Well, slow down and think.
Insurance companies collecting the same or increased premiums. Paying out less. Making money.
Are you on the "autism spectrum"? And if so, what are your + and - skills?
- Thread starter JimPghPA
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Insurance companies collecting the same or increased premiums. Paying out less. Making money.
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Insurance and providers are really something. I once asked my wife, were you treated for depression and alcohol? She said, "WHATTTTTT!!!" Her doctor, I want to throw this in PC or not, who when we called to follow up, her staff didn't speak English, submitted those services as part of a physical. This isn't the only time.
My son got some charges too for therapy, and at the time Aetna (can I say that), covered 3, and then denied the 4th. I called them saying I want the other 3 denied--my logic? It's not covered, never had any services, so 1. My employer should not pay 2. I want my deductible and coinsurance back. They said you want those claims reversed? (I guess this is unusual)
But nothing ever became of the above two scenarios. Even medical practices seem to submit things and "see" if they can get anything. Because the patient is totally powerless, they know.
Today we have $0 deductible and 0% coinsurance so I probably would let it slide. But in theory, insurance fraud hurts everyone.
I'm 60, and the quirks were present even as a kid and even moreso back then because I hadn't learned to cope with it yet. I'm not sure there was such a diagnosis back then. People probably just thought I was rude. Fortunately, I think there is a large segment of the spectrum (high-functioning adults) where there is little else to do besides shrug and say, oh well, it is what it is. No treatment necessary; I'll still be the quiet one who is terrified of new social situations but can memorize every road map like its on the back of my hand, but that's nothing new. I don't think there is anything to "treat", and I've gotten better and being sociable. Its the ones higher on the spectrum (Level 2 and 3 or whatever they call it) who are obvious that they have "something", whether it be autism, ADHD, or whatever. Actually, the high-functioning people used to be labelled Aspergers, but for whatever reason they eventually got lumped into Autism. I kind of would have preferred they hadn't done that.
Obviously, those self-diagnosis tests do kind of have a goal hiding beneath the surface; it is to sell you something. Treatment, more testing, or whatever. And if you watch the questions closely, you can even kind of guess which directions they point depending on which way you answer. But if you're answering the questions honestly, they probably are pretty accurate. On one test I scored a 39 out of 50, where "borderline" was 28-30. I asked a few friends to take it also and they got scores like 13 and 19 and 22. Another test was 25 out of 30 where borderline was 20 if I remember right.
Anyway, I'm cool with it. The results didn't surprise me, and I have no need to pursue further diagnosis.
OVERKILL
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50 years ago we just thought these people were weird/shut-ins/eccentric...etc.
People that have considerably above average intelligence are going to be predisposed to having other "quirks". I personally don't really care whether it's considered part of the autism spectrum or not, but I think these are natural aberrations as a result of intellectual development/ability. Think of the smartest people you know, are they people that you would consider "normal"? And I do note that, like in myself, empathy tends to be something that suffers as IQ skews upwards. I'm not talking like sociopathic, but it becomes selective and subjective.
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That’s an interesting observation. I have a middle school buddy with whom all these years it was his way, or the highway. He would and will go down in flames over what he believes is right. No compromise.
He went to Penn then UCLA for phd. I looked him up in rate my professor and students love him. When he speaks it’s another level. And I often felt he doesn’t have much empathy.
On Friday a coworker got a call his mom is dying leave now. He was about to cry as were the 3 of us in the office. How can one not feel it, it’s happening in real time. But I would guess my prof buddy would be awkward because he would not feel anything but know he’s different being that way….
There is no doubt about this. A person of higher intelligence will have quirks. This is how a well rounded person can take advantage of a smarter person.
Hahahahhahahah - seriously better adjusted people are balanced people.
I understand, but at the same time the medicine wasn't as far behind as we're led to believe, which is the premise behind the "spectrum". And once you qualify it this way, it means something is wrong and it should be medicated. That's the difference between today and the past.
To use your example of the smartest, but a bit weird people you know. Think of what would happen to them if they were medicated for their "condition", would they stay as intelligent, would they achieve what they have achieved if they were brought to the normal level in their childhood years?
Pharma is pushing more and more drugs on our kids at younger and younger years. There is no question some surely need it, but the trends are simply alarming.
The cases of autism are also skyrocketing. Just in the past 20 years the numbers are five fold.
The way I look at it, it's either something we do to the kids that causes this record increase or we're coming up with more ways of classifying the "quirks" to give more drugs to kids that are otherwise fine. It's probably a combination of both, but I think such a drastic increase is likely due to classification bias.
OVERKILL
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My sister, who has her PhD in theoretical mathematics, is an ice queen. I'm nowhere near that bad, but I'm definitely empathy constrained. In your situation there I would not be near tears, I would awkwardly be expressing my sympathies to your buddy, because it's the right thing to do, but I wouldn't feel FOR him, if you know what I mean?
Here are two drugs often used for autism, according to google.
You don't need to be a medical wiz to figure out that giving these drugs to children, when their brain is at the critical development stage will have an effect on them.
You don't need to be a medical wiz to figure out that giving these drugs to children, when their brain is at the critical development stage will have an effect on them.
If you recognize it - it’s not that bad
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Yes, I do know. I don’t feel you would be doing anything wrong, because you would be expressing things correctly. I guess for us, we just saw his reaction in being devastated, and suddenly felt the same. I suppose in a way it’s because we can see ourselves in the same situation. Selfish as it may seem, sometimes we would rather not be so close and up front, when bad things happen.
OVERKILL
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I think those are two different things:
1. Stuff we medicate for (ADD/ADHD...etc)
2. Observations about behavioral quirks that may lead to classification (but not necessarily lead to the use of medication)
I have ADHD, so does my one sister. Neither of us are medicated (we did experiment with meds during high school, the results were, at best, mixed). Her husband; my BIL, is ADHD and medicated, and that was the only way he was able to get through med school.
I do agree with your point that "throwing meds at the problem" appears to be used far too liberally now, but I don't think that necessarily undermines my point about quirkiness and classification. The old "everything looks like a nail" adage with pharma-based solutions. It doesn't mean the quirks don't legitimately exist, but there seems to be this motivation to "remedy" them now through meds, rather than just acknowledging their existence, and our approach to education, which caters to the middle of the bell curve, may not be appropriate for people that don't fall into that category.
OVERKILL
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Yes, the problem is my sister doesn't recognize it.
Exactly
OVERKILL
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Yes, so I can't feel "for" somebody. I can't co-associate/co-opt emotion, but I can recognize their trauma/pain and understand it conceptually, and feel bad that they feel bad. So, it's an acknowledgement of their pain, and expression of regret that they are feeling it, but I personally can't live their pain with them, which I know people that are geared more "conventionally" can do.
Overkill just admit it 
I'd like to think I'm normal. Don't like public places much, more so if there's not a purpose.
Like going to a busy store for groceries is annoying, but has a purpose.
Going to a busy bar (or really any bar) is a waste of time and money. I'll go for a function, like a birthday or whatever, but it's quite boring.
Definitely wear my emotions on my sleeve which is embarrassing. Had my grandmother's funeral last week and much of the close family was involved in some way. It was all I could do to not go hide in a corner, nevermind speak coherently in front of public.
My brother did the eulogy and knocked it out of the park. Wish I'd recorded it. Had near everyone emotional.
Not all just because of my grandmother passing but just dug into decades of life, happenings, pain, sorrow, happiness, proud moments, etc summed into a paragraph or two in a newspaper. How seemingly minor things end up sticking in someone's mind.
Like going to a busy store for groceries is annoying, but has a purpose.
Going to a busy bar (or really any bar) is a waste of time and money. I'll go for a function, like a birthday or whatever, but it's quite boring.
Definitely wear my emotions on my sleeve which is embarrassing. Had my grandmother's funeral last week and much of the close family was involved in some way. It was all I could do to not go hide in a corner, nevermind speak coherently in front of public.
My brother did the eulogy and knocked it out of the park. Wish I'd recorded it. Had near everyone emotional.
Not all just because of my grandmother passing but just dug into decades of life, happenings, pain, sorrow, happiness, proud moments, etc summed into a paragraph or two in a newspaper. How seemingly minor things end up sticking in someone's mind.
I have autistic tendencies. I went to Catholic school. If you acted in an "on the spectrum" way you got hit or pulled out of you chair by your ear, Then you had to spend 30 minutes standing in the closest. That was a time out after getting beat up. Regular time out should be fine (sarcasm).
And yes, to those who are offended by this sarcasm, I can inappropriate comments. I have a 38 y.o. classically autistic daughter. She has been completely nonverbal since 18 months, functions on a 3 y.o. level. She is 100% dependent on me, her primary caregiver.
Random thoughts:
ADHD and autism coping skills are published and have less of a stigma than they did a decade ago. Whether professionally diagnosed or figured out by oneself, using the skills deliberately may make a person more well rounded.
Drugs that treat ADHD help those below the curve get into the curve. But they're also abused by people in the curve to get ahead of the curve. I'm not judging; I've met plenty of less-educated people and if they can get a bit more successful I don't see it as stealing off my plate.
ADHD and autism coping skills are published and have less of a stigma than they did a decade ago. Whether professionally diagnosed or figured out by oneself, using the skills deliberately may make a person more well rounded.
Drugs that treat ADHD help those below the curve get into the curve. But they're also abused by people in the curve to get ahead of the curve. I'm not judging; I've met plenty of less-educated people and if they can get a bit more successful I don't see it as stealing off my plate.