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Neuro-Diverse People tend NOT to be great WORKER BEES --- They tend to be better INNOVATORS*

5/17/2022

*Also Entrepreneurs, Artists, and Mono-Taskers in which the task is sufficiently complex

Conjecture

A big part of this is that the Society just isn't set up for people with significantly different SENSORY PROCESSING ISSUES and the RAMIFICATIONS.

The more that changes, the more AWARENESS on the part of everyone --- the more opportunities that opens up

If you are processing significantly MORE INFORMATION and / or you have differences or deficits such as in DSYLEXIA ----- that's A TIME COST.

If that TIME COST is not factored in to one's work life, family life, personal life --- it is becoming more and more FORESEEABLE that:
- the person could be headed for a BURNOUT, and
- in extreme cases, BREAKDOWN.

Processing Speed is Impaired in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Relates to Social Communication Abilities

Helping a Child Who Has ADHD and Slow Processing Speed
https://www.verywellmind.com › ADHD › School

Oct 11, 2021 — Students with ADHD may be very bright, but slow processing speed can get in the way of schoolwork.

Dyslexia often causes a delay in the brain's processing speed. Those tests which reward speed, will always discriminate against children with this difficulty, consigning them to the bottom. One of the most widely used tests used to identify dyslexia is Rapid Automatic Naming known as RAN.

Processing Speed (RAN) | Nessy

SENSORY OVERLOAD and SLOW PROCESSING on the surface are such BORING ISSUES.

BUT I think they are keys to understanding why Neuro-Diverse people are struggling SO MUCH in our HYPER-EFFICIENT SOCIETY and why:

Their Developmental Differences are often progressing to ----
PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

Accurate Views of Ourselves are Crucial to Reduce the Anxiety Many Feel

5/14/2022

We're NOT perfect even if we were told we were "gifted."

We're NOT idiots even if others didn't recognize our intelligence or talent.

Conjecture

Gifted people fall all over various spectrums --- BUT there are definitely a Group that Struggled in School and a Group that Did GREAT in School.
I think there is often the "IDEA" that the "gifted" kids that did GREAT in school are STRAIGHT "GIFTED" and NOT 2e.
- My observation is that is just not the case.

Further, more and more Educators of Gifted Students are recognizing that these kids do often have EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES.
- The idea that this is JUST ATTRIBUTABLE to NOT having to STUDY ----
  - I think is NOT REALITY.
- Further --- If you can pull it off --- you are probably MASKING in one or more ways.
- Because we have some often "SELF-DEFEATING IDEAS" about "EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING" and that there is "NO EXCUSE" for DIFFERENCES.
  - Whenever I hear "NO EXCUSE" --- I know I'm dealing with someone who is wanting to argue with REALITY.
  - I don't think you have to "AGREE" with any behavior --- BUT the BOTTOM LINE is there are going to be REASONS for it ---
    - AND those reasons aren't always what we "THINK."

More and more there are links between "giftedness," neuro-developmental differences and disorders, psychiatric disorders AND SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES.

ADHD and AUTISM are quite BLURRED.

There is an interesting study that posits that AUTISM is not a reduced or hypo development of the PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX --- it's a HYPER DEVELOPMENT of the PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX.

Resilience
Artist Development & Production

My observation is that there are a lot of "gifted" people in the LEGAL PROFESSION.

BUT a lot of lawyers found that the practice of law in some cases could be more like a Scott Turow novel than the learned profession they thought they were going into.

In any case, you were often confronted with a fair number of aggressive, smart people concerned with "JUSTICE" that got in over their heads.
At some point --- YOU may have become one of those people.

A lot of people have strong feelings about "JUSTICE" ---- people who went into LAW often have very strong feelings about "JUSTICE."

Adulting with Exceptionalities in the Criminal Justice System

ATTORNEY WELL BEING has become a HOT TOPIC in the past few years.

There are a lot reasons for that that operate on multiple levels.
BUT one of the reasons I think is that there are a fair number of "GIFTED" people with EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES in a SYSTEM that is NOT prepared to ACCEPT them.

See Also: Frontiers of Neuroscience (2020)

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit abnormal processing of sensory inputs from multiple modalities and higher-order cognitive/behavioral response to those inputs.

Especially in Law & Medicine, I think you sometimes see "gifted people" who are sometimes quite BLURRED aspects of ADHD and Autism.

Different Minds --- Trying to get off the "road to hell"

5/14/2022

I think for both Neuro-Typicals and Neuro-Diverse people the ROAD TO HELL WAS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.
"COULD YOU JUST TRY ---- THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING COULD YOU JUST TRY"

So many Neuro-Diverse people were ABUSED by the EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
The other side of that is so many Neuro-Diverse people were at the TOP of that SYSTEM and are spending so much time in ADULTHOOD trying NOT TO BE ARROGANT that they don't realize or painfully do realize many people consider them IDIOTS.

If you define "IDIOT" as someone whose EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING is DIFFERENT than a NEURO-TYPICAL'S EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ---- then many NEURO-DIVERSE people are going to satisfy the criteria for this DEFINITION of "IDIOT."

If you define "GENIUS" as someone with SUBSTANTIVE STRENGTHS in greater proportions than Neuro-Typicals --- then many Neuro-Diverse people are going to satisfy the criteria for this DEFINITION of "GENIUS."

What BOTH Neuro-Typical and Neuro-Diverse people need is a MORE BALANCED VIEW of themselves and each other.

It really does come down to Einstein's insight ---- Let's not try to turn that Elephant into a Fish.
- Let's Up our game in identifying our own and others NATURAL STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES and
- Get CREATIVE and INNOVATIVE in WORKING TOGETHER for the benefit of Ourselves and Others.

A Strength-Based Approach for people with "Hyper-Connected Brains" is desperately needed. Is that going to be ENOUGH?--- Probably not.

5/5/2022

We're pretty much pushing the LIMITS of "HYPER-CONNECTED BRAINS" and Greater SENSORY PROCESSING.

Certainly in the "Gifted Community" --- there's recognition but there is also DENIAL.

With regard to relationships ---- "GIFTED" people really struggle ---
- they may have thought they really just needed to find someone who is just as smart and/or talented as they are
- if they managed to do that --- that generally didn't work out as well as they thought it was going to.

- One of the "GO TO EXPLANATIONS" has been--- well, "GIFTED" people are so drawn to "NOVELTY" that this is making relationships difficult
  - Is that true --- it could be.

The larger problem is that "GIFTED" / NEURO-DIVERSE people are so "SENSITIVE" or "REACTIVE" to the ENVIRONMENT --- STABILITY IS NOT THEIR MIDDLE NAME.

On the other hand, Neuro-Diverse people may be able to SOLVE A DETAILED PROBLEM or INTEGRATE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS of INFORMATION into ART for that "BIG PICTURE" --- a lot quicker than anybody else.

In our Society, a lot of what we tend to do is either put "GIFTED" / NEURO-DIVERSE people on a PEDESTAL or we're so pre-occupied with their EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES --- that their BIG STRENGTHS get MISSED ALL TOGETHER.

Prince Ea --- "OUCH"

A lot of Neuro-Diverse people are in a lot of EMOTIONAL PAIN and that is sometimes accompanied with PHYSICAL PAIN.

RELATIONSHIPS are important for all people and they are certainly important for NEURO-DIVERSE PEOPLE

BUT

If we don't get to the UNDERLYING BIOLOGY of GREATER SENSORY OVERLOAD --- saying "OUCH" as important as it is ---

It is probably not going to be ENOUGH.

This goes beyond "ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS" to a POPULATION that has increasingly HIGHER LEVELS of NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION --- Neuro-Developmental DIFFERENCES and Psychiatric Disorders.

Cancer & Neuro-Diversity --- The Crying Need for Accelerating Integrated Physical & Mental Health Care

4/27/2022

Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology (2021)
The Role of Neurodevelopmental Pathways in Brain Tumors

So one of the BIG PROBLEMS with the DSM 5 SYMPTOM CLUSTERS is it MISSES COMMON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION and GENES across DISORDERS.

So people are NOT NEATLY PATTERN MAPPING to these SYMPTOM CLUSTERS and there is a lot of LATE DIAGNOSIS and EMERGENCIES and CRISES.

Further --- people are "MASKING" generally for as long as they can --- so by the time some of these issues come to light --- the person may be pretty far down the road of psychiatric illness.

Beyond that people with PSYCHIATRIC ISSUES often have ONE or MORE PSYCHIATRIC CO-MORBIDITIES --- BUT they also may have PHYSICAL HEALTH CO-MORBIDITIES that in one way or another are related to this NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION.

To really appreciate the DYNAMICS in most parts of the world --- you need to understand that most MODERN POPULATIONS have LOW GRADE INFLAMMATION and 1/4 to 1/5 of those populations have some type of psychiatric issue.

Further, autoimmune disease is rampant as are Cancer and other Inflammatory Diseases.

This is where we need PRECISION MEDICINE because this INFLAMMATION does affect us quite INDIVIDUALLY.

The Impact of Systemic Inflammation on Neurodevelopment https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC6110951

by NM Jiang · 2018 · Cited by 114 -- Several neurodevelopmental disorders have been linked to early life immune activation and inflammation, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) ...
Ascending infection: infection during pregnancy ...
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis: set .

Cancer and systemic inflammation: treat the tumour ... - NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC3960633

by CSD Roxburgh · 2014 · Cited by 293 -- Relationship between systemic inflammatory response, symptom clusters and survival ... Symptoms associated with cancer are commonly regarded as natural sequelae ...
‎Measurement of the systemic... · ‎Relationship between... · ‎Treatment of cancer...

The curious connection between autism and cancer | Spectrum https://www.spectrumnews.org › features › deep-dive

Jan 11, 2017 -- The growing number of cancer genes linked to autism piqued the curiosity of Janine LaSalle, an autism researcher at the University of California ...

Autism and Cancer - EKU Onlinehttps://ekuonline.eku.edu › blog › psychology › autism...

Apr 7, 2021 — While autism spectrum disorder and cancer may appear entirely unrelated, there is actually a significant amount of overlap within the ...

Is there a Genetic Link between Autism and Cancer? https://www.cancersupportcommunity.org › 2017/04

Apr 12, 2017 — Dozens of genes have been linked to both autism and cancer. ... neck, thyroid, prostate, skin, breast, and lung cancer, and much more.

Subsequently Added:

Karlinska Institutet in Sweden

New study shows antioxidants stimulate blood flow in tumors

August 23, 2023

"Vitamin C and other antioxidants stimulate the formation of new blood vessels in lung cancer tumors, a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows.

"The discovery corroborates the idea that dietary supplements containing antioxidants can accelerate tumor growth and metastasis."

Someone like myself who is very short ---- might have a lot of SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION but there does seem to be something that is PROTECTIVE about SHORT STATURE when it comes to CANCER and even DIABETES.

Summary: A long-term study finds extremely low incidence of cancer and diabetes among individuals with a growth-stunting genetic defect. The authors ask whether controlling growth hormone in healthy adults might provide similar protection. Feb 16, 2011

Dwarfism gene linked to protection from cancer and diabetes

On the other hand, I haven't been protected from Neuro-Developmental Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders, Thyroid Disease and Osteoporosis.

Petite and thin women have a greater chance of developing osteoporosis. One reason is that they have less bone to lose than women with more body weight and larger frames. Similarly, small-boned, thin men are at greater risk than men with larger frames and more body weight. Broken bones. Jul 30, 2021

Osteoporosis: Are You at Risk? - WebMD

(I'm NOT thin, BUT I am SHORT)

Someone like my husband who recently passed away from LUNG CANCER ---

NEVER Smoked
Was 5'11"
had a mother with Bipolar Disorder
Given my mother-in-law's history of psychiatric illness, I think it likely that Rick was born with significant NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION
I would say he was quite BRILLIANT --- he would not trust that as EXAGGERATION
Had a lot of ANXIETY
Surprisingly had issues with CHRONIC DISORGANIZATION.
Was probably exposed to RADON in the family home in Colorado as a child in the 1950s and 1960s.
RADON EXPOSURE is the leading cause of non-smoking lung cancer.
I think the possibility that Rick already had significant NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION "may" have made him MORE VULNERABLE to a DEADLY DISEASE ---- he and his family didn't think he had to worry about because he didn't smoke.

Although calcium signal remodeling involves changes of different Ca2+-permeable channels, Ca2+ entry through ORAI channels is particularly important, as its dysregulation contribute to cancer features such as sustained proliferation, apoptosis resistance and invasion.Jul 7, 2020

Calcium Permeable Channels in Cancer Hallmarks - Frontiers

NIMH: ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder , Depression & Schizophrenia Share Problems with Calcium Channels (2013)

Clinical features and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in ...
https://www.uptodate.com › contents › clinical-features-an...

by J Rivest · Cited by 1 -- Patients with cancer have a high rate of comorbid psychiatric disorders as well as nonspecific psychological distress .

"PAIN," SENSORY OVERLOAD and LEGAL & ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE ISSUES --- and HEALTH NUTS who are Not Always Living Longer

4/25/2022

Conjecture

I've always been able to manage my substance issues within a perimeter of LEGALITY.
- BUT there are certainly people who are not struggling with DIET COKE like I am.
- Further, I always felt like if I can't handle sugar -- I don't think the next step is some more recognized mind-altering substance.

I have had people in my family who have died from legal substance issues.
- Alcohol and
- Smoking

Further, I have had people I have loved very much in my extended family with ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE ISSUES.

To me these are "MEDICAL ISSUES" and if they could be easily solved with a LECTURE we wouldn't have these issues.

Neurodivergent people are more likely to experience pain ...
https://www.mqmentalhealth.org › neurodivergence-an...

Feb 2, 2022 — Neurodivergent people are more than twice as likely to have hypermobile joints and are more likely to experience pain on a regular basis, ...

Image Credit: NeuroClastic

RSD = Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

A Couple of Things:

I like this image because it gets beyond RSD as associated with ADHD -- and gets to the more FUNDAMENTAL CATEGORY of NEURO-DIVERGENCE
- which appears to be often related to greater Neuro-Developmental Inflammation.
I think Neuro-Divergent people are quite desperate at this point to get Executive Functioning Issues OUT ON THE TABLE ---
- as well as have more opportunities to exercise some of their BIG STRENGTHS which come from having HYPER-CONNECTED BRAINS.

Why that HEALTH NUT may not Live Longer?

We're really talking about the LONG TERM EFFECTS of DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION.
In Modern Times, that HEALTH NUT may be the equivalent of the RELIGIOUS ZEALOT.
Further, a lot of this activity whether on the Health front, or the Religious front or OTHER FRONT --
- may be an effort to keep Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria at bay and
- try to MANAGE a SYSTEM in which BALANCE is ELUSIVE, and
- SENSORY OVERWHELM is fairly constant.

AWARENESS is important.

We wouldn't expect someone with DOWN SYNDROME to "CURE" DOWN SYNDROME with LIFESTYLE CHANGES even though LIFESTYLE CHANGES could be beneficial.

The NEEDS of people with greater NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION are just BEGINNING to be appreciated.

Neuro-Diversity, Gender and Sexuality

4/20/2022

There are a lot of people in the LGBTQ+ Community who are Neuro-Diverse.

There are also a lot of people in the Heterosexual Community who are Neuro-Diverse ---- and often have trait combinations people are NOT EXPECTING:

You're a Girlie Girl who is pretty aggressive and/or hyper-intellectual
Maybe you're a Technical Guy whose pretty passive aggressive.

Or maybe:

You are pretty far from the Girlie Girl ---- you're some kind of Nature Woman and Talk to Animals or
You are that Sensitive Guy --- BUT that Aggressiveness comes out quite a bit.

Neuro-Diversity is really where HUMANITY comes to know itself ---- because things tend to be on the EXTREMES --- and easier to see.

Or --- In UNUSUAL COMBINATIONS.

Now --- it can be hard to talk like this in a HIERARCHICAL, TOP DOWN SOCIETY with a lot of IN GROUPS and OUT GROUPS.

The ostensible reason is: we don't want to be disrespectful, we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings --- and that is true to a point.

BUT the larger problem is that we're skeptical about this EQUALITY business ---

Of course, buying into INEQUALITY and constant ups and downs of IN GROUPS and OUT GROUPS means ---- things feel UNSTABLE and MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION is often not safe to have on the AGENDA.

I'm posting the excerpt below right for some COUNTER-INTUITIVE reasons --- and it really goes to the "INVISIBILITY" that many Neuro-Diverse people feel.

Ironically, I think the LGBTQ+ Movement has given a segment of the Neuro-Diverse Community some much needed "VISIBILITY."

On the other hand, other segments of the Neuro-Diverse Community are quite "INVISIBLE" to most of Neuro-Typical Society.

On the other, other hand --- you really can't say that the needs of the LGBTQ+ Community are being met and in some quarters there is some DANGEROUS DENIAL. I think in the circles I run in --- there is AWARENESS but I don't see that AWARENESS for others.

The IRONY or NOT IRONY is --- the MORE you seem to look like everyone else --- the harder it is not only for other people but for you yourself to realize that you may have some DIFFERENCES that need to be taken into account to maintain your own well being.

Mom On The Spectrum:
16 Overlooked Autistic Traits in Women

#1 is Problems in Romantic Relationships, including some kind of Sexual Abuse or Assault.

Stuart Anderson:
ADHD Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

Retired Colorado Psychiatrist William Dodson should be credited with recognizing "Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria" in ADHD.

The Needs of Neuro-Diverse people with a Darker Skin Color or Different Ethnicity are also routinely overlooked.

How To ADHD:
What It's Like to be ADHD and BLACK

GENDER FLUIDITY

Important: We mention gender fluidity here not as an illness
or disease, but rather as a state of being that plays a part in
RCCX theory and appears more prevalent in the gifted
population than in the general population.

The RCCX complex of genes is associated with gender fluidity,
perhaps because of the way our bodies respond to hormones.

Dr. Meglathery’s thoughts on gender fluidity match the fact that those in the gifted community have long observed a
higher than expected level of gender fluidity in gifted
populations.

Those involved with highly and profoundly gifted
populations, in particular, have noticed a higher than
expected number of young adults transitioning in recent years
from male to female or from female to male.

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.

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NEURODiversity Wednesday