Social Distancing Isn’t New For Me
Thoughts from an autistic introvert during coronavirus.
One of the strangest parts of this very strange time we’re in has been the realization that a “new” stay-at-home order is basically my normal life.
Many freelancers, writers, remote workers, and others probably laughed with me when coronavirus first became a concern and the CDC recommended that everyone stay home if they could. Now stay-at-home orders are actually being enforced, and social media abounds with quarantine tales.
As an introvert who also has ASD (autistic spectrum disorder), it’s not especially difficult for me to stay home and keep my distance from people. In fact, I didn’t think social distancing rules were such a big deal. Clearly I need to get out more, eventually.
I’ve come to the conclusion that autism is, in fact, a one-person quarantine.
The way someone reacts when you say the word “autism,” you would think it’s the invisible version of COVID-19. I’m lucky enough to be considered “high-functioning,” so I usually get surprised looks and “You don’t look autistic!”
Thanks (I think). What is autism supposed to look like anyway, Rain Man?
Hollywood stereotypes aside, social distancing is nothing new for me. I like working from home, where I can regulate my environment so I can best concentrate. I enjoy eating at home, where it doesn’t matter if I have spaghetti sauce on my face. The best thing is, no one can judge you for eating the whole thing.
Well…almost no one.
The world has temporarily turned inside out, or maybe it’s outside in.
Are you discovering the wonder of having personal space, and someone getting too close is like having your force field invaded? Now imagine that everyone else chooses to ignore the six-foot rule, while you squirm to get away.
Germs aside, this is daily life for many autistics.
Maybe you’ve never heard of Sensory Processing Disorder, but you probably know what it feels like now. With masks being recommended for use in public, you might be figuring out how to wear a stuffy, scratchy piece of cloth that itches. Imagine that discomfort over your entire body. All. The. Time.
School uniforms, anyone?
Do you find yourself shopping according to the aisles that have the fewest people? Do you mentally mark off six feet while wondering if your neighbor is actually only FIVE feet away? How close is too close, and will they think you’re rude if you casually back up as far away as possible?
What if all conversations were as awkward as trying to make small talk with the checkout clerk behind a plexiglass barrier? Not to worry, you can wave from a distance now and no one will mind.
Reading is one of my favorite activities, but I never thought I would see the day when it would be so widely popular. Ebook and audiobook sales have predictably risen since the beginning of the year, and brick-and-mortar bookstores have had to close during stay-at-home orders. However, there also seems to be a surge in sales of physical books through online retailers. Some local and indie booksellers have managed to stay afloat by offering deliveries to customers’ homes. Even such “old-school” entertainments as jigsaw puzzles have become popular again.
No, really, you haven’t died and gone to an alternate universe. You’re getting to experience the world from a new viewpoint.
This is not intended to bash extroverts, or introverts, or neurodivergents, or neurotypicals. Nor is it intended to make light of worldwide suffering.
I’d simply like you to consider, when complaining of the deathly boredom of staying home every day, that some people have been doing so for a long time. Many don’t have much of a choice to do otherwise.
Beyond personality, psychology, or personal choice, many others find themselves isolated all the time. How about the elderly, the chronically ill, or those who are disabled, physically or otherwise? What about the homeless, who don’t even have the comfort of a couch to be bored on?
Many invisible barriers form quarantines of their own, social in nature but no less confining than the walls of your living room.
By this time, I know that introvert and extrovert alike are going stir-crazy. But at least in this we’re not alone. So order a paperback from your local bookstore and some delivery take-out. Pull out those half-finished projects, fix some tea, and enjoy life on the interior side for a while.
It’s really not so bad.
