RFK and Trump claim to have found the "cause" of Autism.

[chippermonk]

As promised they claim to have found the cause, and presumably the cure for Autism.

Apparently it's down to the mother taking paracetmol during pregnancy.

This completely flies in the face off all evidence, and ignores the complex hereditary and genetic factors that play a large part, along with a recent increase in awareness among the general population, as well as better and broader diagnostic detection.

So if anyone is naive enough to believe these charlatans, it seems paractemol if off the cards during pregnancy,

Lets see what happens to the Autism rates if no pregnant mothers take paracetomol from now on shall we?

Oh it will come as such a shocking surprise in a year or 2 when the new data comes in, that the no paracetomol did not make any difference. Who would have thought it? Not me, no certainly and absolutely not.

RFK appears to be some kind of lunatic, coming from a legal not medical background, and somehow thinking that he's going to find the cause and cure for the "Autism Epidemic" or "Horror Show" or something similar that Trump called it, in 3 months, despite this having been studied for many many years.

So is Trump implying that Melania taking too much Tylenol was a cause of Barron's issues?

 

[KurtAurelius]

Don’t let the corporations find out, they will weaponise autism as a money maker!!!

Except they are likely going to have a hard time finding a way of inducing a hyperfixation on pushing useless products and services

I’m so grateful everyday that I am autistic. I know not everyone’s experience is the same, but once I got past the social stigma, and the stupid internal “I wish I was normal” I’ve realised how much of a gift it is.

Neurodivergence is what the world so desperately needs, but the world will fight it, as it allows you to realise that being a consumerist tax cow slave isn’t all it.

I’ll stick to my obsession with drugs, history and music thanks and use my time exactly how I wish. I’ll say what I mean, and be direct and honest, while still understanding some tact as I’ve observed it.

My autism has been something that has developed and doesn’t keep me stuck as a “re*ard” as some like to think.

 

[Bleaney]

Same, same, same.

If only it wasn't so difficult to find work that causes the least amount of issues. Those with exceptional talents will have more bargaining power to require workplaces to accommodate their differences and needs. Those that don't, either have to put up with things that push them towards meltdown or burnout, or find some other way of coping. (And since the medical establishment has apparently decided that there is no treatment for Autism, it is any wonder so many of us have taken to medicating ourselves in order to cope with a daily grind that we're not built for?)

It also seems to me that broadly speaking, as a whole, 'drug users' are less inclined to be materialistic and concerned with that middle-class bullshit about keeping up with the Jones' and having the latest phone, car, kitchen, or w/e other bullshit takes you years and years or work to pay off.

Renton said in Trainspotting that all of that was "choosing life", and he said he chose not to chose life. I don't agree that that is what life is all about. But neither do we need to go so far to the complete opposite extreme that we end up with nothing, except extreme addiction problems.

Autistic people seem to be similarly inclined to drug users in this regard it seems to me.

Autstic+drug user = the case applies doubly, I think.

For those that earn good, or even average money, they could easily do without all that bullshit and retire ten years earlier. Time is far more valuable than possessions as retirement draws near, and your number of healthy years remaining grows increasingly short.

Dunno why only drug users and Autistic people, as a whole, can see that, and don't feel the need to conform to the "I must work until the state says I can retire"mentality. Or are just so skint that they have to keep working until they drop. (And those that are into frugality and FIRE etc) Not that I can afford a new kitchen and car anyway, but even if I could, I wouldn't; I'd spend the money financing an earlier retirement instead.

Are we some kind of deviant threat to the capitalist system because we don't buy into the supposed necessity of consuming unnecessary utter bollocks?

 

[KurtAurelius]

Same, same, same.

If only it wasn't so difficult to find work that causes the least amount of issues. Those with exceptional talents will have more bargaining power to require workplaces to accommodate their differences and needs. Those that don't, either have to put up with things that push them towards meltdown or burnout, or find some other way of coping. (And since the medical establishment has apparently decided that there is no treatment for Autism, it is any wonder so many of us have taken to medicating ourselves in order to cope with a daily grind that we're not built for?)

Yeah it seems to me that broadly speaking, as a whole, 'drug users' are less inclined to be materialistic and concerned with that middle-class bullshit about keeping up with the Jones' and having the latest phone, car, kitchen, or w/e other bullshit takes you years and years or work to pay off.

Autistic people seem to be similarly inclined to drug users in this regard it seems to me.

Autstic+drug user = the case applies doubly, I think.

For those that earn good, or even average money, they could easily do without all that bullshit and retire ten years earlier. Time is far more valuable than possessions as retirement draws near, and your number of healthy years remaining grows increasingly short.

Dunno why only drug users and Autistic people, as a whole, can see that, and don't feel the need to conform to the "I must work until the state says I can retire"mentality. (And those that are into frugality and FIRE etc) Not that I can afford a new kitchen and car anyway, but even if I could, I wouldn't; I'd spend the money financing an earlier retirement instead.

Are we some kind of deviant thereat to the capitalist system because we don't buy into the supposed necessity of consuming unnecessary utter bollocks?

I believe that’s the exact reason we are a deviant threat, and the point you made regarding “autism” not having a treatment but then leading to self medication is very telling.

To me, an environment precipitates the reaction to a degree and then our “agency” which is of course a matter of debate but I think it’s simple.

What we can feasibly do, the accountability we can take versus things we cannot control.

No matter how much you let go, and be at peace through your agency, when your in a body and you are neurodivergent the world is not built to have a environment that nurtures your talents and then your rest and self care.

This society does not wish for critical thinkers who see the flaws of the constructs.

Your quintessential paranoid rant of “the men sat around with their cigars and brandy, laughing at their riches as the world is enslaved” is my image.

The only peace I’ve found is Methylphenidate, Agency, Morality and Mindfulness.

It’s all smoke and mirrors. Take what you ACTUALLY need, give what you can, and observe rather than try to explain the ad infinitum cycle of this world.

 

[tryptakid]

Don’t let the corporations find out, they will weaponise autism as a money maker!!!

Except they are likely going to have a hard time finding a way of inducing a hyperfixation on pushing useless products and services

I’m so grateful everyday that I am autistic. I know not everyone’s experience is the same, but once I got past the social stigma, and the stupid internal “I wish I was normal” I’ve realised how much of a gift it is.

Neurodivergence is what the world so desperately needs, but the world will fight it, as it allows you to realise that being a consumerist tax cow slave isn’t all it.

I’ll stick to my obsession with drugs, history and music thanks and use my time exactly how I wish. I’ll say what I mean, and be direct and honest, while still understanding some tact as I’ve observed it.

My autism has been something that has developed and doesn’t keep me stuck as a “re*ard” as some like to think.

Autism: Brought to you by

WWE

UFC

Pfizer

DOGE

Starlink

Ruper Murdoch and Friends

and by continuing support from viewers like you

 

[Bleaney]

The weird thing is the medical establishment have so far declined to push any treatments for Autism, although I have seem very low key and seldom mentions in some studies that "benzodiazepines may be helpful in some cases.'

But yeah obviously benzos are riddled with issues.

There must be something along the lines of benzos that could help with the sensory issues. I guess the political will is not there yet for some reason. Politics and big pharma must be getting all their ducks lined up before they start unleashing the Autism medications.

Also due to the large overlap between Autism and ADHD, with many people having dual diagnoses, the ADHD medications can help significantly.

 

[tryptakid]

I believe that’s the exact reason we are a deviant threat, and the point you made regarding “autism” not having a treatment but then leading to self medication is very telling.

To me, an environment precipitates the reaction to a degree and then our “agency” which is of course a matter of debate but I think it’s simple.

What we can feasibly do, the accountability we can take versus things we cannot control.

No matter how much you let go, and be at peace through your agency, when your in a body and you are neurodivergent the world is not built to have a environment that nurtures your talents and then your rest and self care.

This society does not wish for critical thinkers who see the flaws of the constructs.

Your quintessential paranoid rant of “the men sat around with their cigars and brandy, laughing at their riches as the world is enslaved” is my image.

The only peace I’ve found is Methylphenidate, Agency, Morality and Mindfulness.

It’s all smoke and mirrors. Take what you ACTUALLY need, give what you can, and observe rather than try to explain the ad infinitum cycle of this world.

I'm a therapist. I have spent most of my career working in health care along physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals.

Therapists are the masters of the subjective/relative/contextual factors that impact humans by creating suffering and dysfunction.

Physicians are the masters of objective pathology - the specific disease, illness, pathogen, or wound that creates and ailment.

Our training are very different (subjective vs. objective) though our conclusions often support one another and can contribute to wellness in the patient by seeing all sides of different issues.

Autism is a complicated syndrome that has no one root cause. It is also a spectrum of behaviors and cognitive processes that lead to increased logical thinking, hyper-vigilance, obsessive and compulsive thinking behaviors, sensitivity to routines and stimuli, and is more self focused than empathetic. While people with autism spectrum disorders can experience empathy, it is often intense and must be practiced/learned. It can also be very overwhelming.

One of the biggest issues I see today is the tendency towards self pathologizing and diagnosis. That is - we have access to information online which can confirm our own biased fears, doubts, suspicious and conclusions that inform how we view ourselves. We find labels which explain the dysphoria we experience and apply those labels in an attempt to define ourselves. This can feel empowering as it gives name to some type of challenge we have faced. The problem is, that we are not able to do this without inherent bias.

It is absolutely crucial that we do not self diagnose. This is something taught to us in psychology training as many psychopathology are familiar and some are very familiar. We see ourselves in the diagnostic descriptors and it is very easy to think "that sounds like me so maybe it is me". We then take on a label and start to assign pathology to ourselves, without any checks or balances to say "maybe it is, and maybe it isn't." When we take on pathological labels and adapt them as part of our identity, it causes us to behave in a new way in alignment with that identity.

It is imperative that people seek outside guidance, clarification, and diagnosis before taking on psychopathology and diagnosis. Instead what happens far too often is people make assumptions that they know themselves best (which is true) and that also they know how to apply diagnositcs to themselves (which is not true). When this happens, it creates dangerous self-fulfilling prophecies.

 

[Bleaney]

Your quintessential paranoid rant of “the men sat around with their cigars and brandy, laughing at their riches as the world is enslaved” is my image.

Thanks for that. You really know how to make a person feel good about themselves

 

[KurtAurelius]

Really enjoyed your last few posts btw Bleaney, leading to a good discussion and hilarious jokes.

The weird thing is the medical establishment have so far declined to push any treatments for Autism, although I have seem mention in some studies that "benzodiazepines may be helpful in some cases.'

But yeah obviously benzos are riddled with issues.

Also due to the large overlap between Autism and ADHD, with many people having dual diagnoses, the ADHD medications can help significantly.

Absolutely, medicating my ADHD has “benefited” my autism.

My sensory overload, properception, anxiety, meltdowns etc, are all managed with having adequate monamines.

I’m still just my autistic self but although a mere perception when using very high daily doses of stimulants, I feel like I am as I should be.

But again, with either ADHD or Autism symptoms (where’s the line? What’s a symptom rather than a design of the mind and body) are changed.

I used to want to rawdog it, but having ADHD managed allows me to be far happier.

Unmedicated me is extremely impulsive and so stuck in my head, constantly restless, uncomfortable bored, anxious, and sometimes intolerable of others.

Now I’m just a almost silent wanna be smart arse.

I do honestly believe it’s sadly just down to monamines, if you have enough brain drugs then no problems.

There was nothing “wrong with me” other than a few mere chemicals. I couldn’t of outsmarted my adhd, I eat perfectly whole food med diet, 10k steps plus gym 5-6times a week, no screens, perfect sleep, spent all my time outside.

But until I started taking methylphenidate, I’d realised that Everday was dragging myself along rather than giving in to the urge of killing myself.

My feelings didn’t matter, just monamines.

 

[KurtAurelius]

I'm a therapist. I have spent most of my career working in health care along physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals.

Therapists are the masters of the subjective/relative/contextual factors that impact humans by creating suffering and dysfunction.

Physicians are the masters of objective pathology - the specific disease, illness, pathogen, or wound that creates and ailment.

Our training are very different (subjective vs. objective) though our conclusions often support one another and can contribute to wellness in the patient by seeing all sides of different issues.

Autism is a complicated syndrome that has no one root cause. It is also a spectrum of behaviors and cognitive processes that lead to increased logical thinking, hyper-vigilance, obsessive and compulsive thinking behaviors, sensitivity to routines and stimuli, and is more self focused than empathetic. While people with autism spectrum disorders can experience empathy, it is often intense and must be practiced/learned. It can also be very overwhelming.

One of the biggest issues I see today is the tendency towards self pathologizing and diagnosis. That is - we have access to information online which can confirm our own biased fears, doubts, suspicious and conclusions that inform how we view ourselves. We find labels which explain the dysphoria we experience and apply those labels in an attempt to define ourselves. This can feel empowering as it gives name to some type of challenge we have faced. The problem is, that we are not able to do this without inherent bias.

It is absolutely crucial that we do not self diagnose. This is something taught to us in psychology training as many psychopathology are familiar and some are very familiar. We see ourselves in the diagnostic descriptors and it is very easy to think "that sounds like me so maybe it is me". We then take on a label and start to assign pathology to ourselves, without any checks or balances to say "maybe it is, and maybe it isn't." When we take on pathological labels and adapt them as part of our identity, it causes us to behave in a new way in alignment with that identity.

It is imperative that people seek outside guidance, clarification, and diagnosis before taking on psychopathology and diagnosis. Instead what happens far too often is people make assumptions that they know themselves best (which is true) and that also they know how to apply diagnositcs to themselves (which is not true). When this happens, it creates dangerous self-fulfilling prophecies.

Hey I’m sorry if I’m confused, but just so you know, I was diagnosed by a specialist team for Autism when I was about 17 and ADHD from another clinic whatever in the uk a few months ago.

I’ve been diagnosed by a psychiatrist for EUPD.

Hope I wasn’t appearing to reach out with any potentially problematic self diagnosis claims, I’m just doing my usual thing of blabbing my drivel

They were completely unsolicited but under the understanding that I know no one need interact with them if they aren’t bothered..

hope that makes sense lol.

 

[tryptakid]

Hey I’m sorry if I’m confused, but just so you know, I was diagnosed by a specialist team for Autism when I was about 17 and ADHD from another clinic whatever in the uk a few months ago.

I’ve been diagnosed by a psychiatrist for EUPD.

Hope I wasn’t reaching out with any self diagnosis claims, merely sharing my experiences and thoughts.

They were completely unsolicited but under the understanding that I know no one need interact with them if they aren’t bothered..

hope that makes sense lol.

This wasn't directed at you. I was speaking generally about broad swaths of how we discuss psychopathology. Please don't think I was pointing at you with my comments.

 

[Perkins : Reborn]

Not a proper autistic (hyperlexia) but I really don't think that self-medication does much good at all. Except for the obvious recreational aspect.

If you really want to be medicated, be careful what you wish for. I'm on three serious medications for the same issue and I still drink and smoke weed to take the edges off. You're lucky that you're being acknowledged at all. Not a criticism of anyone, but heavy medication is a real pain sometimes.

 

[tryptakid]

Not a proper autistic (hyperlexia) but I really don't think that self-medication does much good at all. Except for the obvious recreational aspect.

If you really want to be medicated, be careful what you wish for. I'm on three medications for the same issue and I still drink and smoke weed to take the edges off. You're lucky that you're being acknowledged at all. Not a criticism of anyone, but heavy medication is a real pain sometimes.

It's one of the biggest issues i have with medical cannabis. While you get a permission slip from a doctor to buy stuff at a discount - it's up to the 'patient' to determine dose/frequency and monitor for effects. It's not a functional treatment modality and often leads to issues.

Self-diagnosis and self-medication are very very dangerous.

 

[Bleaney]

It's one of the biggest issues i have with medical cannabis. While you get a permission slip from a doctor to buy stuff at a discount - it's up to the 'patient' to determine dose/frequency and monitor for effects. It's not a functional treatment modality and often leads to issues.

Self-diagnosis and self-medication are very very dangerous.

Apparently for some, cannabis does improve things like their ADHD symptoms, and anxiety.

In my case cannabis destroys my attention span completely, unless I stick to tiny doses, but it does help me sleep and feel less stressed the next day, if stacked with Mirtazapine, CBD, and benzos (and it's taken a lot of gradual adjustments to find the most beneficial doses.)

I don't think any 2 neuro divergent people are the same.

 

[Perkins : Reborn]

So are there any days on which you don't augment your prescribed meds with illicit ones?

I can't really talk because I drink and I smoke weed, but I'd hate to be back in the benzo hole again. Just clouds your head so much.

 

[Bleaney]

I'd hate to be back in the benzo hole again. Just clouds your head so much.

I suspect that is a very a subjective thing. Because for me benzos, especially initially, served to quiet all the noise in my mind, I felt peace, tranquility, and clarity. In the sudden absence of the sometimes multiple incessant inner monologues clamouring for attention.

No clouds. Just clarity in my case.

Yeah I know about delusions of sobriety. But no one ever looks at me as if I'm on drugs or makes comments to such ends. I have no doubt someoneone would have if they thought that, as no one seems to hold back any more.

I only take doses in the therapeutic range these days and for several years. As you will know you can't just have random break days off benzos, once things have passed a certain stage, due to the multiple risks and dangers that would pose. Seizures, brain injury, etc, etc.

Maybe it's a bad combo for you, perhaps because with the other meds you are also on, it just does not work for your brain chemistry.

As ever, YMMV.

 

[tryptakid]

Apparently for some, cannabis does improve things like their ADHD symptoms, and anxiety.

In my case cannabis destroys my attention span completely, unless I stick to tiny doses, but it does help me sleep and feel less stressed the next day, if stacked with Mirtazapine, CBD, and benzos.

I don't think any 2 neuro divergent people are the same.

Analysis enhancement is a notable effect - it causes us to hyper focus on minutae while reducing flexibility to switch to thinking about other things. This can be helpful in specific scenarios but it can be very detrimental to mental flexibility.

 

[Perkins : Reborn]

I think there are about two deaths in the history of benzo withdrawal, and they were probably due to something else.

And my benzo use was established before the other meds. I was convinced I needed benzos for my anxiety. But the longer the dependency went on, the more my cognitive abilities suffered.

The weirdest thing happened; I got Covid and forgot to take my diaz. But apart from a little bit of discomfort, it didn't matter! And then weeks went by and I realised that benzos had made my mind into a toilet.

 

[Bleaney]

Analysis enhancement is a notable effect - it causes us to hyper focus on minutae while reducing flexibility to switch to thinking about other things. This can be helpful in specific scenarios but it can be very detrimental to mental flexibility.

Yeah I've noticed that, I can get so stuck on my reasons for disagreeing with just one part of something someone has said early on in on a youtube video, for example, that I miss the whole of the rest of what they say in the remainder of the video as a result.

And this happens 100% of the time after consuming cannabis.

 

[Bleaney]

I think there are about two deaths in the history of benzo withdrawal, and they were probably due to something else.

And my benzo use was established before the other meds. I was convinced I needed benzos for my anxiety. But the longer the dependency went on, the more my cognitive abilities suffered.

The weirdest thing happened; I got Covid and forgot to take my diaz. But apart from a little bit of discomfort, it didn't matter! And then weeks went by and I realised that benzos had made my mind into a toilet.

OK that is your experience, and I'm not saying it isn't.

However, that is not my subjective experience with the drug.

And unless you can spot any specific examples in my posts where you think my cognitive abilities are suffering due to benzos, then I think we are going to need to agree to disagree regarding this.