Symbolic thinking...Aspergers trait or just me?

[clg114]

Yup. Analogy queen here. I usually end up paraphrasing others in analogies I relate to and ask if that is what they meant. Probably irks people, but it is how I think. Especially feelings, emotions etc and abstract concepts like electrical flow.

Hmmm. I wonder what she meant by that?

 

[inabox]

I wasn't sure how to call it, so I called it "symbolic thinking", maybe not the best name but doesn't matter. I've heard before that people on the spectrum have some issues with metaphors and taking things litteraly. I also have these issues sometimes, nowadays not as often but at the same time I've got another thing going on. Sometimes it's much easier for me to describe my thoughts, feelings and even opinions in a symbolic way. That's just the way it is. I often have to "translate" my visions and thoughts in "human" language so others can understand what I mean. I can give an example. For instance it's easy for me to say, that, let's say on day X I feel like I'm in a cardboard world and all the people are made of cardboard and I have to put a cardboard dummy in front of my soul to communicate with them. Pretty simple isn't it? most of the folks would say:"what the f.ck?" right? when, long time ago, I tried to tell my mom that this is the easiest way for me to express myself, she was terrified, asked me to stop because she thought I was going nuts. But there's nothing to it. I just think in symbols, maybe I just think with my subconsciousness another example. I had a meeting about my son's future school and had hard time describing it but if I do it my way - nothing to it. There were separate bits of energy, they were not unified, at least not appeared to be,but they all were moving in one direction which is reassuring and that is the most important thing. Another thing I noticed that there several bright lights in those bits which is very promising. So after expressing information in this way I can translate it in "human" language and describe the most important aspects of the meeting...
Does anyone experience something similar? I was wondering if it's because of Aspergers or something else...I mean I think it's pretty cool, it's just that lots of people don't get it.

I also do "symbolic thinking". I often find it difficult to impossible to describe how i feel (physically and emotionally) in a "normal" way, but it comes naturally to me to say something like "I feel like my joints have been filled with custard and my arms feel fizzy". Unfortunately people don't understand what I'm talking about and they think I'm very strange.