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Old 03-03-2013, 03:41 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
11 posts, read 15,809 times
Reputation: 17

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Over the years (starting from about eighth grade), I've slowly mopped myself into Type A, and I don't know how it happened or how to stop it. I just started college in February, and I'm currently taking Psych 101. The reason I'm here now is in fact due to that class.

I'm having a hard time wording this right, so I'll just speak bluntly. Is Type A preventable or treatable? I wasn't always like this, but I've gotten so bad about everything that I can't help but notice and want to change it. I absolutely cannot stand acting the way I do.

In order to ease my anxieties, I don't play video games, watch TV, or listen to loud music anymore. I plan well ahead of time to minimize surprise or fear, I only drink water, I've taken precautions to limit my salt intake, and prior to my injury I ran.

As for the problems, I have to go in to school forty-five minutes early just so I don't freak out. My mind is always running a hundred miles a minute with concerns, mistakes, and what's left to come and how it can go wrong. I become irate when people cannot meet my level of work expectancy—mostly includes group projects—and even more so when they expect me to slow down for them. I find it difficult to socialize, specifically because I have a tendency to doubt everything that is said to me, and I also feel that each conversation is like an interview. When questions are asked I get straight to the point and answer quickly. When approached in public I tend to feel that there is an ulterior motive in speaking with me—in several cases I have been correct to think so. When I do something wrong—intentional or not—I feel so incomprehensibly guilty that I think about it for days. My temper is easily triggered and sometimes I wind up breaking things that are important to me just to make myself feel remorse over anger. At times I have slammed my fist at a wall to calm down.

To cut my rambling to a close I'm typically always stressed out, and the only time I find myself relaxed is while I'm running, and as of late I cannot run; I have no alternatives. I'm truly getting concerned for my health and I'm officially worn down both mentally and physically. I could really use some tips or direction.
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Old 03-03-2013, 11:27 AM
 
4,761 posts, read 14,288,731 times
Reputation: 7960
I'm smiling to myself reading that part about being impatient with other people who are less competent or slower thinking than you are.

That is me!

Also this is an intelligence thing. Most people will take things one step at a time... A, then B, then C. I can go directly to step C and not mess with the prior steps. And I get impatient with people who are slower and need to go one step at a time.

If I try explaining that the result will end up at step C, they don't get it...

Anyway many moons ago I was promoted to the job of manager. Another manager took me aside and gave me some good advice. He said "You are highly competent and can do your job better and faster than other people. But as a manager you can't be doing everyone else's jobs for them. So you MUST allow other people to do their jobs at their speed and be patient with them. You can't expect them to do things as fast as you can. Let them do their jobs at a slow pace and tell them they are doing a good job. Be patient!"

That was a very difficult thing for me to do. I still can't do that! I agonize inside watching and waiting for someone else eventually get to step "C"!

But I have learned to keep my trap shut.

All I can say is to accept yourself for the way you are. Step "C" is keeping your "trap" shut when working with other people who are slower.

And it can be refreshing to hang around an environment or find friends who are like minded. Check out Mensa. Hang around a top university graduate school.

And do the opposite. Maybe volunteer to work with developmentally disabled people. THAT will teach you some patience. Also working with young kids is a good patience builder.

So far as your temper, you might want to consider going to an anger management group. Check with your student health service. (I was quite angry at times when I was younger. I now think it is funny some of the stuff I did - mostly harmless. But I have mellowed out with age.)

Anyway if I had a business, I would prefer to hire someone like you. It is a good thing!
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Old 03-04-2013, 06:17 AM
 
936 posts, read 2,061,308 times
Reputation: 2253
Quote:
Originally Posted by EmkBot View Post
Over the years (starting from about eighth grade), I've slowly mopped myself into Type A, and I don't know how it happened or how to stop it. I just started college in February, and I'm currently taking Psych 101. The reason I'm here now is in fact due to that class.

I'm having a hard time wording this right, so I'll just speak bluntly. Is Type A preventable or treatable? I wasn't always like this, but I've gotten so bad about everything that I can't help but notice and want to change it. I absolutely cannot stand acting the way I do.

In order to ease my anxieties, I don't play video games, watch TV, or listen to loud music anymore. I plan well ahead of time to minimize surprise or fear, I only drink water, I've taken precautions to limit my salt intake, and prior to my injury I ran.

As for the problems, I have to go in to school forty-five minutes early just so I don't freak out. My mind is always running a hundred miles a minute with concerns, mistakes, and what's left to come and how it can go wrong. I become irate when people cannot meet my level of work expectancy—mostly includes group projects—and even more so when they expect me to slow down for them. I find it difficult to socialize, specifically because I have a tendency to doubt everything that is said to me, and I also feel that each conversation is like an interview. When questions are asked I get straight to the point and answer quickly. When approached in public I tend to feel that there is an ulterior motive in speaking with me—in several cases I have been correct to think so. When I do something wrong—intentional or not—I feel so incomprehensibly guilty that I think about it for days. My temper is easily triggered and sometimes I wind up breaking things that are important to me just to make myself feel remorse over anger. At times I have slammed my fist at a wall to calm down.

To cut my rambling to a close I'm typically always stressed out, and the only time I find myself relaxed is while I'm running, and as of late I cannot run; I have no alternatives. I'm truly getting concerned for my health and I'm officially worn down both mentally and physically. I could really use some tips or direction.
From what you wrote, there could be any of a number of things going on, both psychological and physical. Your adrenal glands could be dumping epinephrine. You could have an anxiety or mood disorder--GAD and hypomania come to mind. When did you first notice a change in your own behavior that worried you?

You didn't mention how well you're sleeping. Any insomnia? Hypersomnia (oversleeping)?

When was the last time you saw your GP?
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Old 03-04-2013, 02:10 PM
 
831 posts, read 1,965,052 times
Reputation: 1225
Is Type A preventable or treatable?

I don't think I like that question or the feelings behind it....and it is doing no credit to you to ask if you can totally alter your personality or have it treated like an illness. You can change your attitude about parts of your personality and you can always adjust your [emotional] behavior accordingly, but you are who you are. I am a type A, and I prefer to use it to my advantage than lament my shortcomings or treat it like a disease!!!

In order to ease my anxieties... I ran.

I prefer brisk walking and talking to myself. Ha.

As for the problems, I have to go in to school forty-five minutes early just so I don't freak out. My mind is always running a hundred miles a minute with concerns, mistakes, and what's left to come and how it can go wrong.

Ok in high school I was this way. A type A, confident introvert has a hard time in school. Plus I find there is a lot of "noise" out there. My definition of noise: irritating loudness, I hear conversations all around me, I notice. every. damn. thing. - it's like visual and auditory pollution. It all gets stored in my mind, whether I want it to or not and is retrievable from the mental file at will. I hear other peoples' conversations, could glance at other people writing or reading and it will be stuck in my mind forever. I had to tame this, it can make a person insane (THIS may be physiological). Since after high school, I have turned that constant running of the mind and worry into "Whatever happens, I know I'm pretty much assured and completely confident in my skills and abilities to be able to fix it without freaking out like everyone else does." It has taken the edge off that constant fear of mistakes feeling immensely.


I become irate when people cannot meet my level of work expectancy—mostly includes group projects—and even more so when they expect me to slow down for them.

Blerch...^^^THIS is a perpetual problem. I see it as standing over a stadium and seeing the entire game from above...everyone else seems to be on the field and seeing just what's in front of them. At 40 years old I still have problems with this. As the next poster stated, we don't have a choice but to work with slower people. And the spectrum of slower is wider and has more shades of gray than you think. That is something you WILL have to work on, I know I have.

When questions are asked I get straight to the point and answer quickly.
I'm not a chit-chatter either. If you have ever heard someone say "wow tell us how you really feel" and "well OK then!" you know what I'm talking about. Chit-chat is a social dance made up by several types of people [personalities] who need it. It's a way of seeking out information and keeping that information flowing for no other reason than to feel needed (they need the info I have = they need me). As I understand it, it may be an intro/extra- verts thing. Or an Aspergers' thing, but I don't agree that it's always a "disease to be diagnosed and therefore treated." Similar to shades of gray in the worker spectrum, imagine that x1 billion as far as the personality spectrum: and then to find multitudes behave this way? I don't find that a 'disease' in the traditional sense [like cancer] at all. Maybe it's just me.

When approached in public I tend to feel that there is an ulterior motive in speaking with me—in several cases I have been correct to think so.
I approach this as a very intuitive gut. Be glad you have it. A lot of people don't: you can read about them every day on CNN about how they lost millions; were swindled; etc. Just do yourself a favor, even though you find yourself right a majority of the time (as I do, and I attribute it to reading people very easily), give them one extra chance. Don't go ignoring your gut, just give them an extra chance.

When I do something wrong—intentional or not—I feel so incomprehensibly guilty that I think about it for days.
My mom, dad and I are all like this: introverts with an absurdly heavy sense of guilt and overactive fear of making mistakes. Can't help you here, just know that you're not the only one! Some mistakes I will never shake, others I have to forgive myself for.

You are going to have to stop dissecting parts of your personality and putting a bad label on them. And don't let anyone else do that either. For every insult one can hurl at a Type A personality, I have two "recommendations" for Type Bs.

I highly suggest getting some books on emotional intelligence. It may assist in the way you react to situations based on your personality.
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Old 03-04-2013, 04:01 PM
 
Location: Atlanta
4,439 posts, read 5,520,230 times
Reputation: 3395
As a solidly Type "B" person, I'd much rather that Type "A"s didn't exist at all...lol.

Seriously, though, I've never understood why certain people are so obsessed with some of the things discussed above, like not having patience for folks working at a slower pace, etc. I have a severe hearing impairment, so when someone's talking fast and not being willing to slow down and make sure I understand something, then it's not going to be a happy situation for either of us...lol. Seriously, why the constant worry? Why the need to always be "on top of things" and be so stressed out by work and doing things, all the time? It's all a giant puzzle to me that people can be this way.

As for me, I like long periods of quiet reflection, time to do just nothing at all, to think about what's "out there" instead of worrying constantly about what needs to be done right now. I play games for fun, not to win. I'm the last person in the world that would be considered a workaholic. And I don't multitask, and I take those who do to "task" for trying to do everything at once. For goodness sakes, slow down and enjoy life a little!

If a Type A doesn't like how I do something and/or how long I'm taking, just do yourself a favor and do it yourself - I don't mind, really, I don't. Just gives me more time to stare at the leaves on the trees (and yes, I do that a lot ).

However, I know that Type "A's" just can't help themselves, just like I can't help for being a solid "B" - heck that's the first letter of my name...lol. Each to his/her own, I say - just be a bit more understanding of others is all I ask.
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Old 03-07-2013, 02:08 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
11 posts, read 15,809 times
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Just to clarify, there is no offense intended in anything I say. I have a tendency to not mince my words, so please bear with me.

To say, 'slow down and enjoy life a little' is like asking an athlete with physical injury to get over it. I cannot force myself into an immediate state of relaxation. Probably stated above in different words. Though, I appreciate the view from a Type B. I'm sure you are as impatient with us as we you.

I do have a few questions, if you will, because this is a puzzle to me as well.

When you 'do just nothing at all,' do you consider the things that should be done(let's say it's homework of some sort) as a secondary importance for the sake of fun and relaxation (is it more important to you that your mentality is in check, as opposed to work)? If so, how do you maintain that thought, and does it stick somewhere in the back of your head that there is work to be done? If so, then don't you eventually bring yourself more stress when it comes to accomplishing the task before it must be complete? (that is assuming there is a deadline)

Reading that last bit back to myself, it sounded really insulting. I definitely don't want to insult you by asking so bluntly, or in such an outrageously callous manner. As I stated before, socialization is not a skill I possess.

I do appreciate the response, and the content of your reply. Hearing back from someone with an opposite personality is interesting to say the least. Once more, I hope you are not offended in any way.

Last edited by EmkBot; 03-07-2013 at 02:28 AM.. Reason: Figured out how to work this forum
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Old 03-07-2013, 02:26 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
11 posts, read 15,809 times
Reputation: 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by RockJock1729 View Post
From what you wrote, there could be any of a number of things going on, both psychological and physical. Your adrenal glands could be dumping epinephrine. You could have an anxiety or mood disorder--GAD and hypomania come to mind. When did you first notice a change in your own behavior that worried you?

You didn't mention how well you're sleeping. Any insomnia? Hypersomnia (oversleeping)?

When was the last time you saw your GP?
Well, when you say GP, I'm assuming you're talking about my doctor. The last time I saw my doctor--which was not for psychological reasons--was about two months ago.

The first occurrence in which I noted that my personality was becoming a problem would have to be about a year and a half ago. The stress began to swell, and the way I started handling it was probably nowhere near to a healthy response. At first I bottled it up, it had previously worked for years without incident and I was confident in my ability to simply hold it in. Clearly, that was not such a good idea. I destroyed just about all of my most important or treasured items. Everything barreled out at once and I wasn't just angry about what tossed me over the edge, everything I had kept in pissed me off. If I had to say there was a fine point in time to decide where I was worried, that should be it. As I said, I stopped bottling it in, and when I got angry I got angry out loud. The only problem there is that it's been happening more frequently, and to avoid pushing my family over their limits I have moved back to bottling emotions.

The thought of acquiring a psychiatrist did occur to me, but it feels like there's always some reason why I can't do that; i.e. school, moving, car troubles, illness, injury, etc.

Sleep wise, my circadian rhythm (coincidentally, I just learned about this in class) was completely off for a while, but as I started school I got on regular track of time..then it completely twisted again. Lately, my sleep cycle has been weird, though I do question whether or not it relates to my psychology class. I continuously wake from my dreams, and I just haven't had a very proper night's rest. I would, however, say no to Insomnia and Hypersomnia.
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Old 03-07-2013, 02:52 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
11 posts, read 15,809 times
Reputation: 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy_J View Post
I'm smiling to myself reading that part about being impatient with other people who are less competent or slower thinking than you are.

That is me!

Also this is an intelligence thing. Most people will take things one step at a time... A, then B, then C. I can go directly to step C and not mess with the prior steps. And I get impatient with people who are slower and need to go one step at a time.

If I try explaining that the result will end up at step C, they don't get it...

Anyway many moons ago I was promoted to the job of manager. Another manager took me aside and gave me some good advice. He said "You are highly competent and can do your job better and faster than other people. But as a manager you can't be doing everyone else's jobs for them. So you MUST allow other people to do their jobs at their speed and be patient with them. You can't expect them to do things as fast as you can. Let them do their jobs at a slow pace and tell them they are doing a good job. Be patient!"

That was a very difficult thing for me to do. I still can't do that! I agonize inside watching and waiting for someone else eventually get to step "C"!

But I have learned to keep my trap shut.

All I can say is to accept yourself for the way you are. Step "C" is keeping your "trap" shut when working with other people who are slower.

And it can be refreshing to hang around an environment or find friends who are like minded. Check out Mensa. Hang around a top university graduate school.

And do the opposite. Maybe volunteer to work with developmentally disabled people. THAT will teach you some patience. Also working with young kids is a good patience builder.

So far as your temper, you might want to consider going to an anger management group. Check with your student health service. (I was quite angry at times when I was younger. I now think it is funny some of the stuff I did - mostly harmless. But I have mellowed out with age.)

Anyway if I had a business, I would prefer to hire someone like you. It is a good thing!

Well, it's nice to hear that the competence issue is more of an intelligence thing, and that I'm not alone as far as that's concerned.

I completely understand the step A, B, and C thing. I often look for the most efficient way in which to do things, and then look to teach those I work with to speed things along.

Would you say patience building is a sure way to go in order to overcome my irritation? (not saying that it will miraculously fix my agitation)

Yeah, I don't think anger management is a wide stretch for what I could need. Although I find the lack of control to be unsettling, I do feel I will need some sort of psychiatric help (be it anger management or therapy).

Is there anything you did specifically to calm yourself down whenever you got upset?

Thanks for the reply, it was actually pretty nice to read this. Thanks for that last comment, it made me feel a lot better.
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Old 03-07-2013, 04:07 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
11 posts, read 15,809 times
Reputation: 17
Quote:
Is Type A preventable or treatable?

I don't think I like that question or the feelings behind it....and it is doing no credit to you to ask if you can totally alter your personality or have it treated like an illness. You can change your attitude about parts of your personality and you can always adjust your [emotional] behavior accordingly, but you are who you are. I am a type A, and I prefer to use it to my advantage than lament my shortcomings or treat it like a disease!!!
Starting at the way my question presented itself, I'm sorry to have offended you in anyway. It does seem like a very warped way of asking; though, I mentioned I wasn't sure how to phrase it.

On one hand, I understand that I truly need to change my outlook/attitude, but on the other hand, I can't help but to see the worst in how I am. I mean, I can see the good qualities for what they are, so I'm not lacking in any matter of self-confidence, but I see that my inability to relax (which is stressful itself) and my hateful mentality are horrible factors of my personality that I should definitely be rid of to live a healthier life. I'm sure this doesn't make sense, and I really don't want you to think I'm overlooking your opinion. I understand what you're saying, but I find the way I am to be concerning and almost sickening.

Quote:
In order to ease my anxieties... I ran.

I prefer brisk walking and talking to myself. Ha.
I can’t say I don’t talk to myself when I’m anxious, because I do a fair amount of that to convince myself I need to calm down.

Quote:
As for the problems, I have to go in to school forty-five minutes early just so I don't freak out. My mind is always running a hundred miles a minute with concerns, mistakes, and what's left to come and how it can go wrong.

Ok in high school I was this way. A type A, confident introvert has a hard time in school. Plus I find there is a lot of "noise" out there. My definition of noise: irritating loudness, I hear conversations all around me, I notice. every. damn. thing. - it's like visual and auditory pollution. It all gets stored in my mind, whether I want it to or not and is retrievable from the mental file at will. I hear other peoples' conversations, could glance at other people writing or reading and it will be stuck in my mind forever. I had to tame this, it can make a person insane (THIS may be physiological). Since after high school, I have turned that constant running of the mind and worry into "Whatever happens, I know I'm pretty much assured and completely confident in my skills and abilities to be able to fix it without freaking out like everyone else does." It has taken the edge off that constant fear of mistakes feeling immensely.
Yes, that accurately outlines most the trouble I had in high school. I did a lot of observing, sometimes intentional but most times not. The “noise” you’re talking about is exactly the trouble I had in high school (though, it’s not so bad in college). As for your optimistic outlook, that’s something I clearly do not have. I usually planned my day out so that I could not be put in a situation where it went wrong. It usually worked out, but when I’d go to practice I’d be mentally exhausted, or at least more than I felt I should be.

First of all, is it wrong to assume you’ve got an optimistic outlook?

If not, would you find it ethically incorrect to ask if pessimism can be entirely altered to optimism? If so, I apologize.

Assuming that you are more optimistic, do you ever have times where you can’t think on the bright side? Does your optimism ever feel forced?

(Not trying to insult you, just curious.)

Quote:
I become irate when people cannot meet my level of work expectancy—mostly includes group projects—and even more so when they expect me to slow down for them.

Blerch...^^^THIS is a perpetual problem. I see it as standing over a stadium and seeing the entire game from above...everyone else seems to be on the field and seeing just what's in front of them. At 40 years old I still have problems with this. As the next poster stated, we don't have a choice but to work with slower people. And the spectrum of slower is wider and has more shades of gray than you think. That is something you WILL have to work on, I know I have.
Well, it sounds like it’ll take a fair amount of effort, but I foresee an unimaginable amount of headaches in my future.

(Just to clarify for the way this entire topic sounds, I am not claiming to be intellectually superior in any way; I just find the slower mental processing of others (not all people) to be mentally tasking and irritating for me.)

Quote:
When questions are asked I get straight to the point and answer quickly.
I'm not a chit-chatter either. If you have ever heard someone say "wow tell us how you really feel" and "well OK then!" you know what I'm talking about. Chit-chat is a social dance made up by several types of people [personalities] who need it. It's a way of seeking out information and keeping that information flowing for no other reason than to feel needed (they need the info I have = they need me). As I understand it, it may be an intro/extra- verts thing. Or an Aspergers' thing, but I don't agree that it's always a "disease to be diagnosed and therefore treated." Similar to shades of gray in the worker spectrum, imagine that x1 billion as far as the personality spectrum: and then to find multitudes behave this way? I don't find that a 'disease' in the traditional sense [like cancer] at all. Maybe it's just me.
I see. So, would you say that since I do not wish to talk longer than necessary it could mean that I neither need nor want to be needed? (Not sarcasm, this is a serious question of opinion.)

Quote:
When approached in public I tend to feel that there is an ulterior motive in speaking with me—in several cases I have been correct to think so.
I approach this as a very intuitive gut. Be glad you have it. A lot of people don't: you can read about them every day on CNN about how they lost millions; were swindled; etc. Just do yourself a favor, even though you find yourself right a majority of the time (as I do, and I attribute it to reading people very easily), give them one extra chance. Don't go ignoring your gut, just give them an extra chance.
Is that a typical Type A behavior? I find that reading people is a natural ability that I’ve just always had, but I have ‘friends’ who can’t even differentiate anger and excitement in a person’s stance, expression, and behavior. This is actually one of the things I’m very grateful for having, but at the same time, it makes trying to befriend people tiresome.

Quote:
When I do something wrong—intentional or not—I feel so incomprehensibly guilty that I think about it for days.
My mom, dad and I are all like this: introverts with an absurdly heavy sense of guilt and overactive fear of making mistakes. Can't help you here, just know that you're not the only one! Some mistakes I will never shake, others I have to forgive myself for.
I appreciate your honesty there, and I know that it’s more common than not. Sometimes it becomes quite a bit to handle. Could this also fall into the category of past regrets from way back? Just things I never really let go of?


Quote:
You are going to have to stop dissecting parts of your personality and putting a bad label on them. And don't let anyone else do that either. For every insult one can hurl at a Type A personality, I have two "recommendations" for Type Bs.

I highly suggest getting some books on emotional intelligence. It may assist in the way you react to situations based on your personality.
Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Any suggestions are completely welcome. Thank you so much for the long and thorough response. It’s much appreciated. It will probably take a while for me to stop putting labels on my personality, and once more I’m sorry if it upset you. I didn't really think that there was a good way to look at it, no offense. Also, at the time I was writing, I wasn't in such a good state of mind. I was more pointedly looking at what I perceived as bad.
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Old 03-07-2013, 07:23 AM
 
831 posts, read 1,965,052 times
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Hey I'm not easily offended, I have the thickest skin of anyone I know..I'm offended if you let other people tell you traits about your personality are wrong. People did that to me as a kid and "I don't understand your personality" does not equal "your personality is wrong."

As I stated, you can alter your responses to aspects of your personality. I am an anxious person but only about certain topics. My "B" family members see me as high strung and stressed. Because through their eyes, I am stressed - to me I am just me. I'm excitable, but I don't feel stressed. To the barely breathing B's in my family that's almost heart-attack state. These people in my family as B's either stress internally (and have a lot of internal stress related disorders - go figure) or are the types to not stress at all and then become overwhelmed at the last minute - overwhelmed the the point of paralysis. I don't get overwhelmed because I am on high-alert (internally and externally) all along. I have explained this numerous times - their perception of stressful is not my perception of stressful. I idle at excited and go from there. Doesn't mean I'm stressed or upset. In my mind, whatever gets thrown at me, I can handle.

You can be this way and be totally functional - you just must manage the outward appearance of it. It takes years, trust me. I'm probably twice your age and didn't start to figure this out until the last 10 years.

I never used to be optimistic. People have a tendency to confuse realism with pessimism. I'm a realist and also an occasional optimist, but most importantly I'm an optimist when it comes to ME and my abilities. As for the world - hard core pessimist, plain and simple. But I'll add an optimistic spin to anything and quite frankly that's because that's what the Dick & Jane masses want to hear. Sometimes it's forced but that's a part of "game face" you have to make for the world to see.

Oh absolutely can't look on the bright side to some of the things I tackle in my life. Some things quite frankly do not have a bright side. That's not pessimism, that's REALITY.

As for the slower set...get used to it. Sorry I have no fountain of wisdom to spout here. When you crisscross the country or the planet for that matter, you will find people with a lot less exposure to the world and all the things in it. I find it the most trying at work. People who are allowed to flourish in their comfort zone of stagnation (mentally or physically) are not a benefit to the workplace but they cause the least waves (and the least productivity) and are permitted a wide berth. The only thing you can do is figure out a workaround.

As for the shortness of chit-chatter...I can't say what your perceptions of the situation are. I have boned up on my phony banter quite a bit. To the point where my mother has confused this with extroverted behavior; when in fact it is a confident amount of "game face." It's all REQUIRED to get by in this world. We aren't living in a vacuum; we have to operate within the world, not along side it.

As for friends who can't read body language, etc: ISN'T THAT AMAZING??? I am FLOORED how little people can read each other. My mother calls it being hypercritical. I call it being painfully observant. I have had people come back to me years after I said something as a prediction about someone's future behavior and have them tell me omg how did you know?? The question at the front of my mind: CAN'T YOU READ? What comes out of my mouth: just a lucky observation! I would give anything to try my hand at reading people for the FBI. Don't overanalyze your friends/friendships. Enjoy people you have something in common with and leave their personality quirks for them deal with, just like we wouldn't want them not talking to us because of our personality quirks, right??

I am still struggling with something I said to my grandmother over 8 years ago (she has since passed). And something said to another grandmother probably over 10 years ago or more (she is gone too). And something said to my mother in 1990. There is nothing to be done about this. My mom and I say this all the time: no matter what someone else does to me, they cant do anything near what I do to myself as guilt/punishment. True for all three of us: me, mom and dad. I can't figure this out either.

We have absurdly strong minds IMNSHO. Use it to your advantage to reshape your behavior (NOT your personality). I appreciate that my mind forces me to look at everything from every angle; I appreciate that I feel I can see entire situations and accurately predict people and forecast events and I DO NOT have a forest-for-the-trees problem; I appreciate my absurd sense of preparedness for all situations means I won't just fall down and go hysterical or more often, go paralyzed with shock like so many do. Shape these beneficial traits in yourself to have softer edges! Like I said, I'm optimistic about ME.

Last edited by 3DogNight; 03-07-2013 at 08:18 AM..
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