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Getting in touch with your autistic side

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takemitsu
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12 Jul 2010, 1:40 pm

What do you do that gets you in touch with your autistic side, ie a strong stream of thought?

For me playing mindsweeper or solitaire on the PC and sometimes while listening to music, or if I get a good rhythm going at work (which is loading trucks) I can be sent into my autistic world, often not paying attention to what I'm doing and making mistakes that could possibly get me fired. The last place is before I go to sleep, and the flow can be so much that I wish I had a mental tampon to stop it.



JayL
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12 Jul 2010, 3:43 pm

I sometimes get the thirst for knowledge. I frantically start searching information on various topics.
mostly happens when im tired.



rmctagg09
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12 Jul 2010, 3:48 pm

Listening to videogame music, pacing, reading about my favorite interests, and other stuff that I can't think of at the moment.



Last edited by rmctagg09 on 12 Jul 2010, 6:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Asterisp
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12 Jul 2010, 3:57 pm

Using a notebook and scribbling everything down that I see on the screen or books already. Essentially duplicating information. That information just gets round and round and round, and then my crazy thinking patterns just kick in (if I am lucky).



MrXxx
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12 Jul 2010, 4:02 pm

Lately, it's reading and posting on this forum.

One thing that's begun to happen while doing this is that I've begun to realize that as far as Theory of Mind goes, though I used to have little to no grasp of the concept, I seem to have developed the ability to assume I don't know what others are thinking. I actually started doing this before I had ever heard of Theory of Mind, so when I did learn of it, I understood the concept immediately. I've also noticed that sometimes it surprises me how well I can seem to see another person's point of view though many others can't seem to see it. When this happens, it almost makes me doubt I have AS at all since lack of Theory of Mind is supposed to be a core attribute of Autism. Any doubts I have had though, have been quickly dashed by a blunder of my own, when I realize once again that I myself have totally misinterpreted someone's view point, or assumed they would easily "get" where I'm coming from, because, after all, they MUST think just like I do! :roll:

The time I've spent here over the last month has really opened my eyes to a lot. I've learned a lot about Autism in general, and shattered a few preconceptions I had. But the most valuable lessons I've learned have been about what my own "brand" of Autism is, how it works, and how it doesn't work.

I'd have to say spending time here qualifies as probably the best activity I've ever engaged in to help me "get in touch with my Autism."


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Deidara
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12 Jul 2010, 4:09 pm

MrXxx wrote:
Lately, it's reading and posting on this forum.

One thing that's begun to happen while doing this is that I've begun to realize that as far as Theory of Mind goes, though I used to have little to no grasp of the concept, I seem to have developed the ability to assume I don't know what others are thinking. I actually started doing this before I had ever heard of Theory of Mind, so when I did learn of it, I understood the concept immediately. I've also noticed that sometimes it surprises me how well I can seem to see another person's point of view though many others can't seem to see it. When this happens, it almost makes me doubt I have AS at all since lack of Theory of Mind is supposed to be a core attribute of Autism. Any doubts I have had though, have been quickly dashed by a blunder of my own, when I realize once again that I myself have totally misinterpreted someone's view point, or assumed they would easily "get" where I'm coming from, because, after all, they MUST think just like I do! :roll:

The time I've spent here over the last month has really opened my eyes to a lot. I've learned a lot about Autism in general, and shattered a few preconceptions I had. But the most valuable lessons I've learned have been about what my own "brand" of Autism is, how it works, and how it doesn't work.

I'd have to say spending time here qualifies as probably the best activity I've ever engaged in to help me "get in touch with my Autism."


Theory of mind is a HUGE breaking point for autism. AS people however, can develop different ways to cope with/learn behavior with intelligence. You might have done so in this case. And misinterpreting/expecting people to get your point, this happens to even the best NT's.



conundrum
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12 Jul 2010, 4:25 pm

takemitsu wrote:
What do you do that gets you in touch with your autistic side, ie a strong stream of thought?

For me playing mindsweeper or solitaire on the PC and sometimes while listening to music, or if I get a good rhythm going at work (which is loading trucks) I can be sent into my autistic world, often not paying attention to what I'm doing and making mistakes that could possibly get me fired. The last place is before I go to sleep, and the flow can be so much that I wish I had a mental tampon to stop it.


Thankfully, part of what I do at work is wash dishes, so while that's going on "I can be sent into my autistic world" also, without too many problems because I don't have to think too much about that (load, rinse, sanitize, dry, repeat). When someone pulls up to the drive through, however, I have to pull myself out of that and re-focus.

Sometimes surfing the Internet does the same thing, or taking a shower.


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MrXxx
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12 Jul 2010, 4:29 pm

Deidara wrote:
Theory of mind is a HUGE breaking point for autism. AS people however, can develop different ways to cope with/learn behavior with intelligence. You might have done so in this case. And misinterpreting/expecting people to get your point, this happens to even the best NT's.


True, but it happens for much different reasons with Autism. With NT's it happens more due to poor, or poorly exercised communication skills, not as often because of forgetting that others don't have the same perceptions, thoughts and paradigms. I took a really cool communications class in college a few years ago, and even during that class it was clearly obvious that I was experiencing difficulties with many of the concepts and exercises no one else in the class experienced. The worst problem was that I kept missing things no one else did, but "getting" other things no one else noticed at all. When I would point out those things I seemed to "get," nobody else saw it as important or even relevant.

This is one of the most difficult things to explain to NT's. I've pretty much given up trying. All I can do now is ask that you accept that what I'm describing is definitely not an NT experience. It is much, much different. it's not normal, and is at the core of why my life experience is so much different from almost everyone's I know.


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12 Jul 2010, 4:57 pm

It happened the other night while meeting up with another aspie-when I get tired I tend to zone out and stare off into space-if I had a telescope I could probably find the Wrong Planet-hehehehe :D --and drone on in a monotonous voice while talking to a person standing right in front of me-I sometimes know its happening but it happens and is hard to break out of.



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12 Jul 2010, 5:07 pm

MrXxx wrote:
I've also noticed that sometimes it surprises me how well I can seem to see another person's point of view though many others can't seem to see it. When this happens, it almost makes me doubt I have AS at all since lack of Theory of Mind is supposed to be a core attribute of Autism. Any doubts I have had though, have been quickly dashed by a blunder of my own, when I realize once again that I myself have totally misinterpreted someone's view point, or assumed they would easily "get" where I'm coming from, because, after all, they MUST think just like I do! :roll:


I feel exactly the same and have often doubted aspects of my AS because I seemed to do so well but then I was told or read somewhere that aspies don't do things automatically, but they keep a library of examples which they add to and eventually there is enough information to make it seem like we get it naturally just like everyone else.

Apparently, we have to work so hard at understanding things, by reading, filling in our mental libraries and watching etc that we often end up knowing about some things better than others, but not because we are able to do it automatically, only because we have a library sat next to the missing bits in our heads.



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12 Jul 2010, 5:11 pm

Visiting my favorite websites, listening to music and indulging in my special interests are what cause me to get in touch with my autistic side. I'm pretty much in autistic mode all through the night, because I get to do all of those things without interruption and I get to let my guard down since nobody else is around.



MrXxx
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12 Jul 2010, 5:11 pm

Kaleido wrote:
MrXxx wrote:
I've also noticed that sometimes it surprises me how well I can seem to see another person's point of view though many others can't seem to see it. When this happens, it almost makes me doubt I have AS at all since lack of Theory of Mind is supposed to be a core attribute of Autism. Any doubts I have had though, have been quickly dashed by a blunder of my own, when I realize once again that I myself have totally misinterpreted someone's view point, or assumed they would easily "get" where I'm coming from, because, after all, they MUST think just like I do! :roll:


I feel exactly the same and have often doubted aspects of my AS because I seemed to do so well but then I was told or read somewhere that aspies don't do things automatically, but they keep a library of examples which they add to and eventually there is enough information to make it seem like we get it naturally just like everyone else.

Apparently, we have to work so hard at understanding things, by reading, filling in our mental libraries and watching etc that we often end up knowing about some things better than others, but not because we are able to do it automatically, only because we have a library sat next to the missing bits in our heads.


Exactly! And it's on those occasions I forget to "check the data" that I'm reminded, "Oh, yeah! You gotta remember to do that next time!" Great description. Another way of describing it that is anything BUT neurotypical!


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CockneyRebel
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12 Jul 2010, 5:39 pm

Listening to a variety of music and posting on WrongPlanet.


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happymusic
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12 Jul 2010, 5:58 pm

I don't completely understand the idea of there being a "side". I mean sometimes I can sort of escape into looking at a very small rock or insect or playing with paint and become extra sort of far away, but really, whatever that bubble is around me is always there and seems to effect everything. It's always there and I can't get away from it, no matter what I do. It's pervasive.



takemitsu
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12 Jul 2010, 6:35 pm

happymusic wrote:
I don't completely understand the idea of there being a "side". I mean sometimes I can sort of escape into looking at a very small rock or insect or playing with paint and become extra sort of far away, but really, whatever that bubble is around me is always there and seems to effect everything. It's always there and I can't get away from it, no matter what I do. It's pervasive.


I came up with the idea from a girl on youtube describing herself as having an autistic side.

Did anyone read the the subject and think it said artistic instead of autistic? I thought I was clicking into a parody thread.



DopamineLVR
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12 Jul 2010, 6:44 pm

I love building an engine in the shop with no radio and only the outside noises to comfort me . I'll do a little work , pace for a minuet , finger stim for a minuet ,and then go back to work on the engine . Nothing in the world can feel as good as this.