Went to a festival and couldn’t handle it
I (33M) just went to my first festival in over a decade sort of hoping that the work/therapy etc I’d done in that time would mean I’d be able to enjoy myself there in a more fulfilling, healthy way, but I had to leave after barely more than a day. I feel so overstimulated and tired and stressed and am genuinely baffled that so many people consider it to be their idea of a good time when to me it was like a perfectly crafted sensory nightmare (the fact that it was raining quite badly the whole time def did not help.) Being surrounded by people being very loud, having no real place to retreat to, having to wade through mud to use the toilet, being cold and wet pretty much constantly, I could go on.
I know I shouldn’t but I feel disappointed with myself for not being able to have the kind of fun I wanted to have, and that I was so distressed by something that literally thousands of other people considered great fun. I’m proud that I recognised that I wasn’t enjoying it and left when I needed to though, but yea, frustrating to be made so aware yet again of my disability.
I don’t really have a question, just needed to vent. If anyone else has similar experiences it would be cathartic to hear them.