Does having Asperger's make it hard to think positive?

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I have allready worked out what this is all about. And it starts with two words & both are
S_ _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ _ _. & I don't think it really exists.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/0 ... -thinking/

Obviously negative thinking is something both us and the NT's do. But I do think people within the spectrum would be more inclined to lack positive thought, due to the problems it brings and being different from most of the population. I know this is the case for myself as I can get quite frustrated when I've not done very well socially that day, and I tend to over analyze the problems I have in my life. At the same time though, I usually try to be positive about life as it is too short to dwell on these things for too long. But I don't believe in positive thinking in the sense of ignoring issues in you're life and merrily hoping things will get better, because by doing that you are simply living in denial and you're problems will be there waiting for you when you emerge from you're ignorant bliss. I should know, as that is how I lived my life throughout my school years.

I don't care whether the world is a positive or negative place - I'm capable of having fun. That's positive thinking.

I often get so utterly intense - for a moment of time - about horribly negative stuff - so no, optimism definitely isn't simply about ignoring or denying reality but it can include being very intense about hellish circumstances and awful emotions - but if I didn't, I don't think I could be as intense about positive experiences.

What's going to happen is going to happen. Preparing is good - at least I think it's good to prepare if preparations or a lack of preparations will influence the outcome. Being autistic, I know lots of things are hard and I don't become non-autistic but I can prepare. And while preparations almost never make things "perfect" (unless we're talking about a perfect score on a test) they do create positives amidst the bad things.

Dwelling, being stuck on - as opposed to exploring the possibility in great depth to figure out out just how bad it was or will be - on great disasters and personal tragedies and how there is the possibility of a negative outcome to almost everything while ignoring all the amazing stuff there is all around us every day, all those little things - well, that's pessimistic, right?

Maybe some people don't care or they haven't yet stopped to think about it, but I don't want to miss out on anything so while I do think that negative thinking has it's time because negative experiences are perfectly real (and ignoring them can't be overly healthy), it's can't be a 24/7 occupation during which a vast amount of positives get ignored and rejected. Ignoring positives probably aren't the best way to making note of positives and to experiencing positive moments in life.

Life sucks, then you die. I don't know what that's called. Life, probably.

My mother jokes that I'm only happy when I'm depressed (I don't get depressed; I'm just apathetic).

For me, when things are getting down and/or I have trouble seeing how I'm going to get through the day, I focus on interests and what I can do with them. Right now at school, things are fairly stressful and hectic---so I am thinking and planning things concerning my interests. I am working on a book that includes things associated with my interests---it is fun researching and thinking about how I can incorporate them into the storyline.

I am also the organist at the church I attend, so a lot of the time I am hearing music ideas in my head to use for preludes. That can help me through bothersome times because this kind of thinking is relaxing and exciting for me.

These are a couple of the various things I do to help keep me positive in life.

Well I am off been nice talking to you all. Maybe one day you will figure it out. Or maybe not

Funnily enough, although I'm sure I qualify as a depressive realist, I don't believe I'm prone to depression. For a thing to make me really sad, it has to be a surprise. As Alice said, "After this, I shall think nothing of falling downstairs."

I'm sure it's conceivable that there could be a jolly repair man somewhere - somebody who deals with faults and brokenness all the time, but still remains cheerful. Perhaps it's a sign of maturity and leadership potential when a person can see how awful the world is but doesn't let it get them down?

To me yes, its the main reason why my life is house manure.

F*** Aspergers.

I mean damn it makes it much harder just to get job wheres If I was a NT things would be a bit easier.

Yes, i know many NT's struggle to get employment as we all know can see from events such as "Occupy wall street" but for many people on the spectrum its MUCH harder to get a job. And for some its hard to keep it due the crappy effects of this condition.

Not to mention much harder to find companionship.

Only thing positive that comes out of being a aspie for me is the special interests, even then those negative effects can reduce your enjoyment of said special interests.

The article you posted says what I've been banging on about for years. Recommended reading for anybody contemplating changing their life by adopting a "more positive attitude."

I also thought that my link was quite relevent and useful, but I'm not going to walk away just because nobody has praised me for posting it.

Cool. That's what I say these days when people protest/what I think to myself when I protest. It never fails to make me grin.

Not for that reason, we fade away all the time. Without you noticing or some might.

Reality provides both positive and negative feedback. By anticipating or analyzing a situation prior to its occurence one then either faces facts or fantasizes about that occurence. The question is then how does one face reality.

You didn't actually leave at all, did you?

Thanks TechnoDog for that link, I enjoyed reading it.

For anyone curious about the idea of Fearlessness in it I would recommend, as is stated in the "Everybody's free (to wear sunscreen)" song (youtube linking disallowed for newbies such as m'self) , do one thing every day that scares you. The point being to learn that you're capable of much more than you might imagine you could ever be comfortable doing.

I spend much time between jobs and when the overdraft gets scary and the bills come too frequently and my CV starts to seem so life threateningly critical that I begin to obsess endlessly over every minute detail of it I'm served well by the memory of my rock climbing days. Being halfway up a cliff with arm muscles cramping up and shaking with exhaustion and clouds overhead (rain can make rock slippery), knowing that I'm relying on gear that someone else has placed in the rock face to catch me if I fall tends to focus the mind and put everything else into perspective. Suddenly the bills and everything else in my life don't seem nearly so intimidating.

Granted, having re-read that it sounds horrific but believe it or not I had a big sissy girl fear of heights before I started. I was utterly terrified and fairly sure that I was going to die and not at all confident that I would ever see the point in it or derive any pleasure from it but after about 6 months or so I was totally over it and was getting almost as good technically as I was confident. I laugh when I look back and realise that the first stage of becoming comfortable was getting to the point where I thought "Well, if I fall from here there is no way I'll live to feel any pain." and from then on just rushing to get high enough from the ground that I wouldn't be conscious through the experience of 4 broken limbs. (not that this was ever a significant risk as all appropriate gear and safety precautions were used) If I ever doubt my self it does me a lot of good to remember the feeling of pushing myself to get over that. It's like a talisman for use in case of fear. I should say that I was very fortunate in the support that I had when doing so and wouldn't recommend to anyone to go out climbing without some people they trust. And I mean really trust, like trusting that they're as capable as they think they are and as decent human beings as you would like to think they are. Not that I've had a bad experience but I was making myself vulnerable and obviously it's best to get a second opinion on whether or not that's wise given the people you're considering doing it with.

Anyway, now that I've typed this up and re-read it about a thousand times I can't quite remember what my point was, it felt cathartic to type it though.

Oh yeah and 1st post so "Hi all" and take it easy on me.

B.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/M ... kingViolet

Gone for real now. Not hanging around been labelled by disorders. If anyone read the BBC news link I gave, on the mental health. Like I said sooner you tell them where to shove it, they will not be able to make money off of you.

They was actually clues left in it about me. But I figured you guys are not very good at re-shaping information.

Aspie + hint =