What do you think of bars, night clubs, and drinking?

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I can't stand bars/pubs/clubs - they embody everything that I have trouble processing. There's too much auditory and visual stimulation, not to mention crowds of people, which in sum means that my anxiety ramps up to extreme levels. The only way I have any hope of following what someone is saying is if I stare at their mouth and try to mentally block out everything else going on around me, which has the double-whammy effect of making me look very odd, AND the second they turn away from me I utterly lose track of what was being said.

As for drink, I don't mind the odd alcoholic beverage but I hate getting drunk and don't do it any more; it doesn't ease any of my social anxiety symptoms, it just turns me into a dribbling zombie who gives up on even trying to be part of a conversation.

So yeah, I guess in summary you could say that bars, pubs or clubs are not exactly my favourite place in the world!

P.S. Funny story - first time I ever went to a club (and I'm talking back in the 80's here) I had my bum pinched by a girl I was walking past. Had absolutely not one single idea what my response to that should have been, so just kept on walking. The big question is, how come it took until this year for me to finally get diagnosed as Aspie?

What were your thoughts on that at the time?



So would a pub like this…


Cask ales, New Inn, Parson Lane, Clitheroe by Lancastrian, on Flickr

…be a problem even if there were no-one else in it?

A mixture of panic and confusion, mainly. I even remember thinking "Why did she do that? Did she do it to laugh at me with her mates?" As I said, utterly oblivious to the social world.



So would a pub like this…


Cask ales, New Inn, Parson Lane, Clitheroe by Lancastrian, on Flickr

…be a problem even if there were no-one else in it?[/quote]

No, I actually really like English pubs when they're empty or nearly empty. The older, the better. There's a thousand and one details to notice, and I love the feeling of being in a building that's so much older than I am. Definitely much improved since the smoking ban too - that strong smell of cigarette smoke is a real sensory trigger for me.

Leading to more empty/closed pubs!

(Don't get me started on this.)

I like a good ol' basic rowdy pub run by irish men, preferably with soft-tip darts. That's the only kind of loud environment that I have tolerance for and I think it's because I grew up with loud American-Irish and Irish men and women. It's my natural habitat. And I could go for a beer right now but I've got to leave for a church meeting in 10 (another American-Irish/Irish tradition: going to church when you don't have to).

I was never cool enough for the techno/dance/discotech/whateverhaveyou/hookup spots so I don't know what those are like. When my husband and I were dating, he had made these big weekend plans and part of it was to take me dancing in Ybor City. I was never so relieved to have gotten sick from whatever bad thing it was that I ate at Busch Gardens earlier that day. I'd rather go kayaking, feed giraffes, and wander around museums ... that's just a better way to romance me than to take me dancing in a loud, crowded, booming place with bad music and bad behavior.

Not my idea of fun. I do enjoy sipping whiskey at home though.

Amen

Used to love a nice Oban, but it doesn't mix well with my current medication. *sigh*

Drinking? I like to drink real ale and Czech lager. I used to like to get drunk but not any more, so I now drink in moderation. I'm not really interested in drinks other than real ale or Central European lager.
I like a traditional English pub.
As for clubs/raves.... Went to raves in the woods by my Alma Mater several times. Didn't much enjoy it. I don't like clubs, and hated going to the Students Union on normal nights, but when the rock society put something on I'd go and enjoy it.

I like going to clubs that play my music, I LOVE music, its the best thing in the world.. And I used to drink a lot, cause I realized that way I become very sociable! I dont anymore, cause Im not supposed to.. Im taking concerta... and I dont go to clubs anymore either.. Cause its imposible for me to socialize being sober.. I just cant.. Its so uncomfortable.. so yeah..