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Focus and paying attention

aimosan

This is something I struggle with, especially when I'm tired or stressed.  Many people on the autism spectrum have probably been in the same situation where they've had their hearing tested several times at the doctors, but now that I'm older I just get referred do as a ditsy daydreamer.  I've had problems in the past where my anxiety gets worse and getting to work in the morning can be very difficult because I'll 'forget' I'm getting ready for work.  I'll go to wash my face in the bathroom and then end up inspecting my face for spots, dry skin etc, which will take 10 minutes and I'll not realise I'm doing it. 

I used to have a quiet, clear area, where I could relax, but after moving cities and temporarily living with all my belongings shoved in one bedroom I don't have that relaxation anymore.  It's making me late for work most days.  I always have times where someone is talking at me but I don't realise they are then get a fright when I notice them.

Can anyone recommend relaxing things they do to try and quiet their head?  With the heightened sense it also gives me very vivid dreams.  Every night.  And it's all complete nonsense.  It's getting a bit much but I don't really know what to do or go that will help without the calm of a clear dimly lit room.

Any ideas?  Or, am I just rambling?

Parents

  • Perhaps if you could clarify what is worrying you, as there seems to be two things here, to which you may be alluding as regards "ditsy daydreamer".

    One is not being aware of goings on around you because you are switching off.

    The other is getting focussed so much you forget what you were doing. That can also prevent you noticing what's happening around you.

    I think people switch off if they reach overload, or just at some point where external noise is involuntarily blanked out in total, whereas NTs would filter out only part of the environment. For my part, if I'm walking along a busy road I lose awareness then it suddenly switches back in very suddenly. I've come across others who switch off entirely, even when walking, almost like some form of epilepsy.

    But if you are very focussed on something that can also cause you to lose touch with the outside world.

    As to relaxation, you can get relaxation tapes/cds from your GP - well they used to dish them out irrespective of the cause to anyone complaining of stress - maybe they've stopped doing it. But the principle is to lie down and tense and relax parts of your body, especially to reduce neck and back tension. If you do this several times a day it helps you spot when you are getting stressed, so that if it is possible to do so, you can go somewhere away from the stress.

    If you are living in one room you can get travel eye covers for sleeping on trains etc., and if you have an ipod with relaxing back ground music, or headphones just to block out external awareness that could help. If you need compression have a blanket with some weighted elements, you can buy them for the purpose. Just create an area around yourself in which, as they seem to say all the time these days - you can "chill out".

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  • Perhaps if you could clarify what is worrying you, as there seems to be two things here, to which you may be alluding as regards "ditsy daydreamer".

    One is not being aware of goings on around you because you are switching off.

    The other is getting focussed so much you forget what you were doing. That can also prevent you noticing what's happening around you.

    I think people switch off if they reach overload, or just at some point where external noise is involuntarily blanked out in total, whereas NTs would filter out only part of the environment. For my part, if I'm walking along a busy road I lose awareness then it suddenly switches back in very suddenly. I've come across others who switch off entirely, even when walking, almost like some form of epilepsy.

    But if you are very focussed on something that can also cause you to lose touch with the outside world.

    As to relaxation, you can get relaxation tapes/cds from your GP - well they used to dish them out irrespective of the cause to anyone complaining of stress - maybe they've stopped doing it. But the principle is to lie down and tense and relax parts of your body, especially to reduce neck and back tension. If you do this several times a day it helps you spot when you are getting stressed, so that if it is possible to do so, you can go somewhere away from the stress.

    If you are living in one room you can get travel eye covers for sleeping on trains etc., and if you have an ipod with relaxing back ground music, or headphones just to block out external awareness that could help. If you need compression have a blanket with some weighted elements, you can buy them for the purpose. Just create an area around yourself in which, as they seem to say all the time these days - you can "chill out".

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