What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation • Hacker News Board

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#141

Post by Practicality » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 6:25 PM UTC

o_____________o wrote: post #136

Practicality wrote: post #106

So, funny that on hacker news and lots of programming blogs when this topic comes up a lot of people chime in about being on the (autistic side) of the spectrum too. Ironically, I feel left out. I am on the other end of the spectrum. Kind of like what this guy described after the treatment, although I've been dealing with it my whole life, so I don't get all worried. I feel like the only programmer who is intensely a…

I'm this way too. What was your childhood like? I attribute some of my sensitivities to growing up with a single mother and sister in a female-centric household, where I was free from one side of the gender norms you'd get from having a father around.

I would like to say pretty normal. I had two brothers so it was a little male-heavy. I admired my dad like most kids and my mom was a little protective, but nothing crazy.

However, the one brother was seriously sick all the time and all the drugs he had to take (prescription) turned him into quite the jerk. So to some degree it may be that I just wanted to make sure I was nothing like him.

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#142

Post by paloaltokid » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 6:28 PM UTC

delazeur wrote: post #138

paloaltokid wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I feel like the only programmer who is intensely aware of the emotional state of my colleagues. I can sometimes tell people what they are feeling (when they are opening up) and it shocks them because I know it better than they do. You are not alone. I often feel the same way. I'm going to assume that you work primarily with male programmers, since that's the makeup of our industry. (In all of my jobs, most of the p…

Well, personally, I am a male comfortable talking about personal stuff with friends but I would never talk about it at work.

Right, but that isn't really the discussion we're having. My own experience has been that the folks Practicality and I are thinking of are walled off both at work and in their private lives from meaningful human contact. And, since we spend so much time at work, it'd be a shame not to have at least a few of our human needs met there.

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#143

Post by cowpewter » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 6:41 PM UTC

colejohnson66 wrote: post #35

thonos wrote: post #34

Everytime I read one of these Autism articles I feel like I might be affected myself. I lack most of the symptoms I read on the internet but often feel disconnected and not caring about what's actually happening. Like a robot on autopilot with occasional breaks when I realize where I actually am in my life. For example when I hear really bad news, I'm just like "eh, life goes on". I'm not sure when this started but I…

Visit a doctor. That's really the only sure fire way to know. You may just have depression.

Agreed. "Robot on autopilot" sounds far more like depression than ASD to me.

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#144

Post by agumonkey » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 7:35 PM UTC

restalis wrote: post #129

agumonkey wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You never hugged someone you missed to death ? I bet it wasn't for sensorial pleasure. There's something more when you can let down on someone else and somehow 'talk' by skin / closeness.

I choose not to "miss to death" anyone/anything. When it happens to hug someone it doesn't make much difference to me if we haven't seen each other for over a year or a minute.

Well, I used to feel that way, but again since these events I experienced the physical affectionate need for someone. Again, the reason I ask if autistic persons are stuck without this sensation or not.

I recently read part of an Oliver Sacks book, it's incredible how different everyone's experience can differ.

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#145

Post by tehwalrus » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 8:41 PM UTC

Lawtonfogle wrote: post #82

tehwalrus wrote: post #61

Some people have argued [1] that it was not his autism, but his alexithymia which was altered by the TMS. Alexithymia is an orthogonal condition: it can occur with or without autism. Believing that a "cure" for autism is required is also a rejection of neuro-atypicality as a valid state of being, which is a common form of subconscious Ablism (discrimination against disabled people). That is not to say that no autisti…

There is a really deep question of when does abnormal become a problem, a sickness, or a disability. For example, homosexuality is rare and decreases the chance of having direct descendants. But would that qualify as an illness or a sickness? In some parts of the world being homosexual can result in a significantly reduced qualify of life, but is that a problem with the person or with society? Now switch homosexualit…

> For example, homosexuality is rare...decreases the chance of having direct descendants

The gene for male homosexuality is actually propagated via over-fertility in females with the gene (i.e. gay guys' sisters have more children to compensate). So, reduced direct descendants yes, but reduced passing on of genes no.

> Now switch homosexuality for some far less socially acceptable...How does things change?

That involves moving out of the realm of consenting individuals. That is what changes.

I agree that there is a point at which abnormality becomes illness - my (draft) definition is drawn when the abnormality causes pain (especially chronic pain), or early death.

That applies to most old-school illnesses, but not to homosexuality, or autism, or some other disabilities like being short a leg. Specifically on being able to reproduce, I wouldn't say that a mule was disabled, even though it has an odd number of chromosomes and is therefore sterile. Same with the bees; although hive-based species are always going to seem weird to mammals like us.

Other disabilities, like arthritis, do meet the illness threshold because they do cause chronic pain. With this definition, those with disabilities may ask for additional equipment, support, or perhaps even elective interventions like TMS, but only those with illnesses need medical interventions (whether to mitigate or cure).

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#146

Post by drumdance » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 10:10 PM UTC

partomniscient wrote: post #125

drumdance wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a friend who is an energy healer. I personally think that kind of thing is nonsense, but her origin story makes me pause. Throughout her teens and twenties she really struggled emotionally because she had this unconscious ability to absorb other people's emotional states. Then she went to an energy healer herself, discovered she had a gift and finally developed the coping mechanism not to let other people's en…

>I have a friend who is an energy healer. I personally think that kind of thing is nonsense, but her origin story makes me pause. With a username like yours...? Or is it much more quantized drum machine and less anything else?

Many, many years ago I used to perform in a group that combines drumming and dance - http://www.popmatters.com/feature/jellyeye-030610/

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#147

Post by Stratoscope » Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 11:18 PM UTC

Practicality wrote: post #106

So, funny that on hacker news and lots of programming blogs when this topic comes up a lot of people chime in about being on the (autistic side) of the spectrum too. Ironically, I feel left out. I am on the other end of the spectrum. Kind of like what this guy described after the treatment, although I've been dealing with it my whole life, so I don't get all worried. I feel like the only programmer who is intensely a…

I wonder if there is a Williams Syndrome spectrum?

https://www.google.com/#q=williams+syndrome

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#148

Post by iammyIP » Fri, Apr 15, 2016, 1:38 AM UTC

todd8 wrote: post #130

drumdance wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a friend who is an energy healer. I personally think that kind of thing is nonsense, but her origin story makes me pause. Throughout her teens and twenties she really struggled emotionally because she had this unconscious ability to absorb other people's emotional states. Then she went to an energy healer herself, discovered she had a gift and finally developed the coping mechanism not to let other people's en…

> I have a friend that is an energy healer. ... I find myself torn when friends say things like this to me. I feel that such religious beliefs are overall harmful to my friends and leaving them unchallenged allows believers to promulgate that horse shit to others. On the other hand true believers seem to be so invested in these beliefs that they would be psychologically harmed by any debate that would be strong enoug…

What's so strange about it? It's some kind of yoga massage social relaxing procedure embedded in harmless ritual fluff with words like 'light' 'energy' 'love' and rainbows and even sometimes 'quantum-entanglement' - you should be excited. Energy healing also undoubtedly involves the wonder of energy. If it feels good to people, then it heals, so what is the horse shit problem here? Do they want you to sacrifice seven goats to their ruthless rainbow-god-of-light for a power-refill while still not appreciating the apollo spaceflight computer as incredible scientific achievment enough?

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#149

Post by dfraser992 » Fri, Apr 15, 2016, 6:32 AM UTC

EGreg wrote: post #36

tominous wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eric Raymond had an interesting take on the link between autism and exceptional achievement (if you can get past his ego). http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=7060 In short, the time and energy normally spent on social interaction instead is spent on other aspects of life.

Oh brother. I consider myself very smart but wouldn't write this kind of arrogant drivel :)

Well, I -know- I'm smart... ;) (Stanford-Binet, blah blah). But it is just a number, and the value of a person is not (or rather, shouldn't be) based on such things. Emotional intelligence (EQ) seems to be more of an important factor in determining one's "success" in life, so I'd say it is more significant than IQ - and even those things such as one's accomplishments are not entirely sufficient measures of one's value.

At this point in my life, I'm realizing one's value ought to include the impact on one's social environment, your ethics, your integrity, liberal fuzzy wuzzy things. ESR certainly has had some impact on society in a beneficial sense, but how does he treat the people around him? I don't know... Jobs had an impact, but he was difficult. Gates... well, don't get me started.

Humanity needs to move beyond the hierarchical monkey social structure thought patterns and behaviors. Glorifying the 'great and good' does not serve this.

Re: What It’s Like to ‘Wake Up’ from Autism After Magnetic Stimulation

#150

Post by dfraser992 » Fri, Apr 15, 2016, 6:39 AM UTC

todd8 wrote: post #130

drumdance wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a friend who is an energy healer. I personally think that kind of thing is nonsense, but her origin story makes me pause. Throughout her teens and twenties she really struggled emotionally because she had this unconscious ability to absorb other people's emotional states. Then she went to an energy healer herself, discovered she had a gift and finally developed the coping mechanism not to let other people's en…

> I have a friend that is an energy healer. ... I find myself torn when friends say things like this to me. I feel that such religious beliefs are overall harmful to my friends and leaving them unchallenged allows believers to promulgate that horse shit to others. On the other hand true believers seem to be so invested in these beliefs that they would be psychologically harmed by any debate that would be strong enoug…

What about transference and counter-transference? Perhaps I've had too much therapy, but they are tangible things. There is a heck of a lot humanity does not understand about human psychology, and it's not all BS. 'Energy' work isn't religious at all either - it could work for some people off the placebo effect.

And if you're an engineer, if something works, then use it. Whatever the 'patient' thinks is ... shamans have to play engineer sometimes, along with priest, psychologist, doctor, PR man, confidence trickster...

but yes, there are a lot of shallow thinking people out there, and not just in the New Age world, who can't grasp metaphors - e.g. the concept of the dead and dying god, who is reborn, as a metaphor for a psychological process.