Living in an imperfect World

Like many autistic individuals, I have a very sharp eye for detail and often notice errors that others may miss.
Recently, someone in HR gave me the "I think it's a superpower" when I raised a concern about something HR related that had errors in it.

What I am finding is that my attention to detail can become all consuming and overwhelming. If an "i" isn't dotted or a "t" isn't crossed, I notice it and this leads me to question the competence and care of the person responsible. My colleagues often advise me not to get bogged down by the details and to focus on the bigger picture instead. One colleague asked if the error I pointed out really mattered and if it affected me. My response was a resounding “Yes.” It does affect my autistic mind, which seeks perfection and is highly sensitive to mistakes. I get that his NT mind would struggle to comprehend the how our ND brains and the challenges that we face.

What I would like to ask my fellow NAS members is

  • Do you struggle in the same way as I describe?
  • Do you find yourself getting consumed to the point of utter desperation which at times can lead to dark thoughts?
  • Do you have coping mechanisms to help deal with such an imperfect World?

I am feeling quite desperate as this is becoming a daily occurrence which I don't know if I have the energy to deal with.
It's not just a work thing, it seems like so many things are not thought through, not executed particularly well, or are just plain broken.

Parents
  • I really struggle with this. I am sorry you struggle too, but it’s nice to know I’m not alone. One of the reasons I don’t work is because of this issue. On my first day once at a new job the fire exit was blocked with stacks of magazines and I felt I couldn’t report it on day one as I didn’t want to be a nuisance, but felt conflicted as it wasn’t safe so I left that day. 

Reply
  • I really struggle with this. I am sorry you struggle too, but it’s nice to know I’m not alone. One of the reasons I don’t work is because of this issue. On my first day once at a new job the fire exit was blocked with stacks of magazines and I felt I couldn’t report it on day one as I didn’t want to be a nuisance, but felt conflicted as it wasn’t safe so I left that day. 

Children
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