Lack of planning in Autism

Panic caused by changes to plans for individuals with autism

The panic experienced by people with autism when plans change stems from a deep need for predictability and routine. These provide a sense of safety and control in a world that can feel chaotic and overwhelming. When these established patterns are disrupted, it can trigger significant anxiety, distress, and sometimes panic attacks.

Why Changes Cause Distress

Need for Predictability:

 Autistic people often thrive on structure. Routines act as a script for the day, helping them know what to expect and when, which significantly lowers overall anxiety.

Executive Functioning Challenges: 

Autistic individuals may struggle with executive functions like planning, organization, and shifting focus (mental flexibility). A change in plans requires rapid replanning and adapting to a new sequence of events, which can be cognitively exhausting and difficult.

I need extra help this time of year.

So, another Advent.
As every year, the overwhelm has set in.
I wish I could talk to a Priest, not an option where I live.

Sending Christmas cards is a major issue to me: it takes about a month for a letter, during this busy season, to reach Europe from Asia.
Consequently, I planned with my wife to send Christmas cards last weekend, and she agreed first thing first on Saturday morning.

Saturday morning comes and she tells me of going to the grocery store with her mother one hour or so… bells ringing… turned out all day.
I had a real meltdown.
I couldn’t write any card.

She took on me that I don’t have any ‘flexibility’!

Her justification was her mother asked to visit some relatives.
She wouldn’t bother to call me or pick up the phone either, believing it would have made matters worse.

I had to spend all Sunday in bed to recover, while the cards were not sent.

I’ll leave the judgement to you: is that ‘autistic change in routine’ or ‘neurotypical lack of planning’?



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Fear of changes in Autism

Autistics don’t like changes in routine.

How do you deal with change in routine? How is your comfort zone? Does spirituality play a role in your life? Are you more biologically oriented?

How did you start the new week?

Monday is always a challenge to me, though better than weekend.
I’m quite settled Tuesday to Friday.
I only honour Sunday from a Christian perspective.
Faith is my main help and hope.

I also put trust in science: I see my psychiatrist monthly. 
Last week I had my session, he’s a psychoanalytic psychiatrist.
I’m always bit nervous for fear of changing meds.
I wonder which diagnosis is predominant with me, Autism or ADHD…
He says that latest research places ADHD on the Spectrum, I’ve come to believe it. I identify 80% ADHD to date.
The new AuDHD diagnosis would assert the validity of my identity.


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Emotional Roller-coasters in Autism

Roller-coasters is yet another trendy terminology for Life-challenges.

Again, I don’t see anything wrong with ‘challenges’, anyways… even languages are roller-coasters, these AI days.
I wonder if young and old of same nationality will soon need an interpreter, it could be of help in creating new jobs, before AI will lay-off thousands of workers.

“Ah shut up, I’ve been watching too much tv!” used to say David Bowie, the ‘Master of Transformation’ , as he was called back in the day.
Nowadays, he would be called the ‘Master of roller-coasters’!
Forgive the diversion, Sarcasm is necessary, sometimes.

Roller-coasters require lots of self-discipline.

This is very controversial: subjects on ASD are hard disciplined, yet they dread roller-coasters.
They excel financially, most World-billionaires are on the Spectrum.
Conversely, they fare poorly in relationships.
In my humble opinion, they function on compensation: academic and financial achievement makes up for roller-coasters and poor relationships.
They don’t look happy to me, nevertheless.

I’m neither a billionaire nor an academic, though I fare well socially.
I lean more towards ADHD and Bipolar.
Despite envying ASD achievements, I prioritize my social life.
Should I choose between wealth and good relationships, I would go for the latter no doubts.

I want to live with my wife at the sea. We speak the same language of the waves.


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Confusion in Autism

Getting ready is the definition of Preparedness. For some people, it is an exciting practice for the better. For neurodivergents, it is a source of confusion.

Preparedness is a very individualist subject.
We all get ready for an important event, usually pleasurable, like a trip.

Getting ready for the worse has a completely different chemistry which I ll explore in a separate thread.

Preparedness is that situation where multiple emotions are at work, typically Expectation, Changes, Organization, Excitement, Anxiety.
These feelings are exacerbated when an Event is permanent.

Traveling is a multifaceted event for autistics.

We usually associate Travel with Holiday, a temporary Change, henceforth not appealing to autistics.

Business-travel on behalf of Corporations, either to show a project or to sign a contract, is Work.

Relocation is my idea of traveling and likely the most conflicting.
Being a middle-aged expat, traveling takes priority over anything else.
Traveling means Home to expats.
Home is permanent Holiday for every expatriate.
Unless one returns home in retirement, it is indeed starting a second life.
This accounts for conflicting emotions, mainly excitement and re-adaptation.

What happens when emotions clash?

Preparedness is always stressful, though powered by excitement.
Timing is paramount, you don’t get ready to relocate one week before, it’s a yearly process, to say the least.

There is no official medical diagnosis for Clashing/Conflicting emotions.
Research is more supportive of Predominant emotions.
The concepts may look equal at first glance, if Predominance weren’t synonymous with Leadership.
In the Emotional sphere, Leadership is characterized by ‘taking over’, far from Conflicting.
A popular example is Multitasking: the brain is not programmed for multitasking.
The exact mechanism of Multitasking, is the ability of ‘taking over’ multiple options by Selecting the most appropriate.

I deduce Emotions are not in conflict, they are confused.
The associated official diagnosis is ‘Acute/Chronic Confusion’, two distinct disorders as a matter of fact.

As usual, that took some time to research my old Med-school notes, again realising that Libraries retain the most reliable sources.
Youngsters will smirk on me, though I won’t tire of advising lay people from staying off the ‘Medical Internet’ and let Doctors do their job.

These days, people give in self-diagnosing, trusting the Internet more than physical doctors, the foothold of globalization.
‘Emotional Conflict’ is Internet slang, I just found out myself through how subconsciously enslaving and mind-bending Media are.
Support your local libraries! I value them now more than back in the day when served the main Dormitory facility for students.
I’m yet to understand why we appreciate things only when we don’t have them…
That could make it for a future post.

Anyway, why Acute and Chronic Confusion are grouped in a single pathology?
Because distinguishing between Illness and Symptoms is the weakness of Traditional Western Medicine.

I’ll stand correctly.

We know that current medication cures symptoms, not illness. This affects the rationale behind diagnoses.

Confusion is not a illness, it’s a symptom of Delirium and Dementia, primarily.
Impaired Executive Function binds Acute and Chronic Confusion, despite their totally different chemistry: Acute Confusion is a combination of Brain Poisoning from drugs, Injuries, High Fever, triggering Hallucinations and Aggression. Acute Confusion is a psychiatric emergency, Sedation is the only available intervention. The episodes are almost voluntary and related to substance abuse. First Responders don’t stand the chance by immediately restraining and administering intramuscular Narcan as first aid.

Chronic Confusion is a progressive condition.
Mood-Stabilization is the priority treatment. Subjects are not aggressive.
Dementia is an alternative term for Chronic Confusion in popular culture.
The two are regarded independently in Medical, since Chronic Confusion is aggravated by long-term consumption of alcohol and antianxiety medications.

The Emotional sphere is overwhelming.
I conclude this segment by reminding that a Medical textbook will always be more trustworthy than the Internet.




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Respect for Diversity

Nostalgia is oftentimes outlived as Cultural-shock by autistics.

Dwelling in a different culture almost involves a certain amount of Deprivation even for expatriates in search of a better life.
Full integration into a different culture is virtually impossible.
Living a better life doesn’t necessarily mean giving up on one s own culture.
You’ll realize that expats tend to gather within their communities abroad.
I would define Integration as Respect rather than Embrace, despite the similarity.
Respect is honorable. If everyone could exercise Respect, there d be no need for Confrontations.

The human brain is naturally set for Supremacy.

Our Digital Society gives a wrong impression of Respect as in Globalization.

Globalization is Imposition disguised as Respect, an evil scheme carried out by the World Elite, benefiting the Wealthy only.

The Weak go hand in hand with Poverty.

The message is clear: “You need help? Support the Elite, and the Elite will support you.” 
Many poor people have no choice but going against their morals.

The good news comes from an emerging Church-culture, so-called Christian Influencers.

Christian Influencers are young people and clergy who are taking Evangelisation to a new level online, waging a fierce Antiglobalization Campaign.
We are seeing the first signs.
Diversity will be legally protected.
Neurodivergent individuals will finally feel safe as integral part of society.




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International Relationships and Objectification

Latest research suggests that Xenophilia is the result of ‘objectification’ from one or either parties, always unhealthy.

That international relationships require strong commitment is a fact. Neuroscientists deem race-mixing as Objectifying. Although not my case, I can’t hide the discomfort of the statement.

Objectification as in giving up one s culture for the other, a form of escapism rather than love.

The largest number of expatriates from developed countries still accounts for interracial marriages.

We have been deprived of yet the harmonious definition ‘interracial relationships’ for the pathological ‘Xenophilia’.
I bet ‘Behaviour’ will soon replaced by ‘Pathology’.
A pathology is always dysfunctional.

I’m aware of the challenges of interracial relationships, though I ll never see them as pathological.
I met my Asian wife coincidentally in my country when I lost my family and she saved my life.

I never gave up my culture in 15 years of marriage.
In fact, I value my culture even more as an expat.

Scientists should emphasize what the real challenges are.

Xenophilia goes oftentimes hand in hand with Xenophobia.
We have given a bad name to the latter, related to racism.

Modern-day xenophobia is very much the Fear of the host from the expatriates, not hatred.

I hope the term Xenophobia will be wiped out once and for all in favour of peaceful resolutions like interracial relations.
And that neuroscientists would stop pretending to be linguists.

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Emotional Dysregulation

Autistics and ADHDers have greater empathy than average. Excessive empathy leads to RSD.

RSD stands for Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, a symptom of Emotional dysregulation. 
The definition speaks for itself altogether, Dysphoria is Greek for Pain.
Empathy is an Emotion.
Emotions can be processed by Willpower in the neurotypical brain.

Emotional dysregulation has many implications, most commonly Neuronal Signal-disruptions.
Put it bluntly, the brain misinterprets or annihilates perceptions.
A notable example is an inconsiderate tv/radio volume, typical in old age.
In young adulthood, the phenomenon borders chronic Apathy.

However, let’s focus on RSD for now.

RSD is in fact the antonym of Apathy, or too much sensitivity.
Sensitivity in excess is paralysing.
The most visible attitude are healthcare workers: a good doctor, nurse, paramedic, must show empathy to patients, without getting emotionally involved.
This supports my personal theory that Sensitivity has a different set-up in Emotions.

Autistics and ADHDers strive a lot to mask for performance, a short-lived technique leading to Rejection feelings.
We make use of empathy for Acceptance, ultimately resulting in Rejection.

For once in a while, it is worth analyzing how the Neurotypical brain works.

Neurodivergents rely heavily upon their personal background, henceforth lacking impartiality of judgement, in my case being overly intrusive.

The Neurotypical brain values a lot privacy, something I interpret as lack of trust, another definition of RSD.I do recognize the evasive responses of the neurotypical: although they’re not intended for arrogance, I perceive them as painful rejection.
Even more so as Neurodiversity Advocates, we are passionately uninhibited to disclose our innermost thoughts, while expecting likewise from our interlocutors.

We don’t have to assume that neurotypicals are issue-free.
They are just smarter at dealing with problems on their own, therefore neither need help or sharing, yet another interpretation of Rejection in RSD.
‘Pretending’ to be altruistic when not necessary, is outrageous and immoral.
The stereotypical “How are you?” has become a complementary greeting, it doesn’t hurt anyone and is sufficient. They will let us know otherwise if close friends, most likely through body-language.
Know that Language is 70% bodily and 30% verbal.
Distressed body-language is a neurotypical request to reach-out.
That’s when we should calmly push-through.
Everybody has temporary Suffering.

Sensitivity is a spiritual gift, we must learn how best to use it to our benefit and neighbour’s.
In person-meetings over media-chats are preferable between Neurodivergents and Neurotypicals, whenever possible.




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Emotional Deprivation

Memory storage

Memories could be a byproduct of emotions, based on the same cerebral regions where emotions originate, the Limbic System, the core of the brain. All neuronal clusters converge in the Limbic region.

You’ll understand that its anatomy is worth a whole encyclopedia, with millions of neuronal pathways requiring years of study by neuroscientists.
Mental Illness is being studied for centuries, since Man’s life is too short to cover the entire human body, let alone the brain.
Medical science as we know it today, is at a Developmental stage.

Emotions are linked to empathy and bonding.
We can’t feel emotions without Empathy.
In fact, Empathy is an Emotion in itself, with the sole difference that originates from Bonding, the Love-attachment between Parents and Children developing in the first months of life.
Lack of empathy is the result of Parental Neglect.
The logic is that Memory Retention will be disrupted without Empathy.

The altruistic approach of Memory-storage 

Are Memories and Emotions the same combination?
Did it occur to you that memories not associated to emotions are easily forgotten?
I previously talked of my hatred for mathematics, I don’t feel any emotion for numbers, I rely on calculators even for the simplest operations: I know that 10+10=20, I just find Counting rewardless, yet I understand the importance.

Psychiatry defines Empathy as Altruism.
According to this line of thought, Memory-storage would be of altruistic nature.
Healthcare workers are naturally altruistic.
Coincidentally, I can’t see any empathy in Maths teachers.

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 Executive Function in ADHD

The Relationship Between ADHD and Learning Disabilities

The Brain’s Temporal lobe and Limbic System are the areas where all the Learning processes take place.

Learning is the synergy between Memory, Thinking and Acting.
These three skills are referred to in Psychiatry as Executive Function. They are indispensable for learning.
In ADHD, they are dysfunctional to varying degrees.
To make things worse, ADHD is an underlying condition in most cases of Autism.

Once again, we are haunted by the discrimination of Learning Disability.
Can we debunk that disrespectful notion? If not, change terminology?
Nobody, neurotypical or neurodiverse, want to be identified as retarded.
In order to advocate rightfully, we need to do a lot of research backed up by patience and humility.

Working Memory is the precursor of all Learning.
One would expect Thinking, rightly so, though this action won’t produce results if not memorized.
How many times, back in our school day, we went mute during interrogations despite having studied the subject… sadly, 30 years ago, the humiliating response of Mental Health s ignorant teachers was “They all claim to not remember when they didn’t study…”
Just to add insult to injury.

Memory Retention is not a Learning Disability

We’ll have to start with how Memory gets stored, a mechanism not yet fully understood.
We know for sure that there are two types of Memory, short-term memory and long-term memory.
Every memory is first registered in the short-term. For this reason, it is referred to as Information. Unless we have an interest in it, it is quickly forgotten.
The dilemma is that we must remember unpleasant information too.
To date, Repetition is the only solution, though it doesn’t work for me.
Repetition makes me feel stupid.
On the other hand, interesting Information is stored in the long-term at first glance.

I love humanities, I could remember them just by listening.
I hate maths and wasn’t able to perform a sum. 
The mindless approach of my maths teacher was to give me extra homework, in so doing matters worse. I perceived it as a vengeful attempt.
Nowadays, Special Needs teachers would be assigned.

The stage of storing long-term Information is called Retention.

Theoretically speaking, all memory is stored at subconscious level.
Recall is the process of bringing memories at conscious level by Will.

In brief, there are 3 stages of Memory in chronological succession: Registration, Storage, Recall.

Recall is the most common Memory Disorder with potentially catastrophic developments the likes of Amnesia and Dementia in the final stages.

Thinking is the next step to Registration.
Because Registration happens in the short-term, it is easily forgettable in Attention Deficits.
One of the hypotheses of ADHD.

In ADHD, Information switches subjects relentlessly, therefore doesn’t get stored in long-term memory.
Stimulant medication partially enhances focus by targeting dopamine.
Dopamine as in Reward neurotransmitter, would explain Interest-dependent Concentration and Storage.
The efficacy of these medications is fairly good. Their limitation is the daily lifespan, 6/8 hours average after which they wear off, allowing Confusion, Fatigue, Forgetfulness, Irritability, to set in again.
Prolonging the lifespan of these compounds will prevent Sleep, not an option, lack of sleep = dysfunctional concentration.
More research is needed, current data is insufficient.

Acting is the disrupted outcome of irrational Thinking in ADHD and Autism.
Any action taken without Thinking is disastrous.
This is Memory in a nutshell.

I look forward to hearing about your experience.



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Dopamine dysregulation and addictive behavior in ADHD

ADHDers excel at cold decisions. Conversely, they have poor analytical skills. 

New therapies working on Self-regulation, boost Analytical Thinking.

 Is ‘Self-regulation’ the overall strategy? It would seem oversimplistic at first glance, although rightly evidenced by therapists.
Everybody will agree, neurodivergent or not, on the efficacy of Emotional Self-Regulation.
To stand correct, Professionals should emphasize how to achieve Self-Regulation.
Well, after extensive research, I found out the answer, still in the making.

Before going into depth, we must analyze how Emotions work in ADHD, to debunk the notion of “poor analysis”, coincidentally.

Addictive Behavior and Dopamine Dysfunction

ADHDers have naturally Addictive Personalities as result of Dopamine Dysfunction.
How does Dopamine Dysfunction relate?
It’s important to be very straightforward when it comes to Dopamine.
We are all comfortable with the Motivating, Disinhibiting, Feel-good neurotransmitter s definition, not so much with Bodily Cocaine.
In ADHD, Dopamine mimics this heavy stimulant drug, with sudden peak-levels followed by sudden drop-offs. Once the dopamine is absorbed into Receptor-neurons, it is not re-uptaken, leaving the brain starved.
Cerebral starvation is a potential contributor to Addiction, since the brain tries to make out for the missing chemical to no avail. Stimulant Medication is a life-saver, though it wears off in 6/8 hours. 
This explains the excellence in cold-decisions in ADHD, whilst poor Analytical Thinking. It is either too much or nothing. Current medication aims to provide dopamine for the most demanding part of day, not the ultimate solution.

The stage where Self-Regulation comes into play by Crowding-out

ADHD coaches describe Self-Regulation as in Crowding-out.
Crowding-out means  “making space” .
ADHDers process multiple thoughts simultaneously. Thoughts are 70% negative, they hold us back.
We must make space for positive thoughts by getting rid of unhealthy, intrusive, useless, enslaving, trapping thoughts.

The role of the therapist would be giving instructions, whilst the patient works out on their own achieving schedule by selecting positive feelings from negative ones. The therapist can help by giving a general list of most common thoughts to relinquish.

The practice is still being perfected and has a potentially high successful rate.
Medication will continue to be complementary however, with Self-Regulation we will abate the Emotional Crash following the withdrawal syndrome through Willpower.



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