What non-learned skills do you have?

[Yatogami]

Many people are have skills that come to them naturally without anyone teaching them. I was curious to know if anyone here is aware of their own personal skills that they didn't learn directly from someone else. 

 

I am insanely good at watching and learning. I can figure out how to do something completly just by observation. This for me, included driving, cooking, art etc. Most people will think that this is really basic, and initially it is. But my skill takes it to new levels. I can copy how artists draw almost identically if I'm watching them work. But if I try it on my own, it doesn't work. I think it has to do with my strong memetic sense.

 

I'm also insanely good at information absorption, but unfortunately not good at relaying it to others. I can learn a lot in a little bit of time, and understand something completly, but I cannot explain why I know. (might be an aspie thing)

 

This might be hard to understand, but I modify my thinking at will if I desire it. It takes time for an alteration to become part of the machine through internalization though. This is also pretty much cognative behavior therapy that I can do on myself, that isn't limited to fixing mental issues. I can use it to change my social behaviors, dream content, emotional responses, and mood etc. Its essentially the ability to easily change my perceptive reality.

[BionicPi]

I do the same thing with information absorption, which makes history easier than it should be. 

 

I've always learned slightly indirectly, (esp. maths) and I tend to work past the teacher if we have any sort of packet to work through. Meant a lot more time for reading in class.

 

[edit] Just remembered I'm somehow good with children and a good teacher. That was not learned. [/edit]

 

It's hard to make distinctions between what I learned directly and indirectly. 

 

That CBT skill sounds amazing.

[darkstreamers252]

I have a near-perfect photographic memory so information absorption is very easy for me as long as it is in a visual format.

I have an ear for music, I don't have perfect pitch or anything but I find harmony is much easier than melody for me if that makes sense.

I am also very good at understanding various sides of arguments or issues, which does lead me to be extremely skeptical and means I have very unconditional ideas.

I am pretty good at modifying my thinking very easily, I don't consider this necessarily a good thing because it ties in with my neurodivergence and it often leads to completely changing my personality in an effort to get away from my previous self, I'm pretty sure that makes no sense what so ever, I don't even really understand it entirely.

I love exploring very abstract theories and concepts that go over most people's heads they are usually easier to understand depending on the concept.

I'm also a speed reader, I never learned how to do this, when I finally "got" reading in third grade I just naturally speed read.

I don't know if this counts, but I am very good with animals. I volunteer at a rabbit shelter and several of the rabbits there are either very skittish or can be kind of mean, but they usually respond very well to me, at least compared to the other volunteers. Most animals that I have encountered that usually don't like humans seem to like me and respond to me very well.

[cavalier080854]

Empathy.

[Grumpy Alien]

None

[Tholomyes]

I think I'm relatively good at critically analyzing media (movies, TV, books, comics) both for quality as well as for themes and symbolism. I don't know if this is entirely unlearned, as I do like to do a fair amount of research which I think might have helped hone this skill, but it's not anything that anyone has taught me how to do, so at most, it's self-learned.

 

I'm also fairly intuitively good at programming, because I have a natural affinity for the logic and for conceptualizing the flowchart of what a program is going to do. I still lack some of the learned skills and best practices, so I don't write the most efficient of code, but I usually write code that works.

[Skycaptain]

Empathy and the ability to comprehend body language would help 

[Yatogami]

4 hours ago, Elefsis said:

I am also very good at understanding various sides of arguments or issues, which does lead me to be extremely skeptical and means I have very unconditional ideas.

I am pretty good at modifying my thinking very easily, I don't consider this necessarily a good thing because it ties in with my neurodivergence and it often leads to completely changing my personality in an effort to get away from my previous self, I'm pretty sure that makes no sense what so ever, I don't even really understand it entirely.

I love exploring very abstract theories and concepts that go over most people's heads they are usually easier to understand depending on the concept.

Seems we have things in common.

 

Your first bit makes perfect sense to me, because Im the same. I'm also neurodiverse, and I think it is related. Since I'm good at changing how I think easily, it does change my personality frequently. I do seem to have a default I fall back into though, if I do not actively try to change my thinking. My personality tends to cycle between extreamly angry nihilist, and passionate empathetic philosopher. I can totally relate trying to get away from your okd self. I've wanted to change my nature, but even the skill of changing my thought patterns has a limit. So I'm sure some personality is genetic.

 

As for the 2nd bit, I believe I'm the same way. I can easily grasp concepts that people struggle with easily. I think its linked into my desire to do things people say are difficult, to prove it's really are not, and that it only takes effort. I guess you can also say I'm pretty lazy intellectually unless it is to show off. Another issue I have with this, is communicating my understanding. I seem to simply subconsciously process stuff incredibly quickly. But when it comes to explaining or articulating what I'm thinking. It feels like my mind becomes bottlenecked and disorderly. Its a drag.

[Anthracite_Impreza]

Navigation, I just seem to have a knack of figuring out where stuff is and how to get places.

[Guest]

I'm told I'm very good at reading people. I read body language really well, and eyes. I am also told I'm a scary good judge of character.

 

 

[darkstreamers252]

22 minutes ago, Maou-sama said:

Seems we have things in common.

 

Your first bit makes perfect sense to me, because Im the same. I'm also neurodiverse, and I think it is related. Since I'm good at changing how I think easily, it does change my personality frequently. I do seem to have a default I fall back into though, if I do not actively try to change my thinking. My personality tends to cycle between extreamly angry nihilist, and passionate empathetic philosopher. I can totally relate trying to get away from your okd self. I've wanted to change my nature, but even the skill of changing my thought patterns has a limit. So I'm sure some personality is genetic.

 

As for the 2nd bit, I believe I'm the same way. I can easily grasp concepts that people struggle with easily. I think its linked into my desire to do things people say are difficult, to prove it's really are not, and that it only takes effort. I guess you can also say I'm pretty lazy intellectually unless it is to show off. Another issue I have with this, is communicating my understanding. I seem to simply subconsciously process stuff incredibly quickly. But when it comes to explaining or articulating what I'm thinking. It feels like my mind becomes bottlenecked and disorderly. Its a drag.

I wish I had a default personality, part of my condition causes an "emptiness" and troubling knowing who you are. The bad thing about switching around so much is that I might stick in a personality for years, then suddenly drop it and become someone else, it's extremely confusing and frustrating.

I'm pretty terrible at communicating my understanding as well, well, I'm terrible at communicating in general. I have the same problem when trying to explain things, my thoughts come too quickly and so I get really confused and disordered as well. It causes me a lot of anxiety so I usually keep my thoughts and what not to myself, especially in my home where different opinions and critical thinking are not welcome.

[Yatogami]

2 minutes ago, Elefsis said:

I wish I had a default personality, part of my condition causes an "emptiness" and troubling knowing who you are. The bad thing about switching around so much is that I might stick in a personality for years, then suddenly drop it and become someone else, it's extremely confusing and frustrating.

I'm pretty terrible at communicating my understanding as well, well, I'm terrible at communicating in general. I have the same problem when trying to explain things, my thoughts come too quickly and so I get really confused and disordered as well. It causes me a lot of anxiety so I usually keep my thoughts and what not to myself, especially in my home where different opinions and critical thinking are not welcome.

Do you get bothered when people ask you what kind of person you are?

 

I struggle with knowing exactly the kind of person I am. I get constant identity crisis, and sometimes it really depresses me. Especially when I am empathizing with an idea of "living" a life, and choosing the kind of life I want to live. I tend to take in behaviors/obsess over a specific personality types that I seem to admire, and that I observe from my media. I then work to incorporate those into myself. The results of that are usually subtle or severe. I seem to be capable of hitting a certain temporary attuned wavelength of that personality type. Then people have noticed my sudden change in personality/how I express myself. It is somewhat similar to how Tetris effect plays on your mind, if you know anything about that. But instead of videogame patterns, it's thought patterns and emotions. 

 

I also believe what we both lack is what is known as a "True self" in psychology. Are you schizoid by any chance? 

[darkstreamers252]

29 minutes ago, Maou-sama said:

Do you get bothered when people ask you what kind of person you are?

 

I struggle with knowing exactly the kind of person I am. I get constant identity crisis, and sometimes it really depresses me. Especially when I am empathizing with an idea of "living" a life, and choosing the kind of life I want to live. I tend to take in behaviors/obsess over a specific personality types that I seem to admire, and that I observe from my media. I then work to incorporate those into myself. The results of that are usually subtle or severe. I seem to be capable of hitting a certain temporary attuned wavelength of that personality type. Then people have noticed my sudden change in personality/how I express myself. It is somewhat similar to how Tetris effect plays on your mind, if you know anything about that. But instead of videogame patterns, it's thought patterns and emotions. 

 

I also believe what we both lack is what is known as a "True self" in psychology. Are you schizoid by any chance? 

3

I've never had a good answer to what kind of person I am, I just usually say that I don't know who I am. 

I get these crises all the time, particularly when I find something new that I might like, I am always wondering is this something I really like or am I subconsciously liking it, or whatever. It is very, very depressing for sure. I do the same thing with personality types trying to make myself them and get rid of what I don't want of myself. I get the same result of either it not working out the way I want it to or not syncing with me correctly or it just takes me over completely, usually its an all or nothing thing.

I agree with the "true self" part, I doubt I've ever had one. I actually have borderline personality disorder and like 5 or 6 other disorders, I do have schizoid traits in addition to tons of other stuff that has not been diagnosed and I can't even figure out where some of it goes even by self-diagnosis.

[Yatogami]

1 minute ago, Elefsis said:

I've never had a good answer to what kind of person I am, I just usually say that I don't know who I am. 

I get these crises all the time, particularly when I find something new that I might like, I am always wondering is this something I really like or am I subconsciously liking it, or whatever. It is very, very depressing for sure. I do the same thing with personality types trying to make myself them and get rid of what I don't want of myself. I get the same result of either it not working out the way I want it to or not syncing with me correctly or it just takes me over completely, usually its an all or nothing thing.

I agree with the "true self" part, I doubt I've ever had one. I actually have borderline personality disorder and like 5 or 6 other disorders, I do have schizoid traits in addition to tons of other stuff that has not been diagnosed and I can't even figure out where some of it goes even by self-diagnosis.

I know what you mean, it seems we experience the same thing. You are the first person I've met that experiences that, apart from myself. Do you ever feel like you have multiple personalities? Do you ever fear going insane?

 

I always liked to say that I am the most sane, insane person one would ever meet. Although, when I hear other people talk about themselves, or what kind of lives they live. I feel an extreme disconnection. I am missing out on something, but I don't know what that something is. It is like my compass on my drive in life is broken, and I am just drifting wherever the current takes me. Because nothing seems really interesting to look forward to, and I don't have anything to go back to. I am open to new experiences though, simply because I have a small hope that someday, something will interest me enough to drive myself to desire it. Whether it be a dream, and item, or a lifestyle. The only things that seem to interest me though, are all in my own mind. The world pales in comparison to my imagination. But unfortunately, even my imagination can run out of new ideas and stimulus. So I have to look for something in the real world to inspire my inner world. 

 

BTW I'm Schizoid and Bipolar, with some type of Anxiety disorder. I've managed to overcome my depression using my mind altering skill. It lessens Bipolar's instability as well, so it makes it bearable to deal with, without meds. I would say Anxiety affects me the most, since it is a physical reaction I can't really control. 

[darkstreamers252]

6 hours ago, Maou-sama said:

I know what you mean, it seems we experience the same thing. You are the first person I've met that experiences that, apart from myself. Do you ever feel like you have multiple personalities? Do you ever fear going insane?

 

I always liked to say that I am the most sane, insane person one would ever meet. Although, when I hear other people talk about themselves, or what kind of lives they live. I feel an extreme disconnection. I am missing out on something, but I don't know what that something is. It is like my compass on my drive in life is broken, and I am just drifting wherever the current takes me. Because nothing seems really interesting to look forward to, and I don't have anything to go back to. I am open to new experiences though, simply because I have a small hope that someday, something will interest me enough to drive myself to desire it. Whether it be a dream, and item, or a lifestyle. The only things that seem to interest me though, are all in my own mind. The world pales in comparison to my imagination. But unfortunately, even my imagination can run out of new ideas and stimulus. So I have to look for something in the real world to inspire my inner world. 

 

BTW I'm Schizoid and Bipolar, with some type of Anxiety disorder. I've managed to overcome my depression using my mind altering skill. It lessens Bipolar's instability as well, so it makes it bearable to deal with, without meds. I would say Anxiety affects me the most, since it is a physical reaction I can't really control. 

Ok wow!!!!

I have seriously been unable to explain this to anyone before and they get it! I have felt like I have multiple personalities, I've told professionals this and they send me to be evaluated for DID, when I tell them that's not what I have (I do experience a lot of dissociative symptoms, but my memory is intact). I have a feeling that I eventually will go insane because I have almost reached that point before. I have felt a similar disconnect with people and that aimless feeling too. For me I become interested in something then it doesn't do it for me anymore so I drop it and continue searching to fill the hole.

I have BPD, and Avoidant Personality Disorder, PTSD, OCD, Generalize Anxiety Disorder, depression of course, and traits of bipolar and Dependent Personality Disorder, to name the ones I know about. (Yeah, pretty messed up at this point) Unfortunately for me, depression is still a life threatening thing and the severe social anxiety is so that I cannot deal with people and anxiety, in general, makes things extremely difficult, so I know what anxiety can do.

[Ortac]

I have developed advanced Microsoft Excel, VBA and SQL code skills without attending any training courses, webinars, or lessons at all.

 

I also discovered that I can do ventriloquism far better than most people!

[Sally]

Critical analysis, determining visual and aural patterns, drawing, painting, writing.   I don't feel like I've ever learned anything (as opposed to taking in information) from anyone, although that's probably not the case -- I just don't realize it.  

[A mere monkey]

I guess I'm pretty good at reading people. I can understand the reasons that push them to certain behaviours and a lot of the time, when they talk to me, I know what they are going to see before they say it.

[Rhyme]

This is weird to say, but I'm kinda smart. I helped my friend with their biology assignment, even though I haven't taken a biology class in years. I'm good at figuring things out and using logic to find answers. This got me through secondary school with twelve 6's and four 5's on my final diploma, without doing basically any homework. 

[BionicPi]

Just now, Rhyme said:

This is weird to say, but I'm kinda smart. I helped my friend with their biology assignment, even though I haven't taken a biology class in years. I'm good at figuring things out and using logic to find answers. This got me through secondary school with twelve 6's and four 5's on my final diploma, without doing basically any homework. 

I've done the same. I am teaching my sister in grad school part of her classes just after glancing at the text book and with my high school classes, and I've never really needed to try in school.

[Rhyme]

1 minute ago, BionicPi said:

I've done the same. I am teaching my sister in grad school part of her classes just after glancing at the text book and with my high school classes, and I've never really needed to try in school.

Did / do you ever feel bad about it? I know it's a weird question, but I remember feeling guilty one time we were supposed to have a presentation in front of the class. My friend worked really hard on it for weeks and got a 3, while I made something up the night before and got a 6. 

[BionicPi]

3 minutes ago, Rhyme said:

Did / do you ever feel bad about it? I know it's a weird question, but I remember feeling guilty one time we were supposed to have a presentation in front of the class. My friend worked really hard on it for weeks and got a 3, while I made something up the night before and got a 6. 

"Ugh that test was so hard, I got a 60%"

Huh, I didn't study/revise and I got a 90%... 

People sometimes got upset with me for doing well on things. 

 

I handwrite at most a single page of history homework and get the same marks as the people who type 12 pages. 

 

I don't feel guilty so much as alienated I guess. 

[Yatogami]

9 hours ago, Elefsis said:

Ok wow!!!!

I have seriously been unable to explain this to anyone before and they get it! I have felt like I have multiple personalities, I've told professionals this and they send me to be evaluated for DID, when I tell them that's not what I have (I do experience a lot of dissociative symptoms, but my memory is intact). I have a feeling that I eventually will go insane because I have almost reached that point before. I have felt a similar disconnect with people and that aimless feeling too. For me I become interested in something then it doesn't do it for me anymore so I drop it and continue searching to fill the hole.

I have BPD, and Avoidant Personality Disorder, PTSD, OCD, Generalize Anxiety Disorder, depression of course, and traits of bipolar and Dependent Personality Disorder, to name the ones I know about. (Yeah, pretty messed up at this point) Unfortunately for me, depression is still a life threatening thing and the severe social anxiety is so that I cannot deal with people and anxiety, in general, makes things extremely difficult, so I know what anxiety can do.

I would love to hear what kind of life you had, but that might seem like a weird question to ask. Pm me sometime.

 

Have you ever wondered if this is a new type of personality disorder? I mean, when you got multiple ones like this. It makes you wonder. Do you take meds or not?

 

Ive never been officially diagnosed, but its on my list of goals. Ive just felt I could handle it, but its getting to the point that I can't do it alone anymore.

[Nidwin]

Willful tingler here

[darkstreamers252]

4 hours ago, Maou-sama said:

I would love to hear what kind of life you had, but that might seem like a weird question to ask. Pm me sometime.

 

Have you ever wondered if this is a new type of personality disorder? I mean, when you got multiple ones like this. It makes you wonder. Do you take meds or not?

 

Ive never been officially diagnosed, but its on my list of goals. Ive just felt I could handle it, but its getting to the point that I can't do it alone anymore.

Sure I'll PM you, I'm very used to questions at this point.

I agree, as little as there is known about mental illness, it's very possible.

I've taken so many different meds I've lost count, most meds will work for a while then stop working. I have found one that works relatively well, but I'm on a massive, massive dose of it.

I wish you luck with that, personality disorders and anxiety disorders are extrememly, extremely hard to live with.

[cavalier080854]

22 hours ago, Anthracite_Impreza said:

Navigation, I just seem to have a knack of figuring out where stuff is and how to get places.

Are you sure ? Do you have a built in SatNav ?

[Anthracite_Impreza]

On 17/06/2017 at 9:32 PM, cavalier080854 said:

Are you sure ? Do you have a built in SatNav ?

How dare you accuse me of cheating.

[coyote55]

I'm not a particularly adept learner; most of my skills took a lot of work to gain. There are a few that dropped into my lap that have never made sense to me, but that's ok.

 

-I've never had kids of my own, but somehow a lot of them ended up liking me. - most strangely,  babies and toddlers. I'll be doing several days of child care over the 4th of July holiday.

 

- I'm super shy, but got caught in a historical event that put me in front of microphones and TV cameras for several years (1980, Mt. St. Helens eruption) as part of my job. Did well enough that I was asked to do it often. I have no idea where the hell that came from.

 

-I handle emergency situations really well, but put me in a grocery store and I'll wander around debating which brand of peanut butter to buy. Go figure.

[BionicPi]

1 minute ago, coyote55 said:

-I handle emergency situations really well, but put me in a grocery store and I'll wander around debating which brand of peanut butter to buy. Go figure.

Yes. I can do crisis, not so much normal.

[Amnesiac]

I have a really good natural aptitude, I pick things up very quickly either through watching someone do it once or just doing.