44, Autistic, and I Finally Went Clubbing. Here's What Happened

💃 I'm 44, I'm autistic, and for 27 years I'd been telling myself a very convincing story: clubbing + parties 🪩 are simply not for people like me. Clubs are loud, crowded and built precisely on the kind of unscripted social improvising that I'm rubbish at. So I did the science thing and actually tested it; with all the self-accomodating tactics I could muster, including a soundtrack I'm embarassingly fond of (a "restricted interest", if you will 😅). This video is about the stories we tell ourselves 🧠, about self-exclusion and how we can tell the difference between genuinely knowing our limits and quietly writing experiences off out of habit. Join the Autisti-Cat Community and get extra content, Discord, and more:   / autisticaf   👀 Videos mentioned (watch next, maybe!): My mum ❤️ and healthcare passports:    • This saved my mum’s life & it might save y...   Video 100 (all about my own passions and interests):    • Why Passions Are The Key To Happiness   Internalised ableism:    • Is Internalised Ableism Holding You Back?   And eye surgery:    • I'm Autistic and Nobody Warned Me About Ca...   #swiftogeddon 📌 Stay Connected: Stim the notification bell and subscription button to be notified when I release new content. 📸 I'm now on Instagram:   / autisticafter40   👩🏼‍💻 And the web: https://www.autisticafter40.com 👨‍⚖️ Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional or psychotherapist. If you are watching this and feel that you need immediate mental health support, please see the list of mental health helplines at HelpGuide.org here: https://www.helpguide.org/find-help.htm If you have met one autistic (and or ADHD) person, you have met one person. This is a spectrum condition, and many traits may be different, or have alternative explanations for your experiences. If in doubt, refer to a psychologist, and not a YouTuber. Self-diagnosis is valid (because:    • Autism Self-Diagnosis: Valid or Just an In...  ) Chapters 00:00 I have never been clubbing as an adult 01:54 "Restricted Interests" (/s) 03:11 WTH is "Swiftogeddon" anyway? 03:57 Everyone knows autistic people don't like parties 05:46 Mindsets 07:28 What about Ableism? 08:07 Self exclusion 08:48 Sensory seeking 09:33 Uh-oh I'm going out-out 11:59 See? He can't be autistic 12:50 Advice: How do you know when to push on and when to quit? 14:01 The wrong moral 15:19 Rumination trap