Is autism the opposite of schizophrenia?

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I am fascinated by the theory that autism is extreme male brain and schizophrenia is extreme female brain. Thus, instead of thinking of the autism spectrum, we must think of a much larger spectrum. A bell curve with the autism spectrum at one extreme, schizophrenia at the other extreme, and neurotypicals in the middle. What this suggests is that on many different personality traits and cognitive abilities we will see the following patterns:

Autistism spectrum > neurotypical male > neurotypical female > schizo spectrum

Autistism spectrum < neurotypical male < neurotypical female <schizo spectrum

On some traits autistics will be highest. On other traits schizophrenics will be highest. But neurotypicals will tend to be in between with autisictics and schizophrenics occupying opposite extremes.

Autistics will often get confused for schizophrenics because both groups will be abnormal on the same traits, however they will be abnormal in opposite ways. The more I think about this theory, the more sense it makes.

Ummm, what's with the poll that doesn't match the topic?

And I never heard schiz as extreme female brain, source?

I kinda don't understand your poll and the question of the thread.

They wont let me post links because I'm too new, but if you google "Male Brain vs. Female Brain II: What Is an “Extreme Male Brain”? What Is an “Extreme Female Brain”?" you should see an article about it.

As for the poll; I probably shouldn't explain yet since my explanation may change how people respond.

Oddly, the more I think about this, the less sense it makes.

Where are you getting the idea that Autistics are often confused for schizophrenics? That may have been only slightly true about 70 years ago. Today I hardly think that's true.

Abnormal in opposite ways? I don't see at all where you are getting that. Are schizophrenics highly social? No. Do they tend to get "lost in themselves?" Yes, very much like Autistics. In fact in order to even get a diagnosis for Autism, schizophrenia has to be ruled OUT, which points to the fact they are very similar in many ways, not opposites.

As far as the male/female thing, and the "God" factor. The connections and explanations aren't making on iota of sense to me. I have no idea where you're going, or what you're trying to prove, if anything.

I'm glad it makes sense to you, but you need to find a far better way of explaining it because so far, nuttin's gettin' true.

I could see it still being confused especially for adult autistics, considering the onset of schizophrenia is almost always in adulthood/late teenage years. Although I think most people associate schizophrenia with things like talking to oneself and responding to "voices" rather than general social issues.

If you mean you can imagine it, so can I, but I would like to know where the OP is getting the idea, and what he means by it. Just trying to understand the logic behind what looks to be totally illogical to me. Having seen so many posts that look eerily similar to this, I'm a bit suspect of the motivation behind it. However, I am trying to keep an open mind.

Well perhaps understanding is improving, but in the past autistics were often diagnosed as childhood schizophrenics. I've seen a few examples of people once diagnosed as schizophrenic later diagnosed as autistic.




Some of the most charismatic people in history were probably on the schizo spectrum. Some schizophrenics are very unsocial but it's because they read too much into other people. This is the opposite of autism where they can't even read the basics in others.

'kay! Read the article, and it's an interesting theory. At least I get now where you might be getting the "opposite" idea. But, I have to say, that would require thinking of males and females as opposites. I don't think of the differences that way. Call it philosophical difference if you will. To me, we're not opposites. Just different. Complimentary is probably a better word I would use.

So what's this got to do with God. Sorry, but I don't answer any polls when I don't know what the motive is. I don't answer very many of them anyway.

What motivation do you think I have? I wont be offended, I'm just curious. You may be seeing motivation where none exists. This is a sign of extreme female brain (schizophrenia, paranoia), while if I had motives that you didn't see, that would be extreme male brain (autism, gullibility).

From what I've heard, schizophrenia is in many things like autism. The only thing that's opposite is the hallucinations/delusions. Which is a biggie. But it's not the whole of it.

As for the poll: neither, neither.

I consider myself on the autism spectrum, but you might not.

As for belief in God, that's really not a black and white kinda thing for me, so I can't say yes or no. And this isn't the thread to go into it further.

So, for both parts, I can't really answer, because I'm in the middle.

Nooo. It's skepticism. The "opposite" of "gullible"

Every action requires a motivation. Creating a poll is an action. I just want to know what the motivation is.

OOOOOOOhhhhhhh. (I should put up my House avatar for this)

You wanted to see how we'd all react to the apparent lack of logic behind it.

That's it, isn't it?

I have heard of a theory where AS is the extreme male brain, and Williams Syndrome is the extreme female brain (very social, very verbal).....I don't have a source on this theory but one of my psychology profs was talking about it during a lecture.

That came up recently here. someone posted a "What's the opposite of As" thread. Got a lot of off the wall answers, then someone said "Williams Syndrome" and that was pretty much the end of any disputes.

Also..... as others have said schizophrenia resembles Autism in a lot of ways...for a long time Childhood Onset Schizophrenia and Autism were considered the same disorder.

interesting...I will look up that thread