[tealBumblebee]

How aware are you? And how do you know that you are being aware?

I remember in highschool randomly thinking - "What have I been doing for the last few days?" I knew I had obviously been going to school, but I couldn't remember eating lunch, what I was doing after school, how I had been spending my time - had I watched tv? I don't think i've had a blantantly "unaware" moment like that since.

I know i'm not highly aware of much. I'm usually in my head and feel like i'm "in the present" but I realize once i'm away and think back that I actually wasn't very aware at all.

For instance, I tried to see just how aware I was by thinking - what color is the couch I sit on in therapy every week for the last 7-8 (at the time) weeks? And I simply did not know. I have drawn patterns with my finger in this couch, rested on it, looked at the length, shared it with T one time (facing each other, where the couch would be very much part of my peripherals) - and I couldn't decide if it was blue, or brown? Maybe black? Then it took about 2 more weeks to remember to look at the couch - and it turns out the couch was actually grey plaid .

With the exception of dissociation - how aware is the average "normal" person?

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Interesting thread, Teal. I like to think I'm particularly aware; that in itself being a problem for me, but I know I have moments when I'm not so. xD My memory isn't the best, but I don't attribute that to awareness, so much, since anxiety and OCD often take the spotlight.

[unaluna]

I would say based on my high school journalism class, not very! Reporters are trained to be observant. Eyewitnesses to accidents or crimes are pretty shoddy. Just today I saw a guy almost get run over right in front of me (we have a horrible new local pedestrian law that is actually causing more accidents) and I was distracted.

Just wanted to say - I was not the person driving! I was going to walk across also, but from the other direction as the person who almost got nailed. So the offending driver was right in front of me.

[psychmajortwenty2]

I don't think the average person is very aware. You've all probably heard of that psych study about the gorilla

And also another one where people even changed when the same person was there and didn't notice a different person was talking to them!

It's weird because you think we would have evolved to notice more stuff like this..

I have ADHD. In a way.. I think this makes me more aware because I'm paying attention to everything in the big picture all at once instead of just one piece of it.

It's weird when you realize you're alive. Like, do you ever get that feeling? You realize all of a sudden, holy crap... I am this entity, this being, who is presently staring at another screen in another universe connecting with people I don't even know through a virtual box? Like.. it's nuts! lol

[tealBumblebee]

Originally Posted by psychmajortwenty2

...It's weird when you realize you're alive. Like, do you ever get that feeling? You realize all of a sudden, holy crap... I am this entity, this being, who is presently staring at another screen in another universe connecting with people I don't even know through a virtual box?...

Yes! Most days I don't realize i'm alive. And I wonder how much of this has to do with depression/schizotypal, etc. but also i'm sure a large percentage has a lot to do with me simply being unaware. I'm trying to figure out how to work my way into a "normal" degree of awareness.

[psychmajortwenty2]

Apparently normal awareness isn't good enough. That's why mindfulness is all the rage it seems!

[Travelinglady]

I seem to spend a lot of time "going through the motions," not noticing things. The other day I noticed there was music playing in the waiting room of my therapist's office. I asked how long they had been playing music, and she said it has been months!

[tokiwartooth]

I know I am not always aware, like when I'm driving, I'll get to a certain spot and realize, omg I just drove x number of miles and I don't even remember it! That always weirds me out.

[BeenThereDunIt]

I see people everyday driving down the freeway totally preoccupied with talking or texting on their cell phone or totally immersed in conversation with another occupant of the car and not paying any attention to driving.

It's not only when their driving either. How about the person at the grocery store blocking the aisle with their cart while texting on their phone?

[DenisDonnacha]

I remember reading about how our brain "fills in the blanks" during everyday stuff, and that's also the reason some people think they saw stuff they didn't. they just assumed it would be there.