Something I've always tried to do is make the best out of bad situations, whenever it's possible. This lent well to mental illness because it was a long term bad situation so I have a long time to find any good parts, if I can. I am not officially diagnosed with autism, but I do share a lot of traits.(hyperfocus, special interests, overstimulation, etc.) So I examined those traits and discovered that, if used right, I could perceive more conscious stimuli than most others. It was like having a superpower. I looked at anxiety and PTSD(not yet diagnosed for me but both are in a similar boat to autism for me) and discovered that I had a much more powerful form of threat assessment and problem analysis, both things that could help me. Like with all powers, it has its drawbacks, and some are bad, but I think its important to remember what we can do if we control and focus on the potentially positive aspects. This thread is not to ignore the issues we carry around, but more to talk about things in a bit of a more positive light, when possible. What powers do you have?
Hypervigilance is what i think thats called, ive got that too. Can be pretty useful as long as i dont get stuck in an anxiety loop. I have a pretty great recall of some things, but not much as my memory tends to be spotty otherwise. Im like a tape recorder with some things, i can repeat it exactly how it was delivered in tone, pitch, and pacing even if i cant exactly understand what it conveys.
Oooo that's fascinating! I imagine, with some practice and understanding of how exactly it works, that all could prove VERY useful in stressful situations. ^^
