Incarceration, Meaning, Mental Health & Neuro-Diversity

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