I can definitely see the aspect of returning to a familiar activity, which is apparently very soothing to many people on the spectrum. Heck, even in 'normal' people quitting cigarettes, it's pretty common to have trouble not just with the lack of nicotine, but also the lack of the comforting 'hand-to-mouth' motion.
But I'll bet that the isolation plays a big part too. I could be wrong about this, and the article only mentions a few cases where people found that alternative cultures were simply more accepting of their quirks, but it seems like people on the spectrum often think a little differently, are painfully aware of it, and feel the need to be constantly scrutinizing their words and actions around other people. Combine that with all of the constant pressures of modern life, between staying on top of bills, holding down a job/career, managing social events, keeping up on housework...it's like fingers on a chalkboard to a spectrum dweller's overarching craving for some quiet isolation every now and then. Life just feels so loud and hectic, with some days dominated by a desire to tuck your head between your knees and scream at the whole world to just hold up and calm down for a goddamned minute. And the aversion to sudden, unexpected changes doesn't help. How can you ever really relax when just the act of navigating day-to-day life feels like tap-dancing on an avalanche?
So would it really be surprising if it does turn out that many such people reach for the bottle at an early age? I don't think so, but I'm sure glad to see people putting more effort into finding an answer than my vague 'that makes sense' hand-waving.
While I've escaped "traditional" addiction (maybe I'm on this computer too much), the lack of "quiet" is a real burden.
Workplaces. Homes -- a string of bad neighbors in multiple locations. (I mean, when they are across the street and down the block, and still make your life miserable inside your buttoned up home, they are bad.)
When I get somewhere I can achieve and trust that quiet in my life -- not all the time, but when I need it, without undo effort -- the rest of my state-of-mind simply falls into place. I'm not stressed. I'm at peace. Alone, and with other people.
I look at how much imposed stress many people in the U.S. have placed upon them. Not just nor particularly worries about eventualities, but immediate, physical and attentional stresses in their lives. And I think, that has to be a key to all this.
P.S. And the way these things can shut down physical activity -- in my and friends' experiences, a key to coping. If you can't go out and about in your yard and neighborhood without worry, your activity level may plummet.
I wonder what effect this is having on kids who no longer walk to school and maybe aren't even allowed to play outside on their own or simply go running, cycling, etc. down the block.
As some with Aspergers, much of the middle part is true for me. I feel extreme discomfort in highly social situations. It's tough because being social doesn't come naturally ever, but it's more of constantly pushing myself to go out and then becoming exhausted easily from it.
Yes. Depression results in turn as you realize that you are not normal..that other highly intelligent and 'normal' people have a better angle on the future and that your peculiar perceptions are not something you can leverage.
Then alcohol to forget..and competition with others who recognize your illness and take pity on you. Cyclical and ugly.
The worst part is how badly this affects your prospects at school/work in the long run. Even if you're smart/kind/decent, interviews don't measure jack-shit, and most people end up getting hired through networking.
>it seems like people on the spectrum often think a little differently, are painfully aware of it, and feel the need to be constantly scrutinizing their words and actions around other people.
I dunno, I might; I've always skittered along an edge of introversion and avoiding people, but it hasn't been totally crippling to my life and I can keep myself pretty happy between work and hobbies, so I haven't bothered to look more into it.
I mean, there's always the possibility that I'm just a conceited asshole, so why go down that road?
Alcohol, drugs and sex on autism spectrum are still largely a taboo among mental health professionals, hence the lack of results. For many on the autism spectrum, it works out just as the article says:
> Many people with autism have a penchant for strictly following rules, which would seem to make them less likely to try alcohol or illegal drugs.
For others, especially the higher-functioning, undiagnosed and too smart, alcohol, drugs and sex may become the means, end, and medicine. I'm speaking from personal experience.
>For others, especially the higher-functioning, undiagnosed and too smart, alcohol, drugs and sex may become the means, end, and medicine. I'm speaking from personal experience.
Can confirm, I probably wouldn't be here had I not started smoking weed.
I'm not exactly comfortable talking about my sex life on a public forum (even though the answer is "completely ordinary"). What I'm going to say instead is that, from my observation, many men on the spectrum have problems getting into a relationship (and get publicly ridiculed when they try), while women are routinely emotionally and sexually abused. It's a barely-researched topic that unfortunately holds some rather grim secrets.
> What I'm going to say instead is that, from my observation, many men on the spectrum have problems getting into a relationship (and get publicly ridiculed when they try), while women are routinely emotionally and sexually abused.
This is a common trait among mental illnesses and definitely makes it worse being alive.
Do you know if those on the autistic spectrum ever date within themselves and how it works out? I know for others diseases, it can turn into a nightmare (only if both haven't developed coping techniques), though not always.
> I'm not exactly comfortable talking about my sex life on a public forum (even though the answer is "completely ordinary").
My bad, I forgot some people tie-in their real lives.
> It's a barely-researched topic that unfortunately holds some rather grim secrets.
> Do you know if those on the autistic spectrum ever date within themselves and how it works out? I know for others diseases, it can turn into a nightmare (only if both haven't developed coping techniques), though not always.
Yes, they date, and it can work out pretty well, as long as they both work through their personal issues (as most autistic people have a host of secondary mental health problems + knowledge deficits in terms of how relationships work). The lack of nonverbal communication pretty much cancels out in such relationship, and mutual understanding of one's peculiar personal preferences and limitations makes life much easier. This is, of course, assuming that both people are aware of their uncommon nature and willing to work on the relationship.
> Can you elaborate on these grim secrets?
Many forms of autism therapy (sic) end up making the child so obedient they don't know how to say say "no" (as the child was never given that option). While making life easier for parents and caretakers, such person becomes extremely gullible in adult life; for young women, this means consenting to all kinds of horrific abuse. The therapy programs too often avoid the issue of relationships and sex altogether or paint an unrealistic picture. I've heard autism professionals refer to sexual behaviors as "undesired"; I've seen those behaviors being suppressed and punished. I've seen parents make great effort to prevent an autistic person from even attempting to date someone of the opposite sex. I've seen psychologists supporting the parents' efforts. The net effect looked more like trying to prevent a dog from breeding than teaching a person how to live an independent, fulfilling life.
> The net effect looked more like trying to prevent a dog from breeding than teaching a person how to live an independent, fulfilling life.
It does look like that.
Do you have any insight into how this situation could be remedied? I'm briefly acquainted with the autism rights movement, but I don't see anything about encouraging equality of life, only how expectations should be "redefined."
Hey, there! I'm on the spectrum (Aspergers), so take this as face value..
I've been in a relationship for almost one year now (my first serious one). I'm exceptionally independent and spend a lot of time to myself coding and working on projects.
My sex life is... different, I think. I'm bisexual and so is my girlfriend. I think my sex drive is much lower than most people. I crave it occasionally (maybe, seriously, like once a month) and it feels more mechanical for me than emotional. I enjoy it and it's fun, but it feels like work a lot of the times. I'm very sexually open and sex positive, too.
I'll answer more questions about my relationship, if wanted.
Forgot to mention that my SO and I tend to have sex once per week. She lives a little distance away and it just makes more sense to see each other on the weekends, in my opinion.
It allows us to maintain our (awesome) relationship and keep our independence.
How was the journey getting to this point in your life?
I don't know if you have a reference for a neurotypical + neurotypical relationship, but if any, what accommodations have you had to make? For example: the way introverts have to make time for themselves and for their partner to understand and respect that.
My journey thus far? Well, I'm only 20. I have a full time job as a software engineer making a fairly high salary. (College dropouts ftw!) I'm about to buy my first house, too. Getting to this point in my life was fairly interesting. Lots of changes (from Mormon to agnostic, for example.)
Some accommodations? Well, I guess I have to put off some side project time to spend time with my SO. Sometimes I really have to force myself to do it even though I really want to to work on one of my projects.
I imagine this could have been a myth, even a stereotype, among some practitioners. The danger of this kind of myth is clear to me: people struggling with substance use could have their needs with respect to autism denied out of simple assumptions that they didn't 'fit the typical profile'.
This and other stereotypes, for example around race, gender, culture or class, could lead to peoples mental health getting poor care. Now hear me out. I'm not saying that these psychologists are "racist". I'm saying that there is a need for potential biases to be explicitly addressed, and that's what this research seems to do.
> he was drinking “lethal” amounts of alcohol: three liters of gin every day.
This is slightly OT as it's a minor(ish) sentence in the article, but I fail to see the reason for the quotes. For anyone but the most hardened alcoholics, that is a lethal dose of alcohol.
Edit: pluralized a word, regardless, I think you have to be in the ~98th percentile for daily liquor consumption to survive this.
I think the fact that it's not unilaterally lethal, but typically so, is the reason for the quotes. If it were literally lethal, no quotes, it would imply that any human that drank that quantity would die and that the subject here is simply superhuman.
It is totally offtopic, but I consider their grammar absolutely correct.
And you deserve to be. As someone who has raging ADHD I am sick to the back teeth of knee-jerk contrarians venting their feels while making no effort to contribute anything of substance.
As someone who was flagged with ADHD and shoved on Ritalin for 5 years, I'm sick to my back teeth with doctors just throwing around diagnosis's willy nilly.
Being concerned about overdiagnosis is perfectly valid, but you should take the time to say that. I'm sorry about your bad experience, but your flip comments contribute to my ongoing bad experience. Please consider the different contexts in which your statements might be interpreted when you're discussing this subject.
This is a tough topic and a lot of people make very broad generalizations that end up being very disingenuous to people who have ADHD. At the same time 15% of male children have been told they have ADHD while scientists estimate it's more like 3%. On one hand you have the camp that says more kids need treatment, on the other hand people think no one needs it. Just like everything in this polarizing world we need stop joining camps and focus on people who are suffering.
Isn't it obvious that a personality that can become hyperfocused on one or a few hobbies or interests become hyperfocused on drugs, alcohol or sex?
The only reason I could think of that it WOULDN'T be as such would be people on the lower-functioning end of the spectrum who can't support themselves - if someone can't manage basic functions without help its unlikely they're going to be exposed to that lifestyle.
This is not the full story. Alcohol provides some other "benefits" (quotes intentional) for those on the autism spectrum:
* Alleviates sensory problems. I used to get hammered before heading out for the city; it was the only way to survive the usual barrage of stimuli that accompanies a hectic Saturday night.
* Numbs emotions. A hallmark of autism is a great difficulty regulating emotions. Alcohol and drugs make them manageable,
even if only temporarily.
* Dissolves the usual rigid thinking, which makes social contacts much easier.
* Makes you forget all the damage, guilt and shame that the neurotypical world has inflicted upon you.
Answering your post - yes, the majority never gets exposed to the drinking world. But those that do - tend to sink in, often with disastrous consequences.
Absolutely, and I've struggled with finding a good balance of use myself. There's a fine line between what it does for neurotypical people and what it does for people on the spectrum.
In my experience, using a substance as a form of relief, in any amount, prevents developing healthy coping mechanisms. More often than not quitting is not enough - it takes lots of reading, therapy, experience and time to find and learn a non-harmful alternative.
There's a point at which having 100 coping techniques and mechanisms that work sometimes but not all the time just don't cut it. Healthy habits need to be kept up in perpetuity even through hard or highly stressful times.
Around 2-5 times higher chance of being some kind of an addict if you have untreated ADHD, lowered down if you get proper treatment (i.e. take ritalin/aderral/modafinil instead of nicotine/sugar/alcohol)
Could be totally unrelated, but my brother and I fall on the spectrum and I personally was taking adderall (prescription) at the maximum dose for about a year.
I decided I wanted to stop due to side effects, and quit cold turkey one day with minimal withdrawals (just sleepy). Doctor was very surprised I didn't have dependence although it was an amphetamine.
I have a theory on why it could be the case, and based on what I've researched I think it could be due to issues with neurotransmitters.
Surprisingly, Adderall doesn't have a significant physical addiction potential. I suppose you could get psychologically addicted if you used it recreationally but I've never met anyone who had. The XR (extended release) version is even less addictive because it doesn't give you a "kick".
I guess it really depends on the person. I've been on Adderall for the past several years (overall positive outcome) and I don't get a kick/buzz from it. Early on it felt akin to morning coffee where it perked me up but as I adjusted to it, that has gone away and I'm glad because I don't want to get attached to any sort of buzz or whatever.
But if I go off it for more than a day without any sort of tapering off, I feel like a zombie for quite a while. Last time I was unable to fill a prescription while the pharmacy was behind on supplies, I felt as one might expect after using a drug to adjust neurochemistry for a long time - the symptoms I'd originally been treating multiplied due to having adjusted to the medication.
It's hard to describe but it was like being tired, having the worst "brain fog" in history, and the occasional mild tics. Not sure how long it would've taken me to readjust but it's apparently longer than a week. It's made me more aware of the relationship between medication and my natural state and it's one of the main reasons I've never wanted to abuse this drug by taking more than I need for improved function.
If I ever decide to go off it for good, I plan to wean off to avoid the barely tolerable but unpleasant symptoms of abrupt withdrawal.
You could be right, and I also have ADD - but I've read that people with autism spectrum disorders usually have abnormal neurotransmitter activity. In particular dopamine, serotonin and GABA.
They say that serotonin is the "pleasure" transmitter and dopamine is the "excitement" transmitter. Often autistic people are less receptive to activity in either.
As a result of being less receptive to the activity of neurotransmitters, I think it could be argued that addiction is less likely since addiction is caused by increased neurotransmitter activity?
Feel free to correct me if you know more on the topic.
On my first pass of the title on the front page I figured this was going to be a Legend of Zelda game... This article is not as fun as LoZ, not even in the slightest.
It's hard to agree which such a claim (exponentials typically become sigmoids, right?), but it is certainly interesting to think about.
> The risk for autism for a child born today is one in 25 at least. This is not a genetic disorder. This is an environmental disorder. I would go one step further: this is a manmade disorder.
A lot of sources suggest that autism is genetic. This explanation logically fails for the simple reason that such an exponential increase over the last 40 years is not possible for a genetic condition - it can't all have occurred at once. Are you telling me that autistic people, who are typically severely impaired in how they function in society, were able to breed and pass on a genetic condition at such a high rate in such a short time?
From 1975 to 2015, the autistic population has exploded in orders of magnitude from ~60,000 to ~6 million. Two percent of the population.
Perhaps it's all because of under-diagnosis of the past. Various types of mental retardation may now be classified as autism.
But was two percent of the population always a victim of some form of mental retardation?
This is somewhat of a silent epidemic (when's the last time you heard about it in the mainstream media?) and we need to figure out what's going on.
High functioning autistic are not mentally retarded. They are able to function and breed - especially in past society where everyone was expected to marry and stick together forever no matter what. The surplus of kids who are diagnozed as hf autistic today would be simply labeled bad or spoiled in the past.
Loads of assumption that your data is true. Autism is not recognized as a single pathology but a range as in Autism Spectrum Disorder. And in its current state it is at best an approximation which group many different cases in the same bag.
But I'll bet that the isolation plays a big part too. I could be wrong about this, and the article only mentions a few cases where people found that alternative cultures were simply more accepting of their quirks, but it seems like people on the spectrum often think a little differently, are painfully aware of it, and feel the need to be constantly scrutinizing their words and actions around other people. Combine that with all of the constant pressures of modern life, between staying on top of bills, holding down a job/career, managing social events, keeping up on housework...it's like fingers on a chalkboard to a spectrum dweller's overarching craving for some quiet isolation every now and then. Life just feels so loud and hectic, with some days dominated by a desire to tuck your head between your knees and scream at the whole world to just hold up and calm down for a goddamned minute. And the aversion to sudden, unexpected changes doesn't help. How can you ever really relax when just the act of navigating day-to-day life feels like tap-dancing on an avalanche?
So would it really be surprising if it does turn out that many such people reach for the bottle at an early age? I don't think so, but I'm sure glad to see people putting more effort into finding an answer than my vague 'that makes sense' hand-waving.