I wonder if many people here do this, it's not necessarily related to autism but it's been bothering me lately.
Whenever I see a movie or read a story that catches my interest I automatically imagine myself in the corresponding universe. But it goes beyond simply talking to myself infront of a mirror or playing out scenes with legos. I adopt characteristics of a particular character that appeals to me in my everyday dealings.
An example:
Earlier this week I saw a movie about an autistic teenage boy, more severe than I. After the movie when I stepped outside to go to work I found myself besieged by sensory overloads so strong I had to fight the urge to go back inside, but I shrugged it off as best as I could.
When I arrived at work I went on as per usual, but when more people started showing up I started stimming like crazy. I tapped my feet, cracked every joint in my body repeatedly, even started rocking which I normally don't do.
My job entails serving and feeding physically and mentally impaired persons but that day I just couldn't go into that large, open room filled with people. I just sat in a corner, stimming more than I ever had.
When I got back home after a horrible day at work, and several coworkers asking me what was wrong and making it even worse, I reflected and realised this wasn't the first time I had acted out of character after watching a good movie. I remembered being more violent after watching a particular action movie, actually paying attention in class and engaging my teachers after watching a movie about some smart kid and several other instances where I exhibited behaviour I normally don't have.
This could all just be my imagination and maybe it's no big deal but it really disrupted my work that day and I thought I should share it to see if others have this tendency aswell.