WhiteWave

Hi!
Really quick note: To anyone who recognizes my SN from the last two years - I'm still on the sober boat! I got offline for a while because I was concered I was getting kind of addicted to surfing the net. Anyway, I'm over that, I'm feeling pretty darn good in my sobriety, and have been treating my diagnosed acute bipolar and anxiety disorders.

Now,to my subject.

I've been told by a few psychs (ologists and iatrists) that I tend to be hyper-aware. After some browsing here today via google, I came across the term ASD, or Attention Surplus Disorder. I think this term truly fits my issue, but there seems to be a great void of info on the topic. Most things I've found have been largly satirical. So, since I've had so mutch support and insight from these boards, I'm coming here again for help.

This "condition" is extremely benneficial in my job and my hobbies, but it causes me a lot of stress in my interpersonal relationships.

I'll try to explain a little:
My attention will be drawn to details or patterns that don't even register to most people in a given circumstance,and I'll commit them to memory better than an elephant (*wink*). This makes me an excellent video editor, and customer service person.... but it leaves me easilly frustrated with people close to me. I'm getting picked up here by my partner in a few minutes, so I'll stop here and add more when I get to his place.

Thanks for reading so far, and I'll add more soon.

Thanks!

WW

Dee74

Welcome back White Wave - good to know you're doing well

I have absolutely no experience with ASD but I do have experience with 'Dr Google' - it's VERY easy to read something and apply it to ourselves - I'm not saying you're wrong, but I would try and get your suspicions confirmed by a competent medical professional...they would likely have more information too

D

WhiteWave

Thanks Dee!

I was using Dr. Google (I love that BTW; I'm going to have to start using it *wink*) kind of on a whim after trying to find a wikipedia article on hyper-awareness (which is a real part of my MH diagnosis from more than one doctor). I couldn't find anything there for hyper-awareness, except for some information linking to disassociate personality disorders. Then, I came across a fairly fitting description linked to ASD. Lastly, a search for "attention surplus disorder" didn't turn up anything.... well, deep.

So, coming here in the past, I learned that even if you can't find the right words, at least making an attempt at describing stuff like this usually gets at the least - a sympathetic ear, and at the most, empathy from people with similar symptoms.

The most frustrating part of this, well, I'll just call it a symptom for now, is the inability to filter. One of my Visual Effects professors in college referred to this stuff that most people filter out as "high frequency noise" and it was what made the difference in a good visual effect scene, and an excellent or seamless vfx scene. It's the only good example I could think of. It's like looking at a paragraph such as this in a web forum and instantly noticing all the grammatical or style errors - noticing them so well that at least at first, they stand out more than the content of what was said.

I'd love to just be able to talk with someone without constantly filling in their pauses with my own thoughts about the words they're saying, their tone, the pattern that they're falling into, that they aren't articulating themselves very clearly, etc - all of which is crammed into a matter of milliseconds of thought.... constantly, ad nauseum. Or be able to walk into a crowded room and not find myself acknowledging what people are wearing, how they're standing, that one person keeps unconsciously wiping at they're sleeve, etc.

.... okay, gonna take a break for a bit, maybe make some dinner.

Thanks again Dee for commenting, and I'll try to come up with clearer examples or more thoughts on the matter in a bit.

larrylive

Yup...although I believe mine lies in the "over analyzing" sub-context. And it's funny because whereas I have always thought of myself as A.D.D., because of the constantly shifting thoughts, I have found that I am good at multi-tasking, with an acute attention to detail. Although I wouldn't characterize myself as having that "elephant" memory, because I certainly don't. What I am is very visually stimulated and tend to remember objects/details of things I have seen. I also tend to predict (or try to) what people will say or do.
But you know what, it really doesn't make a bit of difference if all this is defined or catagorized. I really have no want or desire for yet another diagnosis, particularly if it involves resolution by drugs. So if I notice my qiurks are interfering with different parts of my life, I would rather address them and make the appropriate changes myself.

Larry