Is Autism a Higher State of Consciousness?

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This clear signal may be the result of a comparatively overworking brain or of a brain with an underworking filter (less likely). Huxley proposed that the brain exists, in part, to reduce stimuli in order to promote biological survival. Perhaps neurotypicals have an excellent filter, high-functioning autistics have a flawed filter, and low-functioning autistics have even less of a filter. Could it be that the lowest functioning autistic is experiencing the highest state of consciousness? Could all autists be experiencing an enlightenment so intense that fulfilling biological needs becomes frustrating and distracting at best (in the case of HFAs) and downright impossible at worst (in the case of LFAs)?

The Intense World Theory proposes a particular form of brain hypertrophy triggered by an epigenetic insult, which may render the brain excessively reactive to the environment. The excessive reactivity and rapid memory formation of experiences boosted by an amplified emotional component may trigger the acceleration of brain maturation until the environment becomes painfully intense. The intensity of lower-order sensory processing becomes so overwhelming that the autistic may actively avoid specific features that have become negatively associated and focus on elementary features that have become positively associated. Because of the powerful and persistent memories each experience is predicted to systematically drive the autistic child into a world that is secured by only letting in positively associated stimuli and actively avoiding any surprises. Since new information must necessarily be surprising, autistics could rapidly become resistant to rehabilitation. If the intensity peaks too early and the shutdown is triggered, the autistic may not learn to assemble elementary information into higher order concepts needed for abstract thinking and language. Driven by a painfully intense world, the autistic brain progresses functionally to become highly fragmented with islets of excessive processing which manifest in arbitrary preferences and tasks that may be exceptionally well processed. The plasticity that follows may lead to irreversible structural changes and fragmentation of the brain. The prognosis is proposed to become worse in a sensory enriched and dynamically changing world. It is also likely that providing an enriched environment and a directive teaching and aggressive rehabilitation program may in fact accelerate the progression of the disorder. The prognosis may be improved by filtering sensory and emotional extremes, preventing surprises, and pharmacologically by suppressing sensory reactivity and memory formation. The disorder might even be preventable if intervention begins before the “intense world” reaction is triggered, that is before critical periods of neurodevelopment. Critical periods are moments when circuit architectures consolidate and gradual exposure to a more normal world may not have such adverse effects after these critical periods. There may therefore be a preventative time window for autism. Reversing consolidated hyper-functional circuits after these critical periods will be more difficult, but due to the potential for learning and memory, an extinction-based rehabilitation program may be effective.

A pure genetic argument also ignores the high incidence of autism reported with thalidomide and high doses of VPA in human offspring. The most parsimonious interpretation is that autism is a poly-genetically predisposed disorder that is triggered by an insult and that the pathology unfolds during development. The low incidence of VPA-linked autism today is another possible argument, but the doses used today (around 5–10 mg/kg) are about 5–10 times lower than doses used in the earlier times (40–50 mg/kg). The animal models however used even higher doses (300–500 mg/kg) primarily because it would not be possible to systematically study the alterations if only 5–10% of the offspring are affected as reported in the earlier times. The higher doses seem to bring the incidence more into the 70–80% range and doses above 800 mg/kg are lethal (unpublished data). It may also turn out that these doses could be significantly lowered if combined with animals genetically engineered with identified predisposing mutations. Nevertheless, high doses do limit the strength of conclusions drawn from this model and further validation in human autism is required.

no, you are not in a higher state of consciousness.

you are less socially developed. this kind of thinking is just making excuses.

its like fat acceptance. "yay! we're fat! lets be vocal, proud and love that we have diabetes!"

focus on improving your social skills and becoming the great person you deserve to be with lots of strong and happy relationships.