Published on 12, July, 2020
This is a link to download an open access article about psychosis and autism. I've found it useful and I thought others might too. I hope that sharing this is allowed. I know that autism is not a type of psychosis by the way, this is about people who have both.
https://docs.autismresearchcentre.com/papers/2017_Larson_Psychosis-in-autism.pdf
This is also interesting. When it came to the descriptions of how people with schizophrenia and autism communicate, I could relate more to the autism profile - but I don't have schizophrenia, I have schizoaffective disorder.
https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/social-ties-autism-schizophrenia/
Hi calmerchameleon - I'm guessing that people with deep paranoia could develop psychosis when under enough pressure - unless maybe it is part of a personality disorder? - again, I'm just guessing - maybe some people do things to keep themselves from becoming too unwell like eating super healthily. My own problems started with OCD. I would have written this as a reply to your comment but the button only appeared once I had replied to myself! (Mind explain it all really well and with videos if you look up Types of psychosis on their website.). Also - there would appear to be (and I've only had a quick look) information on the web about type 1 diabetes being an autoimmune disorder - and also it being associated with other autoimmune disorders and autoimmune disorders can often trigger mental health problems - although I think there's one that helps protect against some of them.
I've seen researchers discussing psychosis and autism online but wasn't sure whether to link that page or not as I'm not sure if they are aware it can be seen by everyone - but if you search for information on psychosis and autism, it should come up.
Thank you for sharing these. This is an area that interests myself too. While some areas of schizophrenia and psychosis may seem more black and white, I wonder about the grey area as well. Whereby some folks with autism get quite deep into paranoid territory without really triggering a diagnosis for schizophrenia.
My knowledge on this area is rather a bit weak I'd say, so I'm keen to read these articles and more.
I think anxiety can have a strong effect on people. I do sometimes wonder whether anxiety maybe doesn't get recognised enough as 'an active force'. Just as the Earth has weather systems and while mostly winds are fine, every now and again hurricanes, and even tornadoes, come. I tend to think that anxiety can play a similar role with high anxiety being like a very high wind which can lead to the effects like delusions, hallucinations, mania etc.
I'm someone who is also as yet undiagnosed with autism, but a fair old load of traits of it and possible overlap with other conditions (ADHD, BPD/EUPD, possibly bipolar II or cyclothymia, possible complex-PTSD etc).
I have experience with lots of anxiety and I have periods of hypomania, depression and dissociation. Also, I have type 1 diabetes which gives me very low blood sugar that has given me insight into hallucinations - I once felt I could no longer rely that one minute would follow another. Time lost all shape and structure for a moment during a period of very low blood sugar.
To put this in context, there's a tiny difference of 3g of sugar in the bloodstream between being fine and having full on, 'I cannot even trust in the passage of time' moment. It's shown me how finely balanced our brains are and how simple chemicals like hormones can have a big effect on that fine balance.
I know a lot of people don't intimately know what hallucinations and delusions are. Having a bit of insight helps a bit and it would be good if people felt comfortable to talk a bit more on this. I expect there are some decent videos around these days though on this
I'm rambling a bit.
I think what I'm writing is longhand for: if you or anyone else here would like to talk more on this topic, I'll be interested to listen and discuss.