Why Do So Many On The Spectrum Not Drink Alcohol?

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Doesn't seem to help my social interactions any. So I tried it but alcohol doesn't do anything useful for me besides deglazing pans and bringing out flavors when cooking.

Alcohol lessens my anxiety and ocd. I try not to use it to self medicate though. I like to drink but i"m trying to quit.

My girlfriend (who is NT to me being on the spectrum) and I both are on three anti-seizure prescriptions, so no alcohol for both her and me.

I don't drink much now because with age I have acquired many digestive issues.
When I was young I could drink my NT friends under a table though, even though I've never weighed more than a buck twenty.

I do drink alcohol but rarely get drunk from it. I know my limits so I don’t tend to drink more than 3 pints of beer or 3 large glasses of wine. I mainly drank beer when I was younger but in more recent years, I’ve come to really love red wine and that has become my main alcoholic beverage of choice. I’m not keen on spirits but I do enjoy a nice single malt whiskey on occasion.

I don't know many people on the spectrum but the few I do know of don't drink as far as I know. I don't drink but that's just me

Alcohol can make you feel like interacting, like you can.

I mean, you still can't but you feel like you can.

You'll still be looked upon as a weird c**t, but at least you will give it a go.

Cheers.

yes alcohol can make you less self aware
or should i say that you are still aware but you don't give a monkeys what people think

i have a fairly broad experiences in life when it comes to drugs and alcohol use, growing up as part of the rave generation, and then uk indie rock, and getting into music etc.
My generation of people were fairly loaded with drug and alcohol use. although the past 20 years for me has been sober apart from a drinking binge every now and then...say once a month or so.


With regards to drinking. for people who are hypersensitive to visual and auditory stimuli, it can be really useful.
In fact, even touch sensitivity can lessen when you are intoxicated. I think that one thing that some hypersensitives may not realise, is that drinking can make your sex life better, as being hypersensitive to touch while drunk, doesn't give always give you drinkers droop as with most men when drinking.
so even when extremely drunk, can still have some fun. perhaps better than when straight.

As for other drugs, i think perhaps drugs that are known to love you up, make you feel love. can be good fun too.
But i do wonder with regards to brain damage of these drugs, as having your brain and body flooded with neurotransmitters must put both your body and brain under a lot of stress. Which isn't great for people who already have anxiety disorders.

As for uppers, i recommend staying well away, although perhaps cocaine would enhance someones sociability, however, illegal, can be addictive long term use, and can be an expensive hobby. Be good if they gave it with a little MDMA to help people with social phobia to overcome this. but i cant see that ever happening.

There are other types of drugs such as psychedelics, which include synthetically synthesised as well as organic (magic mushrooms). At low doses i wonder if psychedelics such as mushrooms may have some therapeutic uses, as they do make a person more focused on the moment and perhaps more inclined to have childlike wonder/transcendental.

I wonder if low dosing on organic mushrooms would help us aspies. some of us are like shamen in many ways,
mysterious and profound and outside.

As for pot, also known as weed, mary jane, cannabis. Sure, this can be a good way to relax for some.
However, i would say at low doses also, as now i am in my 40s i know of a number of long term heavy users who have gone psychotic, and i think that it can be a factor when pushed to the extreme. I mean, i have been around the world and smoked their local weed when i was younger, including in India, and Amsterdam (the weed there blows your head off). But now, i think that i have overdone it. so best stay clear.
I have no problem with others doing what they want, as long as they don't bully me because i don't participate.

Ironic really, as when i was in my mid teens, i was bullied because i did smoke weed, now i am a reject because i dont.

I also know that substances such as opium are very effective at temporarily cheering a person up, and people don't get addicted to it unless using for more than 2 weeks. I think that when you consider how crap our lot is in life, i.e. meltdowns etc.

you would have thought they would make an exception for aspies to use opium etc.
as it does make a person feel really good, happy and warm inside. no meltdowns. Just bliss and happy street.
Like living on Seaesame street. Everything is A O K big bird...

But like a lot of decent meds, that got abused by drug users. they have been taken off the market to prevent anyone getting addicted.

However, i do not know what the difference is between someone being addicted to opium or someone needing antidepressants and antipsychotics for the rest of their life....

so doc, i am not addicted to anti-depressants or anti-psychotics but i just have to keep taking them every day without fail for the rest of my life, making me feel zonked out, making me put on many stones in weight and making me as slow as a snail (i..e. life is s**t)

but if i take opium then i am a drug addict. but not anti-depressants or anti-psychotics.... hmmm
also i am not allowed to have valium for anxiety, which work better than my anti depressants
because valium is obviously addictive but antidepressants and anti psychotics are not.... i just have to take then every day without fail or face the consequences

its all very suspect basically

especially when it comes to valium
as i understand that the antidepressants and antipsychotics are all individually designed and manufactured by big pharm companies. so they have copyright over these meds and so can make loads of money.

where as meds such as valium and older gen antidepressants are generic in that they are not copyright
nor is opium, and so can be grown and synthesised for extremely cheaply
which results in no control and thus less profit for the companies who make the the meds

i know for a fact that doctors are given big bonuses such as free holidays, cars etc. if they are able to prescribe and promote certain pharm companies meds...

all very unethical but thats the american way of consumer capitalism... even in the uk.

Drinking makes me feel like loosing ground, which I worked hard for to have. I feel like I become cold and even more detached than I already am.
I also don't like the smell. Except the sweet stuff.

I used to drink quite heavily as it allowed me to escape into another world inside my head. I rarely ever drink now.

I rarely drink because I can't stand the taste, find myself getting dizzy or sick after just 2 drinks and most importantly how ridiculously expensive alcohol is. I love how *I* am considered the weird one for not regularly consuming large amounts of alcoholic drinks: I am sure some people think I must be a religious whacko or someone super uptight just because I would rather save my money.

I don’t drink...except for a sip (literally a small sip) of wine at New Years or some other special occasion.

I dislike the taste of alcohol. I’m very open about not drinking.

I think much of the reason people drink is for its use as a social lubricant. My guess is that many autistic people who do not drink are either not in social settings where it would be applicable, or do not see the value in social lubrication.

The next largest segment of non-drinking autistic is likely people who don't like the taste and sensation due to sensory related autistic symptoms.

On the flip side, I can totally see some autistic people drinking too much if it becomes a routine to drink, or if they develop a special interest in something like wines, craft beer, whiskies, etc.

My hunch is that, for the reasons above, (using DSMV standards), ASD level 2 and 3 people are less likely to drink, whereas perhaps ASD level 1 people might be more likely to drink.