"You look lost!"

[Harrison]

I get asked enough for me to think I'm going senile. As folk have said here, it must be the look I give off when my mind is drifting.

 

[Judge]

Persist through the

persist through the C.R.A.P. criticism rejection assholes and pressure. My heart goes out to you

It's just so tough to look back on a long life and realize why things went so wrong as they did. Wrongs that I cannot go back and "right". At times it's heartbreaking to reflect on how my autism has impacted my life given I didn't know what it was, and that neither did anyone else around me at the time.

 

[clg114]

I get lost in thought all the time. My wife is used to it and doesn't say much. Others ask if I'm OK or tell me to wake up. It looks like this is a common trait here. Could it be that those here are deeper thinkers than the general public?

 

[Harrison]

It's just so tough to look back on a long life and realize why things went so wrong as they did. Wrongs that I cannot go back and "right". At times it's heartbreaking to reflect on how my autism has impacted my life given I didn't know what it was, and that neither did anyone else around me at the time.

So true.

I am proud of much I have achieved in the face of not knowing, but emotionally, I wear the pain of every moment.

 

[Spiller]

Some Aspies are quite intuitive in sensing emotional states. I am.

I had this a number of times at college, didn't comprehend what this person was saying to me until I read this question.. it may well the old Aspie face/stare thing.
I think I've always been aware of others' inner emotions, always found it confusing though as what many people show isn't how they're feeling inside..

 

[wyverary]

I am always lost in some form or another...Lost at Sea is a common place for me to hang out...

Yes, I already know I'm lost, thankyouverymuch.

 

[Hedgehog Instigator]

It's just so tough to look back on a long life and realize why things went so wrong as they did. Wrongs that I cannot go back and "right". At times it's heartbreaking to reflect on how my autism has impacted my life given I didn't know what it was, and that neither did anyone else around me at the time.

You and I both, but I realize I wouldn't have the things I am grateful for either. Or I would not have appreciated them as much.

 

[AsheSkyler]

People are more prone to ask if I'm upset or if something's wrong when I space out. Other than that, only remarks made to me by strangers is standard chit chat in stores or at check-out lines.

 

[Arlais]

I get the "you look lost" a lot. It's usually when I've got time to kill, like I'm waiting at the doctor's office or something, and I start spacing out and thinking about the meaning of life or whatever else happens to take my fancy.

At the doctor's office in particular, I spend much time scouring the waiting-room carpet for questionable stains and wondering why they'd put a carpet down in a place sick people are gonna be.. because you never see it in the hospital.. they've more sense.. but I digress..

I'll just be deep in thought with some no doubt gormless look on my face, and suddenly I'll hear a noise and snap back to reality, and there'll be someone standing in front of me, going "I said, are you all right?! You look a little lost." And I'll reply "yes, I'm fine!" all too enthusiastically and then there'll be some kind of weird look given and they'll saunter off, shooting me the occasional back glance, possibly to check that I'm not trying to follow them with my weirdness.

 

[Hedgehog Instigator]

People are more prone to ask if I'm upset or if something's wrong when I space out. Other than that, only remarks made to me by strangers is standard chit chat in stores or at check-out lines.

Lol standard chit chat, truth!

 

[Flinty]

I used to get this expression said to me quite a bit. Now I've quit hanging out in places where I don't know the social directions.

 

[garnetflower13]

I have this a lot. Once, I was standing in the check out lane in a store when this obnoxious guy behind me kept trying to engage me in conversation. I was reading the cover of a magazine on display there, and waiting for the cashier to start ringing up my groceries. His talking threw me off, and I became flustered. He noticed this, and got more pushy. I finally got my stuff paid for and left the store. As I was standing just outside the entrance of the store and calculating how much time I had before my bus should arrive, this guy came out and shouted "You look lost!" I wished I could morph into a large guy for just five minutes and beat the crap out of him. Perhaps that would have taught him to respect boundaries!

 

[Judge]

I have this a lot. Once, I was standing in the check out lane in a store when this obnoxious guy behind me kept trying to engage me in conversation. I was reading the cover of a magazine on display there, and waiting for the cashier to start ringing up my groceries. His talking threw me off, and I became flustered.

You know, that seems to happen more and more these days. I wonder if it has to do with boredom and impatience with people waiting in line?

Such encounters are highly inconsistent for me. Sometimes I will engage them, and other times I'll practically ignore them and won't say a word. I suppose it depends on my mood. But yes, unexpected social encounters can be stressful at times.

 

[Ian114]

A homeless guy yesterday told me "you look like you're having a long day." I get told that/ asked if I'm upset all the freaking time, when I'm just walking down the street, thinking.

When I actually AM upset, there's no question about it, haha.

 

[Jambo_nick]

I think what causes the mix up is when you're fixated on a small object/person for a period of time then from someone else's point of view they may think you're staring into space as they won't be focusing on what you're focusing on. Also, experience of interacting with other people will lead them to the most likely outcome which is you're lost in thought. NTs will build the most likely situation in their mind based on what they see. They also get it wrong sometimes. Thinking through your situations based on several probable outcomes and acting on the most likely one while recognising the less likely ones as a possibility is a positive step in conquering the social world.

 

[Ellylldan]

"You look lost", "Are you alright?", "Something happened?" - I get these way too often.. I know they mean well, but these questions make me feel so uncomfortable. Sometimes, when I am in some difficult social situation, I'm trying so hard to fit in, to enjoy myself, to smile more. And just when I'm thinking to myself: "Oh, this time I think I'm doing pretty well!", someone comes to me and asks if I'm alright. I say very optimistically "yes yes, thank you!" so the person goes away and I just feel so bad, like no matter how hard I try I can never make it, or what?! Even if I think that I am smiling (even my facial muscles feel like I'm smiling!), I am very often told by my husband that my smile wasn't visible at all, I looked bored or sad or just lost.

I am naturally a very emotional person, when I'm happy or excited, I tend to be very expressive. But I can be like that, be myself, only with very few people I trust and in a comfortable situation. And in most of social gatherings I just don't feel like I belong and so I just sit there physically but my mind is elsewhere.

 

[dee]

I can definitely relate. I mainly get "is everything ok?" or "you look lost", especially when I'm deep in thought or trying to decide what activity I want to do next.

 

[Veggie87]

Yes!

I once had an extremely embarassing momement. I was in a small work meeting. I got lost in my thoughts and I was staring at nothing. I just dazed off. Well turns out I wasn't exactly staring at nothing. I was staring at the trainer's boobs! She noticed right away and put a sweater on. I didn't even realize it until she made it so obvious.

I tend to stare at patterns and then I get lost in my thoughts.

I'm not a pervert I swear

 

[Ste11aeres]

Yes!

I once had an extremely embarassing momement. I was in a small work meeting. I got lost in my thoughts and I was staring at nothing. I just dazed off. Well turns out I wasn't exactly staring at nothing. I was staring at the trainer's boobs! She noticed right away and put a sweater on. I didn't even realize it until she made it so obvious.

I tend to stare at patterns and then I get lost in my thoughts.

I'm not a pervert I swear

I believe you! I've had similar moments. Many, many.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

Yes!

I once had an extremely embarassing momement. I was in a small work meeting. I got lost in my thoughts and I was staring at nothing. I just dazed off. Well turns out I wasn't exactly staring at nothing. I was staring at the trainer's boobs! She noticed right away and put a sweater on. I didn't even realize it until she made it so obvious.

I tend to stare at patterns and then I get lost in my thoughts.

I'm not a pervert I swear

That's so funny! I was at the HOA meeting once and I was sitting across from this woman I know and she had this sparkly shirt on that I was just completely transfixed! I knew I wasn't going to stop looking at it, so I just came out and told her "I know it looks like I'm staring at your chest, but I'm really looking at the design on your shirt." It's not like she had anything to flaunt anyway.