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Attention to thoughts

Deleted User

After a brief conversation with someone, I wanted to find out about attention to thoughts in autistic people. Quite often when faced with too many options for something, say, a task, I don't know where to start, all options are shouting just as loudly as each other. I think this is the same for thoughts. I can get fixated on something insignificant which seems to shout loudly but when this shift moves to something else such as existential matters, this shouts just as loud. It does often feel like my brain is full to the brim like a room full of people chattering away. And I don't know which conversation to join. It's like I have difficulty prioritising what's a little thought or problem to what is a big thought or problem. 

I found this link really interesting but I haven't checked the references properly yet.

https://embrace-autism.com/autism-and-disorganized-thoughts/

I just wondered if anyone can relate to it or if you had any comments.

Parents

  • This is an interesting thing to consider. My mind is always active it seems, so something focusing on the right thought can sometimes be an issue. It seems I can talk myself out of a lot of things due to this too, if I give myself too much time to think about something. 

    I also wonder if this is why I struggle in conversations sometimes too. If something is said that inspires a thought or creates a connection, I have to explore it, but that makes keeping up with the conversation difficult. It then becomes impossible if many conversations are happening in the room.

  • in reply to Oakling

    I can only focus on one conversation at a time. It takes effort. Horrible being in a coffee shop for example, when I can hear what everyone else is saying, and struggle to hear what my companion is saying. I actually feel deaf. I lean forward, open my ears, and watch the lips to try and guess what’s being said. Sensory overload!

  • in reply to Catlover

    I can relate to this, one of the support groups I go to is a meet up at a coffee shop. I never even bother to start a conversation these days, because I know I won't be able to hear what the other person is saying to me due to all the background noise and other conversations going on causing my attention to switch rapidly from one sensory input to the next. I just stare at the floor or table and listen as best I can.

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  • in reply to Catlover

    I can relate to this, one of the support groups I go to is a meet up at a coffee shop. I never even bother to start a conversation these days, because I know I won't be able to hear what the other person is saying to me due to all the background noise and other conversations going on causing my attention to switch rapidly from one sensory input to the next. I just stare at the floor or table and listen as best I can.

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