The Fog of Neuro-Diversity

Neuro-Diverse:  I'm too smart to have Executive Functioning Differences or Deficits

Neuro-Typicals (sometimes Mental Health Professionals):  I shouldn't have to put with people with Executive Functioning Differences or Deficits.

Val's Take

• The changing paradigms in MENTAL HEALTH are largely the result of working our way back in the CHAIN of CAUSALITY.

 

• There is much greater recognition at least in the research that NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION and DISORDERS are Associated with PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

​

• This brings up our ideas and understandings of INTELLIGENCE and SENSORY PROCESSING.
  • ​What is so interesting about NEURO-DIVERSE youtubers ---- they were often either
    • ​Treated as IDIOTS as kids or 
    • IDENTIFIED as "GIFTED"

​

• AND quite frankly depending upon what you're focusing on BOTH can be true---
  • ​at the SAME TIME, in the SAME PERSON

 

• It is this ASYNCHRONY and COMPLEXITY that is often so CONFUSING.
  • Understanding that COMPLEXITY is one of the KEYS to getting a handle on our MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ---
  • Because CURRENTLY:
    • Some Neuro-Diverse people "think" they are TOO SMART to have significant executive functioning challenges ---
    • AND Neuro-Typicals (including many in the Mental Health Profession) --- are sometimes trying to turn Neuro-Diverse people into Neuro-Typicals to DISASTROUS EFFECT. 

REAL LIMITS

• Many of the "GIFTS" of Neuro-Diversity are the RESULT of Neuro-Plasticity and Hyper-Connected Brains that are pretty much RUNNING AT CAPACITY ALL THE TIME. 

​
The REASONABLE Neuro-Diverse Person

• The "Objective" Reasonable Person Standard with Standard Executive Functioning just isn't going to work for many Neuro-Diverse People.
  • ​They need more breaks
  • They may have ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES
  • They may have SHORT TERM MEMORY ISSUES
  • They are more subject to OVERWHELM
  • They are more subject to BURNOUT
  • The consequences of the BURNOUT are MORE SERIOUS --- 
  • At the SAME TIME, they often have STRENGTHS that need to be exercised at a surprisingly HIGH LEVEL to maintain MENTAL HEALTH. 

 

• ​It is pretty hard to manage this by accident. 

Aspergers from the Inside
​Why So Tired? How Sensory Processing Effects Executive Function

​This issue of how Sensory Processing Effects Executive Functioning is a FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE in NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL and PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

I would submit that Paul --- the mild-mannered Australian Aspie Engineer --- actually has a lot in common with many people who might be HOMELESS or JUSTICE-INVOLVED with NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL and/or PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS that are struggling with:

• Emotional Regulation
• Sensory Processing, and 
• Executive Functioning more generally

I think it is so IMPORTANT --- NOT to get HUNG UP on the DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES --- which were our best attempt to understand this stuff BUT are CRUMBLING BENEATH OUR FEET.

THESE CATEGORIES are BLURRED --- the important thing is the UNDERLYING BIOLOGY which involves SHARED GENES ACROSS "DISORDERS," DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION, EPIGENTICS and ENVIRONMENT.