I think that yes it's an autism thing. It's also an ADHD thing. Neurotypical people definitely do experience this also, but my opinion is that it's more prevalent in neurodivergent people.
Having to look through my browser history and revisit pages until the thought reappears and it had nothing to do with the pages' content is certainly... something.
I'll think of something i need to look up, but opening my browser, with 25 tabs open that ill definitely get to, and seeing my last search just drives my thought away. I'll see that they do sell beans in 50lbs bags and just pop.... like I'm floating in space and they're nothing I can do. What did I want to search? What was before beans?!
Is this an autism thing? Cause I have to do that a lot at work. I get interrupted a lot because I'm on a senior dev.
It's a pretty normal thing, could even be a cannabis thing. Could be a elderly thing.
If you're an elderly autistic stoner though, it cancels out.
I did this at a very young age ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I think that yes it's an autism thing. It's also an ADHD thing. Neurotypical people definitely do experience this also, but my opinion is that it's more prevalent in neurodivergent people.