Sally44 Report post Posted December 5, 2011 My son has recently told me that alot of the things he spends his time doing, he does them to district his brain from feeling confused and nervous. I wondered how many others on this forum [and on the spectrum] fill their time with certain stuff [whether its watching TV/DVDs, playing computer games or repetitive behaviours] that they feel they do to distract them from a general background level of high anxiety or confusion? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tanya52 Report post Posted December 6, 2011 I have the same. I’m trying to manage the level of my anxiety by focusing on my studies. But when my brain becomes overloaded I need to watch TV. For some reason I hate computer games and have never in my life played any of them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indiscreet Report post Posted December 6, 2011 For me reading is the best distraction. Also TV/DVD and being on forums which relate to special interests. It feels as if my brain must have something to work on and if what I'm doing is something routine, which I don't have to consciously think about, then the anxiety kicks in. At night I always have to use distraction techniques in order to go to sleep. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted December 6, 2011 Um, I'm not sure that's an exclusively autistic behaviour... Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indiscreet Report post Posted December 6, 2011 Um, I'm not sure that's an exclusively autistic behaviour... Bid I didn't take it that Sally was suggesting that it was an exclusively autistic behaviour - just asking whether some other people posting here reacted the same way as her son. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkshine Report post Posted December 6, 2011 I didn't take it that Sally was suggesting that it was an exclusively autistic behaviour - just asking whether some other people posting here reacted the same way as her son. I do the same too - but I think a lot of people do it without realising it cuz I know people who have stopped work (for various reasons) and they go out of their mind very quickly when they have nothing to do, and for some it seems like they get this compulsive need to be filling their time I fill my time in different ways, I engage in activities that are more isolating - without meaning to - but my behaviour effectively cuts people off a lot of the time. I think this is the biggest difference between me and the people I know, because they seek social comfort a lot, while I retreat from it. I also think that they are less aware/think less about what they are doing because when I've pointed it out they are like "oh yeah, I do that" and they seem amused that I notice when they haven't Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RainbowsButterflies Report post Posted December 6, 2011 I use distraction techniques a lot, both to cope with stress and anxiety, and to cope with pain. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites