Neuro-Developmental Disorders, Fatigue & Strengths --- The Rocky Road to Sustainability

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​

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• 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.
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• Certainly among people with ADHD and Autism, FATIGUE and BURNOUT have become HOT TOPICS.

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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.

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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."
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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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