Autism should not be in the DSM

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Mental illness - a set of phisico-chemical processes within your brain occur in a way different form "normal" people, producing maladaptive differences in your emotional and/or cognitive processes

Neurological disorder - a set of phisico-chemical processes within your brain occur in a way different form "normal" people, producing maladaptive differences in your emotional and/or cognitive processes

Not a big difference.

Other point - although autism is supposed to be a neurological disorder, the only thing that is known is the psychological results of that neurological difference (the symptoms); until now, nobody really identified what is the neurological difference behind autism - it is even very possible that the psychological label "autism" is being applied to a set of distinct (perhaps very) neurological disorders.

Most mental disorders have an organic / neurological cause. Schizophrenia, for example, is associated with structural abnormalities in the frontal lobes, hippocampus and temporal lobes that are not entirely unlike the neurological abnormalities in the brains of autistic people. There is also a genetic link between autism and schizophrenia (source). The abnormal dopamine levels that can trigger psychosis and paranoia are just a symptom of this neurological condition.

It is rare that a mental disorder is caused entirely by neurochemical imbalances, without an underlying neurological abnormality. The only disorder that I can think of is depression caused by nutrient deficiencies (such as lack of vitamin D) or a dysregulated circadian rhythm. Everything else has organic neurological causes that are either developmental or degenerative.

I have come to a bit of a self-proclaimed stance on my autism. I am tired of the world of psychology rewriting the DSM to make people fit the way they want people to fit into it. By changing this and that they can make us whatever they want. But that does not change who we are and who we have always been. There are also debates within not only the professional field but also within us diagnosed with autism as to what autism is---disease? disorder? difference? etc. And there any number of ways in which we feel we need or do not help. Some of us are happy with our autism, and some are not. So with all of the upcoming changes and debates on autism, I can only speak for the autism in my life. I am not here to influence any one else's stance, nor will I be influenced by any one else's opinion on autism. Here is how I feel:

I happily embrace the autism in my life. Autism is a gift to me. I have challenges, but doesn't everyone? The gifts far outweigh my challenges. Therefore I embrace the entire package of autism in my life.

My autism is a difference, it is not a disorder or disease. There is nothing wrong with me. I am merely wired differently. My wiring has allowed me to become so absorbed into interests that I have become an expert in some of them.

I do not want a cure for my autism because there is nothing about me that I feel needs cured. How can a cure cure my difference? It cannot. I am not broken.

As I stated earlier, this is my own beliefs of autism in my life. It is my personal philosophy on my autism. I am not trying to influence any one else. And I will not be influenced by any one else. It is a belief that is engraved on my very being. It will not be erased. The only suggestion I can suggest is that each one of us adhere to our own personal philosophies on the autism in our lives. As has been said many times before, you've met one person with autism, and you've met one person with autism. Therefore each one of us with autism has a unique view of the autism in our lives.

Autism is a controversal mental disorder. It's definition of a mental disorder can vary depending on the severity of the ASD.

Is it really a disorder? Or is it perhaps simply a difference? Disorder indicates something wrong and maybe that's not so. I like the analogy of a computer's operating system. Are you a Mac or PC? Autie or NT?

I think any mental illness indicated in an autie is something alltogether different. Auties are human and humans have mental illness. Also, an autie trying to fit into the NT mold and failing repeatedly is sure to be affected emotionally.

I read an article the other day that said parents were distressed that the definition of autism is being changed. I welcome the change. I think the definition has been wrong for a long time.

Mac and Unix machines are suffering, they will be corrected into Microsoft for less pain..

To me, to attempt to differentiate between a mental disorder and a neurological one is futile.

The two are inexorably linked. Thoughts affect neurology and vice versa. I've never believed the two are separate. They're both part of who you are. They both affect each other.

I think it's a bad idea to assume that either are not part of the picture, when the answers to many of our problems could be in either line of study.

It sure feels like a mental illness to me.

http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/en/article/285/
Autism: A Neurological and Sensory Based Perspective

Very good read, goes thru different parts of the brain and discusses tangible measurable differences in autistic brains and nervous systems which explain the common deficits.

Because an autistic person is wired differently than the majority of "normal" people, the resulting bullying and ostracism may lead to mental health issues. But the CAUSE of the differences is right there, visible in brain formation, function and growth, along with unusual organization of the central nervous system.

If the rate of autism keeps shooting up like it has been, autistics won't be such a minority anymore.

If the goal of psychology and psychiatry is to get a person more "normal," that seems out of place for an autistic who is different because his structural formation is literally different.

It is pretty hard to prove that conclusively. Can you?

Jason

It is classified as a mental disorder, and yes some mental disorders do more then cause psychological symptoms. Even PTSD effects the nervous system more or less.

I personally don't really want a bunch of neurologists trying to re-wire my brain so I'm more neurotypical. But yes trying to change behavior by just adressing the outside expression of it is not going to cause any real changes.

indeed.

Put students with AS in a school without any other type of neuro variation. Especially if they are with normal or high IQ. And educate parents to treat them alright.

Then there ought to be results. And there are "asperger classes" so it should be possible to find this out partially already.

It's a disorder. It causes impairment in functioning. Yes, some things about ASDs are beneficial, but overall, they aren't fun to have. I don't want somebody "curing" me because of being different, but if it were simply a difference and not a disorder, I wouldn't have trouble getting by in the real world.

And ASDs have a clear psychiatric component. They are NOT just a neurological difference. ALL neuropsych disorders are caused by malfunction in the brain, and it is silly to dismiss the obvious behavioral components of ASDs. It is not fair to label ASDs as a "neurodevelopmental disorder" and something like schizophrenia as a "mental illness." And the DSM-V is just promoting this type of intolerance and stigma. Schizophrenics cannot help having their problem anymore than someone with an ASD can, and schizophrenia brain/genetic differences are present from birth, too. They just don't often show up until the PFC fully "turns on" in early adulthood.

Uh. Autism isn't a "brain malformation"- it's a healthy, DIFFERENT brain, and,
in the case of HFA's, many of the "impairments" are caused by the fact that the majority of the world is NOT Autistic.

Were it the reverse, I'd be hard-pressed to name a single difficulty I'd have.