What Women With Autism Want You To Know

[Loba]

@Raptorsin7

Teal deer: explaining why autism can't be cured but can be managed:

I can transcend the behavioural stuff and have been, but my sensory overload, probably not as it is related to the nervous system and how the brain deals with new information coming in.  I could be present in the moment, but the sensory overload would still be there because it is a disorder that has physical and not just mental symptoms.

I mean, there really isn't much that can be done - I use headphones when on the bus to manage it, and try to make sure that I live and exist in quiet, structured environments so that overload doesn't sneak up on me.

But like, if noises in the city are too loud, then it also affects my eyesight and I can't see as well, it all becomes a blur - so I have to cover up one sense - my ears - to focus on all that is around me as far as sight goes.  This helps, because if I don't manage it, then it feels like if someone is tickling you, to the point where it hurts and drives you crazy - the nervous system is just too hypersensitive.  Meds help as well, so does a good diet and lack of stress, and a sleep schedule - and I plan to start a morning routine after the new year, and then find a quiet part time job, just to start with.

I've made a lot of progress over this past year - I moved out of the city, which helps a lot.  I mean, if it was just in the mind - and not physical as well, then one could meditate or remain present, but such things do not cure over sensitive nervous systems - unless it is like PTSD or something - but I have had this my entire life.  Like, a huge part of my life is focused on trying to manage sensory data.

I found these women to be very relatable.  They are curing themselves as best they can, but it is something that is ongoing - and it can be managed more than cured - with autism, it comes out in so many different ways, too.  Like someone might have more issues communicating with people, or some like me, have issues with their bodies acting out of sorts.

Autism also has hidden super-powers, though - many people, moreso than the average human, like Leo, ends up being a "savant".  He is naturally wired to do what he does, and part of that has to do with having an autistic mind - most neurotypicals would not be that focused on finding God - but he has the ability to scout that stuff out and learn it and share it well.
So not only do you find people having sensory problems, communication problems, but autism has the highest rate of producing geniuses.

Like, my life would bore a normal person.
I work on channeling and spirituality all day, as well as art, contemplating, this stuff takes over my focus because I am so obsessively interested in how it all works and trying to figure it out and I love it.  But another, more normally oriented person would have a lot of different interests that might be more shallow, but broad in how they live.
Autists are specialists.
The thing is, I don't view it all as bad or something that needs to be cured, and I don't really sit within the label of it, either, it affects me, but doesn't define me.  But I do see a lot of similarities in how autistic people function, I am quite similar to them - it is certainly a brain-style, for sure.

I guess, getting rid of autism, is like trying to regrow a foot that was cut off.  There are certain ways the brain has developed and it can change to some extent with work - but dysfunctions often need to be supported and managed.  If you tell someone that they can cure it, and there are no cures for it, then it makes the person feel like they are not doing enough, when they could be.  Or it is possible that the person needs to accept it, and searching to cure themselves might end up being harmful, as opposed to accepting themselves as just someone with a different brain chemistry.

I mean... autism is only just one type, you have people with bipolar, schizophrenia, adhd, PTSD, depression, personality disorders, there are so many different ways that people can end up with a malady of the mind - sometimes the cures require medicine, sometimes spirituality, or therapy.  Sometimes it can be cured, but often with these things they should be viewed as being managed.  It doesn't end, you just get wiser at managing it.

So, like I get psychotic episodes and I thought I could function without meds, until I got so catatonic and paranoid that I started to get delusions of reference and delusions of people "coming after me".  I tried meditation, I tried informing myself, I did self inquiry, I worked on this stuff with the resolve of someone who's life depends on it - and still needed meds for the bipolar to keep delusions as low as possible, and to allow me to move more - my brain just takes in too much info at once, and it does not register old information as old, it registers it as new, so everything is always "too much" - the brain should be able to adjust to this over time, as is what happens with small children - it is called "low latent inhibition" - those who have it and can use it become savants and those who have a harder time with it, tend to find ways to manage, but they do not have the brain plasticity of a gifted person.  I'm in the middle.  Some lucidity, some areas very rigid in thought and reaction.

When I went to the hospital for a month and got on meds, the delusions stopped, and my spirituality became much easier to do, I get along with my family much better now as well - I view it as a process of getting better, that will take years to work on - and I don't think that a cure is possible, but I think I can live a pretty normal life; it's only been 6 months on the meds and I feel like my mind is working properly - at least, moreso.

If I still have triggers after this year, I might try therapy and see how that works.  All behavioural stuff can be ironed out with awareness, but awareness doesn't make my senses work like a neurotypical.  That's why I can channel things is because my neurochemistry is not normal.  I really have no idea how you would cure sensory integration disorders.  I just try not to get myself into situations where life is too busy or crowded and if it is then I bring my headphones.  A lot of autistic people use them.

Okay... so, let's put it this way, my brother was born completely Deaf, this is genetic.  He will always be Deaf.  Hearing aids can help him hear some very loud things - but he will never hear a conversation.  The hairs in the cochlea did not grow.  We can't plant cochlea hairs in his ears.  Hearing aids help him hear low flying airplanes, that's it pretty much.  He can manage it by learning sign language, bringing a pen and paper with him to write to people who don't sign, and to learn about Deaf culture and integrate into it - but those hairs are never going to grow with the technology that we have right now.  

It's genetic.
We also both have high functioning autism  - and it only appears on my mom's side of the family, not my dad's.  Just like my brother cannot grow hairs in his ears, I cannot change the nervous system - it has always been like this and is not a new illness, it's just how my body functions.  I can manage it.  That's taking responsibility.

When I got diagnosed with this, I was 13 years old and it was a long process that was taken in three parts, and each session was about three hours and they got a really good idea of what was going on, my history and whatnot - this was before the over-diagnoses of autism - which might explain why some people get better.  They might not have had it - it could have been another condition that had autistic-like symptoms - but like... I do "autistic stuff" - like, my social understanding isn't the best, but I can hide that - or I tend to constantly sway my hips a bit "stimming" when sitting at the computer - I prefer having a rocking chair to manage the nervous system as well.  A lot of autistic people find like a gentle sway soothing, or sometimes things that are heavy, like weighted blankets and stuff.  There's just... the way autistic people are.  They're just different.

 

[Loba]

@Nos7algiK That's amazing.  And the results lasted for you?  I remember when I did mushrooms with friends, before I knew of their healing properties, I remember how the room to our apartment looked "whole and complete" and I could focus on the entire room instead of having to cut my awareness up - and the objects had more of a silent presence about them and I felt as though that is probably how a neurotypical feels.  Sometimes if I get a light buzz on alcohol I'll feel normal, but drinking often isn't really my thing and isn't a feasible option.

I always went back to my baseline state, but I was also young and would trip differently now if I had access to psychedelics and maybe therein lies the difference.  

[Danioover9000]

@Bernardo Carleial

On 12/24/2021 at 6:39 PM, Bernardo Carleial said:

This is my first topic on this thread (I think...)

I don't have much to say because the video is quite self-explanatory. But because I think it provides us with such honesty and high quality information about autism on women, and the way they carry it through in our society,  that I decided to share it and try to have a discussion about it.??

 

   I can to some degree relate to their struggles. I do have some difficulties myself in some social situations, and sometimes reading between the lines that I had to read books and videos about body language, tonality, speaking and so on to just tell apart joking  and sarcasm from being serious, and observe people and myself more so sometimes. The bullying sucks no matter how subtle it is either.

[Loba]

5 minutes ago, Knowledge Hoarder said:

How many specific, successful autism transformation stories do you know? Would you mind sharing?

Yeah I guess that's the thing is that you have to treat it when really young, and I have heard that works.

6 minutes ago, Knowledge Hoarder said:

You think Leo is autistic? I thought he was just an extreme introvert.

I think I remember someone mentioning it, possibly him.  I do get the vibe that he might - I can kind of pick up on that stuff, like if someone has autism I can often sense similarities.  Some of the things he mentions, autistic people deal with, like food sensitivities, being sensitive to cold, being extremely introverted and having very strong, all encompassing hobbies - I think he was probably much different in some says before starting self development and this is just speculation, but perhaps went into it initially to fix some of these things that can happen if you are born with HFA.  Plus he is also a genius, and a bit little awkward and sometimes says stuff that is insensitive and doesn't know, and when I envision someone who is gifted; extreme introvert; had to do a lot of social work on themselves; had a hard time finding someone until much older - there is also kind of a look autists can get, when he was younger he looked like he was more in his mind and less in his body.  When you also equate the fact that HFA and genius often go hand in hand - and that a large percentage of gifted people are autistic this is also a clue.  Plus he likes cats and took care of a pet like it was his child and many autistic people will bond very strongly to their pets - especially cats because cats are very similar in temperament/body and emotional sensitivity.  Plus he has a childlike side to him that he has retained and some of the comments he makes are very absolute - which is also an autistic trait.  

But I could be remembering wrong.  I wish I could remember where I heard it from.  And I feel like more than one person told me this.

[Loba]

35 minutes ago, Nos7algiK said:

@LobaYes, the results lasted me ever since it happened with a few more integrations as the months went on. I wouldn't say it was a 100% cure, but there are also aspects of the self that it's hard to put a real label on except in general human traits and differences. I have a few ticks that happen very infrequency and a few other things but I see it more of just who I am rather than anything abnormal or a product of an underlining issue. 

Mushrooms were what helped me. But, it wasn't just mushrooms but rather me taking them and then listening to healing binaural beats. The shrooms opened my self to be examined and the beats were the microscope to analyze what was happening. Though I did state I took them only to have fun I realized prior taking psychedelics that binaural beats could have profound effects when listened to so I put some one just to see what would happen.

LSD never really helped me much with my own self structure outside of helping me reach God realization, but that really isn't important here for what I'm trying to talk about.

It's possible they  could help you if you was to ever get your hands on them again. Specially with the binaural beats and I really think that was the secret sauce to what happened, though I don't want to make any promises. But, there are definite baseline shifts that can happen specially when we use psychedelics. If that means one lets go of their trauma, heals some mental illness, or realizes God. All of these can permanently change us. Of course though one could have a really bad experience that goes in the opposite direction for the baseline as well.

Once the realization for myself happened it was almost traumatizing. But, the liberation that comes after negates any negative effect the trauma in that moment might have had. Simply speaking, as I mentioned before, I did this all to myself. Even if I can't control the outside circumstances that I perceived when I was young which manifested my warped thinking. It was my "choice" to perceive it that way and by shifting one's consciousness and perspective overall on life they can "choose" to (un)see how they previously viewed the world. Sort of a "All my life I thought I had bad vision and needed glasses. No glasses worked for me. Turns out I was always wearing glasses that were warping my vision I just never knew I was. I took them off, now I can see purely."  Also I put "choice" in quotes because it's not as simple as saying we always have a choice.

How did it help with your physical symptoms?  I feel as though I could inquire into my beliefs semi-easily enough depending on the day, but I just don't know if there is a solution to the mishmash of sensory data.  I'm going to do a week long weed trip this upcoming Monday to try and work through some things, with a strong sativa strain and I'll be alone, away from all family for that time.

I'll give this a little more thought when my mind is open a bit more to it, it's just that, aside from psychedelics, I feel as though I have tried a lot of things, albeit not giving it my all, which might be what is necessary.  I'll need to look within and find out how to activate that again.

I live in Seattle area, where shrooms grow naturally, so I might spend this year just learning to identify mushrooms and go for a lot of hikes in the woods/parks next year - get some other things in order first for '22 - so the trip is worthwhile.  I could probably negate a bad trip just by getting some life stuff sorted before I do the trip.  Then I can ride on the wave of a few accomplishments here and there; my ego or karma might be less dense - thus less likely for a bad trip.

I would listen to some music for sure, maybe a repetitive shamanic drum beat.

I'm ready for another awakening soon, it should happen sometime this upcoming week if I'm honest enough with myself.  I can follow what you're saying - how long did it take for you to integrate it?

[Nahm]

4 hours ago, Bernardo Carleial said:

I was trying to say that this mental activity has a hard time accessing the subject world of introspection intuition,  both in an individual and a collective way

(I realized that I've misspelled a lot of words in that comment,  I'm gonna edit a bit later)

Yes, I see. It can also be seen mental activity & has a hard time, are thoughts, or, are ‘thought activity’, and thus can not have a hard time. In the sense, an individual is still in play, with ‘has a hard time’ being accredited to ‘it’ as if there were a ‘separate self’ ‘there’. 

If you wrote ‘who are you talking about’ on a piece of paper & watched that first video again, it’s a different experience. Just interesting is all. 

 

[Bernardo Carleial]

1 hour ago, Nos7algiK said:

It's possible they  could help you if you was to ever get your hands on them again. Specially with the binaural beats and I really think that was the secret sauce to what happened, though I don't want to make any promises. But, there are definite baseline shifts that can happen specially when we use psychedelics. If that means one lets go of their trauma, heals some mental illness, or realizes God. All of these can permanently change us. Of course though one could have a really bad experience that goes in the opposite direction for the baseline as well.

Simply speaking, as I mentioned before, I did this all to myself. Even if I can't control the outside circumstances that I perceived when I was young which manifested my warped thinking. It was my "choice" to perceive it that way and by shifting one's consciousness and perspective overall on life they can "choose" to (un)see how they previously viewed the world. Sort of a "All my life I thought I had bad vision and needed glasses. No glasses worked for me. Turns out I was always wearing glasses that were warping my vision I just never knew I was. I took them off, now I can see purely."  Also I put "choice" in quotes because it's not as simple as saying we always have a choice.

@Nos7algiK, First and foremost, I want to congratulate you for such an achievement my friend!???

However,  I want to emphasize that this had occurred by accident,  and, from what you've mentioned, it took a couple of months to acclimate (even if the majority of it was solved) to this new state of consciousness, it was also aided by binaural beats, so it is uncertain if replicated in the same way, for other people in the autism spectrum, to be able to solve their problems or if it might get worse, and therefore, they still may have to face the challenges of sensory overload in their (social) environment .

However (2), your claim for the use of psychedelics for the treatment of autism is entirely possible, magic mushrooms and MDMA is already being studying as a treatment for PTSD and some extreme cases of depression...

In fact, I was browsing on the internet and found an article which talks precisely about studies on psychedelics for the treatment of autism, and the reports from the patients were very similar to yours, which is quite promising!?

 

Here's the link for ya:??

https://filtermag.org/psychedelics-autistic-people/amp/

Edited December 25, 2021 by Bernardo Carleial

[Raptorsin7]

16 hours ago, Bernardo Carleial said:

Be careful with what you're claiming with that message ...

You're trying to  contest her claim at the level of concepts and viewpoints,  she's is trying to present her argument at the level of direct experience.

There are disabilities which are permanent, like physical disabilities (being blind, handicapped,  etc..), but to what degree this is gonna affect their lives, that's up for debate...

I don't know how to experience/perceive the world as a blind person for example, and even if he's capable of interacting with society in a way which is perceived as functional, I would never expect him to reach the same level as me with regard to visual cues...

I know this example may sound silly,  or that it isn't applicable for people with the autism spectrum,  that's  because our society tends to trivialize any disability that isn't grossly perceived by us...

That's why Leo talks so much about Radical Open Mindedness. And that is why I'm gonna send a couple of Leo's videos here to further expand that notion.

I do have direct experience. I never had an official diagnosis but I had/have many autistic traits growing up, i've had many people comment on me potentially having Asperger Syndrome.

I have felt my coordination, mental clarity, emotional capacity all transform from psychidelics. I didn't know it was possible before the trips, but after those experiences it just seems clear that all these things are not set in stone and they can dramatically transformed.

I don't know why you people are so attached to living like second class citizens, but at this point I am just sharing what's possible but if people want to remain attached to their autism I don't have the motivation to argue them out of their position

[Raptorsin7]

13 hours ago, Knowledge Hoarder said:

How many specific, successful autism transformation stories do you know? Would you mind sharing?

What I know so far, is that lighter forms of autism, such as aspherghers, are reversable if you start "treating" them early (since childhood).

That was kinda my case, tbh. I was behaving normally until about age of 3 (which is common for all autists), and that's when I started to develop some of the sympthoms, such as sensory overload, intense focus on strange things, repeating the same thing over and over again, memorizing songs for no reason and repeating them over and over, ignoring everyone around me, zero need for social interaction, unique interests, etc. But, the strongest effects dissapeared throught time, throught the process of socialization. I still got some though, to this day.

Once you start entering adulthood, the probability of change gets lower, albeit probably possible. Idk. I know about Owen's pickup transformation, but idk if he was trully autistic, or if he made it all up.

Having said all that, the people on the extreme side of the spectrum, are not treatable, as far as I know. Those are the ones who ignore everyone around them, bang their heads on the walls, live in their own world 24/7, and have to be taken care of for their entire lives. I don't think that's reversable.

@Nos7algiK is the first person who I've heard of who had a similar experience to myself. 

I haven't fully transcended or embodied all my insights into autism from my trips, but I'm in the process of figuring that out, and given my experience with psychidelics I believe/know it's possible to transcend virtually every characteristic associated with autism.

I can't speak for everyone, but if you have an authentic desire to transcend your condition you will find a way.

Psychidelics showed me that your physical/mental coordination, emotional capacity/range, etc can be all radically transformed. I literally felt the internal parts of my brain tingling and transforming during my trips, so just because you are older and have a brain condition does mean that it cannot be changed.

I'm just sharing that it's possible to transcend this stuff, because theres a belief that this condition is permanent and I just want to burst that bubble. If anyone out there believes they are stuck with their condition, I wanted to call it out as BS