6mo ago

Sometimes I'll read or hear someone say something but can't think about it

It's especially worser when it's complex wording

When I'm reading stuff or listening to someone say something sometimes I won't be able to think about it even though I can read fine or hear the person fine

My mind just goes empty and I can't really think or mentally process stuff and will just be stuck there with an empty mind

9 comments

Buffer gets full. Also when reading you may want to slow down. If a paragraph is too much take it one sentence at a time. If that's still too much keep slowing down. It's fine to take your time at things.
Go back and read this one sentence at a time.
Delayed processing is not exactly uncommon in autistic people. My husband knows not to repeat himself immediately when I ask "what did you say?" because usually I heard him just fine and just need a minute or two to process. Him repeating himself actually stops the processing and I need to start again.
There's a pretty interesting book that also explains this quite well: "Sensory perceptual issues in autism and Asperger's syndrome" by Olga Bogdashina. It's a bit older which explains the title but still very interesting.
I feel you can hardly think and talk at the same time
Or maybe am autistic too? When I'm talking I talk and will need to stop to think
- The word you are looking for is monotropism
I have this when people talk to me. I often say something like "sorry, what?" Even though I heard them Ok, my brain needs time to process it. You might want to look at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_processing_disorder
And
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_processing_disorder
Those articles have the basics
- Oh wow I just found the post on the front page and decided to take a look. I wasn’t expecting to learn that I have APD. I have the hardest time following a conversation right in front of me if other conversations are happening nearby. Parties can be so difficult.
  
  I'm not saying you do. You might want to read more and get checked though.
  Parties or large groups are very difficult for me because I can't focus on the conversation I am having. I can understand the words but cannot make sense of them unless I have a little time to make sense of them.
  Just my experience, your post triggered a thought for me though. "Hmm, sounds like me"
Sometimes I hear/read the words and could tell you what the words were, but my brain lags on processing meaning. I've had to reread so many things because I forgot the part where I actually understand what I just read.
- Here I thout this was just me... So many times have a read an entire page and when I go to turn the page I have no idea what I just read and end up rereading it all over.

9 comments