Perception of time

[DuckRabbit]

Do you think Aspergers and NTs differ in their sense of time? I'm wondering if for Aspergers time goes more quickly because they tend to be more over-stimulated and have more to cope with. In contrast, NTs may feel they have more time available to fill up, because they are not coping with the same sort of cognitive and social overloads that Aspergers are. There could be other reasons why time may seem less (more pressurised) for Aspergers e.g., if they have more personal projects on the go than NTs. Any evidence or personal experiences to support or refute these speculations?

 

[WereBear]

Seems to me that time is so flexible and subjective that it would be difficult to tell.

One thing I have noticed: I have met people who declare that they will keep working their jobs because "how else would they fill up all that time?" I am always amazed, because I have a zillion things I would rather be doing.

Difficult to imagine an Aspie saying that, unless their work was their passion

 

[Mia]

Retired last year at fifty-five, before retirement it seemed as if everything in my life was quickly paced. There seemed barely enough time to do anything other that the necessities, groceries, cooking, cleaning, driving, vacation, gardening, exercise. At times I would simply not keep to the regular routine so I could spend the weekend recovering from the previous week.

My way of recovering was to read and read book after book while eating specific things like popcorn, peanuts and apples. Living in that carefully constructed world, with its strict, known parameters, placing myself within the plots as a observer but not a participant. Something I did as a child often to avoid contact with family members. Yet the reading eventually segued into a way to avoid participating in life in general as I aged. It seemed to slow time when I was a child, in the same way it has done as an adult. It may be the way I've adjusted to the stress and anxiety of living in the ordinary world.

 

[DuckRabbit]

A lot of people use work to escape family members/ a bad marriage/ responsibilities/ chores, so why not reading? There are worse escape mechanisms I can think of cf. alcohol/ drugs/ watching TV at all hours of the day and night! Of the 4 coping mechanisms identified by Tony Attwood [(1) Self-blame and a reactive depression, (2) Escape into imagination and a fantasy life, (3) Denial and arrogance, and (4) Imitation], it sounds like you are relying on (2) escape into imagination and a fantasy life, which is more controllable and/or sanitised than real life. Interesting that you feel reading slows time. Other people would say it makes time fly. Perhaps it can slow time as reading is a quiet, still activity?

 

[midlife aspie]

A lot of people use work to escape family members/ a bad marriage/ responsibilities/ chores, so why not reading? There are worse escape mechanisms I can think of cf. alcohol/ drugs/ watching TV at all hours of the day and night! Of the 4 coping mechanisms identified by Tony Attwood [(1) Self-blame and a reactive depression, (2) Escape into imagination and a fantasy life, (3) Denial and arrogance, and (4) Imitation], it sounds like you are relying on (2) escape into imagination and a fantasy life, which is more controllable and/or sanitised than real life. Interesting that you feel reading slows time. Other people would say it makes time fly. Perhaps it can slow time as reading is a quiet, still activity?

What Atwood reference are those mechanisms discussed in? I definitely don't mind 60hr weeks for exactly the reasons you say, and I definitely use '1' and '2' to cope.

 

[Mia]

When I'm reading or painting time seems to be 'somewhere over there'. I can perceive of it, and vaguely pay attention to it, in case there is some sort of danger signal to be aware of, such as darkness or a rainstorm or animals or strangers encroaching. Yet time itself and its pace seems irrelevant.

 

[WereBear]

When I'm reading or painting time seems to be 'somewhere over there'. I can perceive of it, and vaguely pay attention to it, in case there is some sort of danger signal to be aware of, such as darkness or a rainstorm or animals or strangers encroaching. Yet time itself and its pace seems irrelevant.

When I am at my lowest, I meditate under the many-folded heavy quilt my neighbor lent me (have to wait on insurance permission to get weighted blanket.) But the next step up is reading, especially a book I have read before.

Perception of time during this? Not much, actually

 

[WereBear]

Of the 4 coping mechanisms identified by Tony Attwood [(1) Self-blame and a reactive depression, (2) Escape into imagination and a fantasy life, (3) Denial and arrogance, and (4) Imitation]

Fascinating. I use 2 & 4.

 

[DuckRabbit]

What Atwood reference are those mechanisms discussed in? I definitely don't mind 60hr weeks for exactly the reasons you say, and I definitely use '1' and '2' to cope.

Below are three references where those mechanisms are mentioned or discussed.

The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Attwood, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006.
p. 73 ... the child can become acutely aware of being different to his or her peers, giving rise to the adjustment and compensation strategies described in Chapter 1, namely depression, escape into imagination, denial and arrogance, or imitation.

http://www.reboundtherapy.org/papers/aspergers/diagnosis_of_aspergers_by_tony_attwood.pdf
Thus some psychological reactions can be constructive while others can lead to significant psychological problems. These are
the four reactions that have been observed by the author.
- A Reactive Depression
- Escape into Imagination
- Denial and Arrogance
- Imitation

http://www.parentingaspergers.com/sbjh01/Tony Attwood Interview.pdf
I have identified four reactions to being different either internalising or externalising it.
When they internalise it is it either depression or escape into imagination; an imaginary world from dinosaurs to Star Trek
If they externalise it is arrogance and anger or imitation where they copy others. It is in my new book out in October.

 

[clg114]

Seems to me that time is so flexible and subjective that it would be difficult to tell.

One thing I have noticed: I have met people who declare that they will keep working their jobs because "how else would they fill up all that time?" I am always amazed, because I have a zillion things I would rather be doing.

Difficult to imagine an Aspie saying that, unless their work was their passion

I would have to agree with you. I have been lucky enough to have spent my entire working career doing something that I love to do. Machinery is my special interest. I have spent 45+ years as a field service technician, have spent most of the time working alone and have been working on machines. I have had the perfect Aspie job for most of my life. I guess that would explain why at 70, I am still doing it. As for losing track of time goes, I could not count the times that I have lost all track of time while working on a project or researching something.

 

[StephF]

Time slows as you approach the speed of light ! and moving clocks run slow. So I have to say that time is subjective.

 

[tyko berglund]

Do you think Aspergers and NTs differ in their sense of time? I'm wondering if for Aspergers time goes more quickly because they tend to be more over-stimulated and have more to cope with. In contrast, NTs may feel they have more time available to fill up, because they are not coping with the same sort of cognitive and social overloads that Aspergers are. There could be other reasons why time may seem less (more pressurised) for Aspergers e.g., if they have more personal projects on the go than NTs. Any evidence or personal experiences to support or refute these speculations?

My current understanding is that the physics community does not know what time is, or if it exists. I also currently understand that the notions of "hours and minutes", have those who are trying to reconstruct these ideas employing higher mathematics.
As I race to the next red light, I find I must ask, what legitimately
can I say I am "racing against"?
Einstein referred to time as a "very stubborn but persistent allusion."
Check your watch!

 

[WereBear]

Time is so everything doesn't happen at once.

 

[StephF]

David Tennant said it so eloquently.

 

[DuckRabbit]

I would have to agree with you. I have been lucky enough to have spent my entire working career doing something that I love to do. Machinery is my special interest. I have spent 45+ years as a field service technician, have spent most of the time working alone and have been working on machines. I have had the perfect Aspie job for most of my life. I guess that would explain why at 70, I am still doing it. As for losing track of time goes, I could not count the times that I have lost all track of time while working on a project or researching something.

Good to hear that you were contented in your work - working alone and on your special interest. The following article suggests how few are contented in their work.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sh-chosen-different-career.html#ixzz4BMYnNuv6
The comments on this article contain some interesting stories - all the trade-offs, security/societal approval vs passion/stimulation. One is lucky if these go together!

 

[DuckRabbit]

Seems to me that time is so flexible and subjective that it would be difficult to tell.

One thing I have noticed: I have met people who declare that they will keep working their jobs because "how else would they fill up all that time?" I am always amazed, because I have a zillion things I would rather be doing.

Difficult to imagine an Aspie saying that, unless their work was their passion

It would be interesting to hear what sorts of things you'd rather be doing - if you'd care to share!

 

[DuckRabbit]

Time slows as you approach the speed of light ! and moving clocks run slow. So I have to say that time is subjective.

Definitely subjective, but do you think there are real differences in the way NTs on average perceive it compared to the way Aspergers on average perceive it? - based on different interests, values, concerns and cognitive thresholds?

 

[garnetflower13]

For myself, time ceases to exist when I am deep in one of my favorite passions, like writing creatively. I have often realized that three hours have gone by without my realizing it!

 

[Maelstrom]

Do you think Aspergers and NTs differ in their sense of time? I'm wondering if for Aspergers time goes more quickly because they tend to be more over-stimulated and have more to cope with. In contrast, NTs may feel they have more time available to fill up, because they are not coping with the same sort of cognitive and social overloads that Aspergers are. There could be other reasons why time may seem less (more pressurised) for Aspergers e.g., if they have more personal projects on the go than NTs. Any evidence or personal experiences to support or refute these speculations?

Hi DuckRabbit ,Time Sloooooooooooows waaaaaaaay Doooooooown....like swimming in honey when I'm overloaded. I have a poor sense of time and lose track of hours and day when caught up in interests.
But on the people front and dating ....it drags out like eternity!
Does that help at all?

 

[Maelstrom]

David Tennant said it so eloquently.

Sigh! .......everyone hates me when I point out the truth on time and black holes ...it is so much more fun to bounce around the Universe with Doctor Who, then have just nothing...that,s right nothing! no cute time travel movies no Black Hole Xeroxing monsters for NASA....just nothing!...nothing but plain old non reversible...non re-duplicatable movements.
There is no substance called Time just the marking of natural movements for our pleasure.

Time is how many bites you take out of your sandwhich, before the rock your idiot friend tossed, rolls to the bottom of the mountain.

That is time! sorry to ruin Doctor Who, I like his show too...go watch it anyways