Difficulty socialising (is it the PTSD?)

[InsertCoinsHere]

Hi,

I’ve found for a while that I have great difficulty socialising but only recently have I truly began to witness other aspects as to why. Previously I thought it was because of social anxiety, then I was diagnosed Complex Trauma and that made sense but recently my trauma therapist made a suggestion that CPTSD can appear like aspergers in social situations.

For example:

- I find in social environments I am overloaded by the senses (sounds, movements and lights particularly)
- I find it difficult to process social ques quickly enough (I feel I’m seconds behind everyone else)
- I cannot follow conversations unless it is short and very precise
- I have difficulty expressing myself
- I feel unable to follow others covert suggestions, other people’s intentions and even read body language quickly
- I’m pretty much just trying to survive the situation as I can’t keep up
- I get exhausted pretty fast

I’m trying to work out do others have similar difficulty in social situations? I’m reasonably comfortable with the people surrounding me however I just feel totally unable to keep up and contribute. It’s like I’m not able to process, recall or communicate quickly enough.

Does anyone else have any difficulty? I’m concerned that maybe I may have aspergers also.

Thanks.

 

[shimmerz]

Yes, it happens to me to and I used to be a social butterfly.

I think you have it bang on. With PTSD the senses get overwhelmed (or already overwhelmed) crazy easily.

I wondered about Asperger's as well, but I think (I don't know) that Asperger's shares the quick to overwhelm the senses thing so it looks (maybe feels?) similar. Just a quick thought on that. Nothing I have researched or really dug into.

 

[Friday]

The opposite. Unless I’ve got serious walls up; I’m overly aware, and read too much, too accurately, too fast.

 

[InsertCoinsHere]

I do get moments like that but for me it’s if my fight/flight response is activated. I’m mainly a freeze response and feel dissociated around people. I still haven’t found my balance in terms of regulation of arousal states though I am improving.

 

[Mach123]

I can't do it at all and realized finally it's a boundary issue for me. I have no boundaries against aggressive people or anyone who wants to push on me or make me back down. I am horribly fearful of that situation which naturally causes it to happen or makes it more likely. I avoid social situations almost entirely because of this unless I have my wife along. I feel safe with her. My sons and daughters also make me comfortable enough to have a very limited contact with others.

 

[Justmehere]

Does anyone else have any difficulty? I’m concerned that maybe I may have aspergers also.

I’d suggest considering talking to a therapist about this and/or getting a neuropsych work up if you continue to be concerned.

I was concerned I had some sort of delay or aspergers or something. I was hyperaware and able to read people very quickly, but overwhelmed by other aspects of social connection. For me, getting evaluated helped me understand what was going on better, and what I needed to do to remedy it. (In my case, it was all PTSD.)

 

[Strangelongtrip]

I feel similarly, either I’m seconds behind or I’m reading too quickly and overaware. For me, when I’m in a group I’m behind. I can’t focus at all with all the people because I can’t read everyone at once and I just completely dissociate because I’m overwhelmed. When I’m one-on-one with someone I’m reading too fast and hyperaware. I’ve thought I was on the spectrum before as well but I’ve never been tested. I’m pretty sure it all comes from trauma though.

 

[blackemerald1]

Yes, much the same as you described @InsertCoinsHere - and it's all down to ptsd. I used to be quite social and uninhibited in social settings. Now I am the extreme opposite and I want the old me back.

 

[IceQueencop]

Yes, much the same as you described @InsertCoinsHere - and it's all down to ptsd. I used to be quite social and uninhibited in social settings. Now I am the extreme opposite and I want the old me back.

Me too. I had a neuropsych, I’m over analyzing, and making stupid mistakes all due to PTSD.

 

[Eagle3]

I have PTSD and all the social issues that go with it, but I also have Asperger's (clinically diagnosed). Turns out my underlying Asperger's, which NO ONE noticed when I was growing up, contributed greatly to my PTSD. They are definitely similar, but if the social issues and communication problems were a thing in early childhood, then you might want to consider an Autism Spectrum Disorder workup. It sure made a HUGE difference for me knowing how different my experience of the world really is from everyone else. It aslo made it possible to figure out exactly WHICH disorder affects my behavior at any given moment. Having that extra layer of Aspie-ness helps explain a LOT! Good luck!