Blog Archives

"Empathy" in ADHD and Autism

9/20/2022

Things are lot more complicated than they seem -- and there are Sex Differences

Conjecture

One of the ERRORS we have made is viewing EMOTION and LOGIC/RATIONALITY as OPPOSITES ---
- Emotion is part of the Reasoning Process
- There's enormous information in Emotion ---
- BUT we don't have an UNLIMITED ABILITY to take that on.

What we've been calling "EMPATHY" appears to really be the brain's PRE-CONSCIOUS determination of whether someone is on our team.

Neurodivergent Therapist Louise Taylor's "EMPATHY of EFFORT" ----- we're just in the beginning stages of developing and it is a BIG COST --
- BOTH Emotionally and
- from a Reasoning standpoint AND
- from an ENERGY standpoint.

[Is "DOUBLE EMPATHY" --- "LOVING YOUR ENEMY" --- it might be]

Neuro-Diversity is often characterized by:
- RAMPED UP STRESS RESPONSES
- RAMPED UP EMOTIONS
- & at least sometimes RAMPED UP RATIONALITY to deal with all that.

Neuro-Diverse Therapist Louise Taylor on "EMPATHY"

If Autism and ADHD are under-diagnosed in girls and women, anxiety and classic "mental illness" are often under-diagnosed in boys and men ---

You can really appreciate the IRONY and RAMIFICATIONS of this when you realize NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS such as ADHD and Autism are associated with PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

What Do I Mean ---

We don't have any "UNLIMITED" ability as "INDIVIDUALS" to take on Sensory Information, Emotion --- and REASON our way through all that.

We're relying more than we have realized on UNCONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR and JUDGMENTS:

BUT --- it's a SHORT-CUT ---- and like a lot of "SHORT-CUTS" it can miss things and get things "WRONG"
We consciously process 40 to 50 bits of information for every 11 MILLION we take in according to some estimates in 2022----
- Even if you are processing a lot more information than the "AVERAGE" person --- and are aware of "MORE LOGICAL PROBLEMS and INCONSISTENCIES"
- It is still a RELATIVELY SMALL/TINY AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ---
- AND EVEN THAT MODEST INCREASE IN PROCESSING --- is coming AT A HUGE ENERGY COST.

INTEGRATIVE THINKING / RECOGNIZING INTEGRATIVE COMPLEXITY is NOT EASY for US and that's why we don't do more of it.

We've lost an HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING of HUMAN EXISTENCE --- because we thought we were so ADVANCED we didn't need it.

WE NEED THAT LONGER VIEW --- because we're NOT AS FAR A LONG AS WE THINK --- and at 40 to 50 bits of information for every 11 Million (and that 11 Million doesn't represent all of reality)
- WE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

FAITH/REASON/EMPIRICISM --- We're gonna need it all for the LONG ROAD AHEAD --- that as INDIVIDUALS we only travel a tiny portion of.

Neuro-Diversity and "Personality Disorders"

9/18/2022

Conjecture

For people with IQs over 70 and with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Giftedness, OCD, etc. there are a lot of CHALLENGES to fitting into a NEURO-TYPICAL WORLD in which the ACCOMMODATIONS & WORK-AROUNDS you need are NOT ON THE TABLE.

Further, many people with some NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCE related to greater Neuro-Developmental Inflammation ---
- Don't get that DIAGNOSIS until they are an ADULT ---
- And many people never get that DIAGNOSIS.

We're more recognizing that the Neuro-Typical Human Brain doesn't completely "MATURE" until about 25.

For people with some form of Neuro-Diversity mentioned above --- their brains are probably not "MATURING" until 30.

a lot of Neuro-Diverse people with the RESOURCES go to:
- Graduate School
- Law School
- Med School
Those ENVIRONMENTS provide STRUCTURE and can play to the STRENGTHS of NEURO-DIVERSE people
There are a lot of Neuro-Diverse people in ACADEMIA.

A very few ADULTS in our SOCIETY are getting SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT ---

and that is STRICTLY RATIONED.
It's largely based on MONEY & HIERARCHY.
Further, those ADULTS tend to be WEALTHY NEURO-DIVERSE People who are MEGA WEALTHY now -- but started out as wealthy
- a seeming Sweetheart like Richard Branson and a seeming nut case like Elon Musk.

When you look at the OTHER EXTREME --- Homelessness and Incarceration ---

One sometimes to often finds gifted musicians or people who want to develop their musical abilities.
What's an ABILITY IN MUSIC --
- It's an ENHANCED ABILITY to RECOGNIZE PATTERNS -- MATH.

Thelonious Monk

Finally, the "PERSONALITY DISORDERS."

The CHALLENGE of NEURO-DIVERSITY is that it is often coming with BIG STRENGTHS and EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES.

If someone is high enough up on the PUBLIC HIERARCHY --- you can see this played out in Operatic Fashion --
- Think Bill Clinton or Donald Trump.

I think "PERSONALITY DISORDERS" are sort of that FIRST LINE of OBSERVATION of a PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR ---

it's not necessarily "WRONG" as far it goes
BUT it doesn't go very far
and we've been AFRAID to address DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES for fear of coming off as --
- NAZIS
- So I'm not saying there aren't complicated SOCIAL and ENVIRONMENTAL and DISCRIMINATORY FORCES at play --
- But they are also playing out in a BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT of:
  - Executive Functioning Challenges.
  - Ramped Up Stress Responses and Sensory Processing
  - Substantive Strengths and
  - Epigenetics

A large MIDDLE CLASS helps to MODERATE the STRESS people are feeling ---

A lot of INCOME INEQUALITY and SOCIAL INEQUALITY --- ramps that STRESS UP
- So HYPER-COMPETITIVE SOCIETIES might see some gains in some areas --
- BUT I would submit they are also seeing some REGRESSION in other areas involving SOCIAL BEHAVIOR.

Based on the RESEARCH --- most of these people who are being labeled with a "personality disorder" are Neuro-Diverse

they are the ULTIMATE "MIXED BAG"
they need some SUPPORT in MANAGING this
and we all need to get much more SOPHISTICATED in our THINKING.
part of that is recognizing the UNCONSCIOUS BIAS that prevents us from recognizing COMMON PUBLIC HEALTH issues that are congregating at the EXTREMES.

Neuro-Diversity, Food Allergies & A Major Breakthrough*

9/15/2022

Conjecture

Food allergies can be a not so innocuous source of INFLAMMATION.

Further, people with FOOD ALLERGIES are more subject to PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS ---

AND

Neuro-Diverse people are more vulnerable to FOOD ALLERGIES & PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

One of the BIG KEYS to this is ---
IT'S DEVELOPMENTAL

Another BIG KEY is that ---
IT'S A MIXED BAG

Third Big Key -- The MIXED BAG of NEURO-DIVERSITY is EXPOSING "UNCONSCIOUS BIAS" like perhaps nothing else could.

www.frontiersin.org › articles › 10Frontiers | Maternal Influences and Intervention Strategies ...

Feb 23, 2022 · Specifically, it discussed the effects of maternal immunity, microbiota, breastfeeding, genotype and allergy exposure on the development of food allergy in offspring.

Autism & Food Allergies: Why Is the Connection So Strong?

Updated: December 23, 2021
By The Team at Elemy

Page Topics

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Some new research shows that allergies are linked to autism. Food allergies can make behavioral symptoms worse, in part because your child may feel uncomfortable and not know how to communicate this effectively.

Autism has also been linked to immune system problems, gastrointestinal issues, and changes to gut microbes, which may be due to sensitivity to certain foods or even food allergies.

Neuroscience News

*Food Allergies Can Be Reversed by Targeting the Microbiome

August 21, 2022

Summary: Researchers developed polymeric micelles of butyrate, a bacterial compound made by healthy a microbiome, that is effective against peanut allergies in mice.

Source: American Chemical Society

Although many people with dietary allergies experience mild symptoms when exposed to triggering foods, some face potentially fatal consequences. A bacterial compound called butyrate that’s made by healthy microbiomes has shown promise against allergic reactions in lab tests, but it’s nasty to take orally.

Today, scientists describe a more palatable way to deliver this compound and report that their “polymeric micelles” are effective against peanut allergies in mice.

The treatment could someday counteract many types of food allergies and inflammatory diseases.

Food Allergy and Asthma: the Burden on the Black Community

Food Allergies and ADHD / ODD: Study Finds Link - ADDitude

January 10, 2018. Children with food allergies may be more likely to be show symptoms of ADHD or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), according to a small new study 1 investigating

PHYSIOLOGICAL CORRELATIONS WITH GIFTEDNESS -- Gro-gifted.org

Especially when we focus on the highly and profoundly gifted population, we see a higher incidence of anxiety, depression, introversion, as well as a higher incidence of certain medical conditions than is found among the general population. For instance, clinicians associated with GRO have seen higher incidence of the following among highly and profoundly gifted individuals in their practice:

Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Epstein Barr Syndrome (EBS)
gastrointestinal problems
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
Parkinson’s Disease
Hormonal Disorders
Celiac Disease
Asthma
Allergies
Other autoimmune diseases

ASYNCHRONY and the Challenge of FLOW

9/5/2022

The Complicated Array of Physical, Social, Cognitive and Emotional Abilities and Challenges of the ASYNCHRONOUS Person ---

Mean BIG STRENGTHS and BIG WEAKNESSES are the NORM --- NOT THE EXCEPTION.

Conjecture

It takes a lot of ENERGY to UNDERSTAND the IDIOSYNCRATIC ASYNCHRONOUS PERSON --

EVEN FOR THAT PERSON --- much less anyone else.

One of the reasons it is TAKING SO LONG is we tend to DEFAULT to the PERSON is either ACROSS THE BOARD BELOW AVERAGE or ACROSS THE BOARD ABOVE AVERAGE ---
- Both are DANGEROUS DEFAULTS.

I would say that some of these BIG STRENGTHS are the result of greater DEVELOPMENTAL SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION that is leading to SENSORY PROCESSING that is putting more DEMANDS on the person.

One of the places you see the DEMANDS is EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING.

Was Executive Functioning damaged by excessive Developmental Inflammation?
Are the Executive Functioning challenges the result of greater damands of Sensory Processing?
Both? It's Individual?
I don't know -- BUT ---
- Developmental Systemic Inflammation
- Sensory Processing Differences
- Executive Functioning Challenges and
- Some BIG STRENGTHS
- often go together.

There is a lot of SHARED COMMONALITY of INTEREST in getting ASYNCHRONOUS PEOPLE in their STRENGTHS.
- It doesn't ELIMINATE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES --
  - But it is generally going to REDUCE THEM.

"FLOW" is the state that most people are trying to reach that is a BALANCE of their individual STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES.
- You can see how hard this would be for the ASYNCHRONOUS PERSON and EVERYONE ELSE to do with the LIGHTS OFF or IN IGNORANCE.

Beyond some IDEALIZED STATE OF FLOW ---
- It can be excruciatingly and dangerously difficult for the ASYNCHRONOUS person to stay within HOMEOSTASIS.

This requires an INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH for:
- Families
- Education and
- Employment

CATEGORIES can be a helpful JUMPING OFF POINT --- but it's just the beginning.
- Generally, we're talking about SHARED GENES across NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL and PSYCHIATRIC CATEGORIES, and
- IDIOSYNCRATIC MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION and AFTER-ACQUIRED INFLAMMATION.

So ONE-SIZE is not going to fit all in the FAMILY, EDUCATION or EMPLOYMENT.

Gifted 101
Asynchrony in the Gifted

At 2:30: "This definition really points out how our gifted children NEED, NEED, NEED MODIFICATIONS.

"They can't just be left alone with that MYTH that they will be fine on their own.

No, they NEED THESE MODIFICATIONS to develop optimally."

I would submit that ASYNCHRONOUS ADULTS need MODIFICATIONS as well to function optimally -- and sometimes just to function.

Strength-Based Approach

Go With the Flow

Shared Genes & Psychiatric Disorders

Employment Index

University College London (UCL)

T Cell Homeostasis Why It Is Important To Understand

"Characterising the mechanisms of T cell homeostasis is important for understanding how the immune system functions normally and how dysfunction results in disease."

Research at University College London on T-Cell Homeostasis could be relevant for Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders that are now being recognized to have a large IMMUNE SYSTEM COMPONENT.

NEURODiversity Wednesday

"Empathy" in ADHD and Autism

Neuro-Diversity and "Personality Disorders"

Neuro-Diversity, Food Allergies & A Major Breakthrough*

ASYNCHRONY and the Challenge of FLOW

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

​ NEURODiversity Wednesday

"Empathy" in ADHD and Autism

Neuro-Diversity and "Personality Disorders"

Neuro-Diversity, Food Allergies & A Major Breakthrough*

ASYNCHRONY and the Challenge of FLOW

Neuro-DiversityWednesday(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)