Mindfulness

[zurb]

Anyone familiar with ‘mindfulness’? From what I’ve gathered, it sounds like NTs trying to restore those neural paths that get trimmed so early in their development. They’re trying to be aware of their senses in the moment instead of filtering it all out. In other words, ‘mindfulness’ is the practice of being more autistic. Or am I missing something?

 

[Ylva]

I love that interpretation. I've been doing mindfulness, but it only ever felt like being myself. I thought that was what it was about.

 

[Mia]

Hmm, my psychiatrist attempted to teach me to calm my constant invasive thoughts brought about by anxiety and my aspie brain. Did reach a point where I could calm myself and think about one thing, but it lasted for a few minutes, then she said I was breathing in the wrong manner. Which made me angry. How can someone breathe in the 'wrong' way? Then she attempted to get me to breathe the way she does. Which I could not.

Have thought of the practice of mindfulness as the ability to think in the present.

 

[Streetwise]

Hmm, my psychiatrist attempted to teach me to calm my constant invasive thoughts brought about by anxiety and my aspie brain. Did reach a point where I could calm myself and think about one thing, but it lasted for a few minutes, then she said I was breathing in the wrong manner. Which made me angry. How can someone breathe in the 'wrong' way? Then she attempted to get me to breathe the way she does. Which I could not.

Have thought of the practice of mindfulness as the ability to think in the present.

you breathe the wrong way by stopping breathing but not long enough to notice and breathing in a very shallow way so you don't get enough oxygen I do it all the time

 

[Streetwise]

Hmm, my psychiatrist attempted to teach me to calm my constant invasive thoughts brought about by anxiety and my aspie brain. Did reach a point where I could calm myself and think about one thing, but it lasted for a few minutes, then she said I was breathing in the wrong manner. Which made me angry. How can someone breathe in the 'wrong' way? Then she attempted to get me to breathe the way she does. Which I could not.

Have thought of the practice of mindfulness as the ability to think in the present.

i've just had a thought maybe autistic people will never be able to breathe the way neuro typical people can because we are just wired differently

 

[Juliettaa]

i've just had a thought maybe autistic people will never be able to breathe the way neuro typical people can because we are just wired differently

Interesting thought @Streetwise.

Many years ago, I had a specific type of therapy and part of those sessions were around breathing. I was told I don't breathe properly; I breathe too slowly.

It was such a laborious process to try to speed up my 6-7 breaths per minute to the average 13. I mastered it at the sessions but reverted back as soon as I left the building.

I try to use Mindfulness as a calming aid when I can't sleep due to racing thoughts but my breathing remains slow.

you breathe the wrong way by stopping breathing but not long enough to notice and breathing in a very shallow way so you don't get enough oxygen I do it all the time

I'm the same.

I could never work out why I couldn't run long distance. Very fast at short distance running 100 to 200 metres, useless at long distance. Now I know. Not that I run anywhere now

 

[Streetwise]

Interesting thought @Streetwise.

Many years ago, I had a specific type of therapy and part of those sessions were around breathing. I was told I don't breathe properly; I breathe too slowly.

It was such a laborious process to try to speed up my 6-7 breaths per minute to the average 13. I mastered it at the sessions but reverted back as soon as I left the building.

I try to use Mindfulness as a calming aid when I can't sleep due to racing thoughts but my breathing remains slow.



I'm the same.

I could never work out why I couldn't run long distance. Very fast at short distance running 100 to 200 metres, useless at long distance. Now I know. Not that I run anywhere now

you must be the same as me ,it's because of anxiety,your brain has now become used to moving based around fear that's why you could run in short bursts,I think my body is finally getting sick of fear

 

[Streetwise]

Interesting thought @Streetwise.

Many years ago, I had a specific type of therapy and part of those sessions were around breathing. I was told I don't breathe properly; I breathe too slowly.

It was such a laborious process to try to speed up my 6-7 breaths per minute to the average 13. I mastered it at the sessions but reverted back as soon as I left the building.

I try to use Mindfulness as a calming aid when I can't sleep due to racing thoughts but my breathing remains slow.



I'm the same.

I could never work out why I couldn't run long distance. Very fast at short distance running 100 to 200 metres, useless at long distance. Now I know. Not that I run anywhere now

The only problem is I try to remedy it by drinking liquids with carbon dioxide in them which at times can be very painful, as I drink in a panic way

 

[Gracey]

Someone passed on an acronym to me,
BANANAS.
(Breathe A New Attitude Nice And Slow)

Can't help but focus on breathing whilst reciting it to self. Repeatedly.

Make breath out last slightly longer than breath in.

I find myself going BANANAS, frequently

I don't know if the above is classed as mindfulness - (only focused on self and breath at the time)
but I do know that, for me,

Going BANANAS reduces that nervous type sweating when out and about in a 'rare to medium cooked' anxiety inducing situation.

Going BANANAS is good for me

 

[All-Rounder]

My psych proposed to me to actually remain in perception mode and not think anything about the stuff im seeing. Thats super hard, just say 'its a bird, a backpack, a cig, smoke' without judging or thinking about them other than just trying to see more of it or observe more things visually, auditory and through senses rather than thought.

What i previously believed was that seeing and thinking about what was going on was the way but apparently if you dont think but pay attention helps with focus and adhd for longer amounts of time. It's quite a strange/limited difficult experience.

 

[All-Rounder]

you breathe the wrong way by stopping breathing but not long enough to notice and breathing in a very shallow way so you don't get enough oxygen I do it all the time

I read that breathing more with the belly than the chest moving facilitates more oxigen intake.

 

[risootser]

I'm absolutely terrible at being mindful. So absent minded and scattered. I never notice what is going on around me. That is what makes social life harder because people talk about their experiences and all I have is abstracted crap. I don't understand people who can just live in the moment at all.

 

[zurb]

From what I hear, being absent-minded isn’t the opposite of ‘mindfulness’ (which is totally not about being mindful). ‘Mindfulness’ is deliberately being aware of every sensation in every nerve. So the opposite would be numbness. One main difference of aspies is that our brains typically don’t learn to filter external stimulation like an NT’s brain does. They say hearing aids are great, but you hear everything, and can’t focus on one voice. For us, social occasions are typically similar. I can’t hear the person beside me because I hear everyone’s conversation. There are smells. There are lights. .... And its harder to be mindful (and aware of those around you) when you’re overwhelmed by noise/textures/smell etc around you (mindfulness).

 

[risootser]

I wish I was aware of my environment. I live in messy apartment because I don't notice mess around me. It does not bother me but it bothers others. I fail horribly at Where is Waldo/Wally kind of tasks.

Like when someone walks in a forest and sees falling leaves or beautiful colors... it never registers in my skull. I feel I'm missing something. Like my nephew who could spot fish like shapes everywhere. I'm astonished. He is dyslexic and a social butterfly.