This sensory overload business can be so darned inconvenient at times. It caught me out tonight – wasn’t expecting it to rear its head at all. I was out with my wife at a friend’s birthday party. All fine until it got busy with loud music.

The trouble is that it all makes such demands on my faculties as I try to pick up what people are saying to me, while simultaneously attempting to block out everything else that’s going on around me, that I end up very quickly feeling drained and shutdown looms.

At that point I need to take time out – find somewhere quiet to sit for a spell – and “chill out”. (Literally chill tonight because I’m sat in the car and it’s none too warm out here.)

So right now I’m afraid I’m poor company and not much fun to be around. I’m managing ok out here, and some of my friends have popped by to see if I’m all right – that helps because it shows support from which I take strength.

It’s just unfortunate that at times like this I am unsociable – not antisocial – and just need a little space. I’d hate to think I’d put a dampener on anybody’s enjoyment of the birthday party.