Loneliness

Factoring in disability, tends to, I think, further intensift that loneliness because as a disabled person you already were existing on the fringe socially to begin with. 

Good insight from Nikka 

Image Description: Blue background with text that reads: So many [grad students] feel lonely at different times and in different ways. You’re making such a big leap from undergrad where everyone is basically in rhythm with one another, to graduate school where everyone is out of sync and working solo. It's a Lot!

Responses

Leading me to think anew about how to foster collaboration in graduate school. Everything after higher education requires teamwork, why don't we teach and learn with greater intention this way?

This is so true. I saw my cohort in person for orientation and then I pretty much never saw them again. This was largely because I was living and working in another city and attending classes virtually. There just wasn't the same sense of shared space & time that college provided

A book of Awe

 

Finally..... my copy arrived. Amazon lost my original order, this is a 2nd one. 

Dacher's work is the definitive research on awe. 

And my undergrad research was on awe. 

Looking forward to reading. 

Nashville Fog

 

Nashville Winter Weather Saga

 

Now its fog

Email please

 I loved this social media post as it so relevant to autism and with the idea of Crip Time. What is Crip Time

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Before you summon me to a meeting or ask to get on a quick call, please please see if we can have it over email or chat (text) or a google doc?
 
To those who ask if I can do speaking engagements, why can’t I do calls (legitimate question) – I script my webinars & talks in advance, practise intensely and even then its nerve wracking, but I do it because I can reach a larger audience.
 
Picture below is that of a kindred spirit

A Brief History of the DSM and Autism

Autism Lexicon [Measures] - DSM

A Brief History of the DSM and Autism 

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a critical tool used by mental health professionals worldwide to diagnose and classify mental disorders.

The Modern Era: DSM-5

• DSM-5 (2013): The most recent edition introduced significant changes to the diagnosis of autism. Key updates include:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): The DSM-5 combined the previously separate diagnoses of Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and PDD-NOS into a single diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This change reflects the understanding that these conditions are part of a single continuum with varying degrees of severity.

• Two Domains: The DSM-5 criteria for ASD are based on two domains instead of three. These are:

• Social Communication and Interaction: Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts.

• Restricted, Repetitive Patterns of Behavior, Interests, or Activities: This includes repetitive movements, insistence on sameness, highly restricted interests, and hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input.

• Severity Levels: The DSM-5 includes severity levels to indicate the level of support needed: Level 1 (requiring support), Level 2 (requiring substantial support), and Level 3 (requiring very substantial support).

• Specifiers and Comorbidities: The DSM-5 allows for specifiers to provide additional detail about the presentation of ASD, such as the presence of intellectual or language impairments, and acknowledges common comorbidities like anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

Refining the Diagnosis: DSM-IV and DSM-IV-TR

• DSM-IV (1994): This edition further refined the classification of autism under Pervasive Developmental Disorders, which included Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). This allowed for greater differentiation among various forms of autism.

• DSM-IV-TR (2000): The text revision did not significantly change the criteria but provided updated information and clarified diagnostic guidelines.

The Emergence of Autism: DSM-III and DSM-III-R

• DSM-III (1980): This edition marked a significant shift by introducing "Infantile Autism" as a distinct category under Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). This was the first time autism was recognized as separate from schizophrenia.

• DSM-III-R (1987): The revised edition expanded the criteria and changed the term to "Autistic Disorder," providing more specific diagnostic criteria and acknowledging a broader range of symptoms.

The Early Years: DSM-I and DSM-II

• DSM-I (1952): The first edition of the DSM did not include autism. At the time, autism was not widely recognized as a distinct condition.

• DSM-II (1968): The second edition included a diagnosis of "schizophrenic reaction, childhood type," reflecting the early belief that autism was related to childhood schizophrenia.

Judy in New York Times Crossword

 

The New York Times Crossword puzzle today featured Judy Heumann. 

How cool is that!!

All of Three Inches Wide

Picked up the Principles of Neural Science textbook for my cellular neuroscience course this semester. 3 inches thick, which I could barely lift.

Just 1 of 3 textbooks for this course. OMG!

And wrote a poem to go with it.

All of Three Inches Wide

A thick neuroscience textbook, oh my
It's all of three inches wide
I try to lift it, with all my might
I pull and tug, and give a yank
But mighty it holds, no matter my tries

I finally give up, and accept my fate
This thick neuroscience textbook, it's simply great

So thick and deep, I could dive in

Swim with neurotransmitters while dendrites wave at me
The brain and it's quirks so fascinate me

So bring on the textbooks, I'll read them all

Filled with facts, and sumptuous theories

I'll pull and tug, and give a yank as I read

Pull, tug and yank, apt analogies.

Knowledge essences in the textbook
Deciphering the autistic brain, an ultimate goal

 

Becoming a Reference

As a student you are used to asking your professors for references. 

So it is a surprise, a turnabout when you are asked to be a reference. 

The first time was as a junior in undergrad, where I taught a class on autism. One of the students from my autism class at Berkeley for a community position. 

Jan 5: Today I got asked again - from a RA I supervised during my undergrad research.  

Update: Jan 26: Glad to report she got the teaching position she applied for. 

ACI Applications now open

 

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is now accepting applications for the 2023 Autism Campus Inclusion (ACI) Leadership Academy! ACI helps autistic students learn to make their college campuses better for people with disabilities. ACI participants learn about making student groups, understanding disability policy, and talking to people in power. After ACI, students get help from ASAN to meet their advocacy goals at their college. ACI 2023 will be held from July 10th through 19th, 2023.

We hope to hold this year’s ACI program in-person. If it isn’t safe to do so, we will hold the program virtually. Due to the pandemic, we held ACI virtually in 2020, 2021, and 2022. If it is safe to hold ACI in-person, we will take numerous safety and health precautions.

To apply for Autism Campus Inclusion (ACI), you must:

• Be autistic. You do not have to have an official autism diagnosis to apply.

• Be a student at a college or university with at least one year left before you graduate.  Students in TPSID programs (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities), 2-year community colleges, 4-year colleges, and graduate school are eligible to apply.

• Live in the United States or Canada. This includes all 50 states, all US territories, and all provinces and territories of Canada. (Please note: the policy sections of our program will focus on the United States) You do not have to be a citizen of either the US or Canada.

We especially encourage students of color, LGBT students, low-income students, students with intellectual disabilities, AAC users, and students from other marginalized communities to apply.

To apply, please submit a completed application by Sunday, March 5th, 2023 to Dean Strauss, dstrauss@autisticadvocacy.org.

If you need assistance or accommodations at any stage, or have any questions about ACI, please contact Dean Strauss, dstrauss@autisticadvocacy.org.

In a world full of hate, be the light that shines with kindness

Tornado and Thunderstorms

Today it's both in Nashville. Tornado Watch as well as Flood Advisory due to severe thunderstorms. We escaped the tornado but I still remember the last one. 

The sky grows dark and ominous

As storm clouds gather near

The air is thick with tension

As we brace ourselves in fear

The lightning flashes brightly

As the thunder starts to roll

The wind begins to howl

As the rain starts to pour

But it's the tornado to fear most

A swirling, deadly force

That tears across the landscape

Leaving destruction in its course

We huddle in our shelters

As the winds rage outside

Praying for the storm to pass

As we try to hide

But when it's over and we emerge

We see the damage that's been done

The twisted metal and broken homes

Lives forever undone

Yet even as we mourn

And pick up the pieces of our lives

We know that we'll face the storm again

For it's a part of nature's strife.

Joy is the spark that ignites our soul

Contemplation, one line a day #Mental Health