I live next to the London Olympics and its overwhelming!

Post Reply New Topic

I am new to this forum and have only recently found out I very likely have Aspergers (I am self diagnosed, and the reason why I feel this way is on the getting to know each other forum). I have always been very anxious and nervous about crowds, but going out today was just completely overwhelming and a sensory overload. As the upcoming London Olympics is right next to where I live and there seems to be 100 times the amount of people here than usual.

I normally feel like an alien on an alien planet but today that was magnified by a million. Luckily I finally know what is wrong with me and I am on a strong dose of ant-depressants. And have been seeing a counsellor and i am now being referred to a physiatrist, otherwise I would be so anxious and nervous that i wouldn’t be able to leave the house with the amount of people around.

It is also very interesting and at the same time nerve racking being amongst and observing NT’s going around in such huge numbers as they look and act like a mass of crazed rabid zombies. I have never understood people’s behaviour anyway such as sitting on benches outside at restaurants etc. But they have now taken it to a new extreme sitting anywhere and everywhere they can find.

After observing so many people behaviours and actions today I am finally starting to believe that everyone else are the abnormal ones and that me and other Aspie’s are the sensible, sane and normal people.

I know what you mean and I sympathise.

However, I love the Olympics and I would love to drive-down to sample the special Olympic atmosphere. I can't afford to get there. Damn-it!

I was hoping for the Olympics to come to Britain since I watched the Moscow games, in 1980.

I can't wait for friday. I'm hoping it will be Daley Thompson lighting the couldron.

I can imagine London being overwhelming right now. I used to live there and I am glad I am not there now.

NT's cannot seem to spend any time alone, they have to have others around them all the time so in London they will be loving it and the more people there are the more excited they seem to get. If I were you I would leave London while the olympics are on.

I am going to an Olympic event on Saturday. I am simultaneously excited because I *love* the Olympics and think it is great that it is in the UK so I can be part of it and terrified by the crowds and busyness of it all. I will be clinging to my husband like ... erm ... A super-clingy thing but hope that I will enjoy the actual event itself.

I feel for you living so close though. I only have to cope with it for a day and then get to leave London again. I couldn't imagine doing it for the entire duration of the Olympics.

Sorry to hear that OP. I couldn't deal with what you're living with right now.

I also love the olympics for what it stands for (i am not into sports),but i don't want it right on my doorstep as its just to much for me. In fact the olympic torch went past my house on saturday in leyton. But by the time i got enough courage to get ready and go outside with the mass of people everywhere, embarrasingly i'd just missed it, which i reget as it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The area looks completely differnt and beutiful with millions of pounds worth off renovation (i got a olympic grant to do outside my home). But i can't take anything in or enjoy anything as there are people everywhere which is completely ruining my experience. I try to zone out by wearing heaphones and listening to loud music but the amount of people doing odd (or normal dependimg on your perspective)things like sitiing on benches outside, in the park and just standing around cafes etc is just overwhelmimg and distracting so i don't know where to look.

Hopefully when it starts on friday the atmosphere will absorb me and i will have the courage to embrace it but i think not. I don't really care about the people or the sports but because of my art and design background I would love to see and photograph the buildings and the olympic park etc at least, but i don't have an olympic ticket so can't even do that, which is a bummer.

Now that you mention it, having the Olympics in this town would be overkill. I don't go to any of the events here but I know they would all still pale compared to the vastness and magnanimity of the Olympics. I'd probably have to disappear for two weeks till it was all over.

I live right next to the Olympic Stadium here in Amsterdam. Am I glad the Netherlands and Belgium lost the bid for hosting the Olympics this year!

That would suck. People constantly trying to ask you for directions and whatnot. Wow.

Sorry for what you are going through. Yeah, it would over whelm me, too. Can you escape to another part of the UK until the Olympics is over? Or perhaps on the weekends at least, if you have a job?

As for all the tourists sitting everywhere, have pity on them. They are sitting because they are tired from all the walking, and constantly bucking the crowds of other tourists and natives. They are probably hot, too.

I'm not into attending big functions any more. Besides being uncomfortable in crowds, I have bladder and bowel problems, and don't want to be far from a bathroom for long. I also don't want to have to wait in line to get to use it. By the time I head for the facilities it's too late for standing in line outside. AAAAAHHHHH!! !! !

I will occasionally go to the nearest Walmart for both foods and non-foods (it is also a big grocery store), but they have a pair of large, multi stall rest rooms up front, AND another pair of large, multi stall rest rooms out back. The pair in front are busier, so sometimes there is a little line standing, but the pair in back gets less use, so no line standing. I use the ladies room out back, of course.

I really think you need to get far away from the maddening crowd for the duration of the Olympics, or at least on the weekends.

To make it worst my brother in law and some of his family (i'm kind of okay with my sister and her kids) are staying around where i live for the 2 weeks during the olympics. So they are encroaching on my only sanctur from the madness outside and i can't just hide in my room like i was planning to do and escape.

Also I unfortunately cut off having any friends over 5 years ago and currently have zero friends now (which i like). And i don't talk to any of my huge number of relatives apart from a polite hello so have absolutely nowhere to go hide (this is the only time i wish i wish i had a friend so i could use them).

These two weeks are going to be a baptism of fire for me. I am seriously thinking of just telling my immediately family that i might have aspergers. My siblings and parents are used to my very odd behaviour since i was little but my brother in law thinks i'm extremely rude because i have only talked to him a handfull of times in 20 years. At least if i say that i am finding all of this overwhelming and difficult because i believe i have aspergers and not because i am weird and ant-social they may be more tolerant and give me my space.

Ugh, that's no fun. Just hold out until the Olympics are over... give yourself some time to relax afterward.

my sympathies the undergrounds bad enough on a good day. Once it starts and things settle down it should get easier.

I wish I lived in the East of London; here in the West of London is so dull and boring because of the Olympics not being based around here...I would happily trade places with you if I could.