beaners Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Okay, this is going to sound weird. Try it, and tell me if you can do it or not. Close your eyes and think of something that spins at a medium to fast speed either clockwise or counterclockwise. For example, the little "page loading" icon moving steadily, or a gymnast on the higher of the uneven bars. In your head, let that object complete at least one, preferably several full rotations at a steady rate. Then, try to reverse its direction. Without doing anything like scrunching your eyes or moving your body, can you do it? I can't. I have never been able to. Once something goes around more than once in my head, it has some weird mental inertia that I can't break without resorting to some type of physical action. I haven't been able to find anything about it online, but I remembered it after a recent talk about some things with the speech therapist and occupational therapist my son sees. Also, if you don't mind sharing, if you have any personal or family history with a diagnosis including perseveration (ADHD, autism spectrum, etc) I'd love to know if that has any impact on this. You don't have to say anything about that if you don't want to though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I can do it. Yes, we have a family history of asd and ADHD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I can, no family history of anything you mentioned. :) That I know of, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I can do it too. DS has Asperger's, but I'm not aware of any ASD/ADHD in our family history aside from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Okay. So right now the evidence just points to me being bizarre. Good to know! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Yes, I can do it. There is no family history that I'm aware of. That said, I'm wondering why you're concerned about this, as I would think it's probably just a normal thing for some people to be able to do it, and for others not to be able to do it. I wouldn't think it meant anything. I'm sure there are a lot of things that you can do, that others can't, and I don't think you should worry about it at all. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Yes, I can do it. There is no family history that I'm aware of. That said, I'm wondering why you're concerned about this, as I would think it's probably just a normal thing for some people to be able to do it, and for others not to be able to do it. I wouldn't think it meant anything. I'm sure there are a lot of things that you can do, that others can't, and I don't think you should worry about it at all. :) I think intrigued is probably a better description than concerned. Some of what we're looking at with my son is if he is getting "stuck" on certain things and can't break out of that. This is something I get "stuck" on, so I started wondering if it IS a normal variation, or if it's unusual that I can't make my brain do this. Want to know something else weird about my brain? I should not play any sort of game for a long time on a regular basis, because I internalize all the rules and movements. It makes me very good at the game, but I'll be laying down trying to rest and I can't stop the game from playing in my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Want to know something else weird about my brain? I should not play any sort of game for a long time on a regular basis, because I internalize all the rules and movements. It makes me very good at the game, but I'll be laying down trying to rest and I can't stop the game from playing in my head. I do that, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Yes, I can do it with my eyes closed and open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Yes, I can do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Yes. I can do it. My gymnast did a little straddle release first before changing direction :) but my spinny circle changes direction easily according to my whim. I think my eyeballs might be moving because I'm watching it go around. My kid has spd, but he gets it from his dad. I meditate, so I'm good at visualization. Maybe that's why it's easy for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Have you ever seen the spinning woman illusion? http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/left-brain-right-brain-and-the-spinning-girl/ I can "make" her change directions at will, but the first time I saw it she seemed to be spinning only in one direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Wow, fascinating stuff! I can make the illusion switch directions, but only if I look at the reflection on the bottom. I'm usually very, very good in general on visual/spacial tasks, both the scored type and the real-life variety. I just seem to get "stuck" moving in one direction on this thing. I can switch if I use any kind of tactile cue. I can't do it mentally though. I am getting a kick out of the fact that everyone except me can do this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I have ADHD and I can do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can do it, but I can feel my eyes moving very rapidly, which is a weird feeling. I canNOT get that girl to switch, though. Grrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can do it and yes I have a family history with ADHD. The girl changes direction for me but I can't figure out how or why or how to do it when I want to do it. It just does it without a rhyme or reason that I can come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can do it but I can't make that stupid spinning girl switch directions. I wonder how you figured out that you can't, however, as there's really never a reason to imagine something spinning and then imagine it switching directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 It took a while, but I finally was able to make the girl switch at will. For a while it would switch with out rhyme or reason, then when I looked at her feet, then when ever I wanted. Hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can do it, and there's no history in my family of which I'm aware of any of the issues you mentioned. I've played with the spinning girl illusion before, and I can make her change directions, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can. I do have some stimming and perserveration tendencies, and ds is undiag'd aspire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can make the girl change directions of spinning, but only by taking my eyes off her for a split second. I cannot get an imaginary spinning top in my head to slow down enough to stop spinning though. Actually I have trouble keeping the image of the spinning top in my head.It keeps morphing into a giant eyeball spinning around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I am getting a kick out of the fact that everyone except me can do this! You forgot to ask us if we're pathological liars, so you don't really know for sure that we can all do it. ;) (It's not a big deal. We probably would have lied about being liars anyway.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saraha Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Ok. I had to work really hard to get that girl to change direction, and only if I completely looked away from her. Even after practicing (Really, I should be doing something productive) I still couldn't do it just on demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can do it with multiple images, and to make them go in opposite directions. It's difficult to have two one one side, one on the other, and to get the different directions going, but I can do it. I can also do mirror handwriting, mirror upside down handwriting, ans write one word backwards with one hand while writing the word with the other hand. The hand that writes the word must be the right hand, the hand that writes the word backwards must be the left hand. It's a good party trick, but haven't found a good real life application for these wierd skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can't do it! I was picturing a gymnast on a bar, and in order for me to reverse her I either have to make her stop, or I have to roll my eyes. Even making her stop is hard. I tried it with the "page loading" image, too, and I have the same issue. How bizarre! I had no idea. And no, I don't have ADHD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Odd. I can't visualize anything. I come closer with my eyes open, but I can't even come close to doing what you are asking. I used to be able to see things in my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Have you ever seen the spinning woman illusion? http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/left-brain-right-brain-and-the-spinning-girl/ I can "make" her change directions at will, but the first time I saw it she seemed to be spinning only in one direction. Grrrr! I can't make the image spin the opther way- but I'm too focused on two stupid things: 1. WHY does she need to have such perky n!pples? and 2. She REALLY needs to be up on releve! I mostly just wonder how she can turn without moving her supporting foot. :glare: ANd to answer the OP: I can imagine s spinnignobject changing directions, but can't 'piture" it. My brain *knows* what I'm "seeing" but I can't *see* the image. Never been diagnosed with anything, but probably should be. :leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 I can do it but I can't make that stupid spinning girl switch directions. I wonder how you figured out that you can't, however, as there's really never a reason to imagine something spinning and then imagine it switching directions. Since the gymnast is the way I've always envisioned it (although I can't switch direction for other things either), I'd guess I was playing around in my head with an uneven bar routine or something similar when I was younger. It's been so long, I can't even remember! I see I'm not the only one who can't do it now. Hooray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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