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Productivity patterns and obsessive thoughts

sphynx

For the past several years, I’ve been experiencing a pattern of short periods of intense productivity between longer stretches of being unable to produce much at all. The productive patches are often dangerously close to deadlines… Do you think this is an autism thing? If you have had similar patterns, have you found ways to keep functioning through the unproductive periods?

I also wonder if anyone can offer strategies for dealing with obsessive thoughts. I get these a lot, and kind of always took them for granted as a normal (for me) part of mental activity. Recently for instance, since going through the diagnostic process, the thoughts are mostly around autism; before then, they were often around a specific person. Right now, it doesn’t feel like there’s much room in my mind for thoughts relating to anything else. Does this experience sound familiar to anyone? If you have any ideas, at least on how to let thoughts on other subjects into your mind, I would really appreciate hearing them. thanks in advance!

Parents

  • Yes I can relate to this. The first point I think many non AS people may experience this. Could it link with executive function?

    The second point I can totally relate to. Most of the time my head is crammed full just about one or two things (plus all the daily / work / life stuff on top).  Yes to it being about autism (I'd say it's an intense interest) and yes to it being about other people (in the past,  a particular person). It can chop and change and I often find there's a "theme" for a given period of time. It's tiring. I don't think it's ocd because I don't do any compulsive behaviours to deal with it. Some of the tjoughts only become unwanted when I get tired of them. I can totally relate to when you say 

    sphynx said:
    I get these a lot, and kind of always took them for granted as a normal (for me) part of mental activity

    Sometimes I can tire myself out with these ought and just get sick to death of them but that doesn't stop them. It could even be the lyrics or part of a song. (Now when you ask most people they'd say they get songs stuck in their head but I feel it's on another level for me).

    I have no strategies for dealing with it.

  • in reply to Deleted User

    Ah yep, probably an executive function thing… As I described, I am incredibly indecisive, to the point where I often ask other people to make decisions for me. I also find it really hard to start and stop certain activities, and maybe the working close to the deadline thing is related to that…

  • in reply to sphynx

    They asked me at my assessment about deadlines. I'm very much down to the wire. This isn't an autistic thing but with those who have EF difficulties,  there's difficulties starting and finishing tasks. Read about autistic inertia.  I'm very indecisive too.

    I spoke to my CBT therapist and I said often the repeating tjoughts don't feel like worry. We discussed it can often be uncertainty, not necessarily worry. With my assessment, I get the idea repeating thoughts could be to do with trying to work things out in socisl situations because I don't know at the time. It coukd also link with autism in that we get stuck on things and have difficulty moving on or switching to another thing. (Rigidity of thought).

    I very rarely feel my brain gets any rest. 

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  • in reply to sphynx

    They asked me at my assessment about deadlines. I'm very much down to the wire. This isn't an autistic thing but with those who have EF difficulties,  there's difficulties starting and finishing tasks. Read about autistic inertia.  I'm very indecisive too.

    I spoke to my CBT therapist and I said often the repeating tjoughts don't feel like worry. We discussed it can often be uncertainty, not necessarily worry. With my assessment, I get the idea repeating thoughts could be to do with trying to work things out in socisl situations because I don't know at the time. It coukd also link with autism in that we get stuck on things and have difficulty moving on or switching to another thing. (Rigidity of thought).

    I very rarely feel my brain gets any rest. 

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