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Autism and visual processing

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Dreycrux
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15 Jan 2013, 11:21 pm

I have this profound problem and I think it is related to autism.

My entire life I have struggled with the feeling that there is something wrong with my perception of the world. As in a lack of clarity, like looking through the bottom of a coke bottle, like looking through a veil. I can best describe it as a chronic dreamlike state, a disconnect from the world with everything around me looking perpetually surreal. Here's the catch though, There is nothing wrong with my eyes, no damage to them, no illness. When inspecting my vision there appears to be nothing wrong. I am flip flopping back and forth trying to figure out if this is indeed an issue with my eyes or some kind of visual processing defect caused by autism. It is chronic, it is always with me.

What is this?



Last edited by Dreycrux on 17 Jan 2013, 2:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

Verdandi
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15 Jan 2013, 11:52 pm

That sounds kind of like derealization.



Dreycrux
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16 Jan 2013, 12:02 am

Verdandi wrote:
That sounds kind of like derealization.


Yes, but how can derealisation be chronic? I experience this every second of my life. Derealisation only comes on under stress apparently.



Last edited by Dreycrux on 16 Jan 2013, 12:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

metalab
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16 Jan 2013, 12:04 am

I've sometimes felt like I live with chronic derealization.



Dreycrux
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16 Jan 2013, 12:06 am

metalab wrote:
I've sometimes felt like I live with chronic derealization.


Is what I describe exactly how you feel? Please elaborate.



metalab
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16 Jan 2013, 1:18 am

Dreycrux wrote:
metalab wrote:
I've sometimes felt like I live with chronic derealization.


Is what I describe exactly how you feel? Please elaborate.


I wouldn't describe anything as being like looking through plastic...

It's more like hypersensitivity to light makes things rather intense to look at. Like I am looking at some over saturated picture, it tends to make the world seem less 'real', more imaginary to me.



Verdandi
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16 Jan 2013, 1:35 am

Dreycrux wrote:
Verdandi wrote:
That sounds kind of like derealization.


Yes, but how can derealisation be chronic? I experience this every second of my life. Derealisation only comes on under stress apparently.


I do not know. I think it's possible to experience chronic derealization, but I do not know if that is what your experience is. That's what it makes me think of, however.



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16 Jan 2013, 12:14 pm

I know someone who experiences chronic derealization.



scarp
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16 Jan 2013, 1:03 pm

I don't know if what I feel reflects your experience, but I often feel like I am not "a part" of the world I'm in. I wouldn't describe it was a problem with my eyes, or a feeling as though looking through a plastic bottle. It feels more like I am a spectator, and everything feels at once distant and familiar. I constantly feel like I can't get over how things became the way they are. Everything feels novel and strange; fascinating and dreamlike. Surreal, yes, like I'm in a simulation or some transient state. But contrary to what you describe, I actually feel a deeper sense of clarity when I'm like this.

But like I said, it doesn't feel like a problem with my eyes. It feels more like a persistent mind state. And I wouldn't say it's something that I struggle with or distresses me. In fact I like it. It feels like I never lost my sense of childlike wonder and curiosity. I wish I could wander around like this endlessly, but my real world obligations tie me down.

edit: According to Wikipedia:

Wikipedia wrote:
Chronic derealization may be caused by occipital–temporal dysfunction. These symptoms are common in the population, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 5% and 31–66% at the time of a traumatic event.



Dreycrux
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17 Jan 2013, 2:11 am

scarp wrote:
I don't know if what I feel reflects your experience, but I often feel like I am not "a part" of the world I'm in. I wouldn't describe it was a problem with my eyes, or a feeling as though looking through a plastic bottle. It feels more like I am a spectator, and everything feels at once distant and familiar. I constantly feel like I can't get over how things became the way they are. Everything feels novel and strange; fascinating and dreamlike. Surreal, yes, like I'm in a simulation or some transient state. But contrary to what you describe, I actually feel a deeper sense of clarity when I'm like this.

But like I said, it doesn't feel like a problem with my eyes. It feels more like a persistent mind state. And I wouldn't say it's something that I struggle with or distresses me. In fact I like it. It feels like I never lost my sense of childlike wonder and curiosity. I wish I could wander around like this endlessly, but my real world obligations tie me down.

edit: According to Wikipedia:

Wikipedia wrote:
Chronic derealization may be caused by occipital–temporal dysfunction. These symptoms are common in the population, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 5% and 31–66% at the time of a traumatic event.


I probably meant "Like looking through the bottom of a coke bottle" you know the glass ones. Does that help? I remember reading this somewhere I but I was trying to adapt it to my situation so I said plastic bottle. Both are valid in indirectly describing my perception.



Dreycrux
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18 Jan 2013, 2:55 am

Can anyone else relate or lend me some insight? This is a pretty big deal to me. :(



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18 Jan 2013, 3:00 am

Dreycrux wrote:
Verdandi wrote:
That sounds kind of like derealization.


Yes, but how can derealisation be chronic? I experience this every second of my life. Derealisation only comes on under stress apparently.

I think it means that it lasts for the long term, instead of acute, which is meant to be "new" and "came suddenly".



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18 Jan 2013, 3:08 am

Dreycrux wrote:
scarp wrote:
I don't know if what I feel reflects your experience, but I often feel like I am not "a part" of the world I'm in. I wouldn't describe it was a problem with my eyes, or a feeling as though looking through a plastic bottle. It feels more like I am a spectator, and everything feels at once distant and familiar. I constantly feel like I can't get over how things became the way they are. Everything feels novel and strange; fascinating and dreamlike. Surreal, yes, like I'm in a simulation or some transient state. But contrary to what you describe, I actually feel a deeper sense of clarity when I'm like this.

But like I said, it doesn't feel like a problem with my eyes. It feels more like a persistent mind state. And I wouldn't say it's something that I struggle with or distresses me. In fact I like it. It feels like I never lost my sense of childlike wonder and curiosity. I wish I could wander around like this endlessly, but my real world obligations tie me down.

edit: According to Wikipedia:

Wikipedia wrote:
Chronic derealization may be caused by occipital–temporal dysfunction. These symptoms are common in the population, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 5% and 31–66% at the time of a traumatic event.


I probably meant "Like looking through the bottom of a coke bottle" you know the glass ones. Does that help? I remember reading this somewhere I but I was trying to adapt it to my situation so I said plastic bottle. Both are valid in indirectly describing my perception.


I don't know if it helps, but I have seen very similar statements from people who experience chronic derealization. Down to seeing things through a window, veil, the bottom of a bottle, etc.

I don't know what else to suggest to you. I wish I knew more to offer.



Dreycrux
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19 Jan 2013, 2:03 pm

Chronic derealization eh? interesting...I have researched derealization but not chronic derealization.



albeniz
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19 Jan 2013, 2:14 pm

Is this image at all similar to what you experience?

http://aspergeraide.com/



nerdymama
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19 Jan 2013, 3:11 pm

I think I can understand what you are describing. The image expresses the feeling somewhat. It's not as if images are actually blurred but the ability to be conscious of surroundings is blurred. If interactions with the environment are internally driven then objects in the environment stand out. Unless something really stands out and is loud, bright, or related to what you are thinking about its simply environment.