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>ADHD (and certain forms of Autism) seem to be treated less for the benefit of the individual and more for the benefit of those around them. Compare this to dep

>ADHD (and certain forms of Autism) seem to be treated less for the benefit of the individual and more for the benefit of those around them. Compare this to depression -- a condition where the primary suffering is internal -- experienced by the person themselves. With ADHD and Autism, the person is not necessarily suffering directly, but their behaviors often cause difficulty for others, and in turn those others impose suffering on the individual. I think it would be helpful to specifically characterize what forms you are talking about. Paint a picture of such a case. Because the forms my mind jump to are definitely suffering themselves and I dont want to strawman you. Sensory overload, unmanageability, etc. Someone who may be perfectly content to obsess over some niche interest but cant take care of themselves because they are inconsistent at work. Cant pay bills, neglected health issues, etc. I can begin to imagine how someone might characterize this as you have but I think that would be quite flawed and I'm not sure this is what you're talking about.

hirvi74 1y ago
Sorry, I tried to preface that I would butcher my explanation, and it appears I was correct in that assumption. I also apologize if this answer is no better. I likely lack the mental acuity to formulate these thoughts well. To be clear, I’m not denying that some people experience direct suffering like sensory overload, daily dysfunction, etc.. Though I would argue much of this is somewhat expected when one lives in a society that wasn't designed around edge cases (nor am I saying such a society is truly possible at our scale). My point is about a different subset of cases, like mine and say individuals with high-functioning Autism, where the suffering is mainly socially imposed. The pressure to medicate or "fix" ourselves comes less from unbearable symptoms and more from others' expectations that we be more tolerable or productive. That was the unsettling part I was trying to get at. I was trying to make a point about a little compassion from others would go a long way. I was not trying to absolve myself and others like me of our responsibilities/symptoms. Often times, the symptoms of these disorders are not treated as symptoms of a disorder, but rather, direct flaws of one's character. All in all, I find the difficulties hard to describe unless one has lived the same or a similar experience. Whether or not one has a disorder does not make them less of a human being. Thus, I do not think it is a coincidence that depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide are highly correlated with disorders like ADHD and high functioning Autism, and I do not think a lot of those comorbid issues stem purely from some kind of internal (hypothetical) brain difference. Does that make any more sense?

hirvi74 1y ago

Sorry, I tried to preface that I would butcher my explanation, and it appears I was correct in that assumption. I also apologize if this answer is no better. I likely lack the mental acuity to formulate these thoughts well. To be clear, I’m not denying that some people experience direct suffering like sensory overload, daily dysfunction, etc.. Though I would argue much of this is somewhat expected when one lives in a society that wasn't designed around edge cases (nor am I saying such a society is truly possible at our scale). My point is about a different subset of cases, like mine and say individuals with high-functioning Autism, where the suffering is mainly socially imposed. The pressure to medicate or "fix" ourselves comes less from unbearable symptoms and more from others' expectations that we be more tolerable or productive. That was the unsettling part I was trying to get at. I was trying to make a point about a little compassion from others would go a long way. I was not trying to absolve myself and others like me of our responsibilities/symptoms. Often times, the symptoms of these disorders are not treated as symptoms of a disorder, but rather, direct flaws of one's character. All in all, I find the difficulties hard to describe unless one has lived the same or a similar experience. Whether or not one has a disorder does not make them less of a human being. Thus, I do not think it is a coincidence that depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide are highly correlated with disorders like ADHD and high functioning Autism, and I do not think a lot of those comorbid issues stem purely from some kind of internal (hypothetical) brain difference. Does that make any more sense?