I find April Fools day distressing

[Username947531]

Does anyone else hate it? I've got CPTSD and find it very hard to trust people. It's caused ASD type behaviours where i like things to be clear and often take things at face value. April Fools is hideous for me as I hate pranks at the best of times. Laughing at someone's distress and confusion is a horrible thing to do.

I do an activity that I love. It was a gorgeous day today so I went to said activity and the people running it had pranked everyone by displaying some information that would make the activity much harder. When I asked if it was a prank they promised me it wasn't. Of course it turned out to be one. It ruined the experience for me and now I can't trust the organisers. I feel irrationally upset about it and don't know how to get over that.

Why do people think this stuff is funny?

Some are OK. The Taylor Swift memorial window in Sunderland Minster (she used to sing in the choir) was brilliant.

I used 'everyone' in a general sense. My friend I was with didnt find it funny either. I didn't ask every single person there. I'm leaving this thread now as it's become a pile on and not good for me to continue to engage with those who are deliberately trying to put me down.

This was just a stupid prank. There are plenty of April Fools Day things or comments that can be made that are humorous and harmless.

If it is a club with membership, I'd be tempted to resign or demand a vote of no confidence in the organiser. If it receives public money, perhaps those who provide it would like to know about the attitude towards disabled people.

Please read my first post. I'm neuro diverse.

No, you said you have complex ptsd and "some ASD behaviours". That is not the same as a diagnosis of a neurodiverse condition. Anyway, it's up to you what you find distressing or not distressing. If you can't cope with these sorts of jokes/pranks, perhaps booking events on 1st April isn't a good idea.

@Username947531

It's important in life to have a bit or some sense of humour too,🤔
as light relief from all the stress worries of life issues war conflict etc etc,

Most or everyone else found it amusing in your social activity club,
nobody had an issues with this..

Why does everything have to be constantly serious a debate a statement 🙄

It's getting tire some predictable and boring 😴 😴😴😴

@Username947531

Don't worry there defintely plenty of other things,
lots of things in life come across,
for you to get worked up , and stressed , easily triggered up etc,
especially older you get.

Or just forgive them OP and move on.

Prank wasn't your thing, but the organisers probably just wanted to make the 1st April meet a bit "April Fool's" just for a change.

I very much doubt there was malice in their actions, so you accept this one occasion wasn't for you and move on from it. Just like most people do when something isn't to their taste or liking.

OP I get it totally. I have cptsd and am neurodiverse and I find April Fools day very stressful and find pranks distressing to the point of dissociation. All my close friends know that I will cut them out of my life if they play an April fools prank on me

Pranks stress me too, I sympathise OP.

Totally agree with you @Username947531 - I have ASD too and I have absolutely no idea why some people find lying/being lied to amusing/entertaining. I feel the same way about "magic" shows - tricking people by deceit isn't funny.

@frozendaisy
Your post has nailed it on the head,
That's the adult and emotionally intelligent and insightful way of looking in regards of things like that,

However nowadays society is expected to pander who's voice is the loudest even if most people have enjoyed that experince,

If one person does not like it,

everyone else is expected to consirder and reflect whether to ditch that aspect of activity
to appease and bow down to the one person's who is complaining or whine on
wishes and whims and demands..

You played an April fools prank this morning didn't you? Or someone got you well and good maybe? It's the only thing I can think of why you're coming back repeatedly to stick the boot in to someone who's a bit distressed.

I get it OP, I avoid April 1st mornings outside the house. Some people have a mean streak and it comes out in funny ways under the guise of a 'april fools prank" 🙄

I have cPTSD and lots of traits of various ND conditions too and also find most April Fools jokes upsetting. I have massive trust issues and can't always read body language. So I have no idea of people are lying or not.

I can see it from both sides. The organisers thought it'd be fun y to add in the extra challenge but just didn't think about anyone that this would make the task inaccessible or too challenging to undertake.

OP felt uncomfortable doing it, as did her friend. At the end of it they realised it had all been a big prank and there had been no extra difficulty. People were able to appreciate this, but this k of those people who had looked forward to the event, turned up and then seen the updated info and decided not to take part. It's a bit crap for them.

I think people have really picked apart the op's posts in quite an unfair manner. People are really focussing on her use of "everyone".

I'm sorry that this affected your enjoyment op, and just because "everyone" found it funny doesn't mean you have to. I'd like to think there was no malice in the organisers' decision, but maybe it is worth a mention so they don't have the same thing happen.

Pranks can be annoying - my teenage son insisted on making me a cup of tea today and I was so pleased. Then I started thinking, what does he want?? Then I felt bad for doubting his intentions, but when I came I to the kitchen he looked really shifty and admitted he'd made me a mug of gravy instead.

I'm audhd and i fucking hate April fools. I take everything literally, so unless the April fools is something like a clearly photoshopped photo of an escaped elephant marauding down the local high street, I'm probably going to believe it.

I already spend most of my life feeling like I'm missing the joke, so AFD is a special nightmare. Luckily only one day.

And yes, i know i can't take a joke.

I am with you, 0P. I don't mind a joke news story - Warburtons bridge if any Londoners remember that....but actual practical stuff, no.

Someone's just played a "joke" round here with fake parking tickets.

I don't even own a car but I was thinking, there's going to be people really panicking about this.

Really poor taste.

@YireosDodeAver

The idea of magic show display entertainment is that it's not real its fictional it's a bit of light hearted escapism,
from reality of living sometimes or occasionally being hardwork and stressful etc,

Rember the audience knows understands the magician is entertaining them,

nobody is being forced or coericed pressurised against their will to watch magic tv entertainment shows,
L.o.l 🤣
So your opinion that this is tricking people by deceit is ridiculous,
this is simply not the case with magic shows as the audience should be emotionally intelligent enough to realise this,

Being tricked lied to etc is something different entirely...

Why is it's so difficult to understand the difference then???
it's really not rocket science to figure that out..

@Sunnysidegold

Yes make sure the next year April 1 activity event@Username947531
doesn't have anything related to having a bit of sense of humour,

as anything relating even remotely funny is extremely triggering

We are all meant to be constantly serious and have issues about anything and everything etc...

I understand the difference I just do not finding remotely entertaining. I am aware that I am under no obligation to go, obviously i don't. Don't be so fucking patronising I was clearly addressing the OP about our shared attitude to trickery. If you find such things funny feel free to share that enjoyment with other people who find it funny. Don't impose it on others who don't, or criticise us for not being neurotypical.

Ah well nevermind. Could have been worse.

Someone banging on about emotional intelligence should have enough to understand that different people find different things funny, and not finding something funny doesn't mean you don't find anything funny.

Life is weird, NT people don't necessarily breeze through it loving everything, you know that don't you? But surely it's easier to give yourself a break and appreciate that April Fool's day is a long held and very easily anticipated tradition which involves needing a sense of humour and the ability to not take things personally, otherwise it might be best to avoid situations which might make you feel uncomfortable.

I don't like sudden loud noises for instance. But I don't get angry and upset at scaffolding trucks when I'm walking past, I jump, maybe make a weird noise and feel a bit stupid for a minute, but I accept that it's my issue, and I get on with my day. I do not want to ban loud noises, my reaction is my responsibility. If April Fool's Day was banned, there would be something else to get upset about, I promise.

Pretty sure OP didn't say anything about banning it.