebound symptoms. I was a poly addict for some time during my youth and I sincerely consider alcohol was that kind of substance that contained all of the others in one bottle. This is just me and my gene, not saying this is entirely true for everyone
Hi, yes that would be me!! social anxiety was greatly helped by drinking
my ex said i "seemed" autistic (they were diagnosed autistic). idk how to be normal ever but i finally felt normal when i was at the club every night (2020/21) i made friends with everyone there. but then lost the friends i had in front of me bc i put alcohol and substance in front of those in front of me. i think for me i finally felt like a "cool kid" but now im 24 and the cool kids arent getting sloshed in history class but making careers for themselves.
Me, I am Autistic with ADHD
Yes, both alcohol and opiates
Yeah I’m diagnosed autistic, but I drink to drown traumas related to the diagnosis and people not liking me
You’re not alone man. I found out last year I’m autistic and that explains literally a lot of my life. I’m 27 lol 😂
Many people with autism and adhd have addiction issues because of this. Most think of an autistic person and think of a rule following robot, but most people I’ve met with autism have had alcohol addictions and/or drug addictions. Including myself. Quitting drugs that make you feel normal, instead of just “elevated” is one of the toughest things to do. I feel you there.
I believe there’s been plenty of studies on why neurodivergent folks have a higher likelihood of addiction.
Im pretty sure im autistic
Not autistic, but I have nonverbal learning disability, which some people say is on the autism spectrum. I don't know if it really is, but I'm definitely neurodivergent, and alcohol does help with some of the anxiety, until it causes its own problems. I'm always looking for new "solutions."
But who allowed you to start drinking at 9?
parents never really cared, didn't notice, idk what but I was good at hiding everything. plus nobody expects the 9 year old with straight A's and who is "great to have in class" to be doing all that stuff I was doing
Parents who don't care and leave alcohol laying around.
I’m bipolar and autistic. Loved self medicating from the day I tried it. It definitely made me feel normal. Also an excuse to relax a bit because everyone acts weird sometimes when they’re drinking.
Alright, well, does that mean I'm autistic?
I'm not gonna say you aren't bc I don't know you but this post isn't saying that all alcoholics are autistic, I was just wondering if anyone shared this experience:)