AS Metaphors: Trap Doors and Apartment High-Rises

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For those of us on the spectrum, there seems to be a lot of talk and concern about a lack of executive functioning, an inability to STAY in the frontal lobe. What do I mean about "stay" in the frontal lobe? Forgive me for getting sloppy with terminology and brain geography, but for me it just means that at rest I have little capacity to engage in fluid social situations, real-time logistical situations, etc.... This is because my state of awareness is not up "front", but somewhere else, somewhere below or behind. It takes a SUPREME conscious, concerted effort to make the trip up front to entertain fluid situations, to be bombarded with information coming in from people and situations, etc.... And while I'm up front, it's almost as if there is a trap door, it is difficult to find my balance up there because there is a trap door constantly threatening to take me back down below (or behind). As such, it's very difficult to not only "stay" there, but to also maintain some semblance of being able to SELL others that I am usually always up there anyway. It's very clumsy and difficult to sustain for a long time, at least compared to others who are naturally at rest up there anyway.

To put it another way, think about an apartment high-rise in downtown Manhattan overlooking Central Park. Some people LIVE in the penthouse and it's comfortable for them, they have a great view and can see the forest from the trees so to speak. Others may not be on the top floor but still live in the high-rise, maybe not on the very top but even on the 10th floor they still have a decent view of the streets below. But for many of us here, we don't live here... we work in the mail-room in the basement or bottom floor. We might have one window that allows us to see outside, but that's about it. Very difficult to get a good view and understanding of what's going on outside. And what's worse? We don't even live in the building! So as such we only stay "there" (i.e., the "frontal lobe") temporarily during set shifts, and then we have to go back "home" (i.e., below or behind). So the challenge is, do we, through trial and error and through faith in brain plasticity, work our way up to LIVE in at least the apartment on the 10th floor to get a better view? Can we improve this executive functioning over time? Or should we just be at peace with the mail room?

Watcha think about these metaphors? Do you identify with them? Do they make sense?

That is not my experience with executive dysfunction, but it is interesting to hear yours.

My experience is simply that of lacking skills.

Executive Function is about planning complex sets of actions and carrying them out, like organizing an event, running a business, or planning for the long-term future.

Handling fluid situations and balancing multiple incoming stimuli is more directly related to Processing Deficiencies, the ability (or lack thereof) to comprehend and respond appropriately to people, conversation and situations within the moment.

I feel that they're kind of interrelated, but not precisely the same thing.

My elevator can usually reach almost any level, yet I always lock its door open and maintain a clear path to it so a quick return to the bat cave is always possible.

Yea, I call it getting "sucked back into my hole" which sounds depressing but it so exactly what you're describing. I'm definitely somewhere "outback' most of the time.