How do you Recharge?

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As the ID name suggests, I've been dealing with some mental exhaustion that's severely corroded my concentration, memory, and overall functionality. The more I hear from this board the less alone I feel in this regard, especially considering a line of advice I've heard repeatedly: make time to recharge, whereupon your wits will gradually return and you'll feel much better day-in-day-out.

Been keeping such a hectic schedule for the past year and a half or so (probably not coincidence), so much that I can't really remember what it's like to recharge, let alone how I may have once done so.

To repeat the question, then, is I'm interested to hear if anyone else here also needs this recharge time in order to function; and if so how do you spend it? Seems when I think about peace-inducing activities my mind inescapably returns to work of some sort or another, so if any of you could give me a hand and share some inspirational ideas, I'd be very much obliged.

Thanks,

Ben

I need time to recharge daily. I love to read by myself in the corner of a room in my house. I also need alone time when I get home from work. otherwise I get upset at the smallest things, that really bothers me and I'm trying to work on it but its hard! I also focus on my interest which is movies. They seem to recharge my batteries like nothing else.

I put the kettle on and have a nice hot drink(hot orange, herbal tea, coffee et cetera) and pick up a book. I find the quietest place in the house, generally my bedroom. I have a little hide out part of my room, which was going to be a walk in wardrobe but I prefer it as a sensory corner. There I have my book case, fiber optic lamps and a big bean bag. I love to sit there and chill out. I also like to do meditations helps me to focus more.

Ten best things, to recharge daily-

No. 1- Read a book.

next....

play WoW and sleep. i'm finding that WHEN i sleep is very important. like if i feel somewhat tired... it's best to take 20 min and grab a quick nap.

that and having a good cry from time to time helps

It depends on what causes me to need recharging. If it's just a regular work day, as my boss says, she pictures me going home, pluging in and recharging (she has no idea I think I have AS, this is just her observation from working with me). If it's that kind of a night, I go home, get on the laptop and crank out twenty or thirty pages of fiction. I'll either go into my office or sit in the family room with my husband. I might have a little of the old Ludwig Van pouring into my ears.

If I've had too much human contact at work (they had a lunch, there was a face to face meeting instead of a teleconference, people came to see me all day, etc.), I go to my office and sit staring at the wall for as long as it takes me to get out of overload. I get the fixed gaze and go down the rabbit hole of my mind.

If it's a mega overload situation where I've hit many stressors at once, I will sit staring every night for days on end for as long as it takes. That recharges me. I don't need drugs. I don't need to "talk about it." I just need silence.

When it's over, I go right back to being me. When I fight that or do less of it than I need, I drag out the effect and make it much worse.

You need to find what relaxes you and do it. It doesn't matter what it is. Do it for as long as it takes and only do what you absolutely have to do in the outside world. You'll straighten out again. Your mind just needs a rest.

And despite what some people think, it is perfectly find to withdraw from the rest of the world. It's much less expensive and far more effective than a Pysch. I'm sure they won't want you to think so.

Good luck!

Various types of British music from the 60s and 70s and lots of tea.

I cant relax unless my life itself is "simplified".I got rid of any non-essentials.if I have obligations or appointments hanging over my head,I have the "nagging" feeling no matter what I am doing.So,I try and limit myself to 40 hours a week of work,doing shopping after work,to get it out of the way,any appt. I have to make are done.

Then I can relax and read a book,stretch,come on WP,do Soduko,make art,nap,watch a movie,take a bath,cuddle the cats.

It takes very little to overload me. I am a very easily stressed out person, almost always on edge. I find I need to keep away from people after any prolonged conversation with them. Just talking for a while with someone will leave me not needing that sort of contact again for a few days generally.

I recharge by listening to my music, coming online or simply gazing into space, which happens anyway if anything overwhelms me. Anything that takes me away from reality seems to do a good job of recharging me, so fantasy games are always good to. I found a long walk in the woods during summer would serve that purpose too since I love nature, although I would get annoyed if I crossed paths with other people. I like to sing at full volume when out walking as that seems to be my primary way of expressing/releasing any frustration/anger/distress.

Drive on the backroads, sleep, listen to music, have a cigar.

I go down to the beach and watch the waves break.

Being in California I also have a script for marijuana, but that only works late at night when Im all alone and know I wont being seeing anyone or hearing a phone ring.

Waves have always been my revolving door or turning fan, the thing that puts me alpha instantly.

I can small recharge by:

1. Time alone and quiet

2. Nap

3. Music - especially The Flaming Lips

4. Reading

5. A walk in the woods

6. WP

However, I have been in a hectic schedule myself for a long time and truly need a large recharge and do not know what to do.

I really envy you the waves. I used to live by the Jersey Shore, and I miss it.

Ive moved away from the ocean many times and always return. Its a magnet. Hate the fog that plagues N Cal though. sunny days when the wave action is strong and the sun is glistening off the wavelets like a million strobe lights, I just disappear. Then come back feeling reborn. Summer I got to move inland for a couple year job and its going to be tough.

These are all really useful ideas, especially for one that's essentially forgotten how to relax.

One thing I've seen mentioned a few times here and innumerable times in my own head, is the need to flee reality in whatever form this recharge time takes. I know when I was an adolescent I got really into the D&D role-playing game and fantasy book genres, which took me on extended vacations from reality, and when I outgrew that I often coked up my brain on one video game or another from high school through early undergraduate.

It's funny that although I went literally years with extremely minimal game-playing of any time and never had a problem with "game addiction" or anything like it then, this past year I've had the strong urge to play games when I'm despairing or tired, and when nothing else helps I've often indulged. Problem number one there is that for the first time I recognize signs of "addiction", like I don't want to log off and return to my problems or whatnot. And more importantly, after those times when I do turn on an ancient game and put it down after a reasonable time, I feel no satisfaction or sense of peace - like I've just wasted another two hours of my already blasted life.

I'm by all means not criticizing anyone who does find peace and recharge through fantasy and escape, and more importantly I'm curious of the ways it does or does not work for you in this regard so that I might better learn.

- Ben

The most important to me is starting right. I get up at 3 AM. the world is sleeping. Several hours of being alone I am fully charged. I have the energy to deflect the day.

My worst is just as I am about to have the first sip of coffee, the world intrudes. I become a Master of foul moods, the day is shot, "To hell with them all!" Being unable to recover, I just go back to bed.

I shut down non-essential systems, like speaking, stare at people long enough they get the message.

I am trapped in a city, I have no woods, parks are not my style, I draw within and shut out the world.

I train humans to deal with me on my terms, every week I have to retrain them. Making me suffer is fun for them, I make them suffer, they cannot see the fun. I am just socialising, I demand instant answers to my demands, I give them one second to comply, then tear into them for being defective and complete failures. I cause tears and heart attacks, but better you than me.

People say they have to walk on eggs around me, I say if the crunching does not stop there will be hell to pay. They say I am unfeeling, and I tell them that I feel like beating them to a pulp. Then they wish I had no feelings. They have been on my case for all my life, they cannot take one minute of the same. I was hated when I took their abuse, nothing has changed, except who is getting the abuse. I do not see a problem. They are defective weaklings and a real man should knock some sense into them, for Jesus, God Dammit. I have intergrated myself into society.

Like any sucessful fugitive I have learned to hide in plain sight. When someone tries to talk to me I change the subject. They had a plan, it fell apart. I am self centered, everyone always said so. Now there is no room for them. When more than half my time is spent on me, I feel happy, when others think they want to run me, it turns out badly for them.

I am Popeye, I yam what I yam, and that's all what I yam! Popeye is a bull goose aspie. Bluto is three times his size and still loses. Self is the only thing to have. With the world at bay, I can spend more time being me. I have a self to feed and grow. No one else can do it. I need food, shelter, and peaceful enjoyment, now if that aspie Olive Oyl could ever make up her mind.