Auditory information retaining during conversation.

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This is all true for me too. I don't think I struggle with understanding what words mean, sometimes I just don't process the words/sounds because my mind is elsewhere.

I also feel like I can only concentrate for a certain amount of time, although the duration of my attention span in a conversation depends on a lot of things - how interesting the topic is, how stressed/tired I am, whether I was thinking about something complicated before the conversation started, etc. And sometimes I'll just get distracted by a weird train of thought, like if someone is telling me a sad story I'll start thinking - oh poor them, this is really sad, they look really sad, what am I going to say etc. And I stop listening. So it seems like I don't care about their sad story because I'm unable to concentrate on their words, but that's not really true at all.

I keep going back to wondering whether I have ADHD. But I keep rejecting the idea because my mind never feels like it's racing or working especially fast, I'm not at all impulsive and have never been hyperactive. So I don't know.

I am SURE I have ADHD, in addition to being on the Spectrum.

A second issue with any information that autistics have is also due to the fact that we use our linear brain to process information. NTs have more significant access to the right side of the brain where information can be processed holistically. Since autistics used the linear portion of the brain, information is processed in small chunks that may result in us not understanding the overall meaning of the information we've been provided.

So, if we are provided with set of instructions, we might remember steps 3, 5, and 8, but not the rest. Also, even if we did remember all of the steps, we might not grasp the underlying purpose of those steps until we completed those steps and view the results. This obviously will seemingly impact memory, even if it's more an issue with how we process information.

It's definitely true for me.

Yes. It's why I interrupt people (when I do). Most people don't present information in "packets" when speaking - they go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on...

If it's a formal lecture (college class) - no problem, I'm there to take notes and listen.

If it's anything casual with one or more people who are just acquaintances anyway - no problem, they usually aren't looking for much back from me, so I take mental notes if anything, just to make sure I don't e.g. ask how their father is later, when they just told everyone about his funeral.

If it's someone I am working with or close to, and it's supposed to be an actual conversation or they're providing info that I need, I will wait a bit to see if they pause to allow me to participate, and if not, I feel no qualms about interrupting when it's necessary (for clarification, to ask a question, etc.) I usually signal this is about to happen by lifting a hand and leaning slightly forward. That seems to help a bit.

(Funny how we're considered rude for interrupting, but the original speaker isn't considered rude for effectively forcing that to happen. There is an art to conversation, largely consisting of remembering that's what it's supposed to be - people take turns.)

I would call this bottom-up processing more than linear. I grasp details in small chunks and have a hard time connecting them to see the bigger purpose of those details. What happens in my mind is associative and very, very non-linear.

You say tomato, I say toMATo. But, we are essentially saying the same thing, and I definitely have the same issue you do in terms of processing. I'm working on learning the muscles in the body and their interaction with each other, and it takes my constantly and repetitively studying. It's like slowly building a wall, brick by brick.

This thread is really interesting!
Thankyou to everyone who wrote in it.

I have the same problem sometimes when I hear but don't understand what someone is saying. Sometimes, if I realise quickly enough, I can kind of replay the sounds in my head and then work out what they are saying. Sometimes if they start talking while I'm thinking about something else, I might not even realise straight away that they are talking.

I already try be aware of auditory overload, like turning off the TV if someone is talking, etc, but I also now understand the idea of processing small chunks of information- this is why I sometimes get lost in conversations and lose where the conversation is going.

Difficulties in remembering information (especially information conveyed in an auditory means e.g., listening) - UGHHH, been there!

Good (to even excellent) results in interpreting the visual presentation of information i.e., text, images, diagrams. Visual learning functioning on overdrive. That "sixth sense" e.g., osmosis can also be quite helpful!

Similar post on difficulties in interpreting, and remembering information:

Problems with Holding and Remembering Information.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=358644

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