Topic: mental health

Gym Classy Lady: Every Kind Of Exercise Sucks…Until It’s Awesome

Gym Classy Lady: Every Kind Of Exercise Sucks…Until It’s Awesome

At first, I thought it was me. What do you mean, this isn’t working? “I can change! I’ll try harder,” I thought. I tried to rationalize my behavior, my outlook. I fell into the dangerous trap of comparing myself with others (thanks in part to the internet), thinking: “If she can figure out how to be a runner, so can I!” Eventually, I had to come to terms with a simple, but important fact: Nobody actually likes running. (I also learned another important platitude: Never compare yourself with others. It doesn’t go well for you or them.) More »

Sandy Hook: The Link (Or Lack Thereof) Between Asperger’s Syndrome And Violence

Sandy Hook: The Link (Or Lack Thereof) Between Asperger's Syndrome And Violence

When dozens of people die in a seemingly random act of violence, we all need somebody or something to point fingers towards in order to make sense of it all. Many of those things being pointed at are completely valid; for example, gun control is important to think about as a contributor to violence just as much as the lack of available, decent mental health care in our country is. Many people have speculated that the 20-year-old killer, Adam Lanza, had Asperger’s Syndrome and that this somehow contributed to his violent behavior. More »

Asperger’s Diagnosis Dropped From New Psych Guidelines

Asperger's Diagnosis Dropped From New Psych Guidelines

I once went out with a guy who had Asperger’s syndrome, something I knew because he told me, on our first date, by way of warning me that he might not always pick up on things like sarcasm. Had he not disclosed this, I don’t think I would have picked up on anything (I’ve seen much less ability to pick up on intonation or social cues from plenty of non-autistic people). But that’s the thing about Asperger’s — people with the disorder often seem fairly “normal” and are capable of living relatively normal lives. Which is why there’s been an uproar about new mental health guidelines reclassifying Asperger’s patients as part of the “autism spectrum.” More »