"Ask an Autistic" is one of the very first channels I started following on Youtube in order to better educate myself on Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The person who runs this channel, Amethyst Schaber, has a brilliant way of explaining things in a gentle manner that can be thoughtful for both NT's and nuerodivergents.
She touches on a variety of topics that many of us find ourselves scratching our heads about, and in some ways I've found her explaining myself better than I ever could have on my own.
So, what is Autism?
I think a much better question to ask is, what does Autism mean to you? We all experience life in different ways, and this tends to be even more so with induviduals who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. We all experience Autism differently.
We are a lot like snowflakes.
Autism can be and is so, so many different things. Above all else, I have learned to realize that it is a big part of me. It effects the way that I see, smell, touch, think, and feel.
It effects me in ways I'm not even aware of yet. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. It is part of my world & it is a part of yours too. Whether you or someone you know has an Autism Spectrum Disorder, our world remains impacted by the brilliant minds of Autistic people.
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Psychiatrists are the only medical profession that do not look at the organ they treat.
If you went to a cardiologist for chest pains, he wouldn't toss you a medication and say, "let's try this one first." No.
He would look at your heart.
If you went to a doctor because your knee was hurting, they would then x-ray your knee.
If you goto a GI specialist, he will look at your gut.
No one blindly diagnoses or prescribes medicines except for psychiatrists.
This is no more, my friends.
I'd like to introduce you to Amen Clinics.
Founder, Dr. Daniel G. Amen, marries psychology with neuroimaging and uses brain SPECT scans to detect the underlying causes of these brain health issues.
His clinics have an 84% success rate with treatment resistant patients.
Reversing anything from Depression, PTSD, Anxiety Disorders, OCD, ADD/ADHD, Bipolar Disorders, Schizophrenia, Autistic Spectrum Conditions, Eating Disorders, Addictions, and even Personality Disorders.
Without knowing the underlying cause it is impossible to treat people effectively.
Doctors are throwing darts in the dark, often times causing more harm than they do good.
There are 270 million symptom combinations that could result in a diagnosis for PTSD or for Major Depressive Disorder.
This means you can goto one doctor and get diagnosed with one thing, and goto a different doctor and get diagnosed with something else.
You can also share a diagnosis with someone who has none of the same symptoms as you.
And if you add along 5 other commonly seen conditions alongside that, your number increases from 270 million symptom combinations to one quintillion.
Thats more than the amount of stars in the milky way.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a brain health issue, Amen Clinics proves you have the ability to fix your brain.
If you heal your brain, then your mind will follow.
If you made it this far and have any questions or want to learn more about this you can find tons of videos where he talks about this on YouTube, I would recommend his newest book, "The End Of Mental Illness," and my inbox will always be open for anyone who wants to discuss this and possibly pursue the benefits.
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This is actually called thin slicing. Your brain recognizes patterns from very small “slices” of information by comparing them to things you have experienced before. This all happens very quickly on a subconscious level without our conscious mind being involved. So intuition is actually really fast pattern recognition, and it can be very accurate. So yeah, if you have a gut feeling that a person or situation is not good, get the hell out. Your brain knows what’s up.
When I was young - because I’ve always been a big skeptical pain in the ass - I thought that when people were talking about interpersonal “energy,” they were on some Gay Ass Shit.
Years later, after spending hundreds of hours reading studies about intuition and neuroscience and pattern recognition and the processing power of the subconscious mind, I realized that that kind of talk - “she has such good energy,” “you need to read the energy of the room,” “I just got some really bad energy off of that guy” - is a convenient shorthand for the lightning-fast, weirdly-accurate, real-as-fuck subconscious processing of the probability of positive or negative social outcomes likely to result from hundreds or thousands of variables. That “energy” isn’t a tangible thing floating around in the air. It’s your brain updating you constantly with information about your situation. Listen to it. Especially if it’s telling you to be nervous or scared. Your brain is very good at recognizing danger. Let the enormous processing power of your subconscious mind protect you. It’s better at spotting patterns than you are.
“Bad energy” isn’t some hippie shit. It’s your brain setting off a claxon because it knows something’s not right.
Thin slicing is wonderfully helpful, but be aware that if it’s doing its pattern recognition from bad sources, you need to actively override it. We’re raised in a racist society, inundated with racist media, and bombarded with subtly (or unsubtly) racist advice. Thin slicing can save your life, but it’s also the cause behind the unconscious elements of racism (and misogyny/ableism/antisemitism/islamophobia/etc.) that we all suffer from
Trust your instincts, but if your instincts tell you something that seems prejudicial, double check their work.
Hey, look, it’s a post like this that doesn’t mention autistics! So, the thing about trusting your instincts but being aware of prejudices only works if you know the person is part of a marginalized group, and know what prejudice against that group looks like in yourself.
Autistics, even those of us who are pretty good at passing for NT, give off some weird vibes sometimes because our body language and facial expressions may not match expectations.
If you are in the mindset of trusting your intuition, you are going to screw over autistic people (in in-person interactions). There have been studies on impressions of autistic people from just voice versus video clips, and people who can see the video come away with more negative opinions.
So, how do you reconcile this? I recommend listening to what your intuition is saying, but then really critically evaluating what you are responding to to reach that impression. If you feel uncomfortable and don’t know why, sure, be cautious, but also give the person the benefit of the doubt. Yes, every time. It will become second nature, I promise.
Anyway, this has been your PSA from That Person Who Doesn’t Make Good First Impressions (unless I am really actively trying). Thank you and enjoy your day!
as a gender-nonconforming autistic person, this addition is good, i just wanna keep expanding on it. autism isn’t the only brain thing that can make people act “off”, and you don’t know what anyone’s mental health situation is like just by looking at them.
if someone appears to be having a mental health crisis in public, they are almost certainly in far more danger than you are. keep yourself “safe”, sure, but remember that the person on the bus or the street corner talking to the air or crying or pulling their hair out is a human being deserving of exactly as much respect and care as you are.
we’re in 2020, we know exactly which institutions use “They Were Acting Weird” as all the justification they need to abuse, torture, incarcerate, and murder people for the “crime” of having a mental illness where others could see.
“thin slicing” is at the root of so much abuse, especially of the homeless mentally ill. treat people like people. oh my god just treat each other like people.
Warning: This post contains links that display graphic images. I will also be discussing some heavy topics regarding eating disorder behaviors — as well as personal experiences I've had dealing with them myself.
If this could be a possible trigger for you please ignore this post & continue scrolling.
Today I came across a video that I wanted to share with you all.
Spoiler alert: it's about eating disorders.
When I clicked on it I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
It's been years since I have partook in any of my own, personal E.D. behaviors. I guess I just figured I would be able to handle it.
I was wrong.
Seeing the woman in the photo was heartbreaking.
Even though this video in particular highlights bulimia nervosa, there are many different types of eating disorders out there.
You have: Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Rumination Disorder, Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED), etc.
Please note that eating disorders are complex and some eating issues will not meet diagnostic criteria. All eating concerns must be taken se
What are the most common risk factors associated with developing eating disorder behaviors?
Gender: Women are statistically more likely to develop eating disorders than men.
"Males represent 25% of induviduals with anorexia nervosa, and they are at a higher risk of dying, in part because they are often diagnosed later since many people assume males don't have eating disorders," according to nationaleatingdisorders.org which I will link down below.
Age: Eating disorders are most common in teens or young adults. But they can happen at any age.
Genes: Certain genes may be linked for some people. Having a family history of eating disorder behaviors could also cause you to be more prone to developing them yourself.
History of Abuse: Any type of abuse from your past may be linked to a higher risk.
Other Mental Health Problems: People who have depression, anxiety disorders, as well as select personality disorders have shown a higher prevalence of developing eating disorders.
Poor Coping Mechanisms: People who reported having little to no viable coping strategies have also proven to be at a higher risk of developing eating disorder behaviors.
Poor Support System: There also seems to be a link to developing eating disorders for people who claim to have little to no emotional support — whether it be from family, friends, or peers.
Risk Factors for Eating Disorders | Winchester Hospital
According to spectrumnews.org, at least 20% of adults with eating disorders also have an Autism Spectrum Condition.
Since so many of us (who are on the spectrum) successfully fly under the radar without recieving a proper diagnosis, these numbers could prove to be even greater.
I'll also link the article where this is researched down below.
So what can we do?
Continue spreading the word, guys. Educate yourselves. Educate others. Awareness is a powerful tool, especially in large numbers.
If you are someone who is currently battling an eating disorder,
Know you're not alone. Help is out there.
Even when it seems as if the entire world has given up on you; never give up on yourself.
We can. And we will. Win. This. Fight.
**All the articles used in the making of this post have been cited. Follow my blog if you are interested in more information about ASD, mental health, and phisiology.
Children with social difficulties are more likely than those without to develop problems with eating by age 14.
Merriam-Webster, Inc., is an American company that publishes reference books and is especially known for its dictionaries.
It defines dowager's hump as, "an abnormal outward curvature of the upper back with round shoulders and stooped posture caused especially by bone loss and anterior compression of the vertebrae in osteoporosis."
an abnormal outward curvature of the upper back with round shoulders and stooped posture caused especially by bone loss and anterior compres
Normally, the spine has a slight curve to it that allows a person's weight to be supported in an upright position.
A normal throatic spine extends from the 1st to the 12th vertebrae and should have a slight angle, ranging from 20 to 45 degrees.
When the curve is greater than 45 degrees it is called kyposis or hyperkyphosis.
Kyphosis is a curvature of the upper spine that can happen to anyone at any age but is more common as we get older. Understand the causes an
The word kyphosis is from the Greek kyphos, which means hump, and the condition is also known as humpback, round back, or dowager's hump.
Kyphosis is an exaggerated forward curvature of the spine. The word kyphosis is from the Greek kyphos, which means hump, and the condition i
Hyperkyphosis has a range of causes:
Arthritis
Cancers
Congenital kyphosis
Developmental conditions such as Scheuermann's disease
Disc degernation
Marfan syndrome, or Prader-Willi disease
Osteoperosis
Paralytic disorders (conditions that lead to paralysis)
Post-surgical complications/iatrogenic kyphosis (iatrogenic means as a result of a medical intervention)
Postural kyphosis
Trauma
What are the symptoms we see in mild to severe forms of kyphosis?
While kyphosis is usually self-diagnosable, you should always consult your primary care physician to rule out other possibilities.
The symptoms of kyphosis can range from causing mild pain to severely affecting the function of the lungs and the heart.
Patients most commonly reported experiencing back pain and stiffness, tenderness of the spine, and overall fatigue.
Everything a patient needs to know about adult Kyphosis from the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Your doctor may perform a series of physical tests, such as "the Adam's forward bend test", as well as order X-ray imaging, pulmonary function tests, neurologic testing, or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to measure things like bone density, changes in vertibrae, or any other bone abnormalities.
Treatments for kyphosis can be surgical or non-surgical.
Some people, such as those with postural kyphosis, can improve their condition with lifestyle choices. Exercise, yoga, physical therapy, braces, and consciously making an effort to improve your posture can all help reverse the long-term effects of kyphosis before they become more severe.
Many people found that non-prescription, over the counter drugs can be used to manage pain caused by mild forms of kyphosis.
Others may qualify for a more serious approach to the condition such as spinal decompression, spinal correction, or spinal fusion.
I've included all of the links used in the making of this post. Check out my blog and stay tuned to learn more about phisiology & mental health topics.
At NYU Langone, orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons are specially trained to correct spinal curvature caused by adult scoliosis or kyphosi
Kyphosis is a spinal disorder in which an excessive outward curve of the spine results in an abnormal rounding of the upper back. The condit
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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th ed., also known as the DSM-5, defines Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) as:
"A pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting at least 6 months as evidenced by at least four symptoms from any of the following categories, and exhibited during interaction with at least one induvidual who is not a sibling."
The symptom criteria for ODD is broken down into 8 different facets.
Angry/Irritable
Often loses temper
Is often touchy or easily annoyed
Is often angry and resentful
Argumentative/Defiant Behavior
Often argued with authority figures or, for children and adolscents, with adults
Often actively defies or refuses to comply with requests from authority figures or with rules
Often deliberately annoys others
Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
Vindictiveness
Has been spiteful or vindictive at least twice within the past 6 months
Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are among the most commonly diagnosed childhood behavioral health disorders. A
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) confirms that according to the DSM-5, the child must have at least four symptoms of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness in order to qualify for a diagnosis of ODD.
Out of a possible 258 symptom patterns, 163 will result in a diagnosis of ODD.
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder characterized by a pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative o
ODD is often comorbid with other mental health conditions. The most common are Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) & Conduct Disorder (CD), although mood disorders are also common.
They are also at higher risk for substance use and abuse.
While ODD is not generally best treated with medications, there are other alternatives to managing symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven to effectively decrease agressive behaviors over time. Parent management therapy focuses on how to respond to the child's behavior.
I've cited the rest of the links used in the making of this post below. Check out Dr. Grande's channel on YouTube or follow my blog for more information on phisiology & mental health topics.
It's been almost 24 hours since I ran out of shatter.
Is it even fair to say that I'm recovering when I didn't bother trashing the cartridge that's almost empty from last week? That's what I've been using since last night just to chase the feeling of not having feelings take over my brain.
I still keep saying the same things to myself:
"You're going to feel so much better."
"Finally free from the poison."
Now I just have to wait to start feeling better.
That's how this works right? Suddenly I'll feel like I can think more clearly and feel more. That's what scares me the most, I think. The feelings I get when I'm not happy.
Now I'm thinking about things I never bothered thinking about before.
Should I take the pain pills up in my bedroom that I've been saving for my wisdom teeth? Should I go drink the last beer as fast as I can to see if that gives me a buzz?
I never cared about those things. But now they are floating in the back of my mind.
Psychogenic fever is a stress-related, psychosomatic disease especially seen in young women. Some patients develop extremely high core body
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) defines a psychogenic fever as a "stress-related, paychosomatic disease especially seen in young women.
Some patients develop extremely high core body temperature (Tc) (up to 41 C) when they are exposed to emotional events, whereas others show persistent low-grade high Tc (37 – 38 C) during situations of chronic stress."
Both acute and chronic stress can cause fever-like symptoms. Here's what you need to know about psychogenic fevers.
Unfortunately with psychogenic fevers patients tend to be treatment resistant. Finding out what's causing the underlying stress could be a crucial part in managing symptoms over time.
If you're suffering from a low fever, these natural remedies may help you keep cool and comfortable
Some popular at-home rememdies featured in the article above include:
Taking a bath in lukewarm water.
Brew a cup of yarrow or elderflower tea.
Eat spicy foods or sprinkle cayenne pepper on your food to promote rapid blood circulation.
Soak your socks and wear them to bed damp.
Wet a sheet and wrap yourself inside of it to lower your body temp (proceed with caution as lowering your body temperature too quickly is not recommended by doctors & physicians).
Drink 8 to 12 glasses of water a day or enough to make your urine pale.
Orange juice and other fruit juices high in Vitamin C assists your immune system in fighting off infection.
Cold grapes provide hydration and a soothing treat.
All the links provided were used in the making of this post today. Check out my blog and follow me for more information about mental health topics and physiology.
Today I ran out of shatter; I knew it was coming. I keep telling myself it will be good for me, like someone who's moving to a far away land that's experiencing cold feet.
I want to run again amongst the flowers and the trees; I don't want to keep drowning in the water. Staying alive just barely enough to breathe.
Whenever I'm without it I feel so much more authentically me. The air is lighter. My head can think and I can concentrate on things so much more clearly.
Until the darkness starts to creep back in. When I'm cornered and provoked I will miss you, shatter.
Even though we're better off seperate, I will think of you in awe whenever someone talks about you or your distant cousin Mary.
Whoever said you can't get addicted to weed must not have been me. 5 years ago I would have quit on the spot just to prove that I wasn't.
***First and foremost, I am not an expert in anything & you should do your own research & consult your Veterinarian before you decide to switch your dog to a raw – also otherwise known as a BARF diet.
This is Rosie.
About Rosie: Rosie was a rescue that I adopted from a shelter when she was 1 year and 2 months back in March of this year (2020). She was playful, energetic, and smart. There wasn't a tragic sob story or past of horrific abuse tied to her; she simply needed a forever home.
When I took her in I still had an older dog named Star, who has now passed as of August. Rosie has been here through the long, painful process of watching my older dog pass.
She is now my unofficial emotional support animal that I've trained to approach me during metldowns or shutdowns – something people on the Autism Spectrum can occasionally or quite frequently undergo.
She's always there for me. I knew I needed to be there for her too.
When I first read about the concept of a raw diet, I can't lie, I almost immediately took to the idea. The only problem was it seemed way too costly for me to cram into my already somewhat feeble budget. It just made me want to work harder at striving for a better paying career so that perhaps someday, I wouldn't have to blink twice at numbers like $240/mo, etc. etc...
Until one day. I realized.
It wasnt just me. Other people liked the idea and they were finding ways to make it happen.
I started watching videos where people broke down the steps they took to feed their dogs raw & still save money.
And after a little bit of time, planning, and summoned courage I decided to go for it.
Since switching to a BARF diet, Rosie's teeth are back to being as white as they were when she first came to us.
Her calluses went away and she has smoothe pads beneath her paws again. Her coat is extra shiny and soft.
But these are things I wasn't expecting to find. All I really wanted was a puppy who runs to her food with eagerness and exuberant anticipation.
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Yo Samdy Sam is another channel I would absolutely recommend to anyone struggling with a late diagnosis of ASD.
Here she is doing a special, spooky Halloween themed video where she discusses Autism & witchcraft.
Why do so many of us develop special interests around the subject of witchcraft?
What does the history of witchcraft have to do with Autism?
How can you implicate practicing witchcraft into your own life?
If you found yourself wanting to know the answer to any of those questions, I suggest you tune in and find out what Yo Samdy Sam, as well as her real-life witch guest, have to say about it.
A personal note
I, myself, was a big fan of the show, Charmed growing up. I remember how fascinated I was watching it. It was unlike any other witchy thing I had ever seen. All of the lore and the backstories could take me hours of sitting and reading; still there would inevitably be someone who knew more than I did.
I would be fascinated by the people on Charmed Wiki who could resite lines from specific episodes and remember every term on the fly. I decided I wanted to dive deeper. Even though my life consisted of planting an air mattress infront of the living room TV and only leaving to use the bathroom or eat, I needed more of this world of Charmed.
Fast forward, I ended up buying the entire box set, all 8 seasons 128 episodes. It was mine. I think I watched it all the way through 7 times before I started living life again. I purchased a CD version of the Book of Shadows. I started recruiting other "witches" that I could teach all of the stuff I was learning about Charmed to.
I would spend hours on the phone retelling stories from episodes like they were real history. I would use microsoft Word and Office to revise tests that I would make my students take. I always liked sneaking in a bizarre answer every few questions or so, just to keep things interesting. It amused me. I felt very strongly about it all though.
One time I was in my backyard with a couple friends trying to do a spell, and my dad couldnt find black salt anywhere. All we could come up with was just normal table salt. I was the only one not entirely bothered by this. I remember thinking, "what is WRONG with you people? The spell calls for THIS. Not that." It made me angry that I was the only one who seemed to really believe with all of my soul that something like this could work.
Eventually I guess I fell out of it. I still have the Book of Shadows by my computer and I still own all 8 seasons of the show. If I could go back and do it all over again I would do it in a heart beat. Those were some of the funnest times in my life.
Lonliness is a vast topic that is both widely discussed and deeply misunderstood in the Autistic Community partly because it has a lot to do with there being a spectrum.
I've narrowed it down to 3 main subcategories that I'll be talking about today.
Loneliness During Social Situations
Loneliness In Interpersonal Relationships
& Lonliness In Regards To Feeling Different From (The Majority Of) The Rest Of The World
I.) Lonely In A Crowd
Paul titles this video "Lonely in a crowd", and I think it's safe to say that most Autistic people experience this feeling at one time or another.
Since I am a female who masks quite often, one of the first ways I found I could detect social deficit in my own life was by thinking back to all the times I felt like I was left out — even though the true reality was that I was just as involved as everybody else. As it turns out, I'm one of so many others on the spectrum who experiences this.
Paul also talks about excluding himself from social situations to avoid this having this feeling and explains further into why this particular type of loneliness can drive a person on the spectrum to isolate themselves.
II.) Lonliness With Social & Interpersonal Relationships
Sarah Hendrickx is an independant Autism specialist who also has Autism. She has written several books gracing the world with her knowledge and experience working with induviduals and being an individual herself who is on the spectrum.
In this video she talks about how Autism Spectrum Disorder can effect our social and emotional relationships. This may seem like a given, but her 1+ hour seminar addresses just exactly how this can present itself during different stages of life through different types of Autistic people.
While we do have a tendency to migrate towards other nuerodivergents, it can often become very difficult identifying and expressing our own needs when it comes to dealing with and maintaining relationships with other people.
People who tend to mask will often find themselves giving way too much of themselves to try to stay on par with whatever standard they deam necessary; while the more stereotypical introverted Autistic may not even bother themselves with decoding unspoken social laws & isolate even further.
III.) Lonliness With The World
This one goes out for all the people who feel like aliens living amongst humans on a planet we don't belong on.
It's not just you. We're all trying our damnest to pass in a world that wasn't meant for us.
This video touches on the subject of lonliness in Autistic people living in a world of people who don't understand.
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These are the three channels featured in this post today:
Aspergers From The Inside
NAS South Hampshire
invisible i
Visit them on Youtube & follow my blog for more helpful information about Autism Spectrum Disorder.
