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Imaginary Repeat Scenarios

NAS61891

This may have nothing to do with my autism, but as it's impossible to find anything like this on searches, I thought I'd share.

Each night before I sleep, as my head hits the pillow, I imagine one of two scenarios; I'm either on the run from both criminals and the police and can trust neither and have found a safe haven, or I'm stuck in poor weather conditions in the Cairngorms and again have found a shack to provide safety til the morning.

Unlike some people with autism, who like weighted blankets, I usually can't stand covers on me, especially this time of the year. I just wondered if these scenarios could be my equivalent of that need for a cover as such, a small, safe enclosure, albeit in my mind.

I'll re-visit these same scenarios every night. I don't have a problem sleeping, but imagining either of these immediately ensures I'll be asleep in minutes.

I acknowledge it's a bit of an odd one, and might just be me and who I am, I just thought it might be autism related on the basis of its repetition, the need for security etc. and the fact that there's a degree of immaturity around it.

Parents

  • I used to create dreams for myself all the time - I couldn't control my anxious thoughts, so I'd imagine scenarios (often quite horrible ones) to help me fall asleep. I did develop a habit of daydreaming these scenarios to distract myself during difficult times and that became a bit too much (to the extent that I couldn't focus on what was going on in the real world!).

    As long as it's helping you and not worrying you, if it helps you sleep, then go with it. If you find it's becoming too much or causing you distress, try replacing it with something like audio books, where you can still imagine scenarios but don't have to do the thinking yourself.

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  • I used to create dreams for myself all the time - I couldn't control my anxious thoughts, so I'd imagine scenarios (often quite horrible ones) to help me fall asleep. I did develop a habit of daydreaming these scenarios to distract myself during difficult times and that became a bit too much (to the extent that I couldn't focus on what was going on in the real world!).

    As long as it's helping you and not worrying you, if it helps you sleep, then go with it. If you find it's becoming too much or causing you distress, try replacing it with something like audio books, where you can still imagine scenarios but don't have to do the thinking yourself.

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