Do you think in ideas or words?

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I've been puzzled to read several sources differentiating the "wordless" nature of Autistics' thoughts, as opposed to NT's.

The way I see it, language is only labels we make up to communicate about concepts and objects to other people.

Why would you need words in your own thoughts?

IMO ideas. I have school ideas papers/speeches etc. and the image and idea of it comes first then the words and me writing it down. I always imagine how a situation will go in my head and have ran 1,000 scenarios to apologizing to my teacher in my head. (Not sure if this is what you meant sorry if it's not)

I think in ideas, never words. I can't imagine thinking in words. Does anyone really think in words? What is thinking in words?

I think in a variety of different ways that might or might not include words, but are never solely comprised of words.

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Written words are a language invented by humans and part of the mandatory education of humans on planet earth.

Prior to the invention of writing, humans thought in pictures aka something pretty close to the idea of comic books with no words - pictures only.

When the movies were invented, they were all black and white pictures with no sounds.

Then sound (talkies) and color for movies came along.

Benjamin Franklin was known to write words/ideas composed of pictures and words.

Today, one can go to a bookstore and find books of pictures, books with print and no pictures, or combination books of both much print and many pictures.

I tend to think that wordless thoughts can sometimes contain sounds especially if the person is a musician or someone who is keen on the idea of the sounds of life and nature.

Birds
Leaves
Streams
Wind

Other

I think in words, more than I think in ideas.

Definitely think in words!

I think in words. Or in pictures of words.

I'm bad at verbal communication, however. I prefer writing.

Writing and speaking are not the same thing.

I think in intuitions which I experience as feelings which then become articulated as thoughts.

What does thinking in ideas even mean?

I thought is was normal to think without words. That's where my mind can rest. It's like breathing, in a wide open space that's beautiful. At the same time, when I learned how to read, if I thought of a word it appeared, typed, letter by letter, just like in a Dick and Jane book. This is still the case and it happens very quickly - the words flit through my mind's eye. I rarely think of words I can't spell. Maybe hyperlexic people think more in words?

I generally think in ideas.

I think in ideas, but fully solidify them in words. Even just thinking the words, rather than saying them out loud helps me to nail down exactly what I'm thinking about. I think it might be the writer in me taking over after I've thought of something.

This is certainly true of me. Often I will verbalise the sounds without realising that I am doing it. Might be a simple tone, a complex blend of tonal energies or even a piece of music. Does anyone else experience this?

Ideas

No.

I wonder if thinking styles effect what "type" of autism you have. Anyone got any insight?