Coping with small group of people in a visit

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Hi all, i have many friends who like to visit. Since my CVA my coping mechanisms i have found is only around 5 people max. Otherwise, i find myself drifting off and not concentrating in what friends are saying. Recently, i attended a special birthday party (my 1st one post CVA after 6 weeks) and i fell asleep. I also, decided to sit in the garden to get away from it all. I then sat with 3 other friends but they were smoking (i dont smoke). Hence, i didnt stay long after this for the party. I know this down to my brain re programming itself. Does anyone else have this issue? Thank you for taking the time to read this😊

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Oh yes, Speckles,

I have the same issue. All it takes is 2 simultaneous conversations for me to hear both and get overloaded. There’s a name for it; cocktail party syndrome. Anyway I like friends who visit, but I’m also glad when they leave ! You are not alone in this

good luck, ciao, Roland

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Thank you Roland for your reply😊

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@Speckles oh yes this is quite common. Initially after my stroke I couldn’t cope with any conversation. A couple of words & I was done.

Your brain uses a lot of energy on conversation so it’s not surprising really that it struggles to cope initially.

I still find social situations exhausting but I can now last a bit longer than a few words :grin:

It’ll get better for you as time moves forward.

Best wishes

Ann

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Thank you Ann, its good to know im not the only one

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You are only 6wks post stroke, it’s going to take you 6mths to a year plus for your brain to manage such parties.

6 weeks ago your brain received a life threating trauma, 6 weeks is not nearly enough time to recover. Look at this way, if you got a broken leg 6 weeks ago, would you be out break dancing on it now? :laughing:

The brain has an awful lot to do, on top of maintaining all current functionality. The brain is frantically scrambling to also heal and repair and divert neurons if it can, after all the damage done it. But it can’t tell you that it can’t cope with parties and lots of people and noise and chatter. So it does the only thing it can do, make you tired, fatigued, and if that message doesn’t get through to you it just shuts you down…you fall asleep. Now you know what to be aware of, you’ll better manage your time and energy for them…which is a bit of trial and error but you’ll get there.

We all seem to learn this lesson the hard way, its a shame the doctors don’t us of this. Maybe they don’t fully realise or appreciate the issue.

It was a year on before I could cope with such functions and large groups of people. I’m 3½yrs post stroke now and don’t find them an issue, though I’m usually tired the following day so things easier. Its all about planning ahead :wink:

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Thank you for your post reply “EmeraldEyes”. A lot of information there😊

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