I'm not able to walk outside during the day with my head up?

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FishStickNick
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08 Nov 2012, 1:09 am

tchek wrote:
FishStickNick wrote:
I almost always look down, even when I'm walking around inside. It just feels more comfortable.

I do squint a lot when I'm outside, though; I often have one eye closed when outside on a sunny day, and I remember thinking as a kid that I squinted more than other people.


It sounds like hypotonia. I slouch a lot and this has been mistaken for lack of confidence all my life (impairing my social life), but the truth is that the lack of muscle tone was responsible of this; very common in aspies. I have back problems and standing straight is a chore. I squint a lot too and hate harsh lights.

Hmm...looking at this, hypotonia could explain a lot, like why I've always been abnormally flexible, have lousy posture, and have a hard time standing for extended periods of time without leaning against something:

http://life-with-aspergers.blogspot.com ... -mean.html



Entek
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08 Nov 2012, 12:14 pm

Oh thats so annoying the more i read on these forums the more i start adding things to the list that i probably suffer from.
I always used to think i looked down when i walked outside because i was afraid of standing in something nasty, then i did a test one day to see if i could scan the path all the way down the street to the end for obstructions, and walk it with my head held high.

5 steps later im starin at the path and im thinkin o Diablo - test forgotten.



CyborgUprising
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08 Nov 2012, 1:39 pm

Being hypersensitive to light, I know all to well about this. Though I still wear sunglasses, I still finding myself doing the same thing out of habit and finding it awkward if my eyes happen to accidently catch someone else's.



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08 Nov 2012, 2:29 pm

I look down to see where my feet are. If I don't, I'll be flat on my hands and knees.


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Kanin
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08 Nov 2012, 3:03 pm

I think a lot of aspies look down when they walk because it cuts off contact to strangers or because they feel insecure. I do that a lot, when I walk on the streets and people are coming towards me, I don't dare to look up in case someone would be staring at me, or because of eye contact with strangers.
When I walk alone I don't look down, unless I feel like staying in my own world. When I look down I can cut off contact with the world, and it seems like no one can reach me.

But some people might look down because of the light..


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08 Nov 2012, 3:21 pm

I do this too, and there are several reasons for it, though in my case I don't think light sensitivity is one of them. Partly it is, as the poster above said, to avoid any kind of eye contact or interaction with strangers. Partly it is to better watch where my feet are going - I am incredibly clumsy and have balance difficulties so I have a tendency to bump into things and fall over things if I'm not careful about where I'm putting my feet. And partly it is because one of the things I am sensitive to is "visual noise". If there is a lot going on in my field of view I get overstimulated, so I stare at the floor to reduce the amount of "stuff" my brain has to process. If I'm looking down a big street with lots of people, shops, colours, patterns and general busy-ness, that stresses me out. Pavements are not nearly so intimidating.



GiantHockeyFan
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08 Nov 2012, 4:33 pm

tchek wrote:
It sounds like hypotonia. I slouch a lot and this has been mistaken for lack of confidence all my life (impairing my social life), but the truth is that the lack of muscle tone was responsible of this; very common in aspies. I have back problems and standing straight is a chore. I squint a lot too and hate harsh lights.

Wow, that would explain A LOT to me. I was always told I was targeted my bullies because I lacked confidence but I couldn't stand up straight even before I was bullied. I was also rejected for a few jobs because I wasn't "confident" enough even though I knew the job inside out and hounded the HR person for an interview.
Even when I'm confident I'm told that I lack confidence because of this and that is no doubt another reason why the ladies were repulsed. Thankfully I fell in love with another sloucher!



TonyHoyle
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09 Nov 2012, 9:21 am

I was told (repeatedly) years ago not to stare at the ground when walking, and it did change my habits a bit - but I really only look ahead properly when I've got sunglasses on because the winter sun is quite painful.

As far as eye contact goes I avoid it if possible, but I reflexively blink if I accidentally catch someones eye - which in the walking around case is a good defence mechanism.



whirlingmind
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09 Nov 2012, 9:57 am

I used to have to step on certain lines between the paving stones, so I would look at the ground to do this.

I also used to feel that people in passing cars were looking at me as I walked so I would look down.

These days, mainly sensory issues would be the cause, but I constantly wear sunglasses in all weathers (except rain) so I don't need to look down much and sunglasses offer a shield against the world too.

You haven't really said why you are looking down, or why you think it might be. You have likely got an answer from amongst everyone's replies though.


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