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The devastating cost of late diagnosis --- Recognizing the link between Neuro-developmental and Psychiatric disorders

3/27/2022

When you survey many Neuro-Diverse Youtubers who might have a LABEL of ADHD or AUTISM --- they are often LATE DIAGNOSIS.

For some people like myself --- that NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIAGNOSIS came a few more years after a POTENTIALLY EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PSYCHOTIC EPISODE and a PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS in my mid-40s.

Was this somehow related to MENOPAUSE --- maybe.
There are a whole group of women who may have had some kind of depression or OCD in the past --- BUT that PSYCHOTIC EPISODE doesn't come until their 40s.
- Comedian Maria Bamford comes to mind.

The number of factors one can legitimately find that affect "MENTAL HEALTH" is seemingly astronomical ----- and maybe that is a blessing in disguise because there are potentially A LOT of things we can address to modify or IMPROVE THINGS.

BUT the TRUE COST of that LATE DIAGNOSIS is DEVASTATING.

The Mental Health Profession actually has gotten pretty good if not EXCELLENT at addressing CRISES ----- and someone like myself as critical as I am ---- OWE the MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION A LOT.

BUT we've got to GET OUT OF LATE DIAGNOSIS and this is A LOT MORE THAN these little MENTAL HEALTH SCREENS.

This is really IDENTIFYING CHILDREN with NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES & DISABILITIES in elementary school and providing proper supports to address EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES, among others with the GOAL of AVERTING GREATER PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEMS.

PRETTY MUCH I would submit we are talking about the EXCEPTIONALITIES --- kids in SPECIAL and GIFTED EDUCATION.

Hyper-Connected Brains ---- What Does That Mean & Why Can It Be Both A Blessing & a Curse

The Future of Psychiatry and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Paradigm Shift (2019)

FROM THE EDITED VOLUME

Neurodevelopment and Neurodevelopmental Disorder
Edited by Michael Fitzgerald

The current understanding of these disorders, intellectual disability, ADHD, autism, Asperger's syndrome, tics, etc., is a neurodevelopmental disorder with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder also being neurodevelopmental, and all have significant neurobiological inputs.

Neurodevelopmental disorders—the history and future of a diagnostic concept (2020)

Deborah J. Morris-Rosendahl, Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; NHLI, Imperial College London, UK;
Marc-Antoine Crocq, Centre Hospitalier, Rouffach, France; CAMUHA, Université de Haute-Alsace, Mulhouse, France

Genetic research supports the hypothesis that ID, ASD, ADHD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder lie on a neurodevelopmental continuum.

Giftedness, Neuro-Diversity, Bipolar Disorder and Inflammation

Val's Note: I think it can sometimes be very misleading when we talk about "DEFICITS" and these Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders that are tied to:

HYPER-CONNECTED BRAINS and
Ramped Up Sensory Processing

If I'm not perceiving something and somebody else is perceiving that thing ---- it may be very easy for me to DISMISS that person as DISTRACTED and FOCUSING ON IRRELEVANT MATTERS -----

Even if --- the matters are HIGHLY RELEVANT and CRUCIAL to an ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING.
And you can't keep doing things the "OLD WAY" and keep your INTEGRITY

On the other hand, all this sensory processing can manifest in a lot of:

Overwhelm
Fatigue
Etc. and
DISTRESS at having to work so hard to be UNDERSTOOD by people who really don't know what you're talking about.

Further, this tends to be IDIOSYNCRATIC. It really is IMPORTANT that we BUILD Inclusive Artistic, Intellectual and Spiritual Communities that can BETTER SUPPORT --- the "INTEGRATIVE COMPLEXITY" of the Neuro-Diverse Individual.

Incarceration, Meaning, Mental Health & Neuro-Diversity

3/24/2022

Insel Talks About the Problem of Incarceration of People with Mental Illness ---- He rightly recognizes that it is a PROBLEM of POLICY ---

But one of the REASONS Policy Makers are having such a hard time with this is that:
- It can be and is MASSIVELY EXPENSIVE on the HIGHER END of the CONTINUUM of CARE ---
- The US is spending A LOT --- and when the NEED is to INCREASE that SPENDING by many factors ----
  - It is often not clear how that is going to happen

Further, if we are not CONNECTING this up to NEURO-DIVERSITY and SOME DIFFERENT or SPECIAL NEEDS of NEURO-DIVERSE PEOPLE --- we've probably MISSED THE BOAT.

When we talk about Meaning, Purpose and the CHALLENGE of BEING INCLUDED in a NEURO-TYPICAL SOCIETY ----

We're JUST STARTING to DRILL DOWN to what those neuro-diverse differences are and how those differences are driving some different needs.
The needs are not all different --- BUT they are different enough that if they are not attended to ----- the possibility of BURNOUT or even more concerning BREAKDOWN is REAL.
- Now this could be true for anyone --- BUT
- If you've got more NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION -- you're going to be more VULNERABLE.

Whether it's ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Giftedness, OCD, Tourette's, etc. --- 2 of the COMMONALITIES "seem" to be --- greater NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION and "HYPER-CONNECTED BRAINS."

Further, those commonalities are seen in PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS as well --- and NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS and PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS "seem" to be on a CONTINUUM.

We know that many of HUMANITY'S great Artists, Thinkers, Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Leaders were and are Neuro-Diverse and they weren't and aren't perfect and they could and can be problematic.

Further, despite our hopes to the contrary --- BIG STRENGTHS can come with BIG DEFICITS.

See Interview with Dr. Thomas Insel @ 3:37

Dr. Thomas Insel Seems to Miss the Integrative Complexity of the Mental Health Crisis --- namely, better Treatments Are Needed (which he seemed to understand in 2013)

BUT Insel gets the Importance of Getting Out of Crisis Management, Bringing Services to Scale & Addressing Purpose & Meaning in People's Lives

Coming to terms with Neuro-Diversity is very much coming to terms with the EXTREMES of HUMANITY --- and cultivating these potentially beautiful flowers in much more CONSCIOUS WAYS --- so they don't WITHER and DIE as the result of poor or inappropriate care and can PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS and STILL GET THEIR NEEDS MET in SCHOOL, WORK, FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS & the COMMUNITY.

This may incorporate MORE COMPLEXITY than our current models. 
BUT it still might be less expensive in Treasure and Human Suffering than what we are currently doing.

Finding Meaning & Purpose in a Strength-Based Approach

Neuro-Developmental Disorders, Fatigue & Strengths --- The Rocky Road to Sustainability

3/17/2022

It "appears" that for some people on a BLURRED Neuro-Developmental Spectrum of ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Giftedness --

What started out as a NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL Difference or Disability is progressing to a PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER

The DIFFERENCES "appear" to be greatly related to INCREASED NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION, Epigenetics and Environment.

I started "Orchid" originally loosely based on this IDEA of the "ORCHID CHILD" who was being described as kids and adults who are HIGHLY SENSITIVE to their Environments.

The OPPOSITE of Dandelions that can thrive in any environment
BUT at least have the potential to become flowers of "unusual beauty" if placed in INDIVIDUALLY TAILORED ENVIRONMENTS.
- There are ORCHIDS in the WILD --- but by and large we're talking about something that needs to be HIGHLY CULTIVATED and CONSCIOUSLY MANAGED to THRIVE.
- But if we make that EFFORT -- there can be a BIG PAY-OFF.
  - Further, this isn't the PAY-OFF of the GAMBLER ---
  - It's more the PAY-OFF of the FARMER who understands how to GROW and CULTIVATE DIFFERENT SEEDS.

One of the things that "might" account for this GREATER SENSITIVITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT at least in part could be greater NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION that is going to among other things the IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Certainly among people with ADHD and Autism, FATIGUE and BURNOUT have become HOT TOPICS.

Further, "NEURO-PLASTICITY" is a GREAT THING, but . . .

It has become a DANGEROUS Concept in Modern Society to further our NOTIONS --- that THERE ARE NO LIMITS
Now if we REALLY UNDERSTAND what we're doing --- we probably will be able to SURPASS our CURRENT LIMITS ---
- Otherwise, it looks like the HUMAN EQUIVALENT of the CLIMATE CRISIS and we are far and getting farther from SUSTAINABILITY.

Frank James
Introvert Girlfriends Be Like . . .

Intensity & Burnout in Autism, ADHD & Giftedness

The BOTTOM LINE:

SUSTAINABILITY --- LOOKS DIFFERENT--- for people with greater NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION than it looks for Neuro-Typicals.
There may very well be a ROLE for trying to develop NEURO-PLASTICITY in more sophisticated ways . . . BUT
- If we don't realize that MOTHER NATURE has already been hard at work on the NEURO-PLASTICITY front
- We may BURN NEURO-DIVERSE people OUT without even realizing it.
  - Neuro-Diverse people are often already contending with "HYPER-CONNECTED BRAINS" ---
    - That "may" become even MORE HYPER-CONNECTED leading to PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

Further, MOTHER NATURE often has developed some ATYPICAL STRENGTHS in those TIRED NEURO-DIVERSE people --- even if those people are sometimes perceived as "HYPER-ACTIVE."

It's not that hard to understand --- especially if YOU'VE LIVED IT --- that failure to appreciate the "SPECIAL NEEDS" of Neuro-Diverse People can lead to a lot of SUFFERING.

Further, a lot of this is about developing SELF-KNOWLEDGE and a MORE BALANCED and ACCURATE VIEW of the STRENGTHS and CHALLENGES of Neuro-Diversity.

Ultimately, that is the FOUNDATION of RESILIENCE.
Further, if we can more effectively communicate some of this HARD-WON Self-Knowledge to people in our lives --- both lay people and professionals ---
- Working together we can develop More Sophisticated Treatments and Therapies that seem more connected to the COMPLICATED REALITIES people are ACTUALLY experiencing.
- Further, we can MODIFY and ADJUST ENVIRONMENTS to both:
  - Allow Neuro-Diverse People to THRIVE,
  - AND use some of those ATYPICAL STRENGTHS for the benefit of OTHERS.

The Catch-22 of Neuro-Diversity: All Who "WONDER" are NOT LOST

3/4/2022

Aurora -- Temporary High

I've always been quite affected by Songs and Lyrics --but I'm not really a musician --- although I was writing song lyrics in 3rd grade (mainly stringing together Cher's song titles and performing them in class).
I remember my husband the guitar player commenting: "Oh, you're one of those people who listen to lyrics --- I listen mainly to the chords."
And my response was pretty much --- "Yeah, I listen to the lyrics you freak --- like 'NORMAL' people."
One of the reasons I paired Aurora with Judeo's Reaction was because Judeo was ASSUMING that EVERYONE who heard Aurora sing "Temporary High" ---- got the SAME enormous amount of information that Judeo got in less than 5 minutes.

Vibes with Judeo

We are PROCESSING the World DIFFERENTLY.

One of many Catch-22s of various forms of Neuro-Diversity and Sensory Processing is:

The more you're processing, the more PATTERNS you are going to pick up ---
- That at least has the potential for NEW UNDERSTANDINGS --- and quite frankly probably the LIKELIHOOD of NEW UNDERSTANDINGS.

BUT we may assume "EVERYONE" gets "it" when they don't.

Further, "it" may not be the same for me as it is for you.

The Fog of Neuro-Diversity

3/4/2022

Neuro-Diverse: I'm too smart to have Executive Functioning Differences or Deficits

Neuro-Typicals (sometimes Mental Health Professionals): I shouldn't have to put with people with Executive Functioning Differences or Deficits.

Val's Take

The changing paradigms in MENTAL HEALTH are largely the result of working our way back in the CHAIN of CAUSALITY.

There is much greater recognition at least in the research that NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION and DISORDERS are Associated with PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

This brings up our ideas and understandings of INTELLIGENCE and SENSORY PROCESSING.
- What is so interesting about NEURO-DIVERSE youtubers ---- they were often either
  - Treated as IDIOTS as kids or
  - IDENTIFIED as "GIFTED"

AND quite frankly depending upon what you're focusing on BOTH can be true---
- at the SAME TIME, in the SAME PERSON

It is this ASYNCHRONY and COMPLEXITY that is often so CONFUSING.
- Understanding that COMPLEXITY is one of the KEYS to getting a handle on our MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ---
- Because CURRENTLY:
  - Some Neuro-Diverse people "think" they are TOO SMART to have significant executive functioning challenges ---
  - AND Neuro-Typicals (including many in the Mental Health Profession) --- are sometimes trying to turn Neuro-Diverse people into Neuro-Typicals to DISASTROUS EFFECT.

REAL LIMITS

Many of the "GIFTS" of Neuro-Diversity are the RESULT of Neuro-Plasticity and Hyper-Connected Brains that are pretty much RUNNING AT CAPACITY ALL THE TIME.

The REASONABLE Neuro-Diverse Person

The "Objective" Reasonable Person Standard with Standard Executive Functioning just isn't going to work for many Neuro-Diverse People.
- They need more breaks
- They may have ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES
- They may have SHORT TERM MEMORY ISSUES
- They are more subject to OVERWHELM
- They are more subject to BURNOUT
- The consequences of the BURNOUT are MORE SERIOUS ---
- At the SAME TIME, they often have STRENGTHS that need to be exercised at a surprisingly HIGH LEVEL to maintain MENTAL HEALTH.

It is pretty hard to manage this by accident.

Aspergers from the Inside
Why So Tired? How Sensory Processing Effects Executive Function

This issue of how Sensory Processing Effects Executive Functioning is a FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE in NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL and PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

I would submit that Paul --- the mild-mannered Australian Aspie Engineer --- actually has a lot in common with many people who might be HOMELESS or JUSTICE-INVOLVED with NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL and/or PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS that are struggling with:

Emotional Regulation
Sensory Processing, and
Executive Functioning more generally

I think it is so IMPORTANT --- NOT to get HUNG UP on the DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES --- which were our best attempt to understand this stuff BUT are CRUMBLING BENEATH OUR FEET.

THESE CATEGORIES are BLURRED --- the important thing is the UNDERLYING BIOLOGY which involves SHARED GENES ACROSS "DISORDERS," DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION, EPIGENTICS and ENVIRONMENT.

When We're Talkin' NEURO-DIVERSITY --- We're Talkin' NEURO-DIVERSITY

2/22/2022

I think one of the GREAT GIFTS of NEURO-DIVERSITY is revealing UNDERLYING COMMONALITIES and NEEDS of people who might perceive themselves as OPPOSITES.

People NEED their Talents developed and recognized
People can't IGNORE their WEAKNESSES --- but they may need help in dealing with them.
People are NOT Perfect --- and if they are spending a lot of time "MASKING" that takes a toll.
If the price of admission to the COMMUNITY is a PRETENSE of PERFECTION --- that is going to have CONSEQUENCES for the INDIVIDUAL and the SOCIETY.

On the one hand, you could look at our CELEBRITY CULTURE and say how ridiculous, crass and stupid it is.

On the other hand, we're really trying to UNDERSTAND the COMPLEXITY of the PERSON ---- where all the positive traits and all the negative traits are not going together.

It's a lot about GROWING UP.

Aspergers from the Inside

High Functioning Autism --- It is NOT what you think.

(Takes on the 70 IQ to argue for more understanding and "HELP" for NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE with higher IQs.)

Val's Take: I think as more and more people are aware of Executive Functioning Differences and their relationship to NEURO-DIVERSITY and NEURO-DIVERSITY's relationship to PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS ---
we're going to start taking "HIGH FUNCTIONING NEURO-DIVERSITY" a lot more seriously.

A lot of people who are HOMELESS and JUSTICE-INVOLVED are NEURO-DIVERSE with IQs above 70.

We've got to start educating ourselves and others ---- and that's the message of so many NEURO-DIVERGENT Youtubers. See the Neurodivergent Rebel below.

These understandings have to make it to our SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS and our POLICYMAKING.

There is so much that NEURO-DIVERSITY has to offer ---- BUT this can't be done in IGNORANCE.

Neurodivergent Rebel
Setting Healthy Boundaries

Val's Take: There is so much EDUCATION that needs to go on to get a CRITICAL MASS of people who can address these NEURODIVERGENT issues.

My experience is there's NOBODY in the room who understands these issues -- & I didn't either. Further, people aren't fitting neatly into the CURRENT CATEGORIES --- so it can take a long time to get that DIAGNOSIS that is fairly SIMPLISTIC for the REALITY.

Most of this is driven by DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION and that tends to be INDIVIDUAL.

Neuro-Diversity in the Workplace: Is It A Blessing or a Curse?

2/13/2022

If done CONSCIOUSLY --- it can be a BLESSING --- If not, the ROAD TO HELL WAS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS

The inset to the right is a Survivor of the 1972 Andes Plane Crash.

The survivors were given WRONG DIRECTIONS --- and ultimately resorted to CANNIBALISM to SURVIVE.

One of the things that many --- OUT-GROUPS come to realize is that IN-GROUPS are CANNABALIZING them --- meaning IN-GROUPS are using people in OUT-GROUPS to:

Prop up their own egos;
Serve as a buffer from the bottom of the social heap: and
Strengthen Ties Among the "In-Group"

Of course, if you're in a HIERARCHICAL SYSTEM, without REAL INCLUSIVITY --- we're NOT RECOGNIZING that EVERYONE has STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES --- then the POWER to DEFINE is going to DEFINE that OUT-GROUP to the BOTTOM OF THE SOCIAL HEAP.

I think the IN-GROUP(s) may have some PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY because a lot of this is UNCONSCIOUS --- BUT it is NOT UNCONSCIOUS to People in the OUT-GROUP(s).

So when we think about NEURO-DIVERSITY ---- at least 4 Groups need to be IDENTIFIED --- and interestingly they are often considered OPPOSITES:

People who didn't do well in SCHOOL and had EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES;
People who did great in SCHOOL and had EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES;
People at the TOP of this SOCIETY with EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES;
People at the BOTTOM of this SOCIETY with EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES.

So in our SOCIETY --- what are the GO-TO EXPLANATIONS for the UNDER PREFORMERS --- well, they just didn't APPLY THEMSELVES, they didn't work hard enough--- or they just don't have the TALENT --- they don't have what it takes .

However, I would submit if you really start INVESTIGATING this --- IT IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.

So WRONG DIRECTIONS ---
- What we're often not taking into account is that the person is BENEFITTING from SUPPORTS in the ENVIRONMENT that are MASKING or MAKING IRRELEVANT these EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES.

So for someone like myself, my DAD wasn't doing my homework for me --- BUT
- He was a lover of STRUCTURE and ORDER --- not in a pathological way ---
  - It drove me crazy sometimes but it allowed me to THRIVE ---
  - Further, I didn't really know what CRAZY was or how much I depended on that SUPPORT until it wasn't there.
  - Further, even my father didn't realize how much I was dependent on that SUPPORT.

Additionally, all this STRUCTURE & ORDER was paired with unparalleled
- COACHING,
- CHEERLEADING and
- an APPRECIATION of INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES--- it's a RARE COMBINATION --- it wasn't perfect but it allowed me to thrive --- certainly in SCHOOL.

I knew I had weaknesses --- BUT they had been COMPENSATED FOR pretty EFFECTIVELY.
- What I really knew was that I had BIG STRENGTHS.

I didn't know that my WEAKNESSES could overtake me without the PROPER SUPPORT.

I think this is TRUE for people across the board.
I think it is easier to see with NEURO-DIVERSITY because the perceived (or hidden) STRENGTHS can be BIGGER and so can the perceived (or hidden) WEAKNESSES.

That ASYNCHRONY (or perhaps SYNCHRONY if properly understood) is a source of a lot of FRUSTRATION ---

Those STRENGTHS have to be addressed just as much as those WEAKNESSES through
- COACHING and
- CHEERLEADING
- NOT understanding and developing the person's STRENGTHS ends up being just as much of a problem as not understanding WEAKNESSES because ----
  - Those STRENGTHS are the FIRST LINE of COMPENSATION for the WEAKNESSES.

On the other hand, to me Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are CAUTIONARY TALES about what happens if we allow NEURO-DIVERSE people with BIG STRENGTHS and BIG WEAKNESSES to RUN AMUCK.
- Throughout history, people really have had a hard time dealing with COMLEXITY in their Leaders ---
  - the Divine Right of Kings comes to mind, and
  - JFK

BUT ultimately that is not just COMPLEXITY in the PERSON at the TOP or in the SPOTLIGHT --- it's COMPLEXITY in HUMAN BEINGS.

According to some Service Providers, many incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people have tried to START their own BUSINESSES and are interested in ENTREPEURSHIP.

In some cases the lift to SUPPORTED ENTREPRENEURSHIP may be less than the lift to SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT --- if we know what we need to COMPENSATE for and what we need to BUILD UPON.

I'm not sure it's an "UNDUE HARDSHIP" on Employers to ACCOMMODATE their NEURO-DIVERSE Employees --- but the fact of the matter is it can take a FAIR AMOUNT OF EFFORT ---
- Especially, as the PATH is BEING BLAZED.

Intensity and Burnout in Autism, ADHD & Giftedness

2/7/2022

Someone like me --- I have aspects / symptoms that look kinda like:

Autism
- Food sensitivities and pickiness
- Considerable RATIONALITY to deal with SENSORY OVERLOAD and INTENSE EMOTIONALITY
ADHD
- Interested in EXCITING things --- CRIMINAL LAW
- Sensory Overload and Intense Emotionality
- Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria -- which can probably be seen in Autism and Giftedness as well
GIFTEDNESS
- was one of 3 high school valedictorians
- graduated Top 10 Seniors at a State University
- Sensory Overload and Intense Emotionality
Tourette's
- Not exactly Tourette's but a Movement Disorder that gets triggered by INTENSE EMOTION.

So what happens if we FOCUS on the CATEGORIES in the DSM? Somebody like myself --- GETS MISSED.

That FAILURE to IDENTIFY and COMPENSATE for NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES --- has CONSEQUENCES.

However much we may be fascinated by NEURO-PLASTICITY --- our current understandings and automatic biological processes have their LIMITS ---

I would submit that the HYPER-CONNECTED BRAINS of people with PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS are PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of our current LIMITS.

Asperger's from the Inside: Avoiding Autistic Burnout

Paul asks the question --- Is it even possible to avoid BURNOUT if you are on the Spectrum?

Because the way one's brain works is ---- INTENSE FOCUS and CRASH.

Recognizing that EXTRA TIME you need to take to RECOVER is important.

Of course, the SOCIETY doesn't UNDERSTAND that --- and maybe it is hard for FAMILY AND FRIENDS to UNDERSTAND as well.

How to ADHD: What Does It Mean to Have "Burnout"

Gets into the official definition of BURNOUT and recognizes it as a SYSTEMIC MISMATCH between the PERSON and the ENVIRONMENT.

In other words --- we're not blaming the INDIVIDUAL.

Edvin Palmer: Living with Emotional Intensity - Part 1 - Intellectual Giftedness

"When people think about intellectual giftedness, they often get stuck on the intellectual part of it. But, giftedness also has an emotional component. So, in this video, I speak with openness and honesty about what it's like to live with emotional intensity."

I think a lot of "GIFTED" People think the answer is going to be to find somebody else who is INTELLECTUALLY or otherwise "GIFTED" --- and the reality is often one has just SQUARED the EMOTIONAL INTENSITY.

RELATIONSHIPS are HARD for NEURO-DIVERSE people --- you're having to work harder and so is the other person.

Neuro-Developmental Differences / Disorders are NOT Just Differences of the Brain

1/27/2022

If we didn't know that Neuro-Developmental Disorders affected the Brain and the Central Nervous System --- that would be a big problem.

We do know that even as we're resistant to the ramifications of that.

BUT what if NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS are NOT just differences and disorders of the BRAIN & CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM?

What if they are affecting MULTIPLE SYSTEMS of the BODY?

The "OPTIMISTS" among us may say --- that marginalized poor person with Neuro-Developmental Disorders should be "CONTROLLING" all this with the proper values and work ethic ------

even as the BILLION DOLLAR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS are struggling to figure it all out.

[BTW --- I am an OPTIMIST when it comes to ULTIMATELY UNDERSTANDING and CONTROLLING for these CHALLENGES --- but it is a WORK IN PROGRESS.]

In the meantime, the POOL of people with NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES / DISORDERS seems to be steadily increasing.

Which is NOT surprising if you realize that these DIFFERENCES & DISORDERS are linked to the IMMUNE SYSTEM, MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION, EPIGENETICS and INNATE & ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY.
By way of "EXPERIMENTATION" ---- "abnormal immune systems" --- can give rise to BIG STRENGTHS and BIG CHALLENGES --- and that can be in the SAME PERSON
- which has really CONFUSED our ASSUMPTIONS and RULES of THUMB --- that all the good traits are going together and all the bad traits are going together.
- People are "SELECTING" for the "good traits" and --- when they picked up one end of the stick --- they got the other as well.

Appropriately, we can't understand "NEURO-DIVERSITY" without using CRITICAL THINKING.

We must CONSCIOUSLY address both the CHALLENGES and STRENGTHS of NEURO-DIVERSITY.

Focusing on STRENGTHS ALONE --- may not currently be enough but those STRENGTHS can MITIGATE some of the weaknesses.

Those who were sad had rapid improvements in mood when they utilized their strongest skills.

---Jan. 23, 2022

The Environment, Sensitive / Reactive Systems & Enlightened Self-interest

1/20/2022

My experience is that the SOCIAL HIERARCHIES one is in during one's lifetime can change dramatically.
Many people experience the Hierarchies in SCHOOL and ACADEMIA as significantly different in SOME RESPECTS than those found in most ADULT ENVIRONMENTS.

For many Neuro-Diverse People --- SCHOOL is a TORTURE CHAMBER

For others, SCHOOL is a DREAM COME TRUE.

If that ENVIRONMENT is "WORKING" FOR US or "WORKING GOOD ENOUGH"--- we may see its FLAWS ---
- BUT we don't have enough SKIN IN THE GAME to do the HARD WORK to CHANGE it.
- OR Stick OUR NECKS OUT to CHANGE IT.

What's the POINT?:
- DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS work for DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
- Ironically, NEURO-DIVERSE PEOPLE often find themselves on OPPOSITE ENDS of the SPECTRUM ---
  - That's a lot of what I'm trying to say with the "Odd Couple" --- Autism & ADHD --- which are surprisingly

BLURRED.
Further, NEURO-DIVERSE People tend to be CONTROL FREAKS in their own ways because they are SO SENSITIVE or REACTIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Is the Line between --- "Oh, that person is so 'PASSIONATE and SENSITIVE' to that person is 'PATHOLOGICAL and REACTIVE' " ----- really SO FINE --- or are we just OBLIVIOUS to the many steps it took to get from one to the OTHER ---

AS WELL AS the DIFFICULTY of recognizing COMPLEXITY in ourselves and others.

Nowhere is that perhaps more on DISPLAY than the "GIFTED COMMUNITY" that is having a hard time recognizing that their EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES are DEVELOPMENTAL and BIOLOGICAL ----

which given the ASSUMPTIONS of the Society is quite understandable.

More and More --- "GIFTEDNESS" is recognized as part of NEURO-DIVERSITY.

Who we are willing to recognize as "GIFTED" is also subject to UNCONSCIOUS THINKING & UNCONSCIOUS BIAS.

A lot of "GIFTED" People are working to change that.

Frank Sinatra
That's Life

Big Chill (1983)
Rationalizations

In 1983, I was not in my 30s --- I was in my early 20s and at the TOP of MY GAME.

In less than 5 years --- I was wondering what had happened.

The Revivalists
All My Friends

(I wasn't getting HIGH --- BUT I had my first MAJOR EPISODE of DEPRESSION -- and recall feeling as though I had jumped out of a plane without a PARACHUTE -- BUT I didn't know it was DEPRESSION)

So by my late 20s -- I was already struggling ---

I had assured my Mother who had grown up during the DEPRESSION with a SINGLE MOTHER with POLIO --- that this LIBERAL ARTS MAJOR was all going to work out because I was going to LAW SCHOOL and not only that I really wanted to be a LAWYER --- and SAVE THE WORLD.

We all have SKIN IN THE GAME when it comes to CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT

That's why it is so hard.
Ultimately, this needs to work for EVERYONE --- and that EVERYONE is DYNAMIC --- its not going to be the same in 50 years
And we're likely going to understand more in 50 years than we understand now.
Even if we don't have all the SPECIFICS of that KNOWLEDGE we can still operate under principles of the BELOVED COMMUNITY & ENLIGHTENED SELF-INTEREST in creating ENVIRONMENTS that are USER-FRIENDLY for DIVERSE USERS.

Alan Bloom on Enlightened Self-Interest

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