Anyone else becoming more withdrawn with age?

Post Reply New Topic

Yes, indeed. I'm rather slow at responding, and I like to be very precise about what I say. e-mail seems like a much more natural medium for me, too.

Yeah, I will also agree. I work in an office building filled with people and perform 99% of my function via email. I get tripped up verbally and can't think as quickly or as clearly.

I think that it does. I'm coming out of a prolonged period of isolation, caused by severe depression. I'm finding some things easier, because I've picked up a better understanding of people. It's still not easy, though.

I do as much of my work via e-mail as I can. I hate face-to-face meetings. People ask unexpected questions, and it just takes me a while to remember the details. It takes me a while to make decisions. That's just the way that I am.

I was never that social to begin with, though for 3 years from my senior year of high school to jr year of uni i was extremely outgoing. I left the uni and am back at home again and im reclusive...but im only 20 so i cant say if i get more reclusive with age yet

Agree. If I did not know that there were autistics before everything was automated, I'd think autism was an adaptation to the technological revolution. I am still not convinced that the drastic increase in diagnosis does not have something to do with an adaptation to the way we live. Who knows if our genetics can adapt over a single generation in response to all the electromagnetism in our environment? Perhaps I am paranoid.

To answer the original question, yes, I am becoming more withdrawn with age. I am considered young as well, but I have cut off most of my friends and have replaced them with books and houseplants.

I think i might be. I know that if i do not practice and stay involved with people everyday, i will start dreading meeting anyone and it will be hard to not fall into social phobia, it has happened before and i can feel it returning. Only i don't want to make an effort, i have done it all before, i know there is nothing positive to get out of socialization except "not being seen as withdrawn", the positive of which is starting to totally escape me, so well... I found that now, even when i am alone, i sometimes have adrenalin spikes if i start thinking someone might ring my doorbell, when appropriate visiting and working hours have passed, i am able to relax more....until the next day. Not good.

Can't really say, I'm doing better in a lot of ways, but I've started to feel even more withdrawn lately.

Research indicates that a mothers stress and resulting stress hormones may have an impact on brain development of a child within one generation. Women started entering the workforce in large numbers soon after the "pill" was made available in 1960. Before then it was common for a woman not to be in the workplace and have a child.

I may be wrong, but I would guess on a day to day basis that a woman experiences more stress now because of workplace issues, etc. There is also research that suggests exposure to cigarettes can have a generational impact on development. Why wouldn't it; fetal alcohol syndrome has been identified. Studies already indicate that living in close proximity to power lines may affect health. I'm not sure about electromagnetism in general, but who knows what a lifetime of exposure could do.

Technology is decreasing the need for verbal and physical gesturing in communication. This is a huge adaptation in Social communication for humans in general. Emoticons have replaced facial expression. It stands to reason if you have an inherent issue with social communication, the physical and verbal aspect, that limiting that aspect could possibly have a negative impact on those skills.

And yes, it may just be because more people are seeking diagnoses and awareness has increased, but it is at least interesting that the dramatic rise in diagnosis has occured in the last 20 years matches the same span of time for the development and widespread usage of non-verbal electronic communication.

Electronic communication increased my skills in the written form, but some of the other social communication skills that I had developed over many years were reduced in the process. I found myself concerned that I would lose the ability to speak at times. Computers have made a positive impact in the lives of many Autistic people.

I have indeed been staying home more and going out less--- but for me it isn't an issue about panicking or the such. It's just that, to me, people seem to be bigger A-holes than ever. So i don't want to deal with them, and staying home doesn't cause the stress of having to meet/deal with jerks.

Have you been assessed for social anxiety? I think it's already there. Also this kind of thinking can be unhealthy.

I get some anxiety, but since my Therapy I've changed from withdrawal to seeking company, even though I still have serious moments of anxiety.

Life after college...living with parents...unemployed...emotionally and sociable unstable to work in any environment...extremely irritable with people wanting to talk to me...only speak a few sentences to people a day...severe social anxiety and a fear of going out in public...

Yup, I'm already there.

Yes, but no complaints. I have my son around but that doesn't count as a social life. We are usually living in companionable solitude.

Yes, but I have no issues whatsoever with it.

Age and honesty relief topic

I forced myself to be more social when my children were much younger, and these attempts were to help me be a better parent for them, and thus were necessary evils. Now that they are better at it than I am, I am satisfied I did a good job. I am now too exhausted from the effort. It is a blessed relief to be done with this phase of my life, to concentrate on more solitary activities like forum posting, writing, reading and autodidactic pursuits, now that I am in my mid to late fifities.

My children have noticed my increasingly hermitic leanings , and wonder what came over me. I think they are somewhat disappointed, but I have told them what I have just told you.

I see a lot of people are talking about how electronic friendships and communication can ruin a persons ability to socialize. Personally, as my social skill decline so does my internet friend making skills. A lot of times on this forum I'll start to write something and once I'm finished I end up erasing it and thinking "whats the point?". I use to make a lot of friends on MySpace but then I sort of stopped caring and decided that all friendships begin and end the same so whats the point in continuing the cycle? I don't know. Maybe its time to pop a pill and smile like the rest of the world, eh?