Does it ever feel like you can't stop thinking?

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I do not experience this.

I seem to have bursts of thought, interspersed with periods of vacancy or *space*.
I will start thinking about something, and fixate on it, thinking intently, obsessively.
Then just as quick as it started, it will end, and I find myself drifting, not thinking about anything in particular, *spaced out*. Then I snap out of that, and it's back to analytical and obsessive thinking again.

I have some vague theories as to why this is... lack of sleep, prior substance abuse, anxiety... But I don't really know for sure.

I think there are some correlations between AS and incessant thinking. But I've known other people, not on the Spectrum, who often complained of, "not being able to turn their brain off", or just thinking constantly, to the point where it interferes with sleep.

I believe this is just a trait some people have, not necessarily indicative of autism.

I have always had this problem, too. It really interferes with sleep and work. I still haven't figured out how to deal with it in regards to falling asleep, but at work, I've found that listening to my iPod helps. The only way that I can describe it is that listening to my iPod (usually science or tech podcasts) keeps 90% of my brain distracted and I can use what's left to focus on my job. Most people would find it distracting to listen to complex discussions on physics and computers while working, but when I'm not listening to anything my mind starts wondering and I can't fight the urge to pursue my thoughts through Google (not a good thing to do at work).

I never stop thinking. My brain is always whirring away with something. This makes it difficult to sleep sometimes. One little trick I've learned to help me get to sleep is to keep switching my attention to the blackness of the back of my eyelids. The mind wanders, but keep bringing it back to the blackness and before you know it Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. It doesn't work if there is a chemical reason to keep my brain active such as eating cheese or chocolate close to bed time, other than that it is a useful technique.

Absolutely, and I honestly think this is one of the main reasons I can't multitask. So much is always running through my mind that it's hard enough to do even one thing at a time, let alone more than one.

But yes, my mind never slows down, I have tried meditation but I can't seem to focus for all the thoughts running through my head constantly.

I never stop thinking, I spend nearly every hour of my day deep in thought, and I'm usually thinking about the same thing for ages.
It gets in the way of school but not too much and it takes forever to get to sleep.

I'm always deep in thought. Thinking is the one thing that makes my life worth living. When I can no longer think I feel depressed. It's a problem when I have to focus on more "down to earth" chores that aren't so programmed into my daily routine that I can do them in automatic pilot mode. I'm very absent minded and get lazy about certain things.

Maybe it's because I'm thinking all the time that I can't understand writers or would-be writers who say they have trouble coming up with topics to write about. My problem is too many ideas, and sometimes they do interfere with just living. There's that old thing about going somewhere, like the kitchen, and realizing once you get there, that you forgot what you're after. When I forget, it's usually because my mind is already on something else.

Some nights, when I go to bed, I know that I'm going to have to really work to turn off my mind and get to sleep.

I was just going to write: "I'm like that most of the time, except when I'm listening to music, then I'll drift off with my feelings".
Then it occurred to me, DOH! you are listening to music right now!

But I do follow my feelings when listening to music, I'm just thinking about the wonderful stuff about it meanwhile
But there are times too, where I just shut-down, staring, not thinking, not taking inputs, nothing... And then I get back again.
I think that's what you mean by "zone out", right?

Hi,

yes it happens all the time. I remember that once i was asked to describe myself and when i said that i couldn't stop thinking, everyone laughed at me. It was kinf of embarrassing.

Also i have never understood how some people can ask you to have your mind "clear" for a while. I just haven't stopped thinking in my whole life. And now that i am aware of that, i think i will use it to understand tensors and material derivatives

Of course you can't.

I "zone out" too, not really digesting my surroundings... but I am still entrenched in my thoughts and memories.

Yes, my mind is usually active. However, it's been a lot better since I started taking Anafranil for my OCD. I think that, for me, my overactive mind was/is more OCD-related than AS-related.
-OddDuckNash99-

I felt that was for a while when I was obsessing over a girl. I managed to stop it eventually but I'm not sure how I did.

It never stops. Most of the time I don't mind, but there are instances when I'd like to relax. I can't.