I was wondering if anyone else experiences what I do?
That having lots to do, or stress, or being around many people, makes your symptoms worse?
I notice as soon as I have lots to do, or worry about, I start getting paranoid. This really sucks. 
I told my therapist today that being around 4 people or more overwhelms me. He said that isnāt normal. Maybe I should move to a remote Island in order to stay saneā¦but I really want to function in society. Why is it so hard? 
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Jane, youāre going to have to force yourself to go out with someone you trust into crowds and restaurants. It sure isnāt fun, but the difficult things really can help you realize that youāre still safe.
I have worked on that, and find cafes etc a lot easier now.Yet if I am in a group of people I still find that I canĀ“t follow a conversation after two people, so I zone out and go quiet.
I have a lot to do in the uploading weeks, and the stress is making me paranoid already.
I am the same. I can sort of handle a one on one conversation but if there are more than one person involved I canāt follow anything and go quiet.
I need a lot of rest. If I am too busy for a couple of days I become symptomatic. If I had a busy day I make sure that I get in a lot of rest the next day. That way I normally cope ok.
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This happens to me to.
I often go quiet around people despite being so outgoing n social spirit it just doesnāt come out in my body n person .
I can also feel overwhelmed, confused, disorientated and be a bit wierd.
Like if Iām shopping I might laugh out loud or say wierd things out loud n have been told I can seem strange.
Work n activity or being out can exhaust me so I like to be considerate about that.
I only work 3 hours week cleaning as I canāt do most work socialising required.
Lots of jobs I would be wonderful at but my body n person canāt do because of symptoms.
Canāt function or think properly.
I might start volunteer working one day a week a 5 hour shift or so.packing meals cause Iāve done this before n could do it n like doing it.as long as I donāt get paranoid I would like to do it.
I avoid dance cause feel attacked there so taking break from it.
Gym I felt they lied so taking break from there too.
Only exercise I do now is riding n treadmill .i even donāt ferl can go out for walks outdoors normally its a huge deal for me to go out or walk.
Itās really difficult that I go quiet and or wierd when Iām such s social outgoing person but I pray I can be a free spirit n socialise in spirit n in otherways.
Donāt have friends in person but beleive I do in spirit.
Naaaa I donāt think they are imaginary friends 
Know one self n what activity is enough and how much one can push oneself n encourage oneself to do n when itās time to be understanding to self n say āyou donāt have to do thatā.
Good wishes for us in our activities n socialising etc.
Thatās why I donāt leave the house much.
The more I get stressed out the worse I get
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Stress triggers me both mental illness and wanting to drink. Stress is the #1 trigger for both diseases they say. Lately Iāve been doing Rosetta Stone and itās like a video gameā¦except Iām learning! Definitely not stressful. I think āwhy would I ever drink if I can play Rosetta Stone 
ā. I like to take it easy for this reason.
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I have similar issues but have worked threw a lot of it ,just by putting myself in those positions. I know it will never all go away. But haveing to little to do can be bad also. Think itās just about pushing yourself slightly out of your comfort zone from time to time. It expands your comfort zone. Normieās have to do it also for success. Our comfort zone will just probably always be smaller because of the sz.
Itās funny how i confuse my cousins. Iām talkative as hell when itās just one of them and me or two, but a lot of people and I become a mute. I must frustrate them, lol. Iām a totally different person.
I remember once flirting with this girl. I wasnāt very smooth, but I was ok. Then I saw her again with a group of people. couldnāt find a word to say. My mind was way too chaotic, I just wanted to leave. It made me blow it.
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Iām the same way! Naturally I feel Iām very talkative but unfamiliar faces/lots of ppl can trigger timidness in me
Iām the same. The more I have to do, the worse my symptoms get. Plus if Iām around a lot of people, e.g. at a family gathering, then I get a "people hangover " the next day.
Iām OK with with a lot of people I donāt have to interact with, like at cafes, itās just when I have to interact with a lot of people the problem happens.
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Iām the opposite. If I donāt have anything to do, or I donāt get enough social time, my symptoms get worse. When I am all alone they are unbearable. I need to be around people all the time. The more people, the better I feel. Bonus points if theyāre strangers.
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every day, I study c++ for an hour, exercise for an hour, read books for 15 minutes, read poetry for 30 minutes, write poetry for at least 30 minutes, and etc.
If I did these things all at once, then I would deflate and have a headache.
Iām kind of like @Mountainman, stress affects my symptoms. I canāt really show an example of how it does, but doing things, all at once, will likely cause stress. and stress is never good and usually leads to problems. Itās needless and ironic too, because we are usually the creators of our own stress.
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