What will I regret if I haven't done much of these things?

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chris1989
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25 Jan 2025, 11:41 am

Here is a list of things I sometimes overthink I haven't done much so far. I seem to think that if people haven't done these things they'll regret it and that they do these things so that they don't regret later on.

- having 3+ friends

- clubbing/bars/drinking

- concerts (only went to 3 between 15 and 21)

- travelling (18 to 24) (started at 25 on a cruise to Amsterdam and Antwerp with dad and stepmum)

- having a paid job (18 to 25) (started volunteering at 21 and got first paid job at 26)

- driving (18 to 27) (had manual lessons at 21, had automatic lessons at 24-28 before passing)

- relationships (been out with some girls but never had a relationship but someone I was friends with did want one with me but I wasn't ready)



babybird
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25 Jan 2025, 1:12 pm

What's stopping you from doing any of those things


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chris1989
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25 Jan 2025, 2:35 pm

babybird wrote:
What's stopping you from doing any of those things


Well I was never interested in visiting bars and clubs because of the music they played, just getting to get wasted and I didn't want to go even on my own thinking if I did, I would remain alone and end up feeling self conscious for just sitting at a bar or wherever with a drink and just staring at people as though I'm waiting for something to happen. That's why my weekends were spent at home doing a hobby, watching something on TV etc.

I like music as much as the next person but I've not been to many live music events for the same reasons I've mentioned about being in a bar. I won't go on my own because I seem to think everyone who goes has people with them and a lot of these events are far away from where I live.

I also do like travelling but I won't go alone and I'm not very good with other languages. Its reminding me of when my sister was in Romania and was in an area where most people didn't speak English and the boyfriend who lived there, was hardly there to see her and was seeing other women. I can just visualise myself feeling stranded.



babybird
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25 Jan 2025, 5:09 pm

Yeah I know what you mean about language barriers when you're alone in a foreign place

I hope you don't grow up to regret not doing the things that you don't really wanna do but you feel you should do because everyone else does it

What places (if any) have you travelled to where you did feel comfortable


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chris1989
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25 Jan 2025, 7:06 pm

babybird wrote:
Yeah I know what you mean about language barriers when you're alone in a foreign place

I hope you don't grow up to regret not doing the things that you don't really wanna do but you feel you should do because everyone else does it

What places (if any) have you travelled to where you did feel comfortable


I feel that's the problem I have, regretting not doing things I actually didn't want to do but end up with thoughts that I am ''missing out'' or being ''left behind'' for not doing them because I feel like all of neurotypical and some other autistic peers have done them because its what people do at a certain stage of life. I feel that other people do these things for the sole reason of not regretting it later on in life.

If I were to travel abroad somewhere that was most comfortable, I'd go to Copenhagen or somewhere like that where lots of people do speak English second to Danish but even on my own initiative I can't get myself to go there or anyway else on my own and book a ticket and flight there.



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26 Jan 2025, 10:23 am

Yeah I can see your situation is a difficult one

Have you even set foot in a nightclub before


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chris1989
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26 Jan 2025, 12:12 pm

babybird wrote:
Yeah I can see your situation is a difficult one

Have you even set foot in a nightclub before


Yes but I walked out because of the flashing lights and spent the rest of the time outside. It's not because I'm epileptic because I'm not but the moment the flashing lights started, I kept reminding myself of a friend with epilepsy I saw who had really bad seizures during our school exams and had to call an ambulance.



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26 Jan 2025, 12:16 pm

Well you have experienced it then at least and it wasn't for you

I think that some nightclubs are in fact like youth clubs and once you get to a certain age you realise that but I know that probably isn't much comfort to you at the minute


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