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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

So lonely even DD and DH don't understand me.

331 replies

Thevegetarianchef · 09/09/2025 07:22

So after a lifetime of anxiety and bouts of depression I was finally diagnosed with ADHD and autistic traits.
This has been helpful with regard to work relationships.
Not so much my home life.At the weekend we met up with DD who left home nearly ten yrs ago.She lives hundreds of miles away so we see each other every few months.
We had all gone shopping not DHS favourite past time and were grabbing a coffee or going back.
They wanted coffee in a cosy cramped hot cafe.
I wasn't so sure.Off DD stomped and I know she gets handgry as this has happened before.
DH ran after her. We settled on good old Mand S which was spacious.
Am I unreasonable to expect anyone in my own family to realise I struggle and have always with cramped spaces or to find out about my diagnosis as DH said I Keep going on about it.I have linked articles for him to read to understand.
I feel so lonely and misunderstood and isolated already.

OP posts:
Lanzarotelady · 09/09/2025 08:55

Shopping and a cafe at the weekend - you already said its not your favourite activity - you have issues and to be honest it sounds like your daughter does too - this was a disaster waiting to happen!

ComfortFoodCafe · 09/09/2025 08:57

I have autism & do not like crowded places, it can result in me having to cover my ears to cope however I dont think you should of gone on about your diagnosis to them. That doesnt change anything, you are the person you have always been to them. Your daughter shouldnt of stomped off either, sometimes I just grin & bear things for the sake of my family like the cafe I probably would of done it and just coped in my own weird way.
So yabu but so is your daughter.

Autumn38 · 09/09/2025 08:58

So you made them both go to a cafe they didn’t want to? They both had to put your wishes above BOTH of theirs?

Nope I am on their side I’m afraid. Find coping strategies for these situations or apologise profusely and accept that they might be a bit fed up with having to go to soulless and bland M&S AGAIN

Didimum · 09/09/2025 08:59

I expect OP isn’t inherently selfish and always wants to get her way, as a lot of posters are suggested (typical, nasty MN behaviour.)

She likely wouldn’t have posted at all if her adult DD hadn’t stomped off like a toddler, and instead just spoken to her mother with a degree of maturity.

MellersSmellers · 09/09/2025 08:59

I hear you OP. It's not unreasonable to expect a hearing from your loved ones and for them to make reasonable adjustments - like choosing a cafe that isn't crowded! How hard is that.
Your diagnosis is most useful for you. It should help you identify and/or address the things that you find difficult. You need then to clearly and positively communicate these to your family, compromising when you can.
Like "oh, this cafe looks rather crowded. How about we go to M&S instead?" Quick solution for the hangry DD (who needs to grow up a bit and pre-empt her food needs!)

McSpoot · 09/09/2025 09:02

Lanzarotelady · 09/09/2025 08:55

Shopping and a cafe at the weekend - you already said its not your favourite activity - you have issues and to be honest it sounds like your daughter does too - this was a disaster waiting to happen!

No, she said it wasn't her DH's favourite activity. In a further post, she said that sometimes her DH and DD would go eat while she shopped - so seems like shopping is one of the OP's favourite activities (not a favourite activity of the others).

EverybodyLTB · 09/09/2025 09:03

reversegear · 09/09/2025 08:12

It’s very tedious when people define everything about their daily life based on a diagnosis mental or physical. I have endometriosis a very physically painful chronic condition that has changed my entire life. I don’t tell people about it on a daily basis I don’t make people change plans because of it, I manage it myself and yes it feels lonely when people don’t understand but that’s life and I’m my own person with my own issues and needs

i also hate cramped spaces!

The fact that you can’t expect people in your life to consider your condition doesn’t mean everyone else has to have such a low bar in their relationships. I have terrible periods (endo, fibroids, adenomyosis) and so do a few of my friends. We’ll be looking at stopping off somewhere and all someone has to say is ‘I’m on my period, X has nicer toilets’ and we rethink the bar or cafe, we know how unpleasant it can be to need to sort yourself out in a hovel of a toilet. You can expect that from people who give a shit about you and your needs and comfort.

I’m quite saddened at all of the ‘stop going on about your condition’ talk on this thread. It’s literally the key to OP’s character and psyche. Why should people she loves not take her needs into consideration? It’s not selfish to expect your actual fucking husband to read an article that explains a huge amount about you. Even if say a friend's child got a diagnosis I’d read a bit about it to be supportive when we talk.

Would someone in a wheelchair be slagged off for telling their family they can’t get in a place because it has no ramps? Or someone with a severe peanut allergy not fancying going into Nuts R Us for some taste testing? Asking people in your life to make adjustments and having them think for two minutes about your needs, should be a baseline of respect and fairness.

KateMiskin · 09/09/2025 09:03

Does your DH go off on holidays and to the cinema or restaurants by himself then?

KitsyWitsy · 09/09/2025 09:08

Do not know what the point is in being diagnosed for 'autistic traits'. I have them myself and my three children are diagnosed autistic. But I manage, sometimes I have to take myself out of noisy/busy places but I think lots of people struggle with one thing or another. I could just imagine people getting very tired of me if I was going on about being autistic all the time. You're the same person you've always been but think that now you have your diagnosis, you can assert your own way over everything. That's not fair.

Starlight1984 · 09/09/2025 09:08

KitsyWitsy · 09/09/2025 09:08

Do not know what the point is in being diagnosed for 'autistic traits'. I have them myself and my three children are diagnosed autistic. But I manage, sometimes I have to take myself out of noisy/busy places but I think lots of people struggle with one thing or another. I could just imagine people getting very tired of me if I was going on about being autistic all the time. You're the same person you've always been but think that now you have your diagnosis, you can assert your own way over everything. That's not fair.

Same here.

Plethorapeach · 09/09/2025 09:15

Typicalwave · 09/09/2025 08:53

I always find these threads interesting.

If the OP were in a wheelchair and the facility had access issues for wheelchairs what would everyone say then?

There are posters trying to turn this back to what the OP wants/needs, that the entire focus should be on her, her diagnosis and her needs, ignoring that as many suggested her other family members have needs too and actually based on the behaviour they might even be ND.

The OP is only engaging with these types of posts on the thread in spite of the majority pointing to a need to balance needs in a family. I genuinely do not see how these answers ultimately support the OP in her development. They are nice for her to read in the moment but she is only hearing the replies that allows her not to take any responsibility in her development.

I personally think these responses are not helpful for her where she is currently at. One of the opportunities I’ve had with my children as their diagnosis came in childhood was for having time to parent them to understand that they have to accommodate others, my husband didn’t have a childhood dx so he has had to learn some of that in childhood in the midst of a chaotic dysfunctional family but a lot more in adulthood. Essentially meaning he had to teach himself and he had to be willing to learn.

The OP hasn’t had that in her early years so she now has to parent that into herself too. Continuously focusing on the responsibility of others to meet her needs because she has a dx will not help her on this issue.

Thevegetarianchef · 09/09/2025 09:23

Yes DH goes for meals and he has a sporting holiday next week with friends.
He isnt a fan of shopping so took us as he knows we love it and it was raining.
I got all my bits as we haven't been in many months and DD wanted bits for her new house which is kind of him.

OP posts:
Sadgirl101 · 09/09/2025 09:24

Thevegetarianchef · 09/09/2025 08:18

Sorry yes I muddied the waters with mentioning my diagnosis.
The real issue is DD and at times DH have temper tantrums and although they come round after they never apologize.
It does make me wonder why they blow up or sulk.
We compromised all weekend and all the meals were their preference and TV was football.

Ok... I say all of this very gently and to try and help you, as a late diagnosed ADHD female, with likely Autistic traits myself. It's going to be long, sorry.

For the sake of your relationships, you need to try and reflect and be honest with yourself, even if not us, about this statement. I know others are saying your diagnosis makes no difference, but I think it massively affects your perception and processing of situations/events, I know mine does, and I constantly find myself making myself pause to consider their POV.

Based on what you have said so far, it is incredibly unlikely that both DH and DD are having spontaneous temper tantrums for no reason, you're just not recognising the steps that got there.

For starters the "compromises all weekend"

  • Did they know you were compromising?
Compromise requires communication - were they aware your preference was something else? Had you communicated your suggestion, but agreed to go along with theirs on this occasion? If so, did you do so willingly and enjoy the situation, or were you visibly anxious, uncomfortable, closed off and ruining the experience for everyone because they could see how unhappy you were? This won't have felt like compromise to them if the vibe made it so abundantly about the fact you didn't want to be there. Did you say nothing, mask and suck it up, and so they were genuinely unaware that you had made any compromises for them? If so, they can't have known that you made compromises or allowances and that you were expecting this reciprocated, because they didn't know you weren't happy with the choices made. Or did you not actually have a preference and were happy to go along with theirs? Because that isn't something you can now retrospectively frame as a compromise.

Often in these situations I find the conflict/blow up comes because I haven't expressed calmly and in a non emotive way my preferences or POV until the point at which I'm disregulated by the situation, by which point it's impossible to communicate them regularly.

At what point did you communicate that your preference was for a quiet location?
The ideal time for this was when coffee was decided. "Yeah that's a great idea DD, let's grab a drink before we head back. Shopping has really taken it out of me, any chance we can head somewhere that's not too packed so I can catch my breath?"
If someone said the above, before you've headed anywhere, it's far easier to have a quick think about where's likely to fit that criteria and go there, and they likely never would have picked somewhere unsuitable. If someone said nothing, let us walk when already tired and hungry to one spot, and then was told that didn't suit and someone wanted to go somewhere else, probably in a different direction, I'd be annoyed that they just hadn't said that from the outset.

You cannot, and should not, avoid all discomfort. Masking is not inherently bad/ It's important to learn how to juggle your social battery
I think it's really easy with a late diagnosis (meaning as an adult, because I guess as a child you have limited say in what or how much changes) to have an epiphany of "all these things I thought everyone felt/did/struggled with, they don't, and not everyone has to mask to achieve these things, therefore I will be like them and stop masking.
Masking I'm noticing seems to be talked about more and more, particularly in ND circles as a negative thing and sometimes to be avoided at all costs, which feels a bit dangerous and unhelpful. It's a life skill. NT people mask all the time, at work, socialising with a partner's friends who they don't particularly like, at kids events/PTA stuff. It's a persona, a version of you adapted for the environment. The issue with masking in NDs is that you can find yourself needing to do it constantly, which leads to all sorts of issues as it's not sustainable. But that doesn't mean you can't/never should. If you have been able to eat/drink in cramped coffee shops before, you can do it again. It might be more of a drain on your social battery, but you could do it. Late diagnosed people saying they 'cant' do something actually mean "I am no longer interested in masking my feelings in this scenario" which is valid, only they can choose what they will and won't mask for but you can't then be surprised that others are frustrated by that lack of compromise, when they themselves often mask for short periods for the benefit of those around them.
For example, I won't mask on a date, because it's important to me that any potential partner was comfortable with the slightly chaotic version of me, I would never want to have to mask permanently around someone I was in a relationship with, nor do I particularly mask around my ND friends because we're cut from the same cloth and it's a bit different, but I absolutely would mask some elements in social situations where social norms required me to talk less, interact with people I wouldn't normally, etc. I'm not a fan of crowded, busy places, but I could grin and bear it for a half hour if that decision suited the majority. But that resilience and masking is a skill that needs practice. Allowing yourself to avoid anything that makes you feel uncomfortable does not help in the long run.

Which brings me onto the second part of this last subheading about managing your social battery. Perhaps look at the spoon theory if you haven't already, it was designed with chronic illness in mind but has similar applications to mental/emotional load/resilience for ND brains. In essence, it's about viewing spoons as capacity and knowing how many spoons you have on a given day (which varies according to multiple factors) and how many spoons certain activities/environments "cost". The idea is not to spend more spoons than you have, but for me (I'm sure it's not as straightforward forward in cases of chronic illness) I'm open to borrowing from future days, you just factor this in. And that doesn't mean spending the spoons on the bits that work for you and then simply telling others their choices can't happen as you're sold out, there's an obligation to you to pace yourself. If that means you know that you've got a busy evening, you have a slightly quieter day, or that you cut shopping short by a busy shop or 2 to leave spoons for coffee without feeling on the edge, then that's something to do.
From DHs perspective. If I had dragged around the shops, with no real interest in it, and I thought the trade off was that I was going to get a "nice" coffee in an independent coffee shop with a cake or a treat, and then because the person who wanted to go shopping had shopped herself out, we ended up in a soulless M&S cafe with shipped in and defrosted cake, I'd be really disappointed.

Its not clear whether you saw DD all weekend, or just for shopping (you say in first post you met upnwith her, but then say all TV and food choices were "theirs") which implies DD may have been about all weekend, and it's also not clear whether you travelled to her or vice versa, but it probably could have been predicted that this weekend/day might have been overstimulating/overwhelming for you and so I would have been planning my day(s) either side to be as low stimulation as needed to allow me to rally and mask as needed to make the most of my time with a DD you rarely see. Alternatively, choosing not to do anything that doesn't feel you with joy and/or makes you uncomfortable is a choice, and that's valid, but it's important you are aware that is a conscious choice, and then not to be surprised or put out if those around you are either exasperated/annoyed, or choose to start doing things without you .

It requires give and take, and if they can see genuine effort on your part, they're far more likely to try and meet you in the middle, but your posts read a bit like your idea of compromise is factored entirely around your diagnosis and how you want things to go, with little consideration for what they would like to do.

I would suggest some therapy with someone well versed in ND clients. It's important you use the diagnosis as a blueprint to yourself to enable an understanding of yourself and use this to find strategies and tools to help you thrive, and to reframe conversations and situations where we feel misunderstood and consider alternative POVS, not as a reason to expect those around you to prioritise your wishes above all others at all times. It takes a huge amount of work and self awareness, but it'll be worth it!

Morningswim · 09/09/2025 09:26

Your needs are important but so are other people's.

KateMiskin · 09/09/2025 09:26

I would find it hard if my partner could never come on holiday with me or travel or eat out, but expected me to go shopping with them, even if I hated it.

Cucy · 09/09/2025 09:28

Typicalwave · 09/09/2025 08:53

I always find these threads interesting.

If the OP were in a wheelchair and the facility had access issues for wheelchairs what would everyone say then?

If the DD lived close by then it would be different but as she lives hundreds miles away then it’s only fair she gets to chose what she wants to do.

There are lots of things that people in wheelchairs can’t do but they try and do what they can to please their kids.

My friends mum is in a wheelchair and they go to a theme park all of the time because the kids love it.
She can’t go on any of the rides and it must be so boring for her but she still goes and i know her DH would take the kids without her if she didn’t want to go.

OP could have said it’s too crowded for her so she’ll meet them afterwards.
And it’s likely DD is also ND so why does 1 ND person trump the other.

MyHeartyCoralSnail · 09/09/2025 09:28

This thread sums up the attitude to late diagnosis.

Yes you are the person you have always been - the difference is with a diagnosis you now have the confidence not to mask it, to feel you’re the unreasonable one for not wanting to put yourself in positions that bring you extreme discomfort and or panic. Now you know there is a reason you have been struggling all these years, you now have a language to describe the difficulties, trauma and pain you might have felt. You now have a reason to undesirable your reactions. Instead of feeling the utter exhaustion of masking and putting yourself constantly in painful and difficult situations you should now be free to express your needs. And yes you have a right to expect support off your family. If you discovered you were coeliac would others be on here saying you should still eat that sandwich because you had eaten them before even though it had left you in constant pain?

i wish you all the very best OP.

Starlight7080 · 09/09/2025 09:30

Espressosummer · 09/09/2025 07:28

Sometimes you need to compromise. Like your husband did when he spent time shopping with you both even though he doesn't like shopping. If you are using your diagnosis to always get your own way then I can see why it's causing issues with them both. Especially because "autistic traits" could probably apply to a lot of people.

Exactly this.
You can't just decide your needs/discomforts are more important then other people's.

Shelfdrived · 09/09/2025 09:31

I think maybe expectations are too high here. Modern life is stressful and overstimulated for a lot of people. Especially working adults!

I think if you're ND you can get into a habit of not really enjoying life, or feeling disconnected, then thinking there's a way happy families or people are "meant" to feel and behave and connect.

Then you can fall into a trap of obsessively looking for ways to problem solve and have the "perfect" day out.

Shopping and a cafe, and trying to coordinate 3 adults who don't see each other often, is actually quite emotionally taxing! Shopping centres and city centres are draining places to be. Whether you're ND or NT.

Many families and couples aren't joined at the hip, its quite common.

OP there's nothing wrong with taking time out to yourself, or watching stuff on your phone separately. Often it can be companionable just being physically around each other and having a cup of tea at home and a little bit of small talk.

Many people happily live like this, you don't need to be doing shopping or coffee out to bond!

Especially if you're working too I imagine you need to decompress a lot on days off.

Maybe your family can find a common activity thats low impact, like walking in nature. Or pick one tv series to watch together. But Days Out really are often depressing and annoying for a lot of people.

TATT2 · 09/09/2025 09:31

ILoveWhales · 09/09/2025 07:39

to find out about my diagnosis as DH said I Keep going on about it.I have linked articles for him to read to understand.

Oh don't be one of those bores. This is what I never understand about late diagnosed neurodiversity. As they are neuro developmental conditions, they will have been present from birth.

You've always had it. They've never known you without it. You got this far. Suddenly, when there's a diagnosis, it's somebody's new favorite toy, and it's all they can talk about to explain themselves. Whereas everybody around them is just saying, but this is who you've always been.

I do wonder if you're now saying you can't cope with noise levels or cramped because you're autistic. I wonder how many times a day tou re using autism to excuse things, you can't do or don't want to do.

My partner does this. Just say you don't like a hot cramped cafe would like to go somewhere else. Don't say you can't go there because you're autistic and you find it triggers your autism and go off into a speech about it. Honestly it's boring. Nobody needs to hear about it a hundred times a day, or read articles about it.

As it is, they did what you wanted and went somewhere.You wanted to go, so you got your own way anyway, so I don't know why you're complaining. M and S cafe is shit so I would have been pissed off for having to go there. But they both yielded to what you wanted.

Your post comes across is extremely dramatic.They don't understand you because they dared suggest a cafe that might trigger your autism. Please don't start that. It's not what's going on here. People are allowed preferences even with autistic person who consistently puts themselves above the entire family.

I have noticed in autistic relationships, and I m in one myself.That you end up giving way to them constantly, because they use autism as a get out of jail card and an excuse for everything, they don't want to do..Despite it not having been used before the diagnosis. All you're going to do is alienate your family, and then you're going to feel even more lonely. If you didn't like the cafe, just say so, don't get on your soapbox about being autistic.

You've also said autistic traits not actual.autism. Many people could be diagnosed with them. Lonely and misunderstood, because they picked a cafe yiu didn't like. Do you catastrophise much

This - though OP does have a diagnosis of ADHD, as well as "autistic traits". Many posters have ignored that fact.

SleepingisanArt · 09/09/2025 09:31

So the updates now tell us both the DD and DH have temper problems.... This probably stems from always having to deal with someone who either won't go somewhere at all (cinema, theatre or on holiday etc) or 'influences' where the family can go. It's very draining for them and they are probably sick of it and just to top it all the OP has a diagnosis that she can throw at them whenever she chooses. I'd have a temper issue too! As PPs have said a diagnosis doesn't give you a free pass to be utterly selfish it allows you to work on coping strategies.

Greysowhat · 09/09/2025 09:31

Also late diagnosed. And I don't see any problem with expecting others to accommodate my difficulties, within reason of course. I don't think you are unreasonable to expect family to not go to a small cramped hot and presumably noisy café. Sounds hellish!

And sorry to see you've written that you rarely go out because you "spoil other peoples time". I rarely go out so that I don't spoil my own time!

ILoveWhales · 09/09/2025 09:32

There is an entire SEN board dedicated to helping autistic and nd children cope and navigate life. However when the nd person is a middle aged adult female?The answer is, she just can't do it.And everyone else has to bend.

If you'll note a post earlier on said that my ND male partner was just abusive, and it was nothing to do with his autism. If he was a woman, the answer would have been different.

Only on mumsnet can nd late diagnosed, women become helpless babies.

It is not true that autistic people have no agency or capacity to learn skills to manage their family lives. It does require insight and sometimes, yes, accepting that their behaviour can have negative consequences for their own kids and partners…..but there’s becoming a narrative that autistic people are never able to be accountable for their behaviour or may any sort of change or adaptation . There is a difference between those autistic people who have the level of disability that means they struggle with every aspect of life and those autistic people who still are able to go on to have families, jobs and need support as to how they live the best they can despite their diagnosis.

Personperson · 09/09/2025 09:33

What I would like to say to the people on here is, what if a person with a wheelchair couldn't get into the cafe? Would you go in, leaving them outside whilst you go in comfortable and enjoy yourself... no? You wouldn't? Because that's a proper disability right? Because you can see it?

The ableism on here is unbelievable at times.
ADHD is a disability whether you like it or not. And it has a lot in common with autism. We do get sensory overload.

I'd love to see if one of you normies could survive a day with my brain 🤣 then maybe you'd understand. Whatever happened to walk a mile in someone else's shoes?

If I had an issue with somewhere and also if someone I loved had an issue with somewhere, there are so many cafes to choose one, I'd gladly go to one that made them comfortable and they would for me too. Because they care about me.

Have some empathy and care for the people in your lives.

KateMiskin · 09/09/2025 09:33

Personperson · 09/09/2025 09:33

What I would like to say to the people on here is, what if a person with a wheelchair couldn't get into the cafe? Would you go in, leaving them outside whilst you go in comfortable and enjoy yourself... no? You wouldn't? Because that's a proper disability right? Because you can see it?

The ableism on here is unbelievable at times.
ADHD is a disability whether you like it or not. And it has a lot in common with autism. We do get sensory overload.

I'd love to see if one of you normies could survive a day with my brain 🤣 then maybe you'd understand. Whatever happened to walk a mile in someone else's shoes?

If I had an issue with somewhere and also if someone I loved had an issue with somewhere, there are so many cafes to choose one, I'd gladly go to one that made them comfortable and they would for me too. Because they care about me.

Have some empathy and care for the people in your lives.

Edited

Does that mean also never going on holiday or anywhere?

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