Optimism and Reality: Goldfish21 Response to me

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I also appreciate facts, logic, and scientific evidence, as helpful tools in making rational and informed life choices. As someone with bipolar disorder, it's very important for me to carefully weigh the facts, vs. my flighty manic ambitions.

Statistics such as those you've posted also help me to feel less suicidal in the bad times - understanding that my various 'failures' in life are typical for people with mental health issues, and to be gentle with myself.

Still, I think it's good to strive for happiness within our circumstances, if at all possible. There are some situations where it's truly impossible (living in a war zone, starving to death, etc.) But in my situation, for example, I'm happy living with my parents, and have made peace with not being able to work, due to disability issues.

Yes, there are those who would judge me, and say I'm not trying hard enough. But (a) they don't understand the full range and severity of my symptoms, and (b) even if I were perfectly healthy, I would seriously consider remaining unemployed, and leaving that job open to someone who needs it more than I do, in this crazy world where everyone is struggling financially.

Maybe what others call a 'bad attitude' is simply a matter of you having different values than they do. Think of it as having a good attitude toward your values, rather than a bad attitude toward theirs. You march to the beat of your own drummer, and as long as you're not hurting anyone, I find that an admirable quality!

I don't have bipolar but do have depression. Goldfish is right that I do have that.



Thanks! I really appreciate your compliment.



I totally agree with you. We do need to try to strive to find our happiness within our circumstances. I'm happiest most when I am writing my fanfic. You know being unemployed allows one to pursue other things. Einstein did have a job at the Post Office but it was empty for the most part so he spent most of his shift pursuing his theories.



Do you receive SSDI?



I do and you're right. I do beat to a different drum.

[Edited for sensitive personal information, irrelevant to discussion]

Last edited by Ashariel on 21 Dec 2017, 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Do you think I would tell a person he/she is not “trying hard enough?”

Have I ever said that to someone here?

No, I wouldn’t

I don’t like statistics as a prognosticator of how successful people can be. I believe this causes a “self-fulfilling prophecy” to develop which either is true, or is false.

(Not sure if you meant me - but no, I don't think that!)

Not you. Definitely not you.

No.



I never said you did.



I know you wouldn't my friend.



And, I think to ignore stats, reason, and logic is to our peril.

And, I think to focus so much on this "self-fullfilling prophecy" that it becomes a way to punish the claimee by the claimer(s) who claim the claimee is suffering from a self-fullfilling prophecy.

I think we all agree that it's admirable to try one's best.

And in cases where you're concerned someone is not living up to their full potential, I think it's best to focus on 'baby steps' toward setting higher goals, rather than overwhelming them with a 'shoot for the stars' mantra.

Baby steps can lead to bigger steps, and one day they might reach the stars, by that method. But the first step is sometimes the hardest, and not everyone is in a mindset where they're ready to load themselves into a super-cannon and be shot into outer space.

Logic applies to mathematics and the “hard sciences.”

Relying too much on logic in the social sciences creates a situation where one is bound to a specific philosophy, and that something which proves a particular logic system wrong is ignored. This is philosophical dogmatism, which has no place in the social sciences.

Reason is quite different from logic. It is the result of critical thinking. Syllogistic logic does not allow for critical thinking. A is B, so therefore A must be C.

I am a strong advocate of reason, and the works of the Age of Reason.

I'm getting a cold so it may take longer to react.

I already have the flu lol

OMG, I hope I'm not getting the flu. You get well ok.

Thanks. I'll be all right. It's just that "thing that's going around."

I believe I understand what critical thinking. http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/d ... inking/766

If you're thinking I'm using pure syllogistic logic then I am not. And, if I understand the definition correctly then I did use critical thinking to come up with my responses. I even provided my own response to goldfish as to what I would do with a disabled child. He thought it was a dick move but from my frame of reference it is a dick move to pump someone up and have them believe they can do anything and everything they set their mind to and all they have to do is believe and work hard at it when it is more complex then that. One can do anything they set their mind to but within their capacity.

I don't agree with the dogmatism that is in our society today that says you can do anything and you can have it all if you believe in oneself and work hard. If this was actually true then wouldn't everyone be millionaires or billionaires?

I agree that it's very simple but I'd say it
s more that it's because they think we can vs. their perception of a very low-IQ or quadriplegic person is that they (the NT) think they can't. That's why ASD, especially for the higher functioning "normal looking" of us, is called an invisible disability & it comes with all the expectations and frustrations.. trust me, I'm very well aware of this. When I slip and make mistakes (an impulsive joke that wasn't well received, for example) I get glared at with looks that say "wtf is up with this guy? why'd he say that? he should know better."

I've treated & mitigated ALL of the symptoms you describe above (and more) in myself with GREAT success over the last 4-5 years and have never once operated on myself. I've shared my experience on these forums for 4+ years. It's not by wishful thinking or surgical intervention. It's biochemistry - medicine. I use epsom salts on my skin to detox food acids, eat a restricted/medicinal diet, take a variety of vitamins/minerals/supplements & probiotics as well as do intestinal cleanses. It is all VERY possible to treat & manage, get under control, and then live a better life for it w/ minimal interference from ASD symptoms relative to before doing any of this.

This Winter I've added in vitamin D + UV light and this hormone definitely helps brain functions continue firing better like it's Summer vs. low light Winter.

Also, a week or two ago I read a 4 page website about a bunch of doctors' & researchers' most up to date theory of Autism and as I read it it all made sense and seemed to correlate VERY WELL with my experience. Long story short: We have a few overlayed nervous systems that evolved at different times. If the biggest one isn't working properly, the other ones try to compensate and end up being overactive or shorting out, resulting in various symptoms. The underlying REASON they've pinpointed is a virus of the Vagus Nerve - one of at least 3 different viruses, likely inherited at birth. Viruses thrive on sugars & other things I tend to avoid in my diet, so it may not be just that I starve certain "bad" gut bacteria with my diet, but that I'm starving a virus to the point that it's suppressed well enough and my nervous system can fire signals much more properly & consistently than if I eat things that fuel the virus and allow it to interrupt signals throughout my body. Nope, can't prove it without a team of specialists & lab equipment, bit it's the most exciting thing I've read about ASD in the last few years & it does make a LOT of sense.