Thimerosol supposedly has been ruled out as a causative factor for autism. I mean, they say that they've stopped putting this mercury based carrier into vaccines since 2001, and the rate of autism has still consistently risen. Interestingly enough, according to SPED professor Garnett (sp?) Smith, the rate of increase of cases of autism almost matches toe to toe with the rate of DECREASE of diagnosed cases of mental retardation. As Smith says, "I'm not saying anything," (a disclaimer) "but isn't it interesting?" Autism, after all, is a diagnosis much preferred over mental retardation. For one thing, autism is tied to so much "snake oil" and "hope," people think that at least with such a diagnosis, there MUST BE the possibility of improving and reversing the condition (such is not the case, typically, with MR). For another thing, why, autism has such rare and wonderful (in its own way) possibilities as the autistic savante (ala Dustin Hoffman); that ain't half as bad as the predictably low ceilinged expectations for a moderate to severe MR kid... Truth be told, and from what I've read, though, autism is an entirely different animal from MR.
Mysteriously, it's a disease that I feel sometimes reflects our own society, in its drastic disconnect from "common social awareness" (despite our "connection" via the web, etc., I often feel that we are much more DISCONNECTED from each other societally). Something I think the same of with regards to that other growing diagnosis: ADHD. Face it, we are a disconnected, "selfish", and attention deficit society; small wonder that our children are showing up with these disorders.
(Okay, I'm going to probably get a lot of hate for such broad and insensitive statements. Kinda like the Christian conservatives talking about the "causes of 9/11" or "Katrina." No, I'm not attributing a causal relation. Nor am I even attributing a real relation of any sort. Just mentioning that it is INTERESTING how "behavior of society as a whole" can be seen as analogous to the diseases and disorders appearing in certain members of that society. THAT's ALL).
Not my area of psychology, but the idea that the "rise" of certain diseases may reflect societal trends may be a viable one. I don't remember from whom I had first heard of the idea, but some argue that a few/some/many/all (depending on the theorist or philosopher) psychological diagnoses may be partially social constructions. And more so, that they may in fact be manifestations of societal dysfunction. A top-down, culture to individual experience perspective. Of course, there are many layers to the whole issue...a bona fide clinical psychologist might take exception to the basic idea...
ReplyDeleteOnce had a similar conversation with a friend. Her contention was that the "drug of choice" during any given era reflected the zeigeist of the era. 60's LSD, 80's cocaine, 90's ecstacy. She wove a whole narrative about how each drug trend tapped into the underlying mood or dysfunction of the time (altered reality, greed, desire for connection).