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I can sort of understand the aversion to some extent. I was diagnosed with ADHD in the early 80s (Back when it was called, I kid you not, "Minimum brain disfunction", which is an AWESOME thing to tell a 7yo he has. Pretty much had me wondering if I had to start wearing a crash helmet to school). Back then it was poorly understood, and the docs tried all sorts of hosed up things but eventually put me on Ritalin. My grades went from D-'s to duxing year 6 and 7 primary school. Then in High school I went off the medicine and discovered weed and my grades sailed back down again. Anyway, where I'm going with this, is that somewhere mid 90s they started realising ADHD wasnt primarily a childhood thing that wore off after puberty like previously believed, and the doctors suggested I go back on it, although this time Dexamphetamine. Now whilst it worked, it also altered my personality in ways I did not like at all. I became hyperfocused, professionally agressive (I'd have yelling fits at the juniors over my coffee being the wrong temperature!) , I'd become violent towards men and sleazy towards women when drinking, and basically it turned me into a total oval office and the total opposite of what I am normally, a fairly relaxed sociable person. So I stopped taking it. I just did not like the effects on my personality, its like in exchange for a good attention span I'd lose my sense of empathy. I'd rather have MY personality and put up with having a total ditz of an attention span than be a total oval office of a human who treats other people like poo poo. I care too much about other people to inflict that on them. So yeah I can understand the anxiety autistic folks must feel about it. Whilst autism really does gently caress up people social skills, for most high-functioning/asperger types thats really all it does to them, and I guess theres the concern that in exchange for gaining the missing mojo, they'd lose some sort of aspect about themselves they enjoy or value. I can relate to that.
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Jul 6, 2014 00:08
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| # ¿ May 13, 2024 18:42 |
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Ignatius M. Meen posted:As someone who was diagnosed with Asperger's, this is right on the nose. I would not have any interest in a permanent cure that had a chance to change my personality for the worse, intuitive understanding of non-verbal communication be damned. Indeed. If I wanted to be a hyperfocused rear end in a top hat with too much confidence, I'd do cocaine. Supposedly a lot of fun too.
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Jul 6, 2014 08:31
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Its a bit cartesian to suggest personality is anything other than structure and composition of the brain however. Like, everything about human thought and behavior is a byproduct of brain states
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Jul 6, 2014 13:54
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