Blog Posts

SENSORY &/OR INFORMATION OVERLOAD ---ARE PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEMS A SECONDARY SYMPTOM?

12/22/2020

We are dealing with "BLURRED" psychiatric categories according the the National Institute of Mental Health.
Specifically, NIMH found calcium channel disruptions in ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder Depression and Schizophrenia.
Further, there seems to be an immune system link or dysregulation involved in all these disorders.
We would argue that among other things people are struggling with information and sensory overload -- it is taking considerable emotion/reason to process.
Further, I think this is a lot more than we all need to take time to "process our emotions."

This can be almost a 24/7 endeavor and many people are looking to shut down sources of stimulation because they are already overloaded.

Star Institute. The Star Institute is located in Centennial, Colorado.

Virginia Spielmann, Associate Director at STAR Institute talks about Sensory Processing Disorder and anxiety from an Occupational Therapy perspective and whether anxiety is a secondary symptom.

Acclaimed neuroscientist Antonio Damasio: The Brain is the Servant of the Body.

Damasio is author of a number of books, including "Decartes Error" in which he argues among other things that Emotion is necessary for Reason.

What happens if you have much more information and sensory data to process than the average person has to process?

IS THAT GOOD OR BAD?

It seems more and more obvious that we DO NOT have UNLIMITED CAPABILITIES to process INFORMATION and SENSORY STIMULATION.

Further, immune dysregulation may be an underlying factor in information and / or sensory overload.

This ENLIGHTENING 20/20 episode on Carly Fleishmann with non-verbal autism --- was posted on YouTube by the Star Institute in 2012.

Ted-Ed: This fascinating exploration of TURBULENCE within Van Gogh's painting -- hints at the unexpected information overload he may have been dealing with.

Was Van Gogh the sensitive creative of song writer Don McLean's imagining or a smelly alcoholic jerk in the assessment of English art critic Waldemar Januszczak?

The reality for many people with psychiatric disorders can be very much --- ALL OF THE ABOVE.

And many people with psychiatric disorders are looking to temper the downsides and get more control of the gifts -- just as much as the Society is as well.

Dr. Gail Salz in her Book "The Power of Different" -- the Link Between Disorder and Genius -- was a welcome recognition of the substantial gifts of many people with "disorders."

I would submit the link is a not very mysterious access to greater information and /or sensory stimulation.

A NEW ROLE FOR THE American Psychiatric Association

12/21/2020

THE OUT-OF-DATE DSM IS BEING REFORMED & REPLACED BY THE WORK OF RESEARCHERS AND MEDICAL ACADEMICS

There's another article in Medscape regarding the Trials & Tribulations of the American Psychiatric Association's (APA's) DSM 5.

Old Soldiers never die according to Gen. MacArthur -- they just fade away. That may very well be true for the DSM as well.

From our perspective, a propriety professional organization such as the APA SHOULD NOT be in charge of a "DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL."

But 40 years ago -- there was nobody else to do it.

Further, when the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in 2013 found the DSM lacking scientific validity --- the response was the RDoC Program --- the Research Domain Criteria Program.

RDoC is important, it is continuing --- but it wasn't the rapid replacement of the DSM that many had hoped.

In the meantime, findings have been flooding out of the world's major research institutions and academics have been writing books on psychiatry and immunology, endocrinology, the microbiome, etc.

So in a lot of ways that replacement for the DSM is already here and it looks a lot more like a TRADITIONAL MEDICAL DISCIPLINE.

THAT VITAL ROLE for the APA

Advocate for MASSIVE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & MEDICINE
Advocate for Integration of Psychiatry with other Medical Disciplines, including Neurology, Immunology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, etc.

This is good for patients and its good for mental health professionals.

There is a great irony in "mental disorders" that are connected to so many systems of the body -- would be ISOLATED and MALTREATED or INAPPROPRIATELY TREATED for most of HUMAN HISTORY.

It's because of the APA and others that we are on the cusp of a much more INTEGRATED and EFFECTIVE TREATMENT of "MENTAL DISORDERS."

WHAT DOES INTEGRATION OF "MENTAL HEALTH" MEAN?

12/20/2020

AT MINIMUM IT MEANS INTEGRATION OF PSYCHIATRY/NEUROLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, ENDOCRINOLOGY & GASTROENTEREOLOGY

Psychiatry is in many ways having its very own CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS.

It is becoming more and more clear that psychiatric problems involve multiple systems of the body that psychiatrists are often not well-versed in, much less the LEGAL SYSTEM.

To me, the source of INJUSTICE is NOT IGNORANCE PER SE. We're always in some form of ignorance.

It's really that we are afraid to acknowledge that these large knowledge gaps make many of our systems UNTENABLE.

As SCIENCE is racing ahead of clinicians largely because we haven't FUNDED sufficient translational research, the WISDOM of refraining from moral judgments or moral judgments disguised as legal judgments is also more and more clear.

WE GOTTA HAVE SAFETY
We must acknowledge reality --- we don't know everything --- and we're not likely to know everything anytime soon.
It's Time for a Public Health Approach to Criminal Justice ---
We probably want to bring in those Epidemiologists, too -- if we're serious about reducing the incidence of cognitive disability in the society.

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG BIPOLAR DISORDER AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, THYROID DISORDER, OSTEOPOROSIS AND BLOOD SERUM TOXICITY

12/20/2020

There's always a tension between wanting to acknowledge the real strengths and benefits that can come from SUPER SENSITIVITY to the ENVIRONMENT and the sometimes SCARY REALITIES of that.

It is seeming more and more that individual manifestations of "mental illness" involve dysregulation of the immune system.

For many of us, it would be hard for us to be more "sensitive" than we are --- and we may already be "too sensitive" for our own good.

With the classic autoimmune diseases such as MS, it's the physical symptoms that are most apparent, and the person may develop psychiatric symptoms.

With most mental illnesses the pattern is reversed -- what is most obvious are the psychiatric symptoms and the person may develop later physical symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases.

This has made it incredibly hard to recognize "mental Illness" without the standard visual clues of an immune-related disorder.

Now that I have bipolar disorder, thyroid disorder and osteoporosis ---- it's not that hard for me to see bipolar disorder as immune-related as well.

I don't really want to hear about "blood serum toxity" in people with bipolar disorder ---- BUT it is so important to ground mental illness in the BIOLOGY so people can better understand it.

Further, one of the big reasons we've failed to adequately provide housing, placements and services for people with mental illness --- we continually UNDERESTIMATE what is required.

Hopefully, if we better understand the BIOLOGY that will be less of a problem.

Consensus AI Reports added May 3, 2026.

Osteoporosis and Bipolar Disorder

Ever-changing moods may be toxic to the brain of bipolar patients

The blood of bipolar patients is toxic to brain cells and affects the connectivity ability of neurons, a new study shows

Date: May 31, 2016
Source: Publicase Comunicação Científica

Summary:
A new study shows that the blood of bipolar patients is toxic to brain cells and may affect the connectivity ability of neurons.

The research group also presents an in vitro study model for a disease for which no animal model has been yet developed.

Multiple Sclerosis and Bipolar Disorder

Thyroid Disorders and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder & Blood Serum Toxicity

Physical Illness, Mental Health, the Immune System, the Microbiome and the Endocrine System

What's the moral & Ethical problem WITH FINDING "BIOMARKERS" FOR "ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER"

12/19/2020

According to some neuro-biologists, humans developed / acquired their moral sense about 50,000 years ago.

A lot of what we have been doing in the last 50,000 years is EDUCATING our moral sense.

When we talk KNOWLEDGE and biomarkers and the biological basis for "anti-social behavior" ---

it's complicated,
it may be different between men and women
in some cases it's associated with trauma
it may be associated with maternal viral infection even in the absence of microglial changes [What's the Point? Maybe one can suffer damage from maternal viral infection even without immune system microglial changes]

REASON in 2020 bends heavily towards biological explanations of behavior which can be impacted by environment.

Where does that leave the LAW? We have a lot of assumptions around human intent that are problematic at best and likely false.

Specifically, "intent" becomes more and more problematic as a moral arbiter the more 'intent" is recognized as a function of biology.

Even assuming that no side can conclusively win the debate (the case for the status quo is becoming more and more problematic) ----

WHO BEARS THE BURDEN OF PROOF?

The practical reality is not pretty -- largely indigent defendants bear the burden whether they should or not.

That is why we desperately need housing, placements and services to scale for people with cognitive disabilities, and especially for disfavored people with cognitive disabilities.

That is not just for them --- it is to take the moral weight off the rest of us as well.

Biomarkers & Anti-Social Personality Disorder

Orchid's 2020 Report on Anti-Social Personality Disorder & the Criminal Justice System

"NOTHING IS RELATED"--"ALIE NATION" BY A TRIBE CALLED RED

12/16/2020

    Nobody's recommending ditching our critical thinking skills to see "RELATIONSHIPS" in the Society and the World.

In fact, we really have to put a lot of those critical thinking skills in hibernation to go along with a lot of what we're doing in this society, especially when it comes to Criminal Justice.

  On the other hand, there have been criminal justice reform efforts in this country and others for at least a couple hundred years.

More recently, there has been a big push on the SOCIAL DETERMINANTS of HEALTH and countries like Sweden are moving away from PUNISHMENT to GETTING PEOPLE IN "BETTER SHAPE."

One of the problems more recently has been that we have viewed behavioral challenges through a SOLELY PSYCHIATRIC LENS. --- That is NOT EXACTLY WRONG . . . BUT

  It is looking more and more that those PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEMS are related to problems with:

The Innate and/or Adaptive Immune Systems
The Microbiome, and/or
The Endocrine System

All this is highlighting the WISDOM of the JUSTICE SYSTEM's move to PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS.

Our understanding of these behavioral issues is becoming MORE COMPLICATED, not less.

Now the Justice System is largely stepping in where our HEALTHCARE SYSTEM is NOT SUFFICIENT to address the issues.

The GOAL has to be a HEALTHCARE SYSTEM that is SUFFICIENT to address the issues. That is:

Research
Translational Research & Medicine,
Integrated Physical & Mental Health Care.

AND ---

Housing
Placements, and
Services, including Supported Employment

TO SCALE

"ALie Nation" by A Tribe Called Red

As strong as we feel about the importance of understanding the underlying biology of behavior that's one dimension to an integrated whole.

It doesn't negate:

the Spiritual
the Social
the Environmental

Just as recognizing the importance of the immune system doesn't negate the importance of the brain.

Anthropologist Helen Fisher

Our point is that biology, spirituality, the social environment and the physical environment are CONNECTED in COMPLICATED WAYS not completely understood.

That knowledge that we know just enough to know some of the Society's assumptions are not quite right BUT not enough to get the PERFECT RIGHT ANSWER --- is forcing a difficult RE-ASSESSMENT of what we're doing.

INTEGRATING PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH CARE ---- RATIONALLY

12/14/2020

   Whether we're talking genetics, epigenetics, lead exposure, maternal immune activation or trauma or emotional flooding ---- we're talking biology.

    Once you start talking BIOLOGY -- you realize how SERIOUS & DIFFICULT this really is --- and how much SUPPORT people are likely to need.

BUT if we don't INTEGRATE Physical & Mental Health Care ---- We don't have to deal with that and we can just keep incarcerating people with cognitive disabilities 'til the cows come home.

NOW when I say INTEGRATION what I am referring to is: A Common Understanding that Cognitive Disabilities / Mental Disorders generally are MULTI-DIMENSIONAL with one those DIMENSIONS being BIOLOGIC.

    We're NOT talking about excluding Social or Environmental Factors --- but if we don't believe those Social or Environmental Factors have real Biological Consequences then HARSH TREATMENT is often a Result.

We have a lot of FUZZY thinking about this in the SOCIETY and among PROFESSIONALS. If we want to debate biology and environment, let's debate it --- BUT these FUZZY IDEAS are causing a lot of harm.

On a related front, It's getting harder and harder to act SHOCKED over the FAILURE of CURRENT SYSTEMS.

BUT to change them requires a significant re-allocation of TIME, ENERGY & RESOURCES and a DATA-DRIVEN RE-IMAGINING of what we're doing.

In his book "Behave: The Biology of Humans at our Best and Worst," acclaimed neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky argues for the primacy of BIOLOGY across human behavior.

Sapolsky is a professor of biology, neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford -- Wikipedia

We have recognized from the get-go that the Free Will vs. Determinism Debate is NOT essential to Criminal Justice Reform --- BUT it hangs like a shadow over it.

In the past, we've taken the position that the Free Will vs. Determinism Debate is an ANCIENT CONSTRUCT -- We need to step out of it and engage in some DIVERGENT THINKING.

More recently, we've made arguments that BEHAVIOR IS what it IS in the present --- and "IMPROVEMENTS" have to come in the "FUTURE" --- which they can --- BUT if they don't the likelihood that we've MISSED SOMETHING is probably great.

Further, "INTENT" as the arbiter of morality is becoming more and more problematic, especially as behavior is more and more tied to the innate and adaptive immune systems and other systems of the body as well.

On the other hand, "INTENT" may be a good arbiter of SAFETY.

Finally, the FREE WILL vs. DETERMINISM DEBATE is an admittedly interesting and rock bottom DEADLY PARLOR GAME.

"BEHAVING WISELY" ----OFTEN INVOLVES A FAIR AMOUNT OF DIFFICULTY AND RE-ALLOCATION OF TIME, ENERGY & RESOURCES

12/12/2020

   A big part of Orchid began with the idea that MENTAL HEALTH housing, placements and services are NOT CHEAP.

Further, like a lot of things --- the better you get at it --- the less difficult it becomes.

BUT in 2020 Mental Health / Cognitive Disability housing, placements and services are NOT CHEAP.

    Beyond that -- Cognitive Disability Housing, Placements and Services are a lot more complicated than a vaccine for COVID-19.

    WE NEED THAT OLMSTEAD PLANNING.

Abba Solomon Meir Eban was an Israeli diplomat and politician, and a scholar of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. During his career, he was Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations. Wikipedia

THE NEED TO GO BEYOND LAW & PSYCHIATRY TO --LAW & MEDICINE

12/11/2020

    We are in a Crisis in our Society and certainly a Crisis in Criminal Justice.
We had demonstrations in the streets this Summer and Fall due to anger and frustration over not only Law Enforcement brutality but a Criminal Justice System that just doesn't seem to work.
Democrats like Obama are counseling activists to TONE IT DOWN -- that DEFUND THE POLICE stuff turns people off.
Well there is a lot to MESSAGING but we are at MULTIPLE CRISIS POINTS being forced to RE-IMAGINE what we're doing.

When in Law School 30 years ago --- "Law & Psychiatry" seemed cutting edge. It doesn't anymore.
There are a lot of reasons for that, but the SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOR has galloped past sole concerns of the BRAIN & the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM to multiple other systems of the body.
At this same time, we haven't funded the TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH SYSTEMS needed to keep psychiatrists, or immunologists, or gastro-enterologists or endocrinologists up to speed on this FLOOD of INFORMATION coming out of the RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS.

  Further, all this is critically relevant to the Criminal Justice System and the parties within it.

   We've mentioned before BURDEN of PROOF issues that are HUGE and need to be considered ACADEMICALLY and in the COURTS.

  But right now what we need more than anything are:

Housing
Placements, and
Intensive Services, including Supported Employment

brought to SCALE to meet the NEED.

"This volume is the product of an NIH Human Microbiome Project grant. It represents three years of conversations focused on consensus formation by the twenty-seven members of the interdisciplinary Microbiome Working Group."

Personality Disorders, Developmental Disorders --- Conceptualization Matters --- It Matters A Lot In The Criminal Justice System

THE CHALLENGE OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES

12/10/2020

AFFECTING MULTIPLE DOMAINS OF FUNCTIONALITY BUT OFTEN WITH AVERAGE OR ABOVE AVERAGE IQ

Incarceration of people with Cognitive Disabilities, often Executive Functioning Differences, is really born of desperation and frustration.

As far as "INTENT," most of these people did "INTEND THE CRIME." Further, that "INTENT was often fueled by significant EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION.

Certainly the people themselves are often more frustrated than anybody.

There is "COACHING" and some Software Programs, but I'm not sure that is enough.

We need specialized Translational Research targeted to Criminal Justice Populations to hone in on Executive Functioning Differences / Deficits in a systematic manner.

Maybe that is coaching, it might also be innovative microbiome or immune treatments (Fruits & Vegetables probably will help -- but they probably won't be enough).

These "dysregulations" do not discriminate and can affect "people" whether they are in the citzenry, immigrant population or law enforcement.

Executive Functioning & Innovative Programs

Executive Functioning & Maternal Immune Activation

Executive Functioning &
The Microbiome

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