Chinese medical advice: Singing is best therapy for Autism

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I visit a Chinese herbalist when I need herbal support, usually for poor dietary choices/habits/food addictions to junk food, and their accompanying congestion of the bodily organs (liver and kidneys etc).

So I asked his wife (she translates as he doesn't speak any English) what they would recommend for autism.

She said singing was the best thing to do. I think singing in front of others, specifically. Chinese, Maori, Polynesians, Africans, Mexicans and South Americans love to sing.

I have been thinking about this, and singers in general. Strengthening of the vocal cords and projection of voice, expression of self, confidence, exercising internal demons trapped in our throat, and self satisfaction and pride.

Yesterday, a nice girl approached me and after we talked for a while ( at the time I was in a good space, thoughtful, spiritual and full of love) she asked for my phone number. I felt so elated!! !! My confidence returned and much of my AS symptoms and bad feelings seemed to disappear. I was filled with a worthwhile sense of self.

Anyway, back to the singing with joy therapy idea.

I was thinking about singers. I thought of Africans, Polynesians ( here in NZealand Polys love to sing!!) the Welsh also who are famous singers, opera stars etc etc.

Then it struck me. These singing people types are the most neurotypical people I can think of. Big chested, strong and healthy, little genetic deterioration.

Least western in genetic origin (except the Welsh) with past lifestyles far removed from the toxic food, water and foods, than city dwelling and modern farming communities(pesticides etc) now experience.

*I think the welsh water supplies are alpine mountain water in origin, unpolluted and highly mineral rich.............*

Maybe we cannot reverse generations of exposure to toxic and/or low quality water, polluted air and foods, white flour, sugar, drugs and alcohol. Maybe we cannot hope in our lifetimes to reverse our inherited legacy of genetic deterioration.

But, if the extreme neurotypical are born to sing, can singing as therapy make us less autistic and more NT?

Does anyone here sing in front of others? Has it helped you with aspergers symptoms?

Or, is the idea that singing can make us more NT, a case of putting the chicken before the egg

When I was little, I would sing in jargon while I played. I still do it to this day when I am alone.

I swear that it has helped my socialization. It seems to strengthen the language region of my brain, and I find it easier to talk to people after singing alone.

I believe that in the future, our words will become longer and our languages sound more like singing.

I can't say if it's helped with my autism specifically, but it's done wonders for my confidence. Singing also gives me a temporary release from my Tourettes symptoms.

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I have HFA, ADHD, OCD & Tourette syndrome. I love animals, especially my bunnies and hamster. I skate in a roller derby team (but I'll try not to bite )

My daughter goes to a music group for autistic kids. It hasn't made her (or any of them) any more NT but it is the best thing ever. It looked from the outside that singing together was forging the sort of bond that NT kids generally forge with small talk. Sounds were in unison and in harmony and there was predictable pattern and all was well. Plus the lyrics added all sorts of fine things to the echolalia vocabulary of some.

All positives. No negatives. She loves this group like crazy. It's one of the few places that she actually likes going.

Would it be as positive for an adult? I hope so.

It does sound a little chicken-eggish to me.

But...

I happen to be a musician.

My experience has been that I'm not "me" when I'm playing piano or other instruments. I'm the "me I want to be" or the "me I wish I was." I don't have to talk to anyone. I can communicate my ideas and be understood. I get this sensation like I'm stretching out and directly controlling the movement of air around me and making people feel the way I want them to feel. I'm in control and I have people's attention.

But when the music is over I go back to being someone I don't want to be, I stay very quiet, thank people for their compliments, and fake my way through politeness the best I can until it's time to go home. I make myself smile so people will think I'm a happy person with a good personality--and most of the time I really am happy after performing, but I'm told my "chillout" face strikes people as an "angry" face.

If I really worked at it and had the time, I suppose I'd be a better NT-looking aspie, but it's draining to me. I find a lot of comfort in my wife and my children because they know me well enough to know what to expect and they don't see what everyone else sees. So for me, music is a temporary facade--though it is an alter ego that brings me joy and excitement. I struggle out in public otherwise. I suppose with as much fun as I have it is really all worth it in the end!

I think the ideal for any aspie (in my opinion, at least) is to strike a balance between special interests and social interaction. The more I'm able to integrate what I do into those interactions, the better able I am to find my "place" in the world.

I have sung in a choir, and I really enjoyed it. I did notice that I never wanted to hang out and socialize afterward, though. I think it helped my self-confidence, though, and it certainly improved my social status. Despite the sense of unity that I felt with the other members and with the audience, I think that the return to relating to people in the normal manner became a bit more uncomfortable by contrast. I'll often sing when washing dishes, especially when I worked in the rotisserie, and it made that job much more bearable.

I don't know how scientific this idea is of singing to improve aspie characteristics -- but I do think it helps. My oldest was always in a band, and growing up, as a family we ALWAYS sang together in the car. He seemed to do well as a result. My youngest hasn't had the benefit of a big family always singing in the car, and he isn't in a band (although I'm encouraging it). He has a fantastic voice, and plays trombone in school, but refuses to do anything like choir (apparently it's not considered cool). I'm trying to promote his learning to play guitar and to be in a band. Also, he does this amazing thing where he can "layer" songs that he knows intrinsically are in the same key -- a fascinating kind-of "savant" skill.

I'm unsure of the potential of singing as a therapy(minded, I'm probably a bit too old for it to have much effect one way or the other) and the reason why is I am terrified of public performance. I'd rather immolate myself than perform for a bunch of strangers. Or even worse, people I know. Just my 2¢.

I guess it would improve voice pitch but the thought of singing in front of a crowd of people scares me

I'm most happy when I'm belting out a tune in the privacy of my home. Although I have been known to slip out in song while around people.

There was a documentary about music and emotions and it said something like when we hear a familiar song it releases serotonin in the brain. I know that personally certain songs can feel me with a deep emotion, usually elation.

It's a good therapy for some conditions where stress, anxiety and depression are common, much like laughter is a good therapy. When I'm in a deep depression just put on Saturday Night Live and you'll get a smile and eventually non-stop laughter from me.

Oh yes, and it people feel scared about singing in front of people first try to be in the crowd at a concert and sing along with everyone else. There's this band called Anberlin and they're the only band I can sing along to at a show completely sober. And sometimes I get the lyrics right.

I'm a music major in university, for voice, so I sing a lot.

I don't feel like it diminishes autistic symptoms, because I get quite anxious when I'm performing and have trouble with eye contact and such. I don't turn into a whole other person when I perform, though I wish I did.

When I'm just singing at home by myself it functions almost like stimming though, it calms me down.

Have you seen the documentary Autism the Musical? It's very interesting.