That feeling of "otherness" --

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I used to frequently have this warm sense of "otherness" (for a lack of better word) when I was in my late teens, early 20's. It would set in as an emotional, bracing, artistic state of mind during which I did much of my writing. I felt content with the world, wise, comfortable, sad, happy - all sorts of things at once. I later learned to induce it using music. I don't feel it much nowadays, it only seems to come about when there is nothing else occupying my thoughts or energy.

Is this, or similar states this common for autistics? I want to know if others experience it, or anything similar?

Last edited by abyssquick on 15 May 2012, 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

lol I like your name.

what you're experiencing is termed hypo-mania, it's fairly common for those on the spectrum and is different from manic/depressive disorder. music also turns this on for me, it's an increase in neuron firing speed that is very pleasurable and makes you creative.

painters, writers, musicians, and artists in general with manic/depressive disorder produce a high amount of their best art during the manic stage, and next to nothing when it switches.

I think I know what you mean...it could be otherness, a kind of transcendence or euphoria, sometimes with energy but not necessarily, maybe more like an equalibrium between thoughts and words/sounds. Mostly words are empty and awkward but when things are aligned at that point the internal translates to the external and things just flow, whether it is words or music.

I live for such moments

Actually, when I'm in a manic episode, I'm not very functional at all. I've produced some interesting stuff, but am nowhere near as productive. I'm *too* high. I do my most consistent and best work when I'm either at a normal mood, or hypomanic. I've never heard of hypomania being linked to autism. It's one of the mood states in bipolar disorder.

Hypomania is sub-mania. It's an elevated mood, increased euphoria and creativity, among other things, without the dysfunction that the top of mania can have.

I do experience what you describe, an emotional, artistic state of mind where I do my most beautiful and connected work, but it has not much to do with hypomania or bipolar disorder.

I am incredibly inspired by certain music. I am inspired by feelings. I write poetry and music. I get this energized, motivated feeling when I listen to something inspiring.

I have never experienced this. I have also noticed that some describe it as oneness with the world, transcendence, or if someone is the religious type--close to god.
I have no reference for any of this, so I don't know what it feels like. My ability to imagine things is far below average. I don't have an artistic mind at all.

From what I understand, the feelings you describe are uncommon among autistics.

i don't think it is religious or manic...its something else...hard to describe. anyway i definitely don't feel it tonight ;o

I think I know what you're describing. Music triggers the feeling much of the time, and I feel it most late at night.

had sumthing like that when i was 20 first time.. then depends on music.. where im at.. forest or lake makes it happen also.. like the calm.. feels good
just seems to happen tho.. how do you control this?

For me, it's the artistic rush. I can have it for years on, high energy periods, then it's batteries out for years. Right now, I have it. I'm 52 and it feels just like when I was 12. Best feeling in the world.

If you've not read "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi yet, take a look at it, all of you. It deals with notions similar to those of the OP in this thread--the idea that you become "other" or separated from others when you're in a particularly creative state of mind. He draws on lots of examples from art, music, public speaking, etc. I don't think it's that UNUSUAL a feeling. I know I feel the same way when I'm writing or finishing a major editing assignment.

i get that too, sometimes, a state of mind where all sense of the here and now disappears, and all that matters in the universe is whatever you are doing at the time.

the best example was during a concert i gave about a year ago, during a 2-player solo passage (of which i was one of the two): i could literally feel the other persons breathing and was able to match all his movements and rests, up to slight mistakes in intonation, while i was even physically unable to see that person, due to the setup of the stage...

I despise when I get into this state of mind. I can't leave the project until it's finished no matter what! Even if I'm dead tired I still HAVE to complete it, otherwise I will never finish it. Ugh! -.-

I used to get these rather often when I was younger, but as I get older it happens less and less.

i don't know what it is but, it sounds pretty cool. Is the feeling generally nice?