Moving, traveling, new places is where I struggle most...
By Real Ray C on
Growing up, most of my nightmares were about moving from one place to another. Packing up, sleeping somewhere unfamiliar, being in a space that didn’t feel “right.” Even as a kid, change felt overwhelming in a way I couldn’t explain.
One memory that sticks with me where family trips. Everyone else seemed excited, but I was restless, moody, and completely unable to focus. The sounds were different, the smells, the heat, the routines, all of it felt like too much. I didn’t know why I felt that way back then. I just knew I wasn’t okay.
I know I’m autistic, and I struggle a lot with changes in environment. I need predictability. New places overload my senses, and my nervous system goes into panic mode before my brain can catch up. It’s not stubbornness: it’s how my brain works.
Now that I’m old, I’ve learned how to cope better. I still don’t adjust easily, but I’ve learned to slow myself down, breathe through the sensory overload, and remind myself that it will pass. I prepare as much as I can and give myself time to settle in.
Change is still hard for me. That hasn’t gone away. But I’ve learned I can handle more than I thought I could. If anyone else struggles with transitions and feels broken because of it, you’re not. Some of us just need more time, and that’s okay.