Navigating Social Overload: An AUDHD-Friendly Guide to Real-World & Online Socializing
A compassionate guide for AUDHD individuals to manage social overload. Learn strategies for anxiety, rumination, and setting boundaries for real-world and online interactions.
Social interactions can be incredibly draining for AUDHD individuals. This guide offers compassionate, practical strategies to manage social demands, recover effectively, and protect your energy for more authentic engagement.
Key Recovery Strategies
Process Your Thoughts
Journal to separate facts from feelings. Challenge harsh self-criticism and focus on the effort you made, not the perceived outcome.
Regulate Your Emotions
Use grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method or deep breathing. Release energy through safe physical activity like stimming or stretching.
Honor Shutdowns
When you feel numb or withdrawn, retreat to a dark, quiet space. Minimize all sensory input and allow your system to reset without pressure.
Acknowledge Your Inner World
It's valid if achieving a social goal leaves you exhausted, not happy. Maladaptive daydreaming is a common coping mechanism for escaping overwhelm. Acknowledge these experiences without judgment as part of your neurotype.