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Slow mental processing

S

Something05

New Member
“Slow mental processing refers to taking longer to focus on, accurately interpret, and respond to information.” A description I found of this on the internet, because I could not be bothered to write a proper explanation of it myself.

Anyway, I have this somewhat, only slightly, but I think it’s noticeable. I’m not sure if it’s to do with my autism or something else, but, does anyone else here have this?
 
Many mysteries were solved when I learned that IQ and Emotional Intelligence are independent variables. Logic is too slow to rely on in social situations.
 
In some situations I feel like I'm slower than others. But that feels more like an inability to put the whirl of thoughts and snippets of images and feelings inside my head into coherent sentences. I have this very often when I'm in a discussion and someone asks my opinion or my view. I freeze and can't put together my thoughts into proper sentences. Often I just say whatever then, hoping that no one asks too much and makes me stumble. I don't know how some people can just shoot out proper, thought-through answers about any topic without any time to prepare.

In topics where I feel comfortable and safe, it doesn't happen as much.

On the other hand, though, apparently I have a very fast processing speed. At least that's what my IQ test said: poor(er) working memory, but very fast processing speed. I don't really know.

Maybe I just panic because I can't keep my facts straight when being asked something outside my field, which makes me freeze up.
 
Something05 said:
“Slow mental processing refers to taking longer to focus on, accurately interpret, and respond to information.” A description I found of this on the internet, because I could not be bothered to write a proper explanation of it myself.

Anyway, I have this somewhat, only slightly, but I think it’s noticeable. I’m not sure if it’s to do with my autism or something else, but, does anyone else here have this?
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Yes. There's always a slight delay. I think the first time that I really noticed it was with some of these fast-moving card games my wife's family likes to play. I just have to sit out. I can do well with a one-on-one conversation, but add in a third person, and I cannot keep up with the proper timing of when to jump in and jump out of the conversation without it being clumsy. In retrospect, I was always a slow test taker in school, but I also did well. On the other hand, things that require more time for processing strategy, I do very well at. I am good at analyzing situations, primarily because I do take the time to understand multiple variables and perspectives. I am one to have 5, 10, 20 year life plans, constantly making micro-adjustments, can pivot from plans A, B, and C, whilst moving forward. I process patterns very quickly. I do well with understanding the traffic patterns ahead of me while driving.

What I cannot predict, and this is primarily due to autism-related "mind blindness", is how other people are going to emotionally react or interpret what I say and do. I say and do something, most often with good intent, then sometimes, I step on a "landmine" I was not expecting, at all.
 
It’s definitely a common autism trait. People on here talk about it quite a bit and I’ve seen it referenced in official medical guidance.

I have a delay with processing social situations, especially verbal communication face to face or on the phone. I need a lot more time to think about what to say or do. I have much bigger issues with verbal information than I do with written information. I can follow written instructions well but verbal instructions take longer for me to process.

I’m usually fine with interactions that I initiate, or a back and forth conversation about a subject I’m familiar with, but if someone approaches me in person out of the blue, the processing delay is so long that there might as well be no processing going on in my brain at all!
 
Sure, I can relate to that. I think my brain is trying to process too much most of the time and it can take awhile to sort through everything. I need the right conditions to “think straight” and the presence of other humans, lights, sounds, and smells can be disruptive to that.

During a conversation, for example, I frequently put pieces together and figure out what I want to say after the conversation has ended. It’s as if I am spending my mental energy recording the conversation so that I can slowly process it over time. Most things take awhile for me to mull over before I figure out my thoughts on it.

All of this contributes to why I can communicate far better here on the forum than I can in face to face interactions.
 
My processing speed is slow. With time to think things through I might make 100% on a math test but then turn around and look like a bumbling idiot at a cash register when trying to count out my money because I need time to process and you are typically supposed to do that quickly. I can't keep up with register work because if someone changes what they gave me I can't just smoothly recalculate it in my mind. Because of my typically high test scores, it is hard to get some people to realize that this is a genuine struggle for me. Then people who only see that aspect tend to think I'm quite low IQ when I'm not, I just need longer processing time.
 
It's definitely something I deal with, especially with listening. This could also be auditory processing disorder. Whatever it is, it takes me longer to understand something that is said.

It's why I don't like You Tube videos because I can't process the information quickly enough. I want to see things written down so I can skim the fluff and get to the information I need and then think about it.

It was interesting spending time with someone whose first language is not English. He was quite fluent, but sometimes he had to think a bit to search for an uncommon word or think through what I had said. I felt less weird about needing time to process things.
 
Processing Speed is the lowest of my IQ subscores. I believe it is because I process so many things non-verbally and it takes extra time to translate it to an NT/verbal format.
 
My logical side is constantly evaluating, but my emotional side to determine what is going on has always been a little slow.
 
My issue has always been, too many ways at looking at something, which is the correct way too many variables takes time to sort through. which slows me down. When I get the what looks correct very seldom second guess myself.
 
Ronald Zeeman said:
My issue has always been, too many ways at looking at something, which is the correct way too many variables takes time to sort through. which slows me down. When I get the what looks correct very seldom second guess myself.
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I'm like this. It can take me forever to arrive at a decision. But once I see what works, or see something that I immediately know is a home run, I can't do it fast enough.
 
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