Understanding the connection between Biology & Environment --- and Trying to get beyond Freud on Sexuality

Val's Note:   An EVOLUTIONARY APPROACH to PSYCHIATRY tends not to have a problem with understanding that BIOLOGY and ENVIRONMENTS are INTER-CONNECTED.

In the video to the right, Dr. Nesse recognizes the SHARED GENES of "PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS."

He doesn't talk about the IMMUNE SYSTEM --- BUT it is pretty hard to ignore the role of the IMMUNE SYSTEM in PSYCHIATRIC and CHRONIC DISEASE in modern society.

Nesse also harkens back to --- Freud and says, "Hey, this all relates to sex."

When we're talking about animals or for that matter plants --- that's such a general statement that its like that HOROSCOPE --- it's so general that it's likely to apply in SOME RESPECT.

I would say like Shakespeare things may not be as they appear.

THE MODERN SEXUAL LANDSCAPE

We've got an explosion of infertility and a wide range of genders and sexual preferences and developmental differences ----

• I don't think people view infertility as a moral issue generally
• Our wide-ranging sexual preferences so long as we're not talking about children or coercion --- that's not the FELONY-LEVEL SEX CRIMES.
• A lot of the increase in DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES / NEURO-DIVERSITY also is coming with:
  • ramped STRESS RESPONSES
  • EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION ,
  • DYSREGULATION of MULTIPLE SYSTEMS of the BODY, and
  • CHALLENGES in Executive Functioning
  • while at the same time often bringing "GIFTS" . . .
    • to me, a lot of anxiety that people have about SEX and RELATIONSHIPS is more FUNDAMENTALLY related to these DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES.

 

• I think the GENDER and SEXUAL PREFERENCE LANDSCAPE is so "INTERESTING" that it can "BLIND" us to the fact that there are a lot of DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES / CHALLENGES in the HETEROSEXUAL Population as well.  

 

• At some point --- we need to take a MORE SOPHISTICATED look at this.
  • We're really called on to use our CRITICAL THINKING while EDUCATING our MORAL JUDGMENTS and championing already established concepts of SELF-DETERMINATION.  

Why Hasn't Natural Selection Eliminated Mental Disorders?

SciShow Psych
Autoimmunity & Mental Health (2021)

We're on the cusp --- if we're not already there --- of recognizing that the IMMUNE SYSTEM and especially the MATERNAL IMMUNE SYSTEM is a factor (not the only factor) in  NEURO-DIVERSITY and SEXUAL ORIENTATION --- and the RESULTS are DIVERSE.

• IMMUNE effects during pregnancy are much more COMMON than we think.
• Further, it's affecting people who would IDENTIFY as HETEROSEXUAL and people who would IDENTIFY with the LGBTQ+ Community.
• It's affecting people who would might have AUTISM, ADHD, or both as well as OCD, etc.
  

Channel 9 News:   Musician creates LGBTQ+ safe haven to fill gap she saw in mental health services

When Maree McRae's transgender daughter was suffering from a mental health crisis, there was nowhere for her to go.  So McRae created a place. 

Neuro-Diversity, Gender & Sexuality

Lateral Thinking & Conspiracy Theories

Attachment Styles Viewed Through the Biological Drivers of Sensory Overload & Anxiety

We've Been SELECTING for Neuro-Diversity