Adult Autism

Were you aware that today is Adult Autism Awareness Day? I have often paid attention to certain days of the year, designated to honor certain individuals or celebrating food. Before I became vegan I could recall National Ice Cream Day. Did I honestly feel that it was imperative to eat my way through a quart of Ben and Jerry"s? Well of course I did. The next day should have been devoted to National Guilt Awareness because I was certainly embracing that one. However, when it comes to our mental and physical well-being, there are certain days I feel compelled to pay homage to. And today is no exception. When I was in elementary school, none of my peers were ever evaluated for ADHD. They were referred to as underachievers or classroom disrupters and they suffered the consequences of this ignorance among educators and parents. And then there were children who stood apart from the crowd. They may have been spotted in the playground, standing alone with an inability to relate, an inability to look you in the eye. They may have been labelled as "odd" because of ritualistic or repetitive behaviors. What if these special individuals were suffering from undiagnosed autism? Today there is a plethora of information on autism. Pediatricians and parenting books have improved the diagnosis of autism in children. But diagnosing adult autism is more challenging. These individuals have been living with this disorder and have developed their own coping mechanisms to try to "fit in" and, unfortunately, mask symptoms. Adults may not be able to provide a complete physical or developmental history of childhood years, complicating matters further. The purpose of today's post is to provide information to those individual's wondering if they, or a loved, has autism. Common symptoms are listed below. Please note that having one or two symptoms does not indicate a disorder. But an adult having several symptoms may be a cause for concern. - Difficulty forming friendships or relationships: When one is afflicted with language limitations and idiosyncratic behaviors, it is difficult to develop meaningful relationships. And when an autistic adult has inability to understand nonverbal cues, how can they ever hope to be successful in pursuing a romance - a relationship very dependent on reading the nonverbal behaviors in another. - Verbal communication difficulties: 40% of individuals diagnosed with autism may nay never be able to speak and are completely nonverbal. Those adults that can converse often have difficulty in processing thoughts into spoken language. It is difficult for them to make their needs known or to maintain a conversation. - Non-verbal communication difficulties: As noted above, relationships are hampered by the impairment in interpreting facial expressions and gestures. - Lack of empathy: Many autistic adults have the inability to understand what other people might be thinking or feeling. This lack of appreciating another's perspective again interferes with developing relationships. - Preoccupations: Adults with autism are likely to have very limited interests and may be extremely knowledgeable about certain subjects such as history, word-origins, etc. This hyper-focus presents many challenges. - Sensory processing difficulties: This over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to sensations such as smells, sounds, sights, and other input can cause an autistic adult to avoid social situations. - Repetitive behaviors: Some autistic individuals repeat words, phrases or behaviors which provides a sense of comfort. It is predictable and under the control of the individual but does not serve a purpose. - Need for routine: Examples of this behavior include a refusal to try new foods, following the same schedule day after day and having increased anxiety and discomfort when this cannot be accomplished, inability to change plans, and obsessive/compulsive type tendencies. - Savant tendencies: I always remember the movie "Rainman" when Dustin Hoffman demonstrated the skill seen in approximately 10% of autistic individuals. - Insomnia: As many as 70% of autistic people have problems with sleep secondary to sensory issues. Though this symptom is not diagnostic of autism, the disorder is more likely if other symptoms are present. - Anxiety: A common problem in adults with autism, it can present as temper tantrums, depression, obsessive/compulsive tendencies and poor concentration. The above individual symptoms can be common in the general population, but if you are able to identify several characteristics in yourself or a family member, then please consider consulting a professional such as your family doctor or a psychiatrist for further assessment. Please be reassured that you do not have to suffer needlessly. Treatment is available and can improve the quality of your life.

Keep Your Inner Engine Running Smoothly

Keep Your Inner Engine Running Smoothly
By Elaine Campbell, M.D.

I’m going to jump into this article full throttle and make a rather bold statement. I am willing to bet that the majority of us take better care of our cars than we do ourselves.

Are there any doubters out there? Well, consider this. Do you respect the gas gauge as a courteous reminder to refuel the tank or do you play Russian Roulette with the dipping arrow and hold out as long as possible? Hey, maybe you have a 2-gallon gas container in the trunk for such emergencies and don’t mind the endless miles of walking, often down a poorly lit road in some God-forsaken country.

What about oil changes? Some autos give a countdown in miles to the next required service check. For the majority of us, math classes in high school did serve a purpose and we can manually figure out the recommended visits to the mechanic. We call and make an appointment or hop into Jiffy Lube to save some time and money.

So, here’s my point. How many of us had a nutritious breakfast to start our day’s journey? Although most individuals admit that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, about 25% of adults will skip it. They missed an opportunity to refuel, to break the fast, to prepare their mind and body for whatever lies ahead. The result? Mid-morning we find that we are not running on all cylinders, both mentally and physically. Come lunchtime we may be tempted to overeat or choose a high carb or fat entrée to satisfy the empty tank.

Be prepared for the midday slump. The insulin surge needed to provide glucose to your body has now plummeted, taking your energy level with it. I no longer have my English-born grandmother to provide a cup of caffeinated tea at 4PM but she sure knew how to revive my engine.

I must confess that becoming a grandmother caused me to re-examine my eating habits. It also did not hurt that Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, world-renowned surgeon and spokesperson for a plant-based diet, lives in my hometown. I have embraced this healthy lifestyle and, in addition to my mental wellness coaching, have become Director of Food and Nutrition at the Lu-Jean Feng Clinic in Pepper Pike, Ohio. I have developed a lifestyle program that essentially follows the warning; Genetics loads the gun but your lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Has my new way of eating changed the way my inner engine runs? Absolutely! My devotion to eating a well balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, and beans has revitalized me. If anyone told me that I would feel younger at age 62 than I did at age 26, I would have laughed and continued with my poorly established habits. Afterall, little research was devoted to how one’s diet could reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Now, with all the evidence in place, especially with Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s findings in The China Study, I have a duty to inform my patients of the ability to reverse risk factors of several disease states just by changing the way they eat.

So, will eating plant-based foods rev your engine? Well, that’s part of the maintenance plan. Here are some more tips.

Don’t just idle your life away. Exercise on a regular basis can promote physical as well as emotional well-being. Just as a healthy, whole foods, plant-based diet can reverse certain risk factors such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer, an exercise routine has been scientifically proven to improve mild to moderate depression.

Although I am a psychiatrist and am capable of getting out the old prescription pad, I have come to believe in the benefits of certain holistic approaches. Exercise can improve mental clarity and energy levels. And when combined with a healthy diet such as the one I follow, weight loss and improved self-esteem are sure to be added benefits.

Do you wait for the yellow warning lights on your dashboard to move you into action? Well, if you waited too long and the cost of repair is more than trading her in for a newer model, you elect to buy a new chassis, right?

Sorry! We don’t have the luxury of trading ourselves in, do we? So why wait until the warning signs of poor lifestyle habits such as obesity, fatigue, poor concentration, depression, high cholesterol, development of high blood sugar, and a family history of cardiovascular disease and cancer force you in to action? Ignoring these warning signs and signals may accelerate certain disease states, or worse, end our journey prematurely.

Give yourself a lifetime guarantee to improve your physical and mental health by following these four lifestyle changes:

1. Eat healthy. For me, a diet based on vegetables, fruits, grains and beans has made this old model-T a revitalized auto. I feel like a Bentley.
2. Incorporate exercise into your day. Don’t idle or sit in the garage. Get out and enjoy life. I get more miles to the gallon now.
3. Pay attention to the warning lights. Never let symptoms of impending road breakdowns catch you off guard. Keep up with maintenance. If problems become overwhelming, seek roadside assistance from your doctor.
4. Remain optimistic. Keep stressors at a minimum if possible. Happy motoring promises to bring joy to your life.

By incorporating these suggestions into your lifestyle, you will soon be able to appreciate your own Blue Book value.

And so, my friends, I leave you with this travel wish. May all of your journeys be blessed with purring engines and smooth roads. And may back seat drivers be kept to a minimum!




About the author:
Dr. Elaine Campbell awaits the release of her first book, My Life as a Car – a Mental Wellness Guide in your Glove Compartment. Inspired by the lack of a preventative and holistic approach to mental health, she uses car metaphors to describe the development of common disorders including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Her hope is to diminish the stigma associated with mental illness and to encourage us to examine our own GPS system (genetics, psychological defenses, and social stressors). Having lost her 19-year-old son to an accidental drug overdose, she is also dedicated to fighting drug and alcohol abuse in teens and young adults. She is a Mental Wellness and Lifestyle Coach at The Lu-Jean Feng Clinic (www.fengclinic.com). She has two adult children, Peter and Molly, a wonderful daughter-in-law, Shirin, and a son-in-law, Jeremy. The love of her life is her soon to be one year old grandson, Andrew. She resides in Gates Mills, Ohio with her husband and two Labs.