I love this! Thank you for sharing your insights - I love the creative craft of your writing style and resonate so much with your experiences. I’ve been considering my own social isolation and social anxiety today - which feel louder now I’m moving into perimenopause and my need for community is so much stronger
Thank you for sharing so openly! I too sometimes need to process my thoughts out loud and as much as my husband likes to play ‘rubber ducky’ (as he calls it), he isn’t always available for all of it so I’ve been making a practice of walking and sending voice notes to myself. As then I will definitely not irritate or overwhelm anyone and I can completely be myself and process like I need and want to ❤️ Next to journaling it has been such a game changer.
Love this strategy!! I distribute my "thinking aloud" among a few different friends as well as my partners and I know one of my partners, due to the way his autism manifests, has a super limited capacity for any of it! It took me a long time to learn not to take that personally. It sounds like you've taken the power back into your own hands this way.
The way you put words to that push-pull of wanting closeness but also needing to breathe… I felt that in my bones. I’ve spent years wondering if I was just bad at relationships when really, it was my brain and body crying out for balance. Also the bit about missing someone the second they’re gone? Yeah. That one.
Thank you - your words pull at my heart today and resonate with my experience yesterday. I was looking forward to my partner, who I’m temporarily staying with while recovering from an accident, going away for a couple of days so I could have some space, and the minute he was gone I felt the emptiness and sadness. I’ve found that transitions either way - whether to togetherness or aloneness - take time for me.
I believe I must have all the same things. I have been told I might be on the spectrum and I am self diagnosed ADHD and I have felt like you describe my whole life! I also learned recently that women are usually not diagnosed. Thanks for this article! ♥️
This really resonated, especially the 'Leave me alone — but don’t go' sentiment. That push-pull between needing autonomy and craving connection is such a core part of the human experience, and you've articulated it beautifully through the lens of neurodivergence.
You always perfectly capture what I often ruminate over. That feeling of loneliness and then immediate tension or exhaustion when I am with someone... Arggghhh, this is so hard on me.
That's fascinating about the perimenopausal connection. Thank you for your lovely feedback.
I love this! Thank you for sharing your insights - I love the creative craft of your writing style and resonate so much with your experiences. I’ve been considering my own social isolation and social anxiety today - which feel louder now I’m moving into perimenopause and my need for community is so much stronger
Thanks for sharing, I'm glad you are really figuring out your needs and boundaries. Not enough people do that!
This is tremendous, Morgana. We share many similarities in how we approach relationships.
Thank you! Always good to feel the solidarity.
I will share this with a friend who is going through a diagnosis and trying to make sense of their romantic relationships. Thank you 🤍
Oh, that's wonderful to hear. I hope it is helpful to them.
Thank you for sharing so openly! I too sometimes need to process my thoughts out loud and as much as my husband likes to play ‘rubber ducky’ (as he calls it), he isn’t always available for all of it so I’ve been making a practice of walking and sending voice notes to myself. As then I will definitely not irritate or overwhelm anyone and I can completely be myself and process like I need and want to ❤️ Next to journaling it has been such a game changer.
Love this strategy!! I distribute my "thinking aloud" among a few different friends as well as my partners and I know one of my partners, due to the way his autism manifests, has a super limited capacity for any of it! It took me a long time to learn not to take that personally. It sounds like you've taken the power back into your own hands this way.
The way you put words to that push-pull of wanting closeness but also needing to breathe… I felt that in my bones. I’ve spent years wondering if I was just bad at relationships when really, it was my brain and body crying out for balance. Also the bit about missing someone the second they’re gone? Yeah. That one.
Thank you - your words pull at my heart today and resonate with my experience yesterday. I was looking forward to my partner, who I’m temporarily staying with while recovering from an accident, going away for a couple of days so I could have some space, and the minute he was gone I felt the emptiness and sadness. I’ve found that transitions either way - whether to togetherness or aloneness - take time for me.
I believe I must have all the same things. I have been told I might be on the spectrum and I am self diagnosed ADHD and I have felt like you describe my whole life! I also learned recently that women are usually not diagnosed. Thanks for this article! ♥️
Yes - I've written more about the whole un-recognised female autism thing here, if you're interested: https://morganaclementine.substack.com/p/when-autism-doesnt-look-like-autism-605. I'm glad you found some resonance with the article x
Thanks! I’ll definitely check it out!
This really resonated, especially the 'Leave me alone — but don’t go' sentiment. That push-pull between needing autonomy and craving connection is such a core part of the human experience, and you've articulated it beautifully through the lens of neurodivergence.
Thank you! So important to name this stuff.
I resonate a LOT with this - thank you Morgana!
You always perfectly capture what I often ruminate over. That feeling of loneliness and then immediate tension or exhaustion when I am with someone... Arggghhh, this is so hard on me.
I feel you! Thanks for sharing and reflecting.