Autism recovery story

[Wolfgangus Faldestolius]

It makes no difference to me whether anyone believes it so I won't take the time to dig for a quote.

The reason people are depressed for years is because the treatment they received was inadequate. The serotonin/chemical imbalance theory has been mostly debunked. The scientific evidence is overwhelmingly against it. Numerous studies have shown that antidepressants aren't any more effective than placebos with the exception of a minimal improvement over placebo in the most severely depressed patients.

Psychoanalysis and other talk therapies are a long, slow process because they doesn't focus on what causes a person to become depressed. If you search any reputable medical site for depression and treatment, you'll find the most effective treatment for depression and anxiety is CBT.

The core beliefs to focus on are how you see yourself, other people, and how you feel about the future.

If you see yourself as inferior, think the world is full of bad people, and feel hopeless about the future you are very likely going to become depressed.

If you see yourself as just as good as everyone else, believe the world is full of good people, and feel hopeful about the future it is very unlikely, maybe even impossible, to become depressed.

1. DON'T YOU DARE TRIFLE WITH US ABOUT WRONG PRESCRIBING (WHEN IT HAS OCCURRED). NOTHING IN MY TWO-THIRDS OF A CENTURY OF ENDURANCE OF LIFE'S VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES IS NEGATED BY YOUR AXE GRINDING. YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED HOW WE'VE SUFFERED.

2. YOUR AXE GRINDING ISN'T SUITED BY THE TRUE FACT THAT WE BELIEVE
THE WORLD HAS A MIXTURE OF GOOD AND BAD IN IT. THIS IS CONFIRMED BY OUR ACCURATE PERCEPTION.

3. We don't need that publication cited.

 

[Matthias]

"Shame comes from blaming yourself.

No, it doesn't. It comes from others blaming you. It comes from people telling you that the way you are and think is wrong, that you have to change your core personality to fit their view of normal.

You can tell me whatever you want and I guarantee you I won't feel ashamed or hurt in any way. I'm not saying anyone is wrong or has to change. I'm just saying that if people corrected distorted beliefs to form more accurate beliefs then they would feel better about themselves.

When you're a child, your subconscious takes these voices into an internal talk - only then you start to do it to yourself.

Sounds like you're saying you have to believe what other people say is true in order to feel ashamed. If that's true, it shows shame comes from his own beliefs about himself.

 

[onlything]

'Helping' people against their will is not much different from tyranny or fanatism.

Besides that, what you're doing is completely invalidating us. You invalidate our feelings, thoughts and experiences, our will to be a part of a very specific community in comparison to be a part of the whole that considers us weird. That is not help. That is only telling us again that we're wrong and not worth having our feelings or opinions accepted.

I'm glad it helped you but it didn't help many others. Getting stuck on the idea that because it helped you it will surely help us if we only try is arrogant and hurtful.

I'm done with this thread. It only distracted me from much more important things in my life.

 

[SDRSpark]

'Helping' people against their will is not much different from tyranny or fanatism.

Besides that, what you're doing is completely invalidating us. You invalidate our feelings, thoughts and experiences, our will to be a part of a very specific community in comparison to be a part of the whole that considers us weird. That is not help. That is only telling us again that we're wrong and not worth having our feelings or opinions accepted.

I'm glad it helped you but it didn't help many others. Getting stuck on the idea that because it helped you it will surely help us if we only try is arrogant and hurtful.

I'm done with this thread. It only distracted me from much more important things in my life.

@tree I suggest this thread is closed.

I wish I could hit "agree" 3 or 4 times for this comment!

 

[Matthias]

Good for you. Most of us have already attempted what you are advocating for and have found it to be harmful. We have experienced the consequences of the ideals that you are espousing and have paid the price.

How is correcting distorted beliefs and replacing them with rational beliefs harmful?

And, shock, horror many of us are not suffering! We are thriving despite having had to overcome a world of difficulties brought on by ideas like yours.

I know many autistic people who are suffering who would love and benefit from someone willing to help them.

You're making CBT sound like the new, more palatable bleach cure. It's not palatable. It's highly transparent and you will continue to be shouted down.

It was new to me and very effective.

 

[SDRSpark]

How is correcting distorted beliefs and replacing them with rational beliefs harmful?

It's not, assuming the beliefs in question are in fact distorted. The problem is, you have NO RIGHT coming in here and telling us our experiences are distorted and taking it upon yourself to "fix" us when we've made it extremely clear that such actions are unwanted and unwelcome.

At this point, I'm just going to call a spade a spade: you're one of those ableists who an entire movement has sprung up to stop.

It was new to me and very effective.

I highly doubt it's that effective. In fact, I don't believe your tales of a miracle one-day cure for major mental health issues. I think you're lying. Pure and simple.

 

[Matthias]

'Helping' people against their will is not much different from tyranny or fanatism

When have I ever advocated treating people against their will? All I did was post what helped me on a public forum where everyone is free to accept or reject it.

Besides that, what you're doing is completely invalidating us. You invalidate our feelings, thoughts and experiences, our will to be a part of a very specific community in comparison to be a part of the whole that considers us weird. That is not help. That is only telling us again that we're wrong and not worth having our feelings or opinions accepted.

How am I invalidating your feelings, thoughts, and experiences?

I'm glad it helped you but it didn't help many others. Getting stuck on the idea that because it helped you it will surely help us if we only try is arrogant and hurtful.

I'm done with this thread. It only distracted me from much more important things in my life.

I think what happened is people had bad experiences with poorly trained therapists. CBT doesn't require a therapist. All I did was watch YouTube videos by user Autism Teaching Strategies about using CBT to help people with ASD. You are certainly free to ignore my posts if you don't find them helpful.

 

[Matthias]

It's not, assuming the beliefs in question are in fact distorted. The problem is, you have NO RIGHT coming in here and telling us our experiences are distorted and taking it upon yourself to "fix" us when we've made it extremely clear that such actions are unwanted and unwelcome.

Where did I ever claim anyone's experiences were distorted? I believe all I did was post how correcting distorted beliefs helped myself and suggested it may help others.

we've made it extremely clear that such actions are unwanted and unwelcome.

Do you speak for everyone who is autistic? Do the experiences of those who benefited from CBT not count?

At this point, I'm just going to call a spade a spade: you're one of those ableists who an entire movement has sprung up to stop.

I highly doubt it's that effective. In fact, I don't believe your tales of a miracle one-day cure for major mental health issues. I think you're lying. Pure and simple.

I appreciate your honesty. You are certainly entitled to your opinion. I didn't believe what I was told initially either.

 

[Matthias]

1. DON'T YOU DARE TRIFLE WITH US ABOUT WRONG PRESCRIBING (WHEN IT HAS OCCURRED). NOTHING IN MY TWO-THIRDS OF A CENTURY OF ENDURANCE OF LIFE'S VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES IS NEGATED BY YOUR AXE GRINDING. YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED HOW WE'VE SUFFERED.

I suffered too, probably more than most people here. I prefer to focus on ending the suffering.

2. YOUR AXE GRINDING ISN'T SUITED BY THE TRUE FACT THAT WE BELIEVE
THE WORLD HAS A MIXTURE OF GOOD AND BAD IN IT. THIS IS CONFIRMED BY OUR ACCURATE PERCEPTION.

Your perception is accurate. All I'm saying is that seeing the world as full of good people who sometimes do bad things helps me feel better than thinking there are a bunch of bad people in the world (which isn't accurate - just because someone does bad things doesn't make them a bad person).

 

[SDRSpark]

did I ever claim anyone's experiences were distorted? I believe all I did was post how correcting distorted beliefs helped myself and suggested it may help others.

Dude this whole thread is about you telling us that we're actually normal, if only we'd correct our core beliefs.

We rightly told you that this was a load of bull and stated, several times, why this particular idea was harmful.

You then asked what was wrong with "correcting distorted beliefs" implying that the way we are is the product of "distorted beliefs".

Now you're trying to say you never claimed anyone's beliefs are distorted. That's literally what this entire thread is about.

We are autistic. It's autism, not "distorted beliefs".

I am calling you out on your gaslighting for all to see. And I'm officially bowing out of this thread. Your statements, and mine, stand in writing and preserved through quotes if anyone should decide to edit or delete anything.

My work here is done.

I also believe that this thread should be closed.

 

[onlything]

One last thing. This?:

I suffered too, probably more than most people here.

This is one of the most invalidating things that you can ever tell to another person. You don't know people on this forum. You don't know what each of us went through, just like we don't know what you went through. Saying that you suffered more than most of us... Just how arrogant and narcissistic can you get?

 

[Matthias]

Dude this whole thread is about you telling us that we're actually normal, if only we'd correct our core beliefs.

We're all human, we all have problems, we all have strengths and weaknesses. We all perceive the world in our own way. I don't think anyone has 100% accurate perceptions all the time.

We rightly told you that this was a load of bull and stated, several times, why this particular idea was harmful.

Should I not be allowed to share what I learned that helped me greatly? Isn't everyone here free to ignore it if they don't agree?

You then asked what was wrong with "correcting distorted beliefs" implying that the way we are is the product of "distorted beliefs".

Distorted beliefs are very common. I probably still have some along with everyone else in the world. I acknowledged a genetic basis for autism. I simply said that distorted beliefs can result in depression and anxiety which could make someone more socially awkward or socially withdrawn or cause stress that affects how a person thinks.

Now you're trying to say you never claimed anyone's beliefs are distorted.

Where did I say that? I think you misunderstood what I wrote.

 

[Matthias]

One last thing. This?:



This is one of the most invalidating things that you can ever tell to another person. You don't know people on this forum. You don't know what each of us went through, just like we don't know what you went through. Saying that you suffered more than most of us... Just how arrogant and narcissistic can you get?

I said probably... although I admit I could be wrong.