Taking some things literally

[shadowgirl021]

Hello
I was wondering if taking things literally was a sign if you will of Dyspraxia, maybe not the right phase but not sure what other way to say it. For example my task of the day was to get some bowls and some cloths, I got the cloths but got the coloured bowls used for eating but got the bowl with the cloths as well as they came together, but got told that the coloured bowls had to back to the kitchen where I got them from. A TERRIBLE example I know but it was the only one I could think of, apart from when the postman came and my ex work colleague said post man Pat is here and I literally thought for a second he was, another horrible example but was just wondering if that is a sign or symptom.

Also wondering if this is related to Dyspraxia. When you hear what someone is saying but you do not register what they are trying to tell you. Last year the bus driver told me something around three-four times. At first I heard him but all that came out was "blah" then it resisted and my brain kicked into gear but it was humiliating.

Thank you

[BinaryBovine]

Well, I don't know if its dyspraxia related, but I can definitely relate! There are times someone has to remind me a few times before I do something I'm supposed to. Couple of days ago I was having a terrible time remembering things- I forgot so many things I should have done and it stressed me out enough to forget more. Also when it comes to my brain registering things, I find I have to concentrate harder and harder to understand what people are saying to me, the best way I can describe it is like when you listen to someone with a really really thick accent and it takes a few seconds, or some repeating to understand what they're saying- except I struggle when someone's speaking to me with hardly any accent!

As for taking things literally, again I can think of recent examples when that happened too. I'll get fixated on getting it right, so I'll do exactly as I'm told, no more no less.

[AlleyCat]

Yes, taking things literally is definitely linked to having dyspraxia. It's not that we're incapable of realising that something is meant to be a joke or sarcastic etc, but that it takes longer for the two halves of the brain to work together to interpret the message fully. The left half of the brain interprets the literal meaning of words, then the right half of the brain interprets the context and tone of the message- basically in someone who has dyspraxia, it takes longer for the right half of the brain to cut in and interpret the way the words are being used. One of the reasons why people with dyspraxia can have problems making friends is to do with it taking longer for us to react appropriately to what's being said, so this can then make other people feel awkward or to even regard us as 'weird'. Also, as it takes us longer to decode messages, it is unlikely that we will then think of humorous things to say (where appropriate)- humour is often an important tool in helping people to make friends, so this could be another reason why people with dyspraxia can find socialising difficult. There have been quite a few times where I've taken something literally, then later (when it's too late to give a good response), had an 'ah, so that's what he/she meant' moment.

[BinaryBovine]

Aah! So thats why I struggle sometimes with humour and conversation! I never knew this, thankyou for explaining so eloquently Alley Cat, it makes complete sense now! It also explains why I'm so much more comfortable writing or typing out what I want to say rather than just saying it. If you want to transmit a certain context or feeling over the net, you just use a smiley! so much more straight forward.

Thankyou for teaching me something new today!

[shadowgirl021]

Thank you also for explaining , I also did not know this, though did read on the internet about how the two sides of a brain can be, well I guess is different in someone who is dyspraxic, though not sure how accurate the information is on the internet about Dyspraxia, as I am still even today learning.
Ahhh ok, that would make sense as well, because I did wonder why it took me about two minutes to decide whether my brother for instance was being sarcastic or not so I would be silent then be like "hey" but other times it would be obvious, one of the happiest moments I had was when I could tell my brother was lying (sad I know) "I knew you were lying"
I also meant on the non person side if that made sense, not dealing with emotions and tone of voice. Like someone asked me yesterday if I would like some minced meat and I think it was custard, I imagined mince covered in custard not as I got explained mice pie filling with custard. Like you need to actually say what you would like the person to do "I want you to fetch the bowl with the cloths in"
But thank you again for explaining, it is nice to get an explanation like that which is understandable and to the point.

[Tim G]

I can compleatly relate to taking things littery - what said is said and its that simple.
Its like when somone askes me a question I will give them a responce simpley - its a simple question and a simple answer so why complacate it. Then again I oversimplifie it and make it seam like its sooo easy and that annoys people.

There is a example of a dyspraxic guy who is questioned by the cops about what he is doing (I don't know the situation) and they say "are you being funny with me" and he repplies by saying - really I dont know if I am or not and this really isent the best thing to say to a police officer, and espshlie one who dosent understand your condition.
I know that if this was me then I would do the same thing and if I get into a bad state or were in a bad state then this could end up with me getting aristed - forantuly I have to say that this has not happend for me but it wouldent surprise me if it did.

[Wobble]

I have a real deficit in problem solving - so this really does make it very hard for me to understand things and have flexible thinking! I get eaisly offended by jokes as i take them the wrong way, therfore i dont really like sarcaism....

[shadowgirl021]

haha I guess when people express their problems, they want it to sound as complicated as they think it is, and would hate when they get a rather simplistic response, because a problem should not be that easy and they didn't figure it out for themselves.
It is annoying that the police barge in and deal with majority of things with force or little understanding, they are meant to protect people and surely have a better understanding of people then most, and that should mean having a better understanding of people who have certain difficulties. That is horrible though, I hope the person is feeling ok now. That also reminds me of the film "Adam" when he is staring at the kids and the police ask him what he is doing, then Adam replies "I am staring at the kids" then the police just man handle him.

Sarcasm is annoying especially when you try to work out if was sarcasm or not, but do use it myself, so writing this statement is quite hypercritical. I have found, that if I do not laugh or saying something defensive back someone would say "it was a joke" But think you could judge your surroundings, if the comment is not hurtful and the people around you are laughing then it could be a joke, but yep people should say what they mean without using sarcasm.

[BinaryBovine]

Hehe, its funny you should mention about police and getting the wrong idea shadowgirl1... once when I was at uni I electrocuted a police officer and got away with it!

Its not as bad as it sounds, they were on the lookout for a dangerous character and were going round our flats, there were 3 of them (two men and a woman) and I invited them in and gave them tea and coffee as I obviously had nothing to hide. We were in the living area and one of them spotted one of those reflex games that zaps you if you're too slow, so I got him to hold the handle part and then switched the thing on.... ZZAP!
The other two thought it was hilarious, we all did

[shadowgirl021]

haha, that would have been interesting to watch, when I read the 1st part I was thinking you had like a taser gun or something that you used to shoot down the police officer, but was relieved and was smiling as I read the 2nd part, maybe the police aren't so bad as they saw the funny side. A dangerous character though? which uni were you at?

BTW I like your picture, I remember my brother showing me a website of these animals with those tag lines and he stopped at Socially Awkward Penguin and said that's you!

[BinaryBovine]

Your brother knows me?? Is he one this forum too?
Yeah I feel like socially awkward penguin a lot of the time- the caption on my avatar says 'Ok class, everyone grab a partner'..........
OH GOD NO!

Which pretty much sums up school for me, though I'm not quite so bad now, and you wouldn't think I was socially awkward now, even when I am I hide it fairly well. I found out that the worst thing I can do is try too hard to impress people- don't be a try hard, try hard to be you!

[shadowgirl021]

Oh no I meant that's you as in he was talking about me, sorry I tend to talk like that while explaining about something. no he isn't, though he can be late in going to places, he gets rather angry if I accidently trip over a wire or forget to get something for him when I go shopping "how hard is it to remember to get a pizza"? so if he does have Dyspraxia he is doing a very good job at hiding it.

School was like that for me as well, made friends with a girl though but was not right for me but she was nice. That is good advice, if they do not like you for you then they are not worth knowing about

[Adrastos]

people tell me things as a joke, or kidding and a few months later a year or so ill bring it up and it turns out they where just having me on, i remember information about person job what they like do there karma how i found them to be, there attitude, but what i dont remember is left from right names dates of birth and so on, it can be so frustrating when people kidd, they dont realise how much they are messing with someones head

or how foolish they make them look when they bring the information up later,

[Captain_Ludd]

Wow AlleyCat that’s really quite interesting thanks.
I was wondering if it may be connected to the fact that Dyspraxia is on the autistic spectrum and I know that one of the major symptoms of higher functioning autism is an inability to take things very literally.
I can certainly sympathise I’m pretty good with language itself but I hate when there’s undertones in what people are saying I never pick them up.
As an example for years when I brought people presents they’d say "you shouldn’t have bothered" or "no really I don’t want anything honestly" so one year I stopped thinking I was doing the right thing and it was only when my mom told me it was just a pleasantry people say that i realised (I found out my sister was really upset cos she thought Id forgotten her birthday).
I think another issue may be that dyspraxics struggle to pickup on body language (I know I do) a lot of the time I think the true meaning of what people are saying is in their body language.
So what I tend to say to people if you have something to say to me just say it cos I won’t pick it up otherwise.

[Moot]

What AlleyCat said! Well explained! I get that response trouble all the darn time.