The portrait’s of “the Wild Boy of Aveyron,” Victor, who had undergone one of the earliest rehabilitation programs for autistic symptoms. Although behavioral programs have some success, it’s imperative that parents understand the real, measurable biochemical abnormalities in children with autism, which offers insight into potential pharmacological treatments, whether with pharmaceuticals or hormones.
Here’s a post and e-mail exchange with a friend regarding the anti-serotonin drug cyproheptadine.
While I was sleeping, I thought of the oddity of randomly exposing facts about myself and my ideas without any precedent in conversation. It seems that autism prompts this kind of outwardly expressive behavior for no reason whatsoever.
Imagine a person who says the most monumentally central and important things about his or her self within the first few moments of a conversation (relating to his or her values/morals/religious beliefs/political beliefs/social strategy). It would be akin to a banker disclosing the combination to his vault to an unknown person, potentially a thief. Cyproheptadine attenuates the aforementioned lacking social understanding.
“…did cypro put you in a state where you could see things from another’s (autistic) point of view, or would you be writing from an Asperger (high functioning autism) perspective and gained an extra level of clarity/detachment?”
Definitely excessive serotonin creates a one-sided perspective. That’s why people describe LSD as “perspective-enhancing” and a “trip” to another way of looking at the world. Think of it as a stress-response; an individual who is in a high-stress environment must filter information into a very linear, goal-oriented, Type-A fashion with little regard for others, as he must ensure his own survival. I would call myself a very high-functioning autist; maybe an individual with excessive anxiety and neuroticism if anything. Hyperlogicity goes along with this.
If I understand your question, I did the latter. It’s more like clarity than “another’s point of view.” The whole viewing things from another’s point of view is neurotic in and of itself, as you simply need to calibrate your own perceptions correctly and not worry about the perceptions of another, as you can never hope to experience what they experience.
“Your description of high-functioning autism resembles mine a lot. The scoping, tunnel-vision process that kicks in under stress (and/or flight-or-fight situations) is something I can relate to. Although I’m ok with it, heck, sometimes I ache for having that nothing-else-exists-in-the-world-but-solving-XYZ feeling, it’s been my experience that (most possibly by mirror neurons) others are not comfortable in seeing this switch in, well, people close to them.
Anyway. Speaking of people, I think they simply are not comfortable with this ability to switch on/off social (group) “pacing” (reading, thinking, and reacting to the group’s current priorities) in others. This person’s video sums up quite well my view of this switch / ability.
In any case, thank you very much for your insights and experience. I’ve been careful about supplements since my last Methylene Blue tests. It’s as though it slowed down the clearance of some (serotonin?) compound in me. I noticed it from (for a lack of a better word) gut anesthesia feeling, and corresponding slowing down of bowel movements (constipation). I also didn’t like how long it took for me to get back to feeling ‘normal’. I’ve never done drugs, but MB put me in a “meh, don’t care” blah feeling that was too much for me (not functional or responding to stress cues enough, I’m just glad my studies didn’t tank significantly). Given this reaction, I’m curious and cautious about cypro potentially being like super MB.”
You’re welcome. As for turning off the social switch, this is a coping strategy to zero-sum social situations. It’s a way of avoiding others, and thereby avoiding harm, both physically, psychologically, and financially (with regard to resources). If Peat teaches anything, it’s that the whole idea of growth, maturation, aging, and dying is a flawed way to look at yourself and the world. The world is in a constant state of never-ending growth and expansion (with a nod to entropy,) and your biochemistry is completely flexible, plastic, and changeable with the right inputs.
Slowed bowel movements correspond with low serotonin, not high serotonin. At least a carrot, some cascara sagrada, coffee, or something all act as laxatives and prevent serotonin release in the intestine.
Due to its appetite-stimulating effects, cyproheptadine can raise your calorie ceiling by several hundred calories. Increased caloric expenditure, such as that also promoted by thyroid correlates with an increased metabolism, which itself raises dopamine and lowers serotonin, estrogen and prolactin, which has been shown to relieve depression.
Just to meet someone who suffers from the same type of isolation helps immeasurably, especially in matters of relationships. Not having any form of sexual intimacy and harboring a fear of connection is the most destructive and lonely thing in the world.
“Have been off dairy for a week. Wow. I’m sure I’m casein (and by extension gluten) sensitive. It’s like lifting a numbing veil off.
The only thing I’m somewhat preoccupied with is the lowered calcium intake, but on other hand calcium supplements constipate me big time. Not sure how to explain it, except I retain calcium more than average (also saw something on how some people develop ‘insensivities’ / numbing / increased pain tolerance because of calcium excess in nerve firing. So I guess if I (literally) feel better, I don’t need calcium that much. (And, what the heck, how did mankind survive prior to agriculture, eh? I must have some of that thrifty gene.)
Thanks again for the long and detailed replies. I find myself getting back to them every now and then for a reference/perspective point of view.
I’m curious about the 12+ hour studying days. How did you build up that tolerance? What is your diet like (Peaty or non-Peaty, I don’t judge, results are results after all)?”
I find that I need my supplements if I go into long study sessions; I just don’t have the predisposition to be able to sit and focus for long periods of time without any social or sexual stimuli in opposition to people who argue that it’s all “learned through discipline.” Yes, you can force yourself to do a task repetitively, and it will become a habit, but you can also augment your consciousness to have a tendency toward that action, and then still develop the habit.
A gallon of milk, orange juice, and something rich like Haagen Daas ice cream (for its caloric density) can provide enough sugars for brain function. Rice with soy sauce, or potatoes with butter (or coconut oil) and salt provide sodium, which is crucial. If your hands and arms are warm, and if you radiate heat, then you will have an easier time focusing on the task at hand.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
“Thanks for the detailed reply. Same here regarding basic (survival) needs: when I go into that feeling cold zone, my focus is anywhere but on the current mental task at hand. And no amount of discipline, as you say, will override it. Attention is a very fickle thing. Thanks again and a good day to you.”
11/15/2018
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