Flow and ASD?

[Tom]

Do you experience flow when you hyperfocus on something you're intrested in?
Is this the pleasure that people are supposed to experience when they hyperfocus on something they are interested in?
When I hyperfocus on something it is often something that is a frustration and not pleasurable so I don't understand what this is all about. This is true when I am really interested in something.

I don't think people are not avoiding the negative side of this subject. We talk about problemic/negative things all the time. And in your original post you are asking people to explain about the positive aspects.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to talk about the negative experience's in focusing. But you might try and rephrase it to ask if any one else experiences negative feelings when trying to focus, etc. And it is uncertain how many share the experience. That may limit answers.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

singing is supposed to be a joyous expression. If you have talent worthy of development, then lessons are a justifiable expense. If you want to work in the industry and you can do the work, then you should be singing with others, for a church charity, or to entertain, or just to sing for the sake of making music, because it's joyous.

May I ask you a few more questions? You do not have to answer. How long have you been taking lessons? Did you ever sing in a choir( there are secular ones)? Are you recorded anywhere? Is singing going to be a part of your career?

I don't know how you feel about christianity. You may already know that there are many people who both started out singing in church and learned to be professional musicians that way. Christian musicIt is an industry most folks outside of their faith have never heard of.

I would like to hear you sing. I think alot of us here would..
.maybe you could post something?
Everyone has a style and a key that they are best at. Have you ever sang with a band? It's really fun, but super hard to do. I think this summer is going to have some great opportunities. Where I live the local wineries have musical entertainment at times. Some of the bars had open mic, that was a while ago, but it will come again.

Can you do Sara McLaughlin?

Many happy returns!

 

[Misery]

What the heck is flow? That still has yet to really be defined here... is it something like what people mean when they say they are "in the zone"?

If that's what it is, I've never found it to be a pleasant experience. More like overclocking a PC. It happens for me only if I'm doing something intense enough and with enough determination... usually competitive gaming. Plus side is that I'm typically unbeatable in that state. Downside is that it is very draining and after enough time doing it I will actually start to physically overheat, a rather strange phenomenon considering that I aint exactly moving much. Usually a bit shaken after it wears off. And it only happens in the first place if I get agitated enough.

...Or is that not what "flow" means? Bit of an odd term, that.

 

[harrietjansson]

What the heck is flow?

I found this:
“My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking of something else. I am totally involved in what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t seem to hear anything. The world seems to be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself and my problems.” What is Flow in Psychology? Definition and 10+ Activities to Induce Flow

 

[harrietjansson]

I would like to hear you sing.

I would like to hear why most people never really mention the issues in my examples.
I mean, are these even asperger issues? People never mention them so perhaps they are not explained by the asperger diagnosis? I am not asking like if you were professional but rather ask you to tell your experiences with this as people with a diagnosis.
I thought that focusing on the wrong questions and details were and asperger issue but it seems that people don't think so.
Do other people also experience this as well? Am I alone in experiencing these issue with my intesnse or special interest?
I did find one youtube video of a person saying how she hated having a special interest for a short time and the changing it so I am not alone in experiencing the frustrations.
Perhaps I fit into the category "not normal" aspergers rather than "typical" asperger's?
Everyone has a special interest in which reality does not kick in. I don't and many of my obsessions/interests were something I really wish never existed.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

I am not yet understanding. I believe in being positive, hopeful and encouraging. I treat you as I wish to be treated. It is not a taboo, it is reluctance to engage in something fraught with peril.

Let's unwrap it a bit and see if I can try and meet you in the middle, without sounding mean.

First there are many flaws and errors in your thought process. This is normal, none of us are perfect, and errors in thought are correctable, unless they solidify into delusion. It takes an objective view to perceive the flaws and errors, we can, none of us see our own missing pieces. That's the truth as I understand it.

There are no typical or normal people at all. No such thing as a typical housewife, or a typical welder or a typical cop, or any typical anything. It's a delusion that's inspired by TV, and a limited social experience. So there is no such thing as normal at all. Not for anyone ever. Never has been

You are not neuro typical, you are neuro diverse, and on a spectrum for ASD? that is all based on an opinion, not a blood test or a brain scan, no empirical evidence, other than a trained observer evaluating you.


Autistics are asexual and pansexual, we hate being touched and like being held, we work with computers and hit things with hammers. There is no typical autistic person.

So co morbidity is when you have symptoms that are part of another type of mental illness or altered state. It's a long list, are you ready?

Schizophrenia, schizotypal, bi polar, borderline personality disorder, traumatic brain injury, severe PTSD, longterm isolation, OCD, depression

That's just what I am thinking right now, that all those share traits with ASD. Likewise you(or anyone) may have several different symptoms that can come and go, change and develop, go in to remission, and be made worse by poor sleep, stress, poor diet, intoxication, toxicity, sunlight, love affairs, etc.

What I read in your post is perfectionism. I think you are rarely satisfied with your own efforts. You seem to be looking for something, what is it? Perfectionism is wasteful, you should stop, it robs you of satisfaction. If it is external validation you seek, then ask for help of the forum to publish your works, or evaluate your performance.

So some ppl have life long pursuits, and for some they don't last that long. Sometimes the experience is pleasant but draining, and at other times is more lIke OCD, the person seems to have no choice in what they do.

If this was offensive I apologize. Such is not my intention, but it's hard to see what you want.

I still would very much like to hear you sing....

 

[Crossbreed]

I sing a simple song in G# but end the song in G. I get so frustrated. Even people who do not take singing lessons can sing the song.

Is ending in the wrong pitch a common problem for you (in different songs) or a rare one?

 

[Hannibal]

Yes. I am a professional artist. I work with oil paint, digital mediums, and graphite. I especially hyperfocus when it comes to painting. I experience this both positively and negatively. I typically become so devoted I will not eat or recognize thirst, use the restroom, take a break, respond to conversation, and I will become very agitated if I am interrupted. Making a mistake when in this mindset feels ten times worse than making a mistake when I'm not in this mindset. When I'm hyperfocused, I'm overly critical of myself and my work, and if I'm being honest I create a lot of unnecessary stress for myself.

 

[Misery]

I would like to hear why most people never really mention the issues in my examples.

Well, one thing is that it's pretty easy to get distracted around here, I see that a lot.

But also, it's not entirely clear as to what very specifically you're after. I read through this, and I'm still not 100% sure of what, specifically, you would like some help with.

It's also kinda hard sometimes to follow along over the course of a conversation that has already partly happened. I dont do well with that.

I'd certainly like to help here, but let's try this: explain, in much detail, the exact, specific issues you are asking for help with. Yes, you can ask for OUR examples, but those may not always fit, or even make sense, based on context. We can best help if you give specifics about what YOU are going through, and ask each question you have in sequence. Well, sure makes it easier for me to help anyway.

 

[harrietjansson]

Making a mistake when in this mindset feels ten times worse than making a mistake when I'm not in this mindset. When I'm hyperfocused, I'm overly critical of myself and my work, and if I'm being honest I create a lot of unnecessary stress for myself.

finally a person who have this issue.

 

[Hannibal]

finally a person who have this issue.

It used to eat me alive. It still does... but since I've learned to recognize it, it doesn't as badly. I have learned to turn it in to (mostly) something positive and have used it to better my skill. It still impacts me dearly though. I will throw away halfway or completely finished professional paintings because of it. I will tear up, rip up, distort, stab, and ruin something if I get too upset.

 

[harrietjansson]

 

[harrietjansson]

It used to eat me alive. It still does... but since I've learned to recognize it, it doesn't as badly. I have learned to turn it in to (mostly) something positive and have used it to better my skill. It still impacts me dearly though. I will throw away halfway or completely finished professional paintings because of it. I will tear up, rip up, distort, stab, and ruin something if I get too upset.

I looked at you avatar and was tought of a tv series I watched a long time ago called Rejseholdet.

 

[Crossbreed]

I believe that ideal is an unattainable standard when you take into account the Law of Diminishing Returns. I no longer impose it on myself and am content just to up my game over time.

And even that isn't going to happen if I am

• tired,
• hungry/thirsty,
• sick,
• depressed,
  
• distracted by something else more pressing, etc.

That literary archetype is called the Omni-competent Woman/Man.
You are not Batman.

Aim high, but be realistic with yourself.

 

[GadAbout]

do you mean flow as defined by mihaly csikszentmihalyi?

I had an opportunity to hear csikzentmihalyi speak once. I was very disappointed. He must have been at the end of his career, was quite uninspiring, very ordinary talk, he might have been dyspeptic or had jet lag.

 

[Qoyote]

That literary archetype is called the Omni-competent Woman/Man.
You are not Batman.

Heck, Batman screwed all his relationships up good, and he got his back broken cause he couldn't take everything life threw at him. He's not even perfect.

 

[Aspychata]

Heck, Batman screwed all his relationships up good, and he got his back broken cause he couldn't take everything life threw at him. He's not even perfect.

Robin drove him batty because Robin is on the spectrum.

 

[Qoyote]

Robin drove him batty because Robin is on the spectrum.

There's been like four Robins I think, and I love the thought that he just keeps finding autistic kids to be Robin, totally on accident.

The Batgirls are too, they're just undiagnosed because women are a mysterious species, don'tcha know.

 

[watersprite]

Seriously though
A calm habit of work, a disciplined practice of mindfulness, can get one past perfectionism. How does perfectionism form? Often from one’s reactions (however obscured) to other people’s opinions and expectations.

Resentment for problems keeps one’s energy away from figuring out the problem’s solution. It does for me maybe others are different.

To be grateful and yes happy for the patience to work through and past obstacles; this is or can be a natural component of life. It is one of the ingredients of flow, too.
Which brings me back to needing a good breakfast to fuel all this work. The grumpiness we feel toward the end of a session can sometimes be low blood sugar and hunger which our concentration has pushed aside.