Quote:
Originally Posted by Hellion
I wouldn't say my PTSD was a result of my brain not developing normally...however I'd say my being on the autism spectrum is, as it involves atypical neurology thus causing the brain to develop differently than someone who is not on the spectrum which most people aren't making it 'abnormal'. But as I mentioned before that's not a mental illness, mental illnesses I don't think are the result of the brain not developing normally...though depending on the age one develops a mental illness it can effect brain development like having depression and anxiety at a young age when the brain is doing quite a lot of developing, but its not caused by brain development.
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Atypical is getting closer. It says not typical. A description. Whereas abnormal is derogatory, according to the definition. Normal is completely subjective and used way too often in society to define something out of reach.
Thomas Armstrong wrote a very important article called "your brain is a rainforest" which just about everyone should read IMHO. The following except is from an article about the character lisabeth from dragon tattoo. You and I have talked about autism and whether it is really a "gift". Armstrong is a researcher in autism who addresses those issues but he does not say it isn't a disorder. He is saying, in part, that "normal" is in context of our culture. I am saying that disorders also bring gifts by nature of the disorder such as the examples I already gave. We all have gifts, even you.
Thats why I hate derogatory sounding labels, descriptions used to describe individuals.
Excerpt:
"This mixture of perceived vulnerability, multiple talents and unique personality are common traits and trials of those who bear labels, diagnosis and our mis-judgments. The label of Down syndrome tells us no more about an individual's gifts than being gray and balding. Neither does the label autistic. To help you and I better understand Lisabeth Salander and millions of people like her I recommend the following article from Ode magazine: Your Brain is a Rainforest.
The author, Thomas Armstrong, puts to rest the fallacy of normalcy making the point that just as there is no such thing as a normal flower or normal cultural or racial group, there is no such thing as a normal brain. We recognize the importance of bio-diversity (thus the rainforest metaphor) and cultural and racial diversity. He argues we also need to recognize the importance of neuro-diversity.
Instead of medicalizing and pathologizing the diversity of human brains, we need to recognize that the 'differences among us are as enriching - and essential - as differences among plants and animals.'"
http://www.aletmanski.com/al-etmansk...est-brain.html
http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/70/Yo...-a-rain-forest
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