Temple Grandin tells us about the different kinds of minds, unveiled by the Autism research.

She talks about photo-realistic visual thinkers, pattern thinkers and the verbal mind (the most common). I’m definitely not a verbal mind.

I’m very good with patterns, I recognise patterns quickly, I solve math problems by using patterns approach instead of Arithmetic.

Nonetheless I’m not fully a pattern thinker. I think in dimensions, shapes, weights and colours. Numbers are multidimensional weighted shapes, music and programming resources are too, each one having color and interface.

My thoughts are not linear. I go back and forth several times, from side to side, top-down and back. When I’m writing I’m not linear: I wrote this very text revisiting and updating every part several times, from beginning to end. Even speaking I do so.

That’s the main problem.

Since I need multiple rounds over the same parts to conclude my speech, the traditional way to talk doesn’t work. My phrases come up unmeaning, the words don’t come easily.

It’s a harsh problem even in my native language, hence in other languages it becomes totally disabling.

That’s how my mind works, it’s not worse than others, and it’s useless trying to change it. Each one has the modus operandi of one’s own mind. Neurodiverse minds just are a way far different from the neurotypical ones – but unfortunately the society is neurotypical and noninclusive.

Also in Medium.