Difficulty brainstorming

Post Reply New Topic

All throughout my life, my dad likes to quiz me, trying to get me to say things like, "Name 5 things that X." I can usually only answer 2 or 3, and as I try to plug my head for more, my brain starts to feel like it's on fire. As I try to think of more things, all these irrelevant things keep popping up in my mind. I've noticed this issue, not just with my dad, but in other situations as well. I really hate this kind of "test."

I've also been having off and on pain in my ankles for maybe the past month. Last night, I kept getting up and dancing and moving around and sitting straight up and stuff and my ankles were in pain, but it was like this abstract thing, until I actually started thinking about it. I then looked down to see the outside ankles both had red skin around them! I've been trying to lie down more, which has helped somewhat, but my ankles are still painful.

Your dad is trying to encourage your lateral thinking, which is the type of thinking responsible for finding multiple solutions to individual problems. As intelligence is a complicated thing with multiple different types and varieties, not everyone is born with good lateral thinking, but that has no bearing on how "smart" you actually are.

You're pushing yourself mentally too hard, and the stress is slowing down your brain. Next time you hit that mental wall, take a deep breath, relax, and ask your dad if you can go for a five minute walk to try and think of another couple answers. Your dad's presence and expectation of immediate answers is likely part of what is stressing you out, and if you have some time to think by yourself, you'll almost certainly have an easier time of coming up with a couple more responses.

If the tests are becoming unbearable, ask your dad if he can do them less often. Tell him you understand where he's coming from, and you know he wants to help, but let him know that being tested as often as he tests you is stressing you out and making you angry and self-hating. If your dad knows that his constant testing is producing the opposite effect of what he's trying for, chances are he'll do it less. It's important not to be angry or lash out at him when you do this - your father will only see your point of view if he doesn't feel like he's personally under attack.

He's your dad; deep down, he almost certainly just wants the best for you. Help him find that, and help him help you the best you both can.

Thanks. I don't think it's just with my dad, though. I remember doing a verbal fluency task, where I had to name x number of things in category y within a minute. While I was trying to think of things, my thoughts kept getting sidetracked and I had to be very mindful to maintain my concentration on naming those things. At times, I could think of 2 or 3 things in a row, but then had to pause to think of more.

Concentration is always harder when you're on the spectrum, and the only way to improve concentration is to practice it.

So, yeah, it sucks, but you have to keep with it, and keep trying. That's not to say you should force yourself - if you get too stressed and are feeling overwhelmed in any task, don't be afraid to ask for a break to calm down a bit and relax your mind. It's easy for even NTs to be completely swamped when they're assigned a timed test that they're told will show how smart they are, and autism adds another wrinkle to what is already a high stress situation. Breaks really help; think of it like being a sprinter - you don't want to push yourself running until you collapse, you want to do the best you can until you're tired, take a bit to catch your breath, and then do the best you can again.

Always keep trying, never give up, but remember to be kind to yourself and let up when you need it.