Blog Archives

Suffering

9/26/2025

Val's Take: Suffering is built into life. Helen Keller said that life was full of suffering but also full of the overcoming of it.

There are plenty of complicated problems previous generations didn't resolve, even as they did resolve some extremely difficult problems.

When we're talking about extreme physical and/or affective pain --- that pretty quickly becomes the issue. We wouldn't say --- why don't you go through major surgery without anesthesia and grow through your pain.

Additionally, something like Glutamate Excitotoxicity is associated with both chronic physical pain and affective, emotional pain.

Modulation of Glutamate for Chronic Pain Management (2022)

Doobie Brothers
Toulouse Street

When we're struggling, it can feel like Toulouse Street:

I'm walkin' in shadows, I cannot see
Faces, they smile when I fall or flee
Doors without windows all shuttered tight again

I just might pass this way again

Locked in a room down in New Orleans

Arthur Brooks
Don't Waste Suffering

HealthyGAmerGG on Relationships

9/24/2025

HealthyGamerGG
ADHD and Relationships

Val Take: This is Dr. K with YouTube's wildly popular HealthyGamerGG.

There is a lot here. One of the things that he suggests for addressing relationship issues is an OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST. I've made that suggestion myself with regard to employment issues and issues in general.

I think there is a HUGE MARKET for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS and COACHES to address Executive Functioning Issues in NEURO-DIVERSITY. My observation is occupational therapists are in short supply, and coaches may be more accessible.

Talk therapy can have an important role in addressing Neuro-Diversity --- but we really need to get to pragmatic work-arounds and accommodations that occupational therapists and coaches will generally be better equipped to address.

"TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES"

"Totality of the Circumstances" is a legal concept.
Most Neuro-Diverse people need to address Neuro-Diversity in both their work and personal lives.
A recent study came out finding that couples have similar psychological disorders.
I think the same can be true for work as well.
BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT CLONES.
Part of this is recognizing that you need work-arounds and accommodations.
The other part is recognizing that others need work-arounds and accommodations.
I don't think Neuro-Diversity is that uncommon, especially when you look at what may cause it --- something like MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION.

Spouses tend to share psychiatric disorders,
massive study finds (Aug. 2025)

Analysis of almost 15 million people shows the trend increases with each decade, across cultures and generations.

Translational Love, Relationships & Neuro-Diversity Saturdday

Demand Avoidance and questioning psychological frameworks

9/12/2025

Val's Take: So I'm pairing Orion Kelly talking about Demand Avoidance with mental health advocate Steven Morgan --- on the questions we still have about Mental Health --- and how the person is not necessarily thinking the way we may assume.

I absolutely think Demand Avoidance is a thing having worked with a lot of attorneys and activists and dated Neuro-Diverse Men and having been married to one for over 20 years --- OMG I believe in Demand Avoidance.

Having said that, I can think of my own behavior that people may have thought was some kind of Demand Avoidance --- but actually involved:

Brain Energy issues,
Complex (Slower) Processing,
Emotional Regulation issues due to anxiety that were ramping up,
Etc.

Orion Kelly
Demand Avoidance

Steven Morgan
Soteria Vermont
People aren't always thinking what you think

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Suffering

HealthyGAmerGG on Relationships

Demand Avoidance and questioning psychological frameworks

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

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​ NEURODiversity Wednesday

Suffering

HealthyGAmerGG on Relationships

Demand Avoidance and questioning psychological frameworks

Neuro-DiversityWednesday(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)