posted March 20, 2009 09:40 PM
As neurodivergents, our behaviors can be misunderstood by neurotypicals and even by ourselves. Therefore, it's very important to understand the neurodivergent processing in social interactions. We can't be judged based on what people learn from psychology books and the common views based on neurotypical behavior. One example is eye contact and handshaking.
page 41 from A SOLUTION TO THE RIDDLE - DYSLEXIA
Occasionally , dyslexics were considered to be negativistic on the basis of their hesitant, ambivalent, and anxiety-laden avoidance of handshaking and/or eye contact. Only in retrospect were these "anti-social" avoidance symptoms recognized to be due to primary somatic, rather than primary psychogenic, disturbances. Thus, upon neurodynamic exploration, hand contact was avoided because of right/left uncertaintly and the anticipated embarassment of using the wrong hand. In a similar fashion, upon analysis, eye contact was avoided in order to minimize (1) ocular perseveration, (2) directionally confused and dysmetric ocular scanning mechanisms, and (3) the catastrophic discomfort triggered when "forced" to fixate moving facial features during communication.
For some dyslexics, simultaneous listening and looking were more than they could "take" physiologically, and as a result they tended to sacrifice direction-dependent looking or eye contact in order to preserve the direction and sequence of auditory verbalizations and comprehension. In retrospect, it appeared as if dyslexics could not simulatenously coordinate and integrate directional and/or sequential visual,auditory,proprioceptive,and motor processing.
http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album0 3&id=dr_levinson_eye_contact_shake_hands
I can relate to all those things.
I use compensated coordination mechanisms. I always visualize myself doing things before I do it, and I always visualize things while I am doing it like I am seeing myself in the mirror. It works when I shake hands with people and eye contact. However, it actually takes a lot of energy when I do that because of the things that Dr. Levinson explained. I do tend to have problems looking at people while they are talking and when I am talking. My auditory processing problems also factor because I get auditory overload. My visual processing problems also factor because I get visual overload and poor eye tracking leading to visual disorientation. I also get left/right mixed up too, but it doesn't affect my handshaking as I automatically know which hand to use because i visualize it first and it becomes automatic after you keep doing it.
I think that I mistake my coordination difficulties with eye contact for shyness which is based on actual fear and anxiety. The sensory integration issues could be mistaken for shyness too. It's important to distinguish neurological issues from psychological issues.
I want to make a point that just because people have problems with handshaking and eye contact doesn't mean that they are rude,inconsiderate. If person has problems with eye contact when communicating, it doesn't mean that they are being dishonest. It might not even be shyness like I pointed out.
I know what it's like to be told "Look at me when I am talking to you." and getting chewed out for having poor eye contact by my stepfather and my superiors when I was in the navy.
Be aware that psychiatrists can misunderstand poor eye contact as a flat affect symptom of psychosis. Poor eye contact is a known symptom of psychosis. tt is also a known symptom of autistic spectrum conditions.
Poor eye contact in schizophrenia http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkwsSQ8RJ490A3P5 XNyoA?p=poor+eye+contact++in+schizophrenia&y=Search&fr=fptb-sunm
Poor eye contact in autism http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkkg.Q8RJbDI B.BlXNyoA?p=poor+eye+contact++in+autistic+spectrum&y=Search&fr=fptb-sunm
That's why I strongly stress that neurodivergent conditions be understood to prevent them from being misdiagnosed as psychotic disorders.
Dr. Harold N. Levinson believe that neurodivergent conditions have highly significant overlapping symptoms and tend to be comorbid with each other. That's why Dr Levinson refers to the whole neurodivergence as Dyslexic Syndrome, and Ronald D. Davis believes that root of neurodivergent conditions is Dyslexia which he views as a perceptual talent. That's why his first book was called GIFT OF DYSLEXIA.
They both believe that the neurodivergent conditions and disorientation/confusion are strongly connected. The only difference is that Dr. Levinson believes that it stems from cerebellar vestibular dysfunction,and should be treated with antimotion sickness medication. Ronald D. Davis believes that it stems from being a highly visual,picture thinker, and that it can be resolved with mind's eye focus therapy.
I believe that cerebellar-vestibular dysfunction can be in synchronicity with neurodivergent conditions and not just cause and effect. It could be one of those " what came first....the chicken or the egg" I believe that it's possible that the neurodivergent person can be ultrasensitive to sensory input to the point that the cerebellar vestibular system is overwhelmed which results in disorientation/confusion. Therefore, cerebellar vestibular problems could actually be the symptoms of hypersensitivity. I am just coming at it from a neurodivergent perspective.
Things like Omega 3 fatty acids not only found to decrease the symptoms of neurodivergents, but also decrease hypersensitivity too. Neurodivergents tend to be hypersensitive any way. Certain vitamins and minerals help with cerebellar vestibular functioning too,and they also can decrease hypersensitivity...especially Vitamin B complex which is known as the stress vitamin. Motion sickness medications are used to treat cerebellar vestibular dysfunction. They could actually decrease hypersensitivity. Motion sickness could stem from hypersensitivity to movements.
Dr. Harold N. Levinson's site http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/index.html
Raymond
Lindaland
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posted March 20, 2009 09:40 PM
