Category: Blog Posts

A new study published in the August edition of General Archives of General Psychiatry highlighted a startling fact. Apparently the use of antidepressants have increased by 75% when looking at the years 1996 to 2005 in the US. That is a considerable increase! Another worrisome statistic is that less 32% of those taking an antidepressant have visited a mental health care professional for treatment. Most received their medication from a general practitioner.

With increasing difficult times, it is realistic to expect an increase in depression. What concerns me is the how people are going about treating their depression. If you are dealing with depression or know someone who is, I strongly encourage treatment from a mental health care professional. Therapy is a highly effective way to treat depression and can be used in combination with antidepressants.

I also recommend lifestyle changes when coping with depression. A healthy diet and regular exercise promotes mental and emotional health. A strong network of positive and healthy support from family and friends is important for prevention and recovery from depression.

For more tips and important information, visit Overcoming Depression on my website. If you would like to set up an appointment with me, please contact my office for more information.

The Herald British Press, recently published more on Gary McKinnon, the computer hacker. For more information on the story behind Gary McKinnon please read my earlier blogs about him: Should a computer hacker with Asperger Syndrome go to prison? and Should Asperger Syndrome be used as a defense?

The Herald seems to be very supportive of Mr. McKinnon and believes that he should not be extradited to the US to stand trial. However, the British Courts have upheld the extradition order as legal.

In 2003 Mr. McKinnon was offered a plea bargain of about three years in prison and after six months of jail time in the US  he could return home. He refused the deal. I suspect that he hoped he would not have to leave England and never serve any time.

Do you really think Mr. McKinnon was just innocently searching for information on little green space men? This is just one of the personal messages he left when he hacked into the Pentagon computers: “US foreign policy is akin to government-sponsored terrorism these days . . . It was not a mistake that there was a huge security stand-down on September 11 last year . . . I am SOLO. I will continue to disrupt at the highest levels . . .”

After reading this message, I doubt you will think McKinnon is just an innocent prankster. Does it sound to you like this man was only seeking information on extraterrestrials?

Mr. McKinnon needs to stand trial for his admitted crimes, but I also maintain that he needs to receive evaluation and treatment for his developmental disorder.

In one of my earlier blogs, I wrote about how excited I was to hear that Hollywood had taken an interest in Asperger Syndrome with the new movie, ADAM. Amazingly, that was just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to ADAM, there are two other movies – one this summer and one next summer – that are also based on Asperger Syndrome.

The other movie out this summer is an animated film entitled, Mary and Max. Like ADAM, it premiered at the Sundance film festival. Mary and Max is based on a true story of a relationship between a middle aged man from New York with Asperger’s and his unlikely pen pal, a little girl from Australia. The original idea for the movie came from Adam Elliot who was the young pen pal to the man with Asperger’s. He wanted to share his 20 year friendship with the film world.

The second film is still untitled and will debut on HBO in 2010. The story is based on the life of Temple Grandin, a woman with Asperger’s who became a professor at Colorado State University. Temple Grandin has written books on autism. In the past I have recommended her book , The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Decoding Social Mysteries Through the Unique Perspective of Autism. I look forward to seeing her story played out onscreen especially since it is from the perspective of a woman which is different from the other two films.

For more information on these films, I recommend the New York Times article Asperger’s Syndrome, on Screen and in Life. Continue to check my blog for my “reviews” once I have seen these movies. Unfortunately, they are not currently available in my area.

My recent trip to Chicago to attend the Autism Society of America Conference was incredibly rewarding. It appears that the medical community has finally started listening to parents and other family members as we describe what is really going on in our homes, living with loved ones with Autism. As a result the research is demonstrating that there is a genetic, biological, immunological and environmental interaction that produces Autism Spectrum Disorders.

I was happy to hear that there is interest in doing research about living the stress of this life, but it is still in its infancy stages. My publisher, AAPC, has expressed an interest in having me write another book. I truly feel that this is the time for us to be heard and do what we can to get as much information out there as possible.

There was some good news and some bad news that was shared with us at the conference. The bad news is that CDC will soon be announcing that the incidence of ASDs has increased to one child in 100 in 2009. That is a 1200% increase over 20 years. The good news is that there are very good treatments and even evidence of recovery in some individuals. In fact a new website was unveiled at the conference; www.autismsolutions.org. It is not yet operational but will soon be. The website will house data and resources from all directions, including a database of parents who would like to submit information on their own families. It’s free to access and all confidential. Amazing!

I still have much to share, so please continue to read my blog for more updates. If you live in the Portland/Vancouver area and are living with a family member that has Asperger Syndrome, I invite you to join our next Meetup on August 1st at the Old Wives Tale. We will be discussing the conference in full detail.

My book publisher AAPC, Autism Asperger Publishing Company, has set in motion a new program entitled
Professional Development. This program was created with the intent to connect school districts with qualified professionals who present information on all things related to autism.
I was recently asked to be a speaker and presenter for AAPC. In my presentations, I will be focusing on the topics Transition to Adulthood and Family/Home. I am looking forward to being part of this new program. Through these speaking engagements, I hope to share the knowledge I have learned about the challenges of loving and caring for someone with Asperger’s.
For more information, visit my profile for AAPC Professional Development. Other organizations interested in
a presentation related to Asperger Syndrome can contact me directly.

Future Horizons, an autism publishing company, has put together a series of two day nationwide SuperConferences on autism and Asperger Syndrome. I was excited to see that Tony Attwood, Temple Grandin, and Maria Wheeler will be leading the discussion on a variety of topics at the Portland, Oregon SuperConference.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: July 23-24, 2009
Conference Location: Crowne Plaza Portland Downtown Convention Center
Registration Number: 1.800.489.0727
Website: http://www.fhautism.com/Conferences/OregonSuperConference/tabid/166/Default.aspx

During this event, I will be in St. Charles, Illinois attending the Autism Society of America’s National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders. However, if you live in the Portland/Vancouver area, I recommend registering if you’re interested in learning more about autism and Asperger Syndrome. I would also love to hear your thoughts about the information presented.