How much more "in our own heads" would you say we

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in comparison to the nt population? would u say its a lot more or just a little because we have to analyze the social thing more often?

I don't think it can be put down in absolute numbers or percentages how introverted someone is. That said, it does vary per person on the spectrum.

Also, our introversion is physical; it's part of how our brain functions. The amount of introversion depends firstly on the nature of the syndrome, secondly on personality - whether we'd have been loners or outgoing or anything in-between if it wasn't for our autism.

Having no inherent mental 'windows' into the emotional world of others - empathy by another name - means to me that I (or my mind) become my world. These days, I find that this no longer satisfies me, and I'm taking steps to better communicate with the outside world.

But to answer the question, how MUCH more in our own heads would I say we are? From personal experience: I'm in my own head by default, and have to keep a 'button' pressed in when stepping out of it; while non-autistics will generally (not in all cases, by far), have that switch on automatic, moving freely between their own thoughts and what they can see of either the outside environment or their fellow people/beings that dwell in it.

I live in my own head, though if I am in school or in any situation that I feel is important for me to be in, than I am in the real world. Pretty much, if I am learning anything interesting and/or having a conversation with my friends, than i am not in my own head. Every where else, including in public, I am in my own head, but I have a great sense of awareness that if I encounter a situation that I need to "leave" my head for a bit, than I am able to go into the "real" world. It has to be something that I feel is okay, not something that is forced onto me by other people and their situations. If it is forced by other people, I stay in my head and go even deeper to where the person see's that I am not there. That is because I only care about situations that I want to do, not what other people need and/or want me to do.

You can't say "we" about this as if all autistic people were the same.

The most outwardly autistic person I've met in person was a man in his fifties. He was entirely non-verbal, and only interested in his obsessive interests. But he would sit at meals and go with people on trips and so on, because he knew what they wanted from him.

But once I was upset and this man communicated with me telepathically, saying "you have all the freedom inte world". Meaning, you think you have no choices, but you have more freedom than anybody, certainly more than me. It was like a kind middle-aged man, who's been through more than you have, comforting you, just out of kindness, for no other reason than kindness. He was THERE. You know if you meet a regular person they have a presence, they interact with you emotionally whatever they do, just by being there. Well that once, he did that too.

It made me feel better, but above all it made me know him better. Not that he would care about that - he just didn't want me to be sad.

That may not have much to do with your post but it's what it made me think of.

I certainly have been thinking alot really as there is no none to talk to. Anyway NT people are too demanding always expect this or that and at least when I do think about things a lot such as my specialist interests then no one can get to me to try to make me feel inadequate.

I think there's more freedom inside my head than in the outside world...

For me, I would say I am in my own head A LOT. 45-75% of the time (I really have no idea) . It depends on the person your asking & cannot be easily measured.