Disconcerting Prevalence of 'Mind Blanks'

Post Reply New Topic

Perhaps I could ascribe this to the severity of my condition, but I must confess that I am rather concerned that my mind is seemingly blank most of the time.

Is it simply a manifestation of anxiety or could it be a reaction to something sensory that I am yet to detect? Or maybe it's something else...?

Does anyone else experience such a profound absence of thought?

Living in such a way makes my entire world seem utterly bizarre.

I have an immediate idea, but I don't know much about your situation. I can only tell you my own experience.

The first time I got turned on to this idea was when I tried biofeedback. This was loooong ago in the 70s, too. Obviously flawed and in need of development, but an interesting idea at the time. My instructor, an elementary school teacher, owned a GSR meter that beeped faster to indicate higher tension. She demonstrated it for me by putting her fingers on it, at which point it beeped, beeped, beeped more and more slowly until it got down around 3 beeps per second. The beep was about the same pitch as the dos beep, close to 440 I think. I'm getting bogged down in the details, sorry. Anyway, she took her fingers off and told me to put mine on and relax. The machine was silent. I felt pretty good until she started turning down the sensitivity! Then there was a high, piercing wail which gradually resolved into frantic beeping as she got near the bottom of the sensitivity scale.

That's my point. When she set the machine to easy mode, I could do the same thing she did. That was the first time I experienced that phenomenon, and I think it may relate to your experience if you can bear a little more explanation.

When I was in high school, I thought I was pretty emotionless and I kind of had the general reputation of a smart robot. STILL no one put me on the autism spectrum. Grrr. Anyway, I eventually figured out that there was overwhelming evidence of me being really emotional. I had somehow overlooked it. That realization started me down the road of understanding the role that emotions play in quick thinking, and the role that emotional intelligence can play in solving problems.

In my case, it sort of worked to keep a tight lid on my strong emotions until I matured. Once I got more experience and perspective, I could open that box and learn to use their power. By using it, I currently avoid some of the explosive problems I had as a teen. I probably still come across as a bit calculating or distant in my emotions, and that's probably fair. It beats the alternative, in my opinion.

Edited to add. It's also possible that you have attained some kind of mystical state. What you describe sounds a lot like the goal of meditation, unless there's actually some unperceived thought stream. Congratulations on getting a golden ticket, if this is sammadhi. Hang on loosely! Don't let go!

Frankly, those "quiet times" are a relief from the constant noise and clutter in my head.

Thank you for your detailed response.

Perhaps it would be pertinent for me to add that I am not an aspie; I was diagnosed strictly with autism last year.

Even though I can appear rather distant, robotic and even aloof, I am not a man who is blessed intellectually. I never was an A grade student, and I always saw school as more of a circus than a place in which to learn.

Occasionally I would - and still do - exhibit unexpected bouts of anger. I believe these would occur because of jealousy and the fact that I find it so difficult to express myself verbally.

You might be able to find Holotropic Integrative Breathwork by Stanislav Grof, or Rebirthing: The Art and Science of Enjoying All of Your Life at the library. You'll need a helper to do the work. If you can find someone who can follow simple instructions and also put up with your meltdowns, they might be a better choice than a professional rebirther. They can be sketchy or amazing, and it can be hard to tell until it matters.