How do they do it?

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Neurotypicals, well non-autistic people I mean. I'm not being nasty to them I just don't understand how they survive music festivals. I started to have a meltdown when I wasn't even inside the venue. I had to walk maybe a kilometer or more to the entry gates. I had about 7 different meltdowns and I had to keep them in because cops were everywhere. I watched a bit of music but the noise, crowd and heat got to me. It's summer in Australia. And was about 40 degrees at the festival.
Everyone else around me were bothered by the heat but no one else but me seemed to freak out when people walked past them or couldn't handle the noise though I was wearing earplugs.
The first aid tent was full and only exhausted or injured people were allowed in. I didn't no how to tell them it was all in my head, as in brain.

All I know is to never return to a music festival. Last year was only half as bad for me. This year I had to leave much earlier. I just felt like I had to escape that place. No shade and running out of water, and feeling like I wanted to attack people pretty much made the decision for me to leave.

It's becoming more and more obvious to me that NTs have superpowers. Psychic mind-reading abilities and everything. Trying to make sense of it is futile.

I never like super loud venues either. I can only tolerate them if I have someone I feel comfortable with along. Running out of water and feeling over-heated on top of that would have made me highly agitated also.

That's ironic, because the NTs apparently think that WE have superpowers!

I used to be able to go to raves all the time but now I can barely go outside and not feel overwhelmed. I guess it waxes and wanes.

I always wear earplugs to make the noise less. That is the biggest thing for me. Music festivals can be nice when the volume is turned down.
Try to get your friends to stand in line for you, or at least stand in line with you to keep from being bumped around. Same thing for wandering around, stay in between people.
The crowds are interesting to watch if I can find a place off to the side to watch from. The heat is the biggest problem. All I can suggest for that is to wear cool clothes, a cool hat and try to make sure you get plenty to drink.

Thanks for the tips mudboy but I don't think I'll go back to another festival. It was far too traumatic for me. Even waiting at the train station in the heat brought back memories.
I had in ear plugs and my friend was watching other bands. I'm not a people person anyway and prefer to be on my own.

I can't get over how NTs can hold back anger (well, most can, I'm not saying all. I'm just talking about NTs in general here).

Say if one really hated snow as much as I did, and it gave them panic attacks like it does me, and somebody turned round to a NT and said, ''it's forecasted snow for tomorrow, and it's going to freeze and keep snowing all week, so there's no escape,'' the NT will give a few groans at the most, then carry on being calm and normal. But me - without helping myself I would instantly throw a meltdown and there's hell to pay, and the atmosphere will be shattered. How do NTs manage to react differently? Why does AS make us have these involuntary meltdowns? Not fair.

Careful with the generalisations. Many non autistic people who are not truly neurotypicals have great sensory issues. Some NTs seem to have them too but I guess they should have a diagnosis at least for this sensory issue.

Anyway, I wonder how they survive music festivals too.

I have never really gone to them but I can imagine I'd do fine at one since I have been to concerts and sport games and crowded places.

My mum has a sensory issue with her hearing. She can't go out to any loud places because her ears go all uncomfortable and deaf. She hates loud noises - once she was walking in the street and some loud motorbikes went past she got angry and growled, ''makes me want to take an almighty kick at them!'' And I felt comfortable that someone else was bothered about loud noise, like me.

But she has no AS.

I could never hold it together in a small not too populous night spot.

On the other hand, there are things I can handle trhat drive them nuts.

NBut on the other hand, they built this city their way.

Look at it this way, least you aren't going to be suffering from hearing loss due to listening to things turned up too loud.

I don't particularly want to go to a festival either, but for different reasons. I'd be with a load of dirty sweaty people and I'd be suspicious of the food sold there because of the less than sanitary conditions at a festival. There's also a chance of over heating because of all the body heat produced by the tightly packed crowd, I don't particularly like the idea of over heating. The crowd itself doesn't bother me, and I'd enjoy the music. But the dirtiness puts me off.
I do however really want to go to a rave or a concert with a DJ.

If I tell you I'm going to sound like I've lost my mind or have morphed into a troll but oh well. Here goes....


I love large, crowded, noisy music festivals and always have. Why? In part, the music. But that's only part. The real thrill is the crowd. When that many people are together I get an almost insanely joyful electric charge from the connection to them. This is a common NT experience. It's the same at sporting events and, to dangerous effect, riots. When a large number of people are together, their energy starts resonating with each other. It's like a very enjoyable electrical feedback and amplifying loop. If you stand outside this loop (and apparently being on the autism spectrum means that), it's just going to look painful and noisy and chaotic.

Crowds are different than individuals. To be part of a crowd is to be as close to a hive mind as you can get without being a bee. This probably sounds just awful to you but it is a very deliriously joyful experience. The dark side of this is that this delirious joy replaces reason and can lead to extreme violence when the crowd is gathered for a riot rather than a festival or sporting event or New Years.

I hope that didn't sound too crazy (it probably did) but it's the truth of why many NT people not only stand this but actively crave it .

Thanks Janissy, that was an interesting explanation. I always wondered why people seem to like to herd together. One of my biggest sensory issues is being in crowds, especially when the people are randomly milling about. I get worried if someone gets within an inch too close to me. And the noise would be an added factor....

Right now, it´s a very difficult time for me, because people are starting to do their Christmas shopping, so the city seems to be constantly packed with people. How do NTs handle Christmas crowds? Is it pleasant, or unpleasant (or neutral) to be around so many people while shopping? (For me it´s unbearable, I want to be a hermit this time of year!) Also- is this "electrical charge" in crowds why many NTs seem to like to go to crowded bars and restaurants? (Because I like to go to the almost empty restaurant, if I eat out). I always wondered why sometimes people "apologize" to me if they take me to a place that´s not filled with people, whereas I´m inwardly breathing a sigh of relief! My AS boyfriend and I always wondered about this, because it´s not like the strangers in the crowded bar or restaurant are even talking to each other.....