Logic and a compulsion to follow it and all that entails – overthinking and intellectualising, is a serious Autistic problem. I intend to try and counter it with the realisation that Autism has given me a psychic ability in the form of intuition.
In no sense am I claiming to be psychic. But I define ‘intuition’ as a 6th sense, something that my mind and body can be directed by – that it is a sense, a feeling, a perception where information is garnered that could not normally be discovered through the 5 senses, or through logic. Here is an article that basically describes my idea of ‘intuition’:
Following intuition creates fear in me. It draws me to the unknown, without logic or intellectual knowledge learned from clear and discernable sources. It says things can happen that there is no reason to believe – beyond the fact I can see intuition has worked before.
Psychic or the preternatural are common aspects of Autism. Yet they counter the normal definitions and strong inclinations of Autism. Intellect vs intuition, knowledge vs vision seemingly not originating from the person, restricting self exposure for safety vs being open to be led by the unknown. Learning to trust the unseen.
Autistic psychic ability can be seen as a tool to overcome the overly controlled and self imposed isolation from the ‘other’. It does seem to exist. I have observed it in many Autistic adults, and in myself – from dreams that predict the future, or give startling insight to the present, or to moral actions, revealing hidden things. To seeing apparitions, or intellectual visions/apparitions. Some could be hallucinations, and there is no doubt Autistic related hallucinations can and do occur. But not always, in many cases they can be verified by others – or by the fact that the information garnered this way services a very precise and useful purpose.
This is a method that uses an often unspoken Autistic natural ability, so it is helping oneself with the self’s own being. Why it exists is itself illogical. You have a person who is so inclined to be overwhelmed/underwhelmed by the senses; generally has trouble with regulating thoughts and emotions; where discernment of inner and outer states can be very confused. Using the natural senses means the link to the outer world (never mind the inner world) is extremely confused and difficult…and yet it is fairly common to have a heightened 6th sense. But, if it does exist in the Autistic individual, it bridges the problems and barriers in the natural biological, material, aspect of the person. It is as if it is supplied to compensate – and contradict. In the contradiction (to intellectualizing and dependency on material senses – the logical) it offers a balance, a way of not just directing when there are no other means, but a way of correcting a strong imbalance in the system.
I will present in my next article how I intend to focus on this and diminish the countering mental states that cause high chronic anxiety and dependency.
I am not going to give lots of references or evidence. I will keep it simple, I am not a scientist, I am not trying to prove anything. I will present a description of my actions and perceived results. This is never evidence, never a recommendation. But it may act as an inspiration for/against what I am doing, and what I am doing is trying to re-balance the deficits in my thinking and inner states where decision making can go awry. Maybe this is itself a symptom of that deficit, we will soon find out.
Nigel, the Autistic Companion 