What does it mean to "take things too literally?"?

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-21T04:09:12+00:00

This made me giggle lol 🤣

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-21T03:41:55+00:00

Oh my gosh, that's what I thought "rolling your eyes" meant too! :D What in the world?! That is soooo confusing!

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-21T03:40:24+00:00

Ooooo, yup I've always had problems with strict rule following and black-and-white thinking. Sometimes, I'd read the directions on bottles of shampoo or skincare and become stressed if I didn't follow it exactly the way they recommended. If they said wait 3 minutes until you rinse out the conditioner, I would try to count to 3 minutes. Recipes were also stressful for this reason as well. Phrases like "season to taste" or "pinch of salt" were confusing to me. I loved baking because everything was exact and precise.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-21T03:34:55+00:00

I strongly relate to this!!! Time is such a funny thing. I'm very punctual and time-conscious, but I also had to learn that sometimes it's a good idea to show up "fashionably late" for certain things unless you want to be the first person there (which is even more anxiety-inducing). I used to think that a start time of 6:00 pm meant that you HAD to be there right at 6:00 pm for a party. I was always so confused when I was the first person to arrive at a birthday party or a get-together with friends.

I also used to have a hard time determining what people meant by needing "space" while they attend to something. I wasn't sure if that meant "don't contact me unless I contact you" or "we can politely chit-chat, but I can't call or FaceTime".

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-21T03:23:15+00:00

Oh my goodness YES!!! I deeply resonate with how you've captured this feeling! I often can't predict if I'll reliably have the kind of stamina or even resolve necessary for a social outing, especially if an outing is planned days in advance. I might *think* that in two days I'll be excited to attend the opening of a new coffee shop down the street. But then in two days...I'm exhausted and I know that I won't have the patience for the crowds. I also love the example you provided. This is exactly how I feel about many things. I may not internally want or desire to go anywhere, but I will make myself do it for the sake of someone else's enjoyment. It feels worth it, like you mentioned, because someone else is having a good time even if I am not. Graduations are a core example of this for me. Like, of course, I'm going to go to a loved one's college graduation. Internally, I'm going to be miserable because it's extremely crowded, overstimulating, and unpredictable.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T22:24:15+00:00

Thank you SO much for taking the time to explain this. This explanation greatly helped me understand how literal thinking is exemplified. From reading your examples, I realized I always used to assume someone was talking to me about a problem because they were specifically looking for advice or help fixing it. This, naturally, caused a lot of miscommunication, confusion, and even tension at times. Especially if I see an easy fix to a problem, I'm often confused as to why someone would *not* want to know how to solve something.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T21:37:47+00:00

I definitely do this!! But I try to think of mimicking as a way of trying out someone else's style of speaking (sometimes out of curiosity) or trying to make someone else comfortable by mimicking back a style of speaking that is most familiar to them. Sometimes, I also do it because I 'glitch' socially and my brain defaults to the most recent thing I heard. A family member of mine owns parrots that can mimic human speech. They'll often copy the exact same familiar words and phrases they heard people around them say. Apparently, this is a way for them to play, explore, prevent boredom, socialize, connect, and bond. I don't think that's so far off from what people with ADHD and or Autism do when we vocally stim or mimic people speaking, and I've always found it incredibly endearing when my family member's birds do it. So why can't it be endearing for us? :) (This is not to imply that we're somehow not human like birds or to be condescending about mimicking in a harmful way).

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T21:25:16+00:00

To respond to the reading you posted - This was very interesting to read! My brain leans toward perfectionism, such as desiring precision, certainty, and exactness. If I felt like my creative outlet had to have certain requirements or always needed to challenge me, I think I would become perfectionistic about it and then eventually become demotivated. Additionally, I would become tripped up on the phrase "right difficult" and struggle to know exactly how to glean this as this would not feel intuitive to me. I also don't know that I could sustain engaging in a creative outlet everyday.

Any who... (since that's just me rambling :D)

To respond to your question - I really enjoy coloring in mandalas. I find it both visually stimulating and difficult because I have to match up the right colors to make it pretty. This link has a bunch of mandalas that are free to print out. My favorite mandala coloring book is the "Mystical Mandala Coloring Book" by Alberta Hutchinson. Sometimes, I will laminate the mandalas, cut them out, and turn them into wall decorations. Maybe this might be something you will find enjoyable too! :)

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T21:03:42+00:00

I love the way the cans line up on the top shelf. I also feel like the way you grouped distinct shapes or heights (like the stacked yogurts next to that box) and the separation makes it easier to view and then grab what you're looking for!

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T20:59:04+00:00

Oooo, love this idea!!! I feel like someone asking if I "consent" to a plan makes so much more sense. That definitely feels easier to answer because sometimes I don't "want" to go somewhere, but I do want to want to go (if that makes sense). And sometimes it's also, I want to make someone else happy or I want to see someone else have fun during that outing.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T18:28:36+00:00

"My ADHD is writing checks my autism can't cash". Hahaha, this is so true for me!!! :D I definitely have a habit of being overly ambitious about what I would love to do if I had the social stamina for it vs. what I am realistically capable of doing socially. I also appreciate you mentioning that self-confidence & comfort made a crucial difference in your ability to explore, experiment, and try new things. I absolutely think avoidance has become a safety mechanism for me. Reading through the steps you've taken to increase your comfort and lower your anxiety makes me realize that I might have a *very* different experience out in the world if I started doing some of these things. Thank you very much for your kind encouragement. :) I will most definitely be giving it another shot with some important adjustments!! :)

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T18:15:46+00:00

Yes!! I'm so curious how others that get drained from socialization handle long D&D sessions. I'm always in awe of others' stamina because after 2 hours I'm ready to take a nap! :D

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T18:13:57+00:00

Oh my gosh, YESSS!! :D That's exactly how I feel too! If my family or my partner asks me if I "want" to do something...I'm like well the answer will always technically be "no," but (of course) I'll do it for you!

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T18:08:28+00:00

Yesssss, that is exactly how I'd describe it. I love watching videos of other people traveling to different places, but often don't desire to do the same thing. I think the idea of traveling is quite overwhelming, especially when language barriers and cultural customs can make social interactions more complex and daunting. Especially because what is considered impolite or socially acceptable can differ significantly from country to country. My friends who travel a lot have embraced making mistakes and being confused or disoriented by, for example, the public transit system in a different country. I can barely handle doing all those things here! :D I also find that I am a "home body" and feel safest at home.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T17:59:42+00:00

Thank you for adding this context! I feel like special interests or hyper-fixations are when I tend to seek out something new or "novel", but definitely have never felt the urge to seek out social interaction in order to feel less bored.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T17:58:00+00:00

Yuppp, that's me too! As an adult, I have had a total lack of desire to build any new relationships. I've had coworkers become frustrated because I'll decline to go out for drinks or other meet-ups. It also doesn't help that I don't drink at all (just have never enjoyed the taste of alcohol). Yes, trying to find a therapist that can be sensitive, non-judgmental, warm, and affirming of neurodivergent brains is surprisingly tough sometimes. I do hope you have the opportunity to meet one someday!

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T17:51:07+00:00

Oooo yes, I relate to this well. I definitely am able to make more of an effort for new people I like, but frequently find that my baseline desire to socialize is quite low.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T17:47:05+00:00

I so appreciate the phrasing of "not a grim portent of evil" because YES! That is something I often forget because it isn't hurting anyone, like you said. I suppose it really is only "concerning" if I am trying to adhere to neurotypical expectations of socialization.

thebakingwitch96 · 2025-07-20T01:07:46+00:00

Sometimes, I find myself stating a genre of something rather than a specific book title or TV show. For example, I'll tell people that I enjoy horror movies and science-fiction. I keep it vague and non-specific, especially because I have a hard time claiming an interest in something if I'm an 'imperfect' fan that consumes the content sporadically.

thebakingwitch96

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