Staring into space

I was wondering if this is a symptom of ASD, cause its really been bothering me and I'm not sure why I do it.

I spend a lot of time doing nothing at all, not because I particularly want to - in fact I sometimes get stressed over the fact that I'm wasting time - but I guess its kind of calming in a way to just space out. The problem is that I often do it for around 30mins-1hr 30mins at a time, and this happens multiple times a day (so sometimes I can spend around 2-5 hours every day doing absolutely nothing). I might start a task, e.g. draw for 1-3hrs, then have over an hour of sitting at my desk thinking. When I try to push myself out of it I feel bored and can't focus on the things I try to do until it feels right to start doing something again, which can take a while. I try to make myself go for a walk everyday, but that's just another hour of being stuck in my head and I often don't even pay attention to anything around me when I'm out (other then completing my constant OCD compulsions). 

The majority of the time I just spend introspectively thinking about ASD and OCD, and often when I'm not spacing out I spend a lot of time researching about those conditions or looking on forums or discords server dedicated to them. The rest of my thoughts are mostly planning out what foods I'll eat that day, and if I'm going to go out, and also many many anxious thoughts. 

I was just wondering if anyone else spends so much time spaced out, and if it could be a symptom.

Parents
  • So on my days off when I don't have to rush, I can sit on the end of my bed for ages say, after a shower, just having imaginary conversations in my head with other people, or not doing much or just stuck in my own thoughts. Also when I'm off I struggle to get motivated as I rarely have a structure to my day but its not for want of trying. Autistic inertia seems to make sense to me. I still spend a lot of time reading up about AS as I think it's a strong interest of mine. 

  • i like ot have a to do list or similar for weekends and days off

Reply Children
  • I have found my journal good for keeping a to do list and getting things done but some days it just doesn't happen. I wake up with no plan for the day. I've also tried splitting it into 4 sections - enjoyment / 5 minute jobs / useful / urgent but this didnt really help.

    Maybe I need to make a bit of a plan the night before but I know now I won't stick to it!

  • i might start to do that too, cause if i start something i can generally keep it up for a few hours. Its starting in the first place that seems to be the problem though, and changing from one activity to another. 

    having a structure could help though