A Developmental Mixed bag of strengths & Challenges

PicturePhoto Credit: New York Times
Below:  We're going to "pick on" Kanye West and Taylor Swift --- BUT our larger point is that UNUSUAL PACKAGES are NOT the exclusive domain of the entertainment industry.

Once you start recognizing the POSITIVE & CHALLENGING aspects of Neuro-Inflammation --- a lot of "unusual" trait combinations are not quite so difficult to understand.

That is a lot of CONJECTURE on our part --- BUT we need systems that can do a lot better than what they are currently doing.


Conjecture

Val's Take
  • A big part of this is getting HONEST about an extremely messy reality
  • We've been SELECTING for "TRADITIONAL INTELLIGENCE" and "CREATIVITY" for awhile now --- and it's NOT what we "think"
  • ​It appears to involve SENSORY and INFORMATION PROCESSING DIFFERENCES that may often lead to CREATIVITY --- BUT ALSO EMOTIONAL OVERWHELM as well.
  • ​FURTHER, many of these SUPER BRIGHT, TALENTED PEOPLE also have "Cognitive Issues," specifically EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES.
  • HEY WE DIDN"T BARGAIN FOR THAT --- maybe we'll just PRETEND that's not the case or we could engage in a FULL COURT PRESS to CHANGE those DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES.​
  • Our ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE is largely running on the BRAIN POWER of people with "ADHD"  ----- BUT those challenges didn't magically go away --- and getting SUFFICIENT SUPPORT is no easy trick.
  • It's NOT just musicians and artists that have high levels of mental illness --- it is also ENTREPRENEURS.
  • 72% of Entrepreneurs Affected by Mental Health Conditions

  • If we really want to talk about REDUCING STRESS, a big step up would be to REALISTICALLY & COMPASSIONATELY acknowledge BOTH:
    • ​The HUGE Strengths, and
    • The very real cognitive challenges 
​             ----- many people in our Society are facing.
  • Further, for many people BOTH the STRENGTHS & the CHALLENGES are DEVELOPMENTAL.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

How we CONCEPTUALIZE these STRENGTHS & CHALLLENGES -----Matters.

If this is DEVELOPMENTAL --- people need WORKAROUNDS a lot more than they need THERAPY to CHANGE.

BUT our Mental Health Profession is largely NOT COMPETENT to do that.

In fact, it wasn't so long ago that Colorado Mental Health Centers refused to serve people with Developmental Disabilities.

We have a PROFOUNDLY INCOMPETENT Mental Health Profession and that is certainly true in Colorado.

If the mental health profession can get on top of the Current Mental Health Crisis --- GREAT --- BUT they are NOT ---- and they are NOT on top of the latest research either regarding Neuro-Developmental Inflammation.

That is BILLIONS if NOT TRILLIONS of Taxpayer Dollars for suboptimal care.  ​
Taylor Swift --- "This Is Me Trying" (Dec. 2020)
1:04 --- "And my words shoot to kill when I'm mad, I have a lot of regrets about that."
​
ET:  Breaking Down Kanye West's On-Going Battle with Mental Health (2020)
From the Netflix Documentary --
Taylor Swift Miss Americana (2020)
Taylor Swift talks about her eating disorder
Kanye West
Follow God (2019)