To desperately need a break from people

[Lemonfizzy]

I feel constantly overwhelmed by people. Everyone wants something from me constantly. And I have to pretend I'm happy and sociable around people all the time and fill all their needs. I just want to be quiet, have some space to read and not have to answer to anyone. I never get to relax at home and I'm always on edge. Aibu? Does anyone else feel like this or is there something wrong with me?

Also where could I escape and spend a few days on the cheap? And is it possible rent a private space for even just a few hours? (I saw about sleep pods in Japan you can rent for a couple of hours, sounds magical!)

Yes from me too. I cried in the shower this morning as just so overwhelmed with someone else being in the house all the time! I thought I would be alone today but plans changed and I was so so disappointed.

A friend’s DH took up long-distance cycling after they had children…he says it’s for fitness, but I suspect he needs to get away from them for a few hours on a Sunday. 😂

I’m slightly peeved atm as DH and DS are on a lovely father-son vacation and DD (18) was also supposed to be going away for a few days…but her plans have changed.

I was secretly looking forward to some alone time (apart from the dog), eating what/when I like and just pottering around in the evenings. Instead, DD wants me to look after her as she has a slight cold.

This sounds like me, why do people just appear for idle chat when you're most busy? Although I've kind of started to just tell people I'm too busy to chat now, it's quite liberating. The camping idea sounds like bliss actually. Might look into it. Any campsite recommendations? I have thought about this before but most campsites seem to be full of kids screaming from 6am, but then equally I don't want to be totally isolated either...

@Smoky1107 I'm just like this too. I remember when my housemate's flights/week long holiday was cancelled I was so upset, I'd been looking forward to having a week to myself for about 3 months. I also note in my calendar whenever I have small periods of time in the house by myself, and never make plans that clash with alone time.

I wfh have no friends and absolutely prefer this to the 'busy' life I led before. I am embarrassed some days about lack of friends but I don't actually want any.

I feel like one day when dc are older I'll have more time to invest in them but I just about get 5/10 mins here and there for myself as it is. Last thing I need is more angst around not catching up with friends forever.

This is exactly what I'm doing tonight and my friend did last week! Alone, catching up on hobbies and junk tv from a king sized bed and NO interruptions

Hard to shake that mentality unfortunately.

Hard, yes. Impossible, no. Start by reading this article;

https://www.betterrelationships.org.au/well-being/core-beliefs-self-acceptance/

I'm autistic and love idle chats with the neighbours, going to parties etc, but at a certain point a switch trips inside me that says "Go. Now." and I have to head off immediately for some alone time.

I'm also a lone parent, and the constant noise and conflict of 2 DCs absolutely boils my swede. Luckily I have EOW free, and what I do a lot is get in the van and head straight for Dartmoor. I'm obsessed with the place, probably because it's so....empty. I go for massive solitary hikes.

I stay at a campsite where there are sometimes screaming kids, but luckily it has an overflow field where all the asocial van dwellers hide when things get busy. I find entering "Farm Camping" into the Google maps search function shows you all the cheap and simple campsites where you are more likely to be able to hide from the screamers.

I completely relate to this op. I am almost never alone and also have that feeling of being constantly slightly on edge, because whenever I try to relax someone wants me for something. I can never fully get into a 'flow state' with my hobbies because I am usually interrupted. Everyone in my family is ND though and I tend to be the one who has to accommodate everyone else's needs at the expense of my own - I am nearly always tense and waiting for the interruption. Even dh quite often wants to talk to me when I am trying to relax and gets offended when I don't want to talk to him at that moment and also gets a bit funny if I say I want to stay at home alone rather than going on a family outing! I can't stand the cinema (I find it unbearably boring) so if they do that I get a couple of hours by myself.

@@crackofdoom I’m going to start using the phrase “boils my swede,” it perfectly describes how I feel sometimes. 🤣

I'm fortunate in that I usually get 3 hours a day to myself.I cherish it and never take it for granted.Yanbu.

@crackofdoom Thanks for the tips on finding camping, I'm going to try and book something, although will need a tent! Ive always quite fancied wild camping in Dartmoor, but don't know if I'm brave enough. And I will also be adopting 'boil my swede'..