Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi everyone have recently been diagnosed with autism, throughout my life I have been told I over think to much. Whether its something as simply writing an email, or like someone or worrying about the future or meeting up with people. Or just over thinking lots of things in detail such as my interests. I was wondering if anyone had any ways to deal with over thinking?
The autistic brain tends toward analysis. Go with it. Nurture it.
Before I knew anything about Autism, I would be told this. Until one day I started responding with, NO. You're not thinking enough. Because after spending years diving into philosophy, supported by libraries full of others who not only also indulged in "over-thinking" but their thinking proved useful to the future that lived beyond them, I felt no reason to stop.
What can be missing from one's 'toolbox' can be the criteria for harnessing thought so that it becomes worth while. Or a little logic formula to understand how to interrogate thought and work out what riddles we might be trouble shooting. Or what complicated systems we are trying to resolve.
I used to be bothered by things I didn't have a term/ID/word for. But I second the 'write it out'. Somewhere your sub-conscious is giving you clues to things of interest, ideas that might be meaningful, potentials you might have untapped. Follow the thoughts. Most likely, you have not engaged with them, exhausted and resolved them.
I've never thought of it that way, that others might not be thinking enough! This is definitely something to ponder on today. Do you have any suggestions of 'tools' to help with interrogating or analysing our thoughts, or suggestions of books that might help
I was thinking about this as I was writing it yesterday and being overwhelmed with work right now, my ability to find words is much harder. There is a formula here though. I took a Symbolic Logic class in school and one can find these books in the reference section of any library. The formula of Logic applies to understanding how we conceive an argument and reach a conclusion (feelings always come out of a logical understanding for instance).
Then I read books on being human and using creativity as a tool to help explore and understand the self. We need to know our strengths and limits for a wide range of reasons. Including setting boundaries and nurturing the self for growth.
How do I think?
What am I thinking about?
How do I explore perceptions and beliefs? How do I change them?
What are my values? What is human and what is uniquely me.
The Artists Way is a helpful book. Philosophy is helpful to help us learn to ask the right questions. And eventually, everything comes down to Asking the Right Questions. If you can read! Peel through history. I'm in the middle of Koestler's Darkness At Noon and he's giving me new perspectives on things. Orwell's essays are amazing, Chesterton's ability to disseminate things is useful. Perhaps there was an era between the late 1800's - 1960 something where the Autistic Analytic mind was the height of what one desired to amount to. I am quite drawn to a lot of writers from this time.
You're welcome.
added to the list for looking in to, thanks
thank you, I'm off down the rabbit hole today then! Some one recommended the artists way to me years ago and I never got round to looking for it, perhaps I should start there
For all his flaws, and for all the clumsiness of my analogy, Foucault on madness was also perceptive.