Scripting and rehearsing conversations

Hey everyone. Having also read recently about the concept of scripting and rehearsing conversations in advance apparently being common in autism, I'm interested what this place has to say about it. 

In what ways do you script and rehearse conversations in advance? Personally, I really relate to rehearsing what to say in advance, but it's never felt because of social anxiety. 

I have fake conversations in my head all the time, even for ones that probably won't happen. My head feels like a letter box fulled with separate future conversations that I know I'll need to make and even for former friends who aren't around anymore. Even speaking to my family members requires planned conversation in advance, I have no idea how normal people can have spontaneous conversation for hours on end. 

I can only think of what to say in life, I don't feel authentic and never have. I'll prepare phrases, topics and even jokes sometimes. If I stopped planning, I wouldn't have anything to say. 

Does any of this sound on someone on the spectrum? Thanks 

Parents
  • Yes I do that too. I have basic rehearsed questions and answers that I use in any social setting I can't avoid. If I absolutely have to make a phone call I need to plan and rehearse that in advance too. If the encounter goes off script I become much more anxious. Once the rehearsed phrases are are exhausted I usually do not have anything else to say. 

    I now understand that it is a type of autistic masking. Like Dawn, before I realised I was autistic I didn't know that other people didn't do that. I have observed people in what I call 'natural' conversation and they make it look so easy. I could never do that.

    I think it is mainly to try and counteract an auditory processing delay. If I do think of anything to contribute the conversation will have already moved on to something else. I hate it if people try to bring me into to a conversation by asking me a question. Sometimes one of my 'stock answers' will come out and it doesn't even relate to the question I was asked, my brain processes that later!

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  • Yes I do that too. I have basic rehearsed questions and answers that I use in any social setting I can't avoid. If I absolutely have to make a phone call I need to plan and rehearse that in advance too. If the encounter goes off script I become much more anxious. Once the rehearsed phrases are are exhausted I usually do not have anything else to say. 

    I now understand that it is a type of autistic masking. Like Dawn, before I realised I was autistic I didn't know that other people didn't do that. I have observed people in what I call 'natural' conversation and they make it look so easy. I could never do that.

    I think it is mainly to try and counteract an auditory processing delay. If I do think of anything to contribute the conversation will have already moved on to something else. I hate it if people try to bring me into to a conversation by asking me a question. Sometimes one of my 'stock answers' will come out and it doesn't even relate to the question I was asked, my brain processes that later!

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