Socialising Safely

 There are times, as neurodivergent people that we get 'socialed out,'recognising when its about to happen would be great but all too often, everything can suddenly feel 'all at once.' Little strategies can help us, these are some of mine.

Socialising Safely

Socialising, a double-edged pleasure

Gives and takes in equal measure.

It's easy to borrow energy from tomorrow.

And sometimes we must.

Trust in true friends,

Dear friends who know our heart

With whom silence is naturally easy

and being apart is just academic.

They are home.

When our pulse races

With the heady dread of new places

New faces

We can make it a cue to pace ourselves

Think of a face that makes us smile and smile back.

Have the homeward journey prepared.

Be safe, and true to your neurology

without apology

Maybe just listen instead

It’s not a fuss. Go to the loo, ask someone to go with us.

Shut the door and breathe slowly, deeply.

Feel the ground beneath our feet

Check-in with ourselves.

Call out, ‘I won't be long,’ focus on the song that’s playing

Hum a verse. Find our earbuds, put them in

and immerse in soothing sounds to dim the row.

Let it be okay to know exactly what we need right now.