Neurotransmitters Flow in this Autism Mind

Belongingness

Acceptance and Inclusion of disabled people into all walks of society is no doubt an important first step.

But what we need goes beyond inclusion. Inclusion means just existing in the same space as non disabled people.

Disabled people need to not just be included, we need belonging. Belonging is a sense of community, where you are accepted as an equal member of the group and where your life is seen as having worth.

Belongingness in society, is I think, what we all yearn for at the end of the day, whether we are disabled or not.

Starting today, let us all strive together towards Belongingness.

-Hari Srinivasan

Making Decisions

On Making Decisions about what path to take

Thoughts to mull over!!

One is something that the abolitionist, Frederick Douglass had said about education and knowledge being the key to freedom. This had struck a deep chord when I first heard it. I felt I had to go to college, not just because I loved knowledge and learning, but a college degree would also give me better access to a seat at the table. The table, that is apparently making decisions about me and my fellow autistics.

The second is a line from Robert Frost’s, Two Tramps in Mud Time. “My object in living is to unite my avocation and my vocation.” I too, truly believe that you will be happiest, if your work aligns with what you are passionate about.

The third is that many people often end up doing something totally different than what they studied in college or imagined they would be doing. And that’s totally ok. You can act only based on your current information, you zig zag a bit, maybe loop a little too. I’ve started off with a Psych major here at UC Berkeley, but who knows what I will end up doing many years later.

-Hari Srinivasan @ ASAN - Transitions to Adulthood

Happy Thanksgiving

"In this time of a global pandemic and untidy political landscape, it is all the more important that we practice gratitude. We can, as Mother Theresa once said, be grateful for what we can give rather than for what we receive." - Hari Srinivasan

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

The importance of Gratitude

As the name suggests, Thanksgiving is a time when our minds turn towards gratitude and giving thanks. But what exactly is gratitude. The 18th century philosopher and economist, Adam Smith, had deemed Gratitude as the Social Glue of economic culture.

In her book, The How of Happiness, American psychologist, Sonja Lyubomirsky lists “Expressing Gratitude” as Happiness Activity No 1. She says most people associate gratitude with saying thanks to someone but gratitude is actually much more - wonder, appreciation, looking at the bright side, fathoming abundance, counting blessings, present-oriented, not taking things for granted, coping and counting blessings.

In an article for the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, Robert Emmons, the world leading researcher on gratitude, explains that there are two components to gratitude. The first is affirmation of goodness. Life is undoubtedly filled with both good and bad moments. “But when we look at life as a whole, gratitude encourages us to identify some amount of goodness in our life.”

The second component of Gratitude according to Emmons is figuring out the source of goodness. It is be a humbling experience as we focus not just on our pride in personal accomplishments but acknowledge the dependence on others, even higher powers, that “gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives”

Emmons goes on to explain that the benefits of gratitude span the physical, psychological and social realms. It magnifies positive emotions, blocks negative emotions, makes you more stress resistant and have a higher sense of self-worth. But what is most striking according to Emmons, are the social “relationship-strengthening” benefits. Various studies have demonstrated that people who practice gratitude are more helpful and compassionate towards others. He also urges us to think outside the box when it comes to what is gratitude. We can as Mother Theresa had once said, be grateful for what we can give rather than for what we receive.

Emmons points out that practicing gratitude is not easy as it can mean we feel we are less in control or that we are giving away credit due to us to others. He suggests two simple activities to get started.

A gratitude journal listing just five things once a week.

Count your blessings on a regular basis, maybe once a day

In a 2015 article by psychologist Juliana Brieines for The Greater Good Science Center adds further practises.

Mental Subtraction of Positive Events, that is, not taking things for granted. Consider the positive events in your life and imagine what your life would have been like without them.

A Savoring Walk once a week by yourself, where you “pay close attention to as many positive sights, sounds, smells, or other sensations as you can.”

This Thanksgiving, let us see what the NeuroNav team is grateful for

Hari: I’m constantly grateful to the various people at different points in my life who have supported me in many ways. I’m grateful to God, for my talents and my intelligence which was not something taught or learned during my many years in special education. I’m grateful to everyone at UC Berkeley for providing a supportive environment that helps me pursue my desire for a college education, an aspiration that cannot be taken for granted for people with significant disabilities like me. I’m grateful to my family for their never give up attitude towards me and especially in this time of covid which has been difficult for me. And I’m grateful that I too am able to contribute back to society in whatever small way I can.

Sabrina - This year I am grateful for my family, including my new husband. They have always been such a huge anchoring force in my life, and they have been that and more in these unpredictable times. And while it’s been hard not to see many of them in person, our weekly Zoom calls have become my favorite weekend activity, and one that I hope we will continue even as things find their way back to “normal.”

Emma - I am most grateful for the health of my family, especially my father who works at a hospital as a physician. I am also grateful for my husky who keeps me smiling :)

Nick - Even though I could not have expected how this year has turned out, I am very grateful for the friends and family I hold near and dear to my heart. They have supported me in the ups and downs of this time and I love them very much.

Rachel - I am grateful for new opportunities and the great people in my life.

Katie - I’m grateful for my friends, family, and my health. In a time that could be very isolating (and has been for many), I’ve been able to stay connected (virtually and socially distanced) to the people who I care most about. I think that has really helped me stay sane (ish!) throughout the pandemic.

Full Article here: https://www.neuronav.org/post/the-importance-of-gratitude

Ryan Speaking to Ryan

“I use this text to speaking voice called Ryan. There are only a limited number of affordable natural sounding voices with an American accent, so when two non speaking guys are chatting, it is like Ryan speaking to Ryan, which is very disconcerting; an erasure of the individual.”

-Hari Srinivasan @ASAN’s Transitions to Adulthood, Nov 2020

Love Each Other

An Apt message for the Times @Albany Waterfront Trail

The Albany Waterfront Trail meanders behind the Golden Gate Fields Racecourse in Albany, CA and hugs the bay as it stretches to a little strip of land, simply known as the “Albany Bulb.” It’s a chance to see the Bay Bridge on one side and the Golden Gate Bridge on the other, even as the sun sets over the silver ocean at dusk. Nature and the universe continue to shower their infinite love upon all us humans living on this beautiful planet that we call home.

As I was ambling along the trail, I came across this sign painted on a wood bench:

“Love Each Other, Wear A Mask.”

It is such a simple statement, just six words, yet profound in its own way. We live in a time of global pandemic due to the spread of a new virus that we have not yet quite understood, and wearing a mask seems like a very simple ask. Do we not wear shoes to prevent harmful microbes on the ground from entering through the skin on our feet; it's not foolproof, but it gets the job done for the most part. And, it’s not uncommon for us to wear a mask when we catch the common cold so we don’t spread the cold to others or when we have the flu; both of which are viruses too. Given that COVID-19 is a respiratory airborne virus, it seems logical that we wear a mask to cover our nose and mouth. It is not just about protecting yourself but also being mindful of protecting those around you.

But what is even more timeless, is the first part of the statement, “Love Each Other.” We all witnessed the hoarding of toilet paper and panic buying earlier this year as soon as the Pandemic began. But during this time of global crisis, we also saw unprecedented levels of altruism, generosity and kindness towards strangers across the world. We had almost reached a state of “Agape,” the Greco-Christian term for unconditional love of our fellow human beings or the Sanskrit “Metta;” in transcending consideration of the self into seeking what’s best for others.

It turns out that humans are innately built for love, goodness, kindness and compassion.

So how do we consciously move towards this state so that this innate goodness becomes a part of our everyday existence?

In my class on “Basic Issues in Cognition” at UC Berkeley, we learned that loving kindness actually begins by developing acceptance towards oneself, and if there was resistance, it usually indicated feelings of unworthiness. If you cannot love yourself, you are an empty cup with nothing to give to others.

Professor Davina Chan led us through a simple loving kindness exercise, which can be practiced daily for a few minutes.

Start with Loving Kindness towards yourself by repeating.

May I be happy

May I abide in well-being

May I be secure

May I dwell in safety.

This warmth is then directed towards others, first to people you care about then extended to acquaintances, strangers and even those you regard as enemies.

Regular practice of simple actions can thus lead to an avalanche of profound change within ourselves and the world. The wood bench on the trail, sums it up - “Love each other. Wear a mask.”

Let us begin today!

This post appeared on the neuronav website where I was a communications intern. https://uniquelyhari.blogspot.com/2020/10/love-each-other-wear-mask.html

Clarifications, not Mistakes

Clarifications, Not Mistakes.

“Let us start thinking of mistakes as clarifications.

Life is never a straight line even for NTs. When you are autistic & that too nonspeaking, making mistakes will be inevitable - there are very few role models or navigation maps to follow.

So not only are we on Robert Frost’s less travelled road, but we often have to create this road from scratch. What all this means is that, we are going to not just make mistakes, but a ton of mistakes too.

When you think of mistakes as clarifications, it's a chance hopefully, to backtrack a bit, adjust a bit, and get back in there”

-Hari Srinivasan @ ASAN’s “Transitions to Adulthood” Panel, Nov 2020

Bruno Bettelheim and the "Empty Fortress" Theory: A Misguided Understanding of Autism

In the mid-20th century, Bruno Bettelheim, a prominent psychologist, became a well-known figure in autism research with his controversial theory that described autistic children as living in an "empty fortress." His analogy suggested that autistic children had retreated into an emotional isolation, building an invisible wall to protect themselves from what he saw as their harsh, unloving environments—primarily caused by their mothers. Bettelheim believed that this emotional withdrawal was a response to parenting that lacked warmth and affection, particularly from mothers, whom he labeled "refrigerator mothers." His book The Empty Fortress (1967) further elaborated on this idea, pushing the harmful notion that mothers were to blame for their children's autism.

What Led Bettelheim to This Idea?

Bettelheim was heavily influenced by psychoanalytic theory, which emphasized the role of early childhood experiences, particularly relationships with parents, in shaping emotional and psychological development. Drawing parallels between autistic children and concentration camp survivors—Bettelheim himself had been imprisoned in concentration camps—he believed that both groups exhibited similar emotional withdrawal as a result of trauma. In his view, autistic children experienced a form of psychological trauma due to their supposed emotional neglect from their parents, especially their mothers.

His clinical observations and psychoanalytic interpretations convinced him that autism was a defense mechanism against a perceived emotional threat from the environment. The “empty fortress” metaphor thus painted a tragic picture of children locked away from the world due to their mothers' inability to connect with them emotionally.

The Negatives of Bettelheim's Theories

Blame on Mothers: Bettelheim's theory placed heavy blame on mothers, labeling them as the primary cause of autism. This led to immense guilt, shame, and isolation for parents who were already struggling to understand and support their autistic children. It added emotional trauma for families, particularly mothers, and created a deep stigma around parenting.
Ethical Concerns: Bettelheim's treatment methods, which often involved harsh discipline and control in his clinic, later came under scrutiny. Former patients and colleagues accused him of abusive practices, compounding the discrediting of his work.
Discrediting: Over time, Bettelheim’s theories were discredited as scientific evidence emerged to show that autism is primarily a neurodevelopmental condition, unrelated to parenting style. Bettelheim’s psychoanalytic framework, once influential, became outdated and damaging.

Bettelheim's History

After moving to the United States, he became the director of the Orthogenic School at the University of Chicago, where he treated emotionally disturbed children, including some with autism. His approach, however, was later criticized for being unscientific and overly reliant on Freudian psychoanalysis. It was also revealed that Bettelheim's academic credentials were questionable. He had claimed to have a PhD in art history and psychology, but his formal qualifications were less rigorous than he led others to believe.

LeConte Hall and Barrows Hall lose their names.

2020 is a year of upheaval on many fronts. Two of the campus buildings are losing their names. Earlier this year, the now "Berkeley Law" building lost its former name of "Boalt"

More changes are in the offing with Kroeber Hall next.

From Chancellor Carol Christ.

The names “LeConte Hall” and “Barrows Hall” have been officially removed from each building, and are already in the process of being physically removed or covered. For now, until new names have been approved, we will refer to the former, which actually includes two structures, as Physics North and Physics South, and the latter as the Social Sciences Building.

.... The committee, in preparing its recommendation to rename these buildings adhered to a key principle: The legacy of a building’s namesake should be in alignment with the values and mission of the university as expressed in our Principles of Community. That was clearly not the case for either of these buildings.

LeConte Hall

As noted in the committee’s recommendation (LeConte Recommendation), it was in 2015 that our Black Student Union first called for LeConte to be renamed, and while I regret the time it has taken to respond, I am grateful for the continued advocacy and activism that have led to this necessary action. So, too, am I grateful for the faculty in our Department of Physics. In 2018 they passed an informal resolution in favor of renaming the building they are housed in, followed by a near-unanimous vote in June 2020 in support of the outcome we are announcing today.

LeConte Hall was meant to honor two brothers, John and Joseph LeConte, who came to Berkeley in 1869 and were among the most prominent and earliest members of the University of California’s faculty. The LeConte brothers were from a slaveholding family in Georgia and inherited a plantation with 200 slaves. Both brothers participated in the Confederate Army and served the South in the Civil War. Joseph LeConte was an outspoken advocate of deeply racist views. Despite their service to the university, the brothers’ words and deeds profoundly conflict with our values, and with our commitment to equity, inclusion and a true sense of belonging for every member of our community.

Barrows Hall

Barrows Hall is named after David Prescott Barrows, who served as president of the University of California from 1919 to 1923 and as a faculty member from 1910 to 1942. As described in the committee’s recommendation (Barrows Recommendation), since 2015, students, faculty, and staff members of the UC Berkeley community have been calling for the renaming of Barrows Hall due to Barrows’ advocacy of white supremacy and his legacy of racism towards Filipinos, Black people, and Indigenous peoples. He believed and wrote, for example, that Europeans and white people were the only "great historical race," and that, "the black lacks an inherent passion for freedom." Here, too, the historical record provides ample evidence of intolerable racist beliefs and biases that are profoundly contrary to what we know, believe and stand for.

You can learn more about the decision and the process the campus followed in this article on the Berkeley News site.

These actions come in the wake of our January unnaming of what is, for the time being, known as The Law Building. The Building Name Review Committee has advanced for consideration one additional proposal for the unnaming of Kroeber Hall, and we hope to share word of the outcome in the weeks ahead.

A building name is more than a symbol. Those who we choose to honor reflect who we are and what we believe in. I have committed my administration to doing everything in its power to identify and eliminate racism wherever it may be found on our campus and in our community. This is but one step among many that we are taking, and I am deeply grateful for the faculty, students and staff whose activism, caring, and engagement are helping us reconcile with our past for the sake of a better future.

Spectrum at Cal Fall 2020 Special

For any spectrum event, if you are non-Berkeley student and want to attend, please email spectrumatCal@gmail.com for a link.

Acceptance Week Events - Nov 2020

Autism Policy Panel

Sam Crane from ASAN and Kim Musheno from the Autism Society of America

joined us to discuss Autism Policy.

Recording at

https://youtu.be/RpRYUcruTm8

Research Panel

Three Berkeley Professors, Steve Hinshaw (Psychology), Laura Sterphoni (Education) and Feldman (MCB) share their research in the field of autism.

The Acceptance Committee of SpectumAtCal at work planning upcoming events

Log Kya Kahenge: Abelism in the South Asian Community

The event is a collaborative effort between three student groups on the UC Berkeley Campus. the ASUC Disabled Students Union, Spectrum At Cal and the ASUC Senator Ruchi Shah’s office

Even Recording https://youtu.be/ClM3urKLpko

Career Panel 10/29/20

An informative and educational Career Panel from working professionals on the spectrum💻🤩

Black Autistic Lives Matter 10/10/20

Oct 10. 2020

------

Vocab & Gender 10/23/20

Our virtual meeting exploring vocabulary and gender on the autism spectrum!

In this meeting you'll get an introduction into important vocabulary to help you understand people on the spectrum. This includes conceptual frameworks, as well as language to consider when interacting with other's who are autistic. Lastly, get informed about how gender is an important dimension of autism and learn how there may be some gender differences

--------------

Peer-to-Peer Program

Spectrum At Cal is collaborating with WeEmbrace to launch the Peer-Peer Program at Cal.

Intern@Spectrum Opportunity

Spectrum Board is looking for 2 Interns For Marketing and for Community Outreach Teams

Join Spectrum At Cal

Come for our first general Meeting

Board Meeting 9/19/20

Our First Board Meeting today

9/6/2020

It was great meeting with the team, but was nostalgic for the last year's ambience

As we planned the events and activities for the fall sem.

Word Cloud from today's team building Exercise

What does Autism mean to you?

------------------------

Virtual Calpalooza

9/2/2020

Come, meet and chat with us.

Informational chat for students to get to know the org.

-------------------------------------------------

Mental Health Week

An event kicked off even before the semester began. Spectrum At Cal presented on 2 different occasions.

Why Autistics Belong and How to be Ally to Neurodivergents

Transitions to Adulthood Panel - ASAN 2020 Gala

I learned a lot from the others on the Panel and from the audience comments.
Thank you.

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network

, fellow panelists

Jordyn Zimmerman

and audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2klBB1Tow4A&fbclid=IwAR2XIoXysvRB-Y-uux8JWzfvJjzUVGodcc2aIxvvgrl8Waj6jibOtOdkEv8

ACI Experiences

Log Kya Kahenge - Abelism in the South Asian Community

The event is a collaborative effort between three student groups on the UC Berkeley Campus. the ASUC Disabled Students Union, Spectrum At Cal and the ASUC Senator Ruchi Shah’s office

Even Recording https://youtu.be/ClM3urKLpko

"Disability. Even saying this word is stigmatized in South Asian culture. Saying you have a disability in desi culture automatically invites pity instead of empathy, advice without knowledge, and judgement without listening. The “log kya kahenge” mentality silences, isolates, and discourages people with disabilities. With ~15% of the global population identifying as having a disability, a large percentage being people of color, it is astonishing that disabled narrative, rights, and justice are often put on the back burner by governments and society alike.

While addressing disability justice issues is a long ongoing battle, as South Asians we can begin by finally addressing the ableism in our own community and learn how to foster a more inclusive environment for all. Join ASUC Senator Shah’s office, the ASUC Disabled Student’s Commission, and Spectrum at Cal for an educational and empowering discussion featuring South Asian disability and inclusion activists at Cal, from New York, and abroad! It’s time to move past this era of fear and “log kya kahenge” and embrace the diversity that makes our community so beautiful."