stimming and daydreaming/ staring into space

[cookiemonster]

my post is mainly about staring into space, as i have always done this quite a lot (though i don't do it as much as i used to).

When i was younger, i couldn't control it and i didn't like it when people would try to talk to me whilst i was doing it as i felt they were disturbing me (i was always washed over with such a beautiful feeling when doing it).

i also used to daydream a lot too, but that was a different thing .. as when staring my mind would go blank and simply let go of all thought.

 

I'm just wondering if there are any others that are like me as i think that that has always been my main stim and it seems the least commonly written about (i can't find much about it on the net at all).

 

also, my psychologist wrote in my assessment that i have special hand movements, which has made me really conscious of my hands since it but i can't really figure out what they are. in my opinion, my hands are quite relaxed most of the time, but both my mother and my sister seem to understand the hand thing. (I haven't asked either of them to elaborate yet as i'm still coming to terms with my diagnosis).

 

can people with aspergers have special hand movements yet not really notice them for themselves, even when they are looking for them?

 

i do have longish hands and i sometimes point when talking when I'm stressed. Maybe that's partly it. .

Edited January 13, 2014 by cookiemonster

[positive_about]

I find myself staring into space a lot, and blot out the world - I'm not sure if I did it when I was younger. I may be a form of hyperfocus, where you are focussed inwardly on thinking/daydreaming - thats how I feel about myself. I've also read about other people with autism 'zoning out', losing interest in with whats going on around them - maybe the same thing. I find it hard to induce hyperfocus, but when it happens I can think much more clearly and reality doesn't affect my concentration as much.

 

I don't think I had much self-awareness when I was younger, it was only when someone else pointed things about me that I realised thing - still gaining awareness now. On common theme of my life is I have restless legs, always have down, I know that much - tends to be worse when I'm thinking about things, or bored. When I was 16 in my first job I must have been rocking my legs because it was moving the table next to mine and the guy sat there said "hey, dancing boy, stop moving the table!" (or words to that affect) - I was mortified, embarrassed, had no idea I was doing it, so it stopped me doing it in public.

 

Its worth spending some time working on self-awareness, just check every now and then what you are doing/feeling/thinking. You may not be able to do much about your stims, but you can become more aware of them and what's going on in your mind that that time - its all related.

[watergirl]

Yes, I definitely stare into space a lot.....my partner sometimes tries to snap me out of it, which I hate. I always did it when young too....it was commented on a lot. Sometimes it is just a case of zoning out to relax.....this sometimes happens after a prolonged period of doing something stressful.....like being in a social situation that I would rather not have been in,.... I find that if I have been in some sort of meeting and then drive home, I drive in a dreamy way and don't remember the drive home. (not dangerous, as I drive at my best like this incidentally).

At other times it is more a case of being deep in thought about something.... I spend a lot of time thinking about finances and doing complicated arithmetic in my head, and I'm sure it must look odd to anyone watching.....sometimes I pace a lot at the same time, which probably isn't so bad as just staring........if anyone interrupts me I get really cross, as I am totally unaware of anything around me.....so if someone beeps a car horn outside, which is loud and sharp enough to "wake" me, I do swear a lot.....not very ladylike I'm afraid.....very frustrating.

[trekster]

To me spacing out is either having something im not meant to have in my diet (by accident) or lifestyle,

burning the candle at both ends im overloaded, ive been socialising more than I can manage.

[cookiemonster]

Thanks, positive_about. Hmm, perhaps it is a form of hyperfocus, but could also be a sensory thing. I know I tend to do it more when I'm stressed, confused or have had sensory overload of some sort. If it is a hyperfocus, then what would you say the (hyper)focus is on?

I have become much more aware of the little things I do though I'm not sure if this is positive or not. Probably has it's ups and downs, as I'm super self conscious at times anyway and it is nice to be comfortable/ oblivious.

 

Thank you for your reply, watergirl. Yes, I also hate when anybody tries to snap me out of it. Why do they do that?? I also zone out a lot too .. and after periods of being stressed. Also, the same with driving. It is kinda scary in a way but when I zone out, but my peripheral vision and my subconscious are so accurate and helpful, plus I can have very fast reactions sometimes.

Again, the same, I also spend a lot of time doing mental arithmetics and looking at my finances. I don't pace around though, nor do I get cross. Perhaps I should start getting cross when someone interrupts me. Do you mind if I ask, why did you choose the name watergirl?

 

Hi trekster. So you space out if you eat the 'wrong' things then?

I can't deal with too many unhealthy foods, personally. Well, I can eat unhealthily but I have to balance it with just as many fruit and/ or vegetables etc.

Edited May 2, 2014 by cookiemonster

[positive_about]

If you are stressed/confused then sensory overload is probably kicking in, so thats different to hyperfocus or zoning out. Its possible when stressed that you might be able to hyperfocus on thinking about the stressful situation - how to get out of it, etc. I haven't found much online about zoning out, sensory overload, hyperfocus, so don't know if they are basically the same thing, or are actually distinct states. I don't know about any research into those states, it would be useful if there was - I know they can do brain scans these days to see what the brain is up to during excercises, but as its difficult to induce hyperfocus/sensory overload/zoning-out at will then we may never know.

 

I just think you have to try and make sense of yourself at the time something happens - ie. if you feel overloaded, or aware of hyperfocussing on something, or just zoning-out for peace etc.

 

Being snapped out of any of these states probably will cause an angry response, because your brain is trying to filter things out to cope better - its akin to waking someone who is having a peaceful nap, or enjoying deep sleep, or disturbing someone from watching their favourite TV programme. Don't feel guilty about being angry, just explain you were in your own world, or were trying to think about something.

 

I tend to hyperfocus when driving, I block out everything except the road ahead - I find conversations difficult when driving, for example.

[cookiemonster]

Hi again.

 

I have just had a thought, it could be a number of different things, for different reasons.I think that hyper-focusing on a stressful situation would be the same as obsessively thinking about it. Then there is the sensory over stimulation when the mind just needs to switch off. I would love to have a brain scan and have it compared to many other people, wouldn't you??

 

I too find conversations very difficult while driving and can sometimes make driving mistakes when I'm being distracted,. though, luckily, both my reactions and what seems to be my subconscious mind reacting to my secondary senses/ peripheral vision are quite fast and accurate when they need to be.

Or when I'm sending a text message, I have to block everyone around me out completely whilst thinking about what to type out to someone. Do people actually think I can send a text whilst talking to them at the same time?!!