Dealing with social withdrawal symptoms after an gathering?

Page 1 of 1 [ 5 posts ] 

Keyman
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 443

12 Nov 2013, 2:21 am

Have you experienced that social events work out alright and you can deal with a high level of social interactions for a few hours. Like a meeting, exhibition, or dance. But that afterwards the brain is still running with social interaction in sight but there's no one to interact with, which creates a kind of withdrawal symptom which needs to be soothed.
I think it's related to the reconfiguration time for the brain. The same that makes changes hard for some.

So any way to deal with this?



helioneironaut
Emu Egg
Emu Egg

User avatar

Joined: 9 Oct 2013
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 8

13 Nov 2013, 12:40 am

I definitely experience this. Generally my response to it is to bury myself in something that usually occupies my whole attention, like reading or gaming and, if necessary, listening to music at the same time, when I can. But it's not always possible to use that kind of coping strategy. e.g., when something else pressing needs to get done and doesn't meet such criteria. It was the worst when I lived with my parents, who are fundamentalist Christians and didn't allow much interaction at all with my friends (due to moral disapproval and being sick of my dysfunctional patterns in various areas such as schoolwork), so when I did get to interact with my friends or go to an event and then had to go home, the withdrawal was very pronounced and I wasn't good for much of anything important for hours, which was unacceptable to them.

These days, as I don't live in their house anymore, it's somewhat easier to distract myself.



Dear_one
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Feb 2008
Age: 75
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,717
Location: Where the Great Plains meet the Northern Pines

14 Nov 2013, 12:25 am

Usually, I start to relax when I'm alone again, but tend to re-play the conversations several times, checking for things I might have missed. It is very common for people to report thinking of a perfect retort hours too late.



gigstalksguy
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 30 Jan 2013
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 89
Location: Worthing

16 Nov 2013, 2:53 pm

I totally relate to this withdrawal symptom, as you guys described it, and feel the best thing to do is to have a few friends, or family you can call upon after a social, just so you can basically share your day or night. Sometimes we all need someone we can offload to, when there's loads of stuff rattling away in our brains.

It's good that people recognise this is happening. If we know when we're going to feel like this, we can prepare ourselves, and hopefully find someone we can offload to, or share our event with, to get it all out of our systems.


_________________
Sick of Struggling Socially? Discover The Key The Can Transform You Into a Social Master - http://www.socialmazebook.com


Keyman
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 443

16 Nov 2013, 4:31 pm

I don't mean that I have to talk about the event. Rather a kind of abstinence that happen when it suddenly went from many people to no people. Otoh, it's the same when entering a gathering etc. It takes time to get used to it.

Any ideas on how to quash this abstinence?