Tag Archives: APA

NOS

Doctors never liked the label NOS.  To be more specific psychiatrist found it very difficult to place an individual in a diagnostic category or give the appropriate treatment. Did I use the word appropriate? Appropriate was recently captured from the dictionary and sealed in a vault. NOS affected school placement, treatment of patients, accommodation, insurance, and billing.  Yes, that special tailgate party pooper sent doctors, psychiatrist, teachers, therapist screaming and scrambling into the night. Oh, Lawd! If they had a name that tune it would have been possible for these physicians and practitioners to get it right.   Step back in TIME to June 20th, 2011, Fighting On The Assessment _NLD Final Frontier. Here you will find many Lessons Within A Lesson. The world has witnessed some Unremarkable Intentional Behaviors. Who do we hold accountable to Name That Tune? The American Psychiatric Association of course! It is TIME for these brothers to come out of the woodwork. Please don’t throw Ethics into the cesspool of Tar Sand. Why don’t we ask the psychiatric community and doctors why they don’t like the label NOS.

Oh No! I’m not talking about the pumped up caffeine drink. I’m talking about the special label stuck at the end of a diagnosis stipulating NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.  Please don’t tell me the APA no longer use this label.  This 3 letter dragon-tail still remain on the chart of those who are diagnosed with all types of syndromes.  I want the Psychiatric Community to tell how this little dragon-tail of a label can impact the lives of so many people. Now our entire nation will be impacted.   What happens when WRONG is merged with RIGHT? We did not bridge the gap but we merge INTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS with UNINTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS. Consequences will be very grave for behaviors which have been IDENTIFIED as neurological disorders, behavioral disorders, or sensory processing disorders.  Our country has to come to grips with placing a square peg in a round hole. Where is the Ethics behind impulsive and INTENTIONAL destructive behavior?

For many years parents in the same position at one time or another like me sat in front of the Grand Tribunal. This panel of judges consisted of the School District, Superintendents, teachers, counselors, and principals.  A blueprint of education for each individual child was drawn up for children who fell into the category of Special Education or Behavioral Problems.  This plan was called an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan). Whenever our children acted out we had to prove that it was a manifestation of their behavior.  Should we have asked the President-Elect had his behavior manifested?  The first question asked by the Grand Tribunal, “Does Your Child Understand The Difference Between Right Or Wrong?”   Many of these plans fell through the cracks because they were not properly implemented by the teachers nor the school district because our children were MAJOR Budget Cuts.

Really! Our children did not make the AAA Districts shine. Our children education was eaten alive by excessive suspension and expulsion. “Ten days suspension does not constitute a change of placement.”  Our children were humiliated,  isolated, and not integrated but placed in separate self-contained schools, detention centers or prison.  This was not much of a CHOICE.  Yeah Right!.  Guess WHO did not understand the behaviors?  A whole system who were so-called educated failed to learn how our children learn.  Desperate measures were taken to avoid educating children with a different kind of processing or a different type of brain.  Do you really think that the children who are label disable would get a fair shake in life?   What was the real plan? This system was never broken. The system had never been fixed.

The Grand tribunal had another system in place.  Due Process was put in place for a child’s day in court.  Once DUE PROCESS was manipulated it would be used to keep children with disabilities out of the mainstream. The school district and their team of attorneys found a way to become Bullet Proof.  The School system brought their team on board to document our children as a violent and dangerous student. This would create an atmosphere of fear around your child. They would go get their high power attorneys to chew the clock on your child education by getting Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO) locking him/her out of mainstream education. Just remember to have your own team of a psychiatrist. Make sure you get the proper diagnosis.  “Papers Please!”  Tell those doctors to Name That Tune. NOS ain’t happening and always need to be SPECIFIED so you know what you are up against.

Is this what happens to the election? NOS snuck in from the back of the bus.  The school districts psychologist could not diagnose a donut. Every parent I came across I suggested they get an outside independent evaluation through a reputable hospital. Many of the psychologist and psychiatrist in the private sector worked for the school districts.  The cards will be stacked against the parents. DUE PROCESS can be rigged and violated. Where does your child go after being kicked out of his/her mainstream placement? Well since there aren’t many options opens the outcome does not look promising. Guess who will be incarcerated?  Our children leave home, go to school, get ousted, and end up in jail or worse, DEAD. N.O.S. has now been specified as one of the many issues in The New Jim Crow. Hope, Change, and Prayer was kicked to the curve. NOS. behaviors became more acceptable.  The truth vanished from sight and from the pages of the dictionary.  LIES became more acceptable. Discretion and paraphrasing vanished from our thoughts. Sounds very familiar.

It is absolutely devastating to sit here and reflect back on the many hours spent on developing IEP’S.  To make matters worse the President-Elect can ridicule our children/adults. It is not okay people. The rights of children who are classified as disabled will be segregated, isolated, shamed, humiliated, retaliated against. Children with a different type of processing and a unique type of brain were not be allowed to be integrated with the so-called normal behaviors.  Once again IEP’s weren’t implemented properly because of  IDP’S (Ignorant Divisive Plan) took over. The E for Education in the plan was removed to merge Intentional Behaviors forward so they could become the New Norm. Unintentional Behaviors were masked and were harder to recognize.   As a parent, I spent many hours having my son undergo numerous diagnostic testing just to get the proper diagnosis. I wanted to make sure NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) was not at the tailgate party of his diagnosis.  How credible is the APA?  Can a psychiatrist look a person in the eye and clearly give an accurate diagnosis and tell their patient the President-Elect has normal behavior?

Is this normal behavior? The First Lady-Elect isn’t moving to the Trump House with her son. What is wrong with this picture? A family not showing a United Front to the highest position in the land. Okay! Who got Dumped? I guess the new norm is leaving wifey behind to take care of the kid and remain to roam along in Hells Kitchen baking cookies.  Barefoot and Pregnant! Hell To The No No! What message does this send to Women in America? Don’t tell me women will be left with the message, I am Alpha Boss Hog and I rule STOMP THE YARD now featuring Trump Dog. Well, there you have it. He named his tune and the First Lady-Elect has her tune. OH, OH, OH she has a Ring on it but she has to live at Bling Towers with no King in it. Oh, Oh, Oh will this be the First Lady-elect to get a Sting on it?  What a way to start the day!

The dam burst and destroyed the flood-gates. The Gold Water Rule has shifted to Hippocratic Mud.  Can the APA (American Psychiatric Association) overlook the behavior of the President-Elect? Is it ethical to know a person can have such Dynamite behavior and have free range over a nation?   The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has become the new Tribunal of Ignorance is allowed. The question will take me back to the table where the old Tribunal ask the question, “Do Your child understand Right from Wrong?”  Our children do grow up. Grown-up indicates one has ceased learning.   The choice was made.  The question will be asked. Does the President-Elect understand RIGHT from WRONG? Did the President-Elect really want to be the leader of the Free World or did he just want to create a movement out of FEAR and HATRED? Oscar Wilde put a move on my heart. Two of his famous quotes will always linger in my thoughts. Wilde stated, “There are only two tragedies in life: One is getting what one wants and the other is getting it.”  Oscar second ride or die quote is, “The world is a stage but the play is badly cast.” My song is The Whole World Is A Stage. The song goes on to say everybody plays a part. The stage is set the curtain goes up. The theme is a broken heart. We as a nation must remember pain can be diminished and hearts can be mended. We must continue to move FORWARD.

At this moment please fast forward to The Truth About NLD And Who It can Resemble located in the May 2011 archive. NOS (NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED) has reared its head and is coming to a White House near you soon in 2017. The bar was dropped on the floor. President-Elect standards were set quite low. We as a nation can raise the bar through Diplomacy, Civility, but also standing firm on the beliefs that everything has not been stripped away.  Rolling over is not the answer. Hatred and Fear should not take the lead.  Crystal Ball and all of y’all I hear you loud and clear. Do not panic nor fret my dear.  I went to my vault of movies and I sat back in my easy chair, ate popcorn along with my Tazo Raspberry lemonade tea and watched Half Of A Yellow Sun. I listen to several tapes to keep me from going down Black Alley. One tape that really moved me was by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, We Should All Be Feminist.  Chimamanda is the author of Americanah. Take a load off and read.

It was time to reflect and respect what is still beautiful about our country. There is still an enormous amount of good in the roots of this country.   Stop for a moment and reflect on countries who had a pure dictatorship.  Uganda and Iraq understand oh too well.  How many wars are being fought as I write this story?   Take a peek at the wars that lasted for years and years.  There is no way out until each country and the tribal wars that exist within these counties decide their own fate.  How did these tribal wars survive? Reflect back on the Nigerian/Biafran War (1967-1970). We as a nation should not be reduced to turning against one another. We have lived our Civil War and we must move forward and prevent another war from breaking out. We must continue to stand as a United Nation.  What can be done to conserve the loss of our nation? Can we stay focus on the real prize?  Democracy has been placed in the HIGH-RISK column. What strategies can be used to keep the people in our nation from destroying everything they work so hard to achieve and each other?  Let us as a nation stay focus on getting out of the HIGH-RISK COLUMN and not become a commodity of slavery once again.

NOS is no longer NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.  UNINTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS has a target on its back and wears an identification bracelet.  The coat of Polyurethane spray has worn off its high gloss finish of INTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS.  Masked behaviors can no longer hide under a coat of enhancement.  Our country will not be shellacked.  Democracy is not finished. NOS carries a spotlight of faulty perception. The Super Moon came out.  In the dark, the Super Moon reflection gave visibility to what is truly Specified.

At this time I like to give thanks to the many countries for coming to NLD Recognition. Canada came out and has hung out since I started this blog in January 2011. Thank you, Canada.  I want to give recognition to the following countries who have frequent this blog.  Continue to read and learn more:

United Kingdom

France

Netherland

South Korea

Czech Republic

New Zealand

El Salvador

Philippines

Finland

Myanmar (Burma)

India

Belgian

Pakistan

Hong Kong SAR

China

Greece

Singapore

Argentina

Poland

Malaysia

Saudi Arabia

Dominican Republic

El Salvador

Poland

Finland

Peru

Pakistan

Trinidad and Tobago

Reunion

Barbados

Bulgaria

Curacao

Papua New Guinea

Malta

Germany

Bangladesh

Venezuela

Jordan

Denmark

Chile

Honduras

Russia

Brazil

Spain

Italy

Australia

Sweden

New Zealand

European Union

Japan

Switzerland

Ecuador

South Africa

Mexico

Portugal

Belgium

Ireland

South Korea

Tanzania

Macedonia and many more.

 

To the United States, I want to give a big shout out for reading NLD Recognition. There is probably not one country on the list above whose Freedom has not been placed under top guns. NOS cleared the way and revealed itself. Every one of these countries had to figure out a way to regain and maintain their Freedom. It’s been a long time coming but Change is Gonna Come.  We know what our nation is up against. The Goldwater Rule is flooded.  Who will be held accountable and viewed through a shattered lens under the microscope for their unethical behavior for upholding inappropriate behaviors at its highest level of government? NOS_NOP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refreshers Course In NLD

There are many viewers who are coming to this blog for the first TIME. Here we are 10 months later and unless you started from the January Archives you probably don’t have a clue about NLD Syndrome. I could tell you to go back and read the stories in the January Archives. It’s really Time for a refresher course on NLD. NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disability) is a developmental disability that affects the right-hemisphere of the brain. NLDers process information differently because they miss a lot of information. This contributes to misinterpretation of the world around them. Without the whole piece of the puzzle, it causes them to act out inappropriately or unexpectedly.

If you can’t understand the tone of a person’s voice, give eye contact, or read the person’s body language there are going to be several misunderstandings. This is a neuro-behavioral disorder and the person with NLD has UNINTENTIONAL behaviors. They are NOT EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED.

This neurological disorder goes UNRECOGNIZED and unattended by professionals, teachers, parents, and society. Individuals who are diagnosed with NLD Syndrome demonstrate a mature vocabulary/very language proficient, rote memory skills (mechanical, habitual, repetition), and an excellent reading ability. People with this disorder can have difficulty interacting with others, transitioning to new settings, adapting to changes, working with new people, and trouble with writing/fine motor coordination. Although reading skills are exemplary, abstract concepts need to be explained in detail. Individuals with NLD Syndrome have difficulty understanding metaphors (a figure of speech), emotional nuances (may not be able to understand the expression on a persons face, the sound of their voice, or body language), multiple levels of meanings, relationship issues. My advice to you if you are talking with a person with NLD Syndrome, give a simple description, explicit explanations, and be very patient.

The three areas that encompass or surround NLD Syndrome is Motoric, Visual-Spatial/visual perceptual, and Social. Let’s start with Motoric. This deals with dexterity: the task of manipulating small objects, writing, typing, buttoning buttons. Riding a bike is grueling. Tying shoes may take years. It is hard for them to catch their balance, secure their equilibrium or bounce back with their balance. NLDers really work hard to master athletic skills. Sitting and eating on the floor is preferable.

I hope you’ve got other silverware because NLDers may resist eating with a fork or spoon. They are not interrogating you. NLDers full-fledged learning mode is when they are asking questions. They have problems on the left side of their body. Psycho-motor skills involve the thinking through the process of physical movements such as coordination, speed, manipulation of the object, agility, dexterity, strength, and grace. Bottom line, if you are still holding the ball, you are thinking about it for an extended period of TIME, or trying to figure out “What The Hah Hell” to do with the ball, you have poor psychomotor coordination.

You are not going to be on DANCING WITH THE STARS. You are no MARIO ANDRETTI, and there will be NO KAREEM ABDUL JABAAR SKYHOOK. The key is it comes easy or more automatic and you have not spent so much time processing out every little detail. Are you still sitting in the parking lot? Are you trying to figure out why you keep getting so many driving violations? Driving is major coordination. NLDers can succeed in these tasks but it may take a very long TIME and please be PATIENT.

In the area of visual-perception/visual-spatial, people with NLD have difficulty understanding and reading maps, charts, graphs, left, right, drawing complex figures, and understanding higher math such as geometry. Thank God for GPS, color by number, etch of a   sketch, and all the wonderful apps that are put on the magnificent IPAD for learning. STEVE JOBS and his wonderful team revolutionized the world. NLDers talk their way through a situation. They are auditory-verbal learners and they need to hear what is being processed. A blue-tooth solves this problem of everyone staring when NLDers are processing out loud. From bumping into people, struggling with concept formation, and not getting the whole picture, they have the market cornered.

Social miscueing causes problems interpreting body language, and facial expression. People with NLD have problems in this area. Sometimes they stand too close (space invaders), or too far away when engaging in a conversation. It is hard for them to understand how to start a conversation or for them to end the conversation. If you can get them to deal with the situation in a practical, sensible, and realistic manner versus philosophical or theoretical manner you are batting a thousand (pragmatic skills). They have outbursts, are labeled annoying, or want to get all the attention. NLDers just won’t let go, they hold on, have many social blunders, are abrupt/have knife cutting responses, and they have difficulty thinking creatively or abstractly. They have problems with identifying faces or reading the person’s face, interpreting gestures/deciphering body posture, An NLDer doesn’t change their speech, have a monotone voice, and constantly misjudge or misinterpret what is being put before them or said to them.

NLDers have attentional deficits causing difficulty in coping with over-stimulating or distracting environments and requiring them to have limited distractions and assistance in focusing themselves. They have difficulty in performing multiple tasks simultaneously causing them to need to do one thing at a TIME and LIMIT the amount of information they can take in at the same TIME(They CANNOT follow multiple commands given at once). Organizational skills are a huge problem area with NLDers. They have a very hard TIME organizing material on their own. Assistance is needed in the area of writing outlines, sequencing/order, planning, prioritizing, transitioning from one idea or aspect of a project/problem to another. Does this remind you of anyone? Feel free to go back and review the January Archives.

DEDICATED: Everyone across America, take a closer look at this diagnosis. I wonder why the AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION(APA), with 38,000 psychiatrists under their UMBRELLA failed to put NLD SYNDROME on the map after 41 years?

Why did the APA see fit to enlist diagnoses, such as sex addiction or internet addiction or other impertinent diagnoses that let people ESCAPE from being held ACCOUNTABLE for their INTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS?

Dr. PHIL, DR. DREW, DR. OZ, DEEPAK CHOPRA and many other specialists in the field of medicine and psychiatry would probably agree with me. Too many people are severely hurt and have died from not being properly diagnosed or overlooked altogether.

Should the APA be held accountable for leaving Nonverbal Learning Disability(NLD), a neurological disorder with UNINTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS off of their diagnostic manual? They are well aware that people who are diagnosed with this disorder can suffer from severe depression. Why did the APA stop testing? Why has there not been more information distributed on NLD Syndrome? Has the AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION been corrupted by money and politics to protect their funding?

Is the AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION trying to close the GAP on INTENTIONAL versus UNINTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS? Or would it be our GOVERNMENT? Our government has been very dysfunctional. Take a look at the contenders for PRESIDENCY. Look even closer at the GOP, REPUBLICANS, TEA PARTY, BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS and some members of the CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCAS. We can tell from watching the debates the front-runners have serious problems. The weakest links will once again be controlled by the 1%. Who’s brain will be used if one of the contenders is chosen for President? Our JUSTICE SYSTEM has been very UNJUST. Our Supreme Court System is totally out of BOUNDS and off the Court. Our Constitution needs to be revamped.

Think about it AMERICA! Something is seriously wrong. Who should be held ACCOUNTABLE? Who is covering up?

The Truth About NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disability) And Who It Can Resembled your

One day the American Psychiatric Association took a really good look at the traits and characteristics of NLD Syndrome. Who did those traits and characteristics resemble? You guessed it, the APA. Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) has been around for 41 years and has not made the list. Sometimes when we look into the mirror or under our own microscope we do not like the reflection that bounces off the mirror. Even worse, we really don’t like the disease under the microscope. So what would be the best solution?  A cover-up will be just fine. The APA can drag their feet for years.  The American Psychiatric Association sees the correlation of NLD Syndrome to their Association. So why test or even acknowledge this syndrome?  NLD Syndrome might start popping up all over the place. It might just resemble too many people who are RECOGNIZABLE. If the American Psychiatric Association started testing for NLD Syndrome on a consistent basis, it’s no telling who might turn up on THE LIST.

Let’s take a look at the history of the American Psychiatric Association, who has decided to distance themselves from the Psychologists many years ago. The APA (American Psychiatric Association) was formulated in 1844 in Philadelphia. Their symbol carries 13 stars over a head of an individual inside a coin-shaped emblem. The stars represented the 13 superintendents and organizers of the insane asylums and hospitals which were constructed to formulate the new American Psychiatric Association. The APA has had a pattern of making irresponsible decisions for many years.  At one time homosexuality was placed on the DSM as a disorder. It was voted out and removed in 1973.  APA later had the Mission Impossible effect to change the name to protect themselves. The name of homosexuality was changed to ego-dystonic sexuality and later removed from the DSM in 1987. Once again the tape has blown up on the mission. The American Psychiatric Association is back to putting a crazy diagnosis on their list. They were considering putting Internet Addiction on the list.  Imagine that. For my NLDers who cannot imagine, it would be putting the Internet on medication and locking it up in an insane asylum for no more viewing. This would hide the truth about the APA and who they may resemble.

Dr. Allen Frances MD.,  who use to be a member of the DSM4 task force, wrote a very interesting article on April 8th, 2011.  The article was in Psychology Today. It was called DSM5 In Distress. This is how the Dr. Allen Frances List looks.

1.) DSM5 keeps missing their deadline.

2.) The APA proposals were reckless.

3.) They had poor planning and missed deadlines.

4.) APA over promised and under delivered.

5.) The APA procrastinated and has compromised the coding of the DSM5.

6.) APA poorly thought out the proposal.

7.) 1st draft of the DSM5 was written sloppily.

8.) APA gave extension and wasted these extensions in many ways.

9.) The International Classification of Disease (ICD) World Health Organization in Geneva codes and modification may have been compromised.

10.) ICD-10 codes were written to align themselves with the DSM4. What codes will be written to align themselves with the DSM5?

11.) A window of opportunity will be missed to place a significant diagnosis on the list.

CHARACTERISTICS AND TRAITS OF NLD SYNDROME

1.) problems with time on tasks

2.) trouble with organizational skills

3.)  difficulty with scheduling, disorganized, cannot project or judge

4.) can’t put their thoughts on paper/written responses,  can talk the talk but cannot walk the walk, problems with productivity when it comes to paper tasks, expresses themselves eloquently

5.) difficulty getting started on a related task, needs to be jump started to initiate plans or on related task, problems in the areas of communication, difficulty multitasking, difficulty understanding what is relevant/irrelevant

6.) faulty spatial perception, problems with executive functions, difficulty being creative and can only think in black and white

7.) difficulty with motor impairment causing writing task to be grueling, slow

8.) difficulty with transition and adapting to change

9.) talks their way through the motor task

10.) they constantly talk their way in or out of a situation

11.)  gestalt impressions (they just don’t get the whole picture)

12.) Problems with their decision-making process which makes it very difficult to understand cause and effect.

13.) trouble with alignment

These characteristics and traits of NLD Syndrome resemble the American Psychiatric Association and their work in progress on the DSM5. We may begin to recognize NLD Syndrome is more common if consistent testing were done.

It SHOULD matter if it is my house, or your house, the poor house or the White House!  NLD could be rearing its head in recognition and striking very close to home. (DYNAMITE, DYNAMITE)  There are many unexplained behaviors which have revealed themselves in the past years to many who are RECOGNIZABLE.  Dr. Allen Frances, I hope this explains why the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is off task. This might even explain why NLD Syndrome has never been placed on the list. Sometimes a reflection of who we may resemble may keep us from looking directly into the mirror. It is the FEAR, SHAME, GUILT, and HUMILIATION of being found out. The American Psychiatric Association may not be as credible as we may expect them to be. Who truthfully is NLD? Who does NLD resemble? WHY is the American Psychiatric Association (APA) keeping NLD SYNDROME off their LIST (DSM5)?

Coming to an IMAX  Theatre in May 2013, in 3D, the DSM5–Hopefully

No Shame In Their Game On ST. Patrick’s Day

Scene: Tyrone Tourette, known as TS (cousin of Bobby Tourette), is having drinks and conversing at an Iris Pub called Slimery Otoole. Tyrone Tourette and Catrina Schizophrenia give some background information on themselves. Nicky NLD is waiting for the story to be told on how St.Patrick’s Day got started.  Tyrone Tourettes, before he gets too much green beer in his system, will tell the story. Nicky NLD is running out of patience.

Tyrone Tourette:

Nicky,  look at how crowded Slimery Otoole is tonight. It’s jammed packed. Tyrone is going to take you on his TS tour. I’ll Take You There just like the Staple Singers and tell you how St. Patrick’s Day came into existence.

Nicky NLD:

Tyrone are you sure you don’t want me to tell the story?

Tyrone Tourette:

Why should you tell the story?

Nicky NLD:

Once your tics kick in, it could get messy.

Catrina Schizophrenia:

What are Tics?

Tyrone Tourette:

Catrina Schizo, I have this neurological disorder where people describe me as having strange body movement over and over.  Some people have this image in their head of me having involuntary movement and making noises called tics. I don’t like to be stereotyped.

Catrina Schizo:

I feel you on that one Tyrone. I have this severe brain disorder that disables me from being able to carry out my life. People try to stereotype me and say that I hear voices others don’t hear. They say I believe other people are reading my mind, controlling my thoughts, and I’m plotting to harm someone.

Tyrone Tourette:

Catrina Schizo that IS what you do.

Catrina Schizo:

Wait a minute Tyrone… The key word is I MAY do these things… MAY, okay?

Tyrone Tourette:

Let me get your key and unlock your door. You are talking to Tyrone baby, I know what you do.

Nicky NLD;

Come on TS,  ease up off of Catrina  Schizo. This is a big deal for her. Remember we use to force her to talk. We knew when she didn’t take her medication and wasn’t in therapy.  I did not like seeing her in a catatonic state. She shut down as tight as a drum and was upset about it. I mean agitated.

Tyrone Tourette:

Look at you Nicky NLD, using analogies. I remember when you didn’t do double meanings.

Nicky NLD:

I have gotten better. As long as the person who uses the analogy explains it right away.  I won’t get lost in the conversation. Are you going to tell the story or not?

Tyrone Tourette:

Be patient Nicky NLD. I want people to know some things about me and Catrina Schizo. There is no shame in our game.

Nicky NLD:

You are right. People learned about me in the Who In The World Is NLD. Go ahead, man. Do your thang.

Tyrone Tourette:

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is noticed around 7-10 years of age. It shows no prejudice. Tourette’s syndrome can affect anyone. Men are affected three times more than women. It can last a lifetime. In one’s teens, it can get butt-ugly. Later on, they may improve in the late teens on into their adulthood.

Catrina Schizo:

I want to learn more about your motor tics.

Tyrone Tourette:

Sure, sometimes they are simple motor tics. These are brief and I don’t use a lot of muscles. I can have eye blinking, making faces (grimaces),  jerking the head or shoulders or shrugging shoulders. With vocalizing tics I will clear my throat repetitively, sniffing, making grunting sounds, or barking. I use more muscle with complex tics. You can get the combo like at McDonald. I can make faces, twist my head and shrug my shoulders. There are times when people think that I’m doing the other complex tics on purpose. These are hopping, jumping, bending, sniffing, twisting, and touching objects. There are times when I have phrases of words that sound like jibber-jabber. It can get really bad if I do harm to myself and I punch myself in the face, or the cursing (coprolalia) or echolalia (repeating word or phrases of others).  Who do you know that does that hopping around thing?  Don’t answer that. That is another story another day.

Catrina Schizo:

I bet people think you are crazy.

Tyrone Tourette:

How are you going to call somebody crazy?  Are you sure this is me you are talking to and not someone you think you see or hear?

Catrina Schizo:

Do you really want to find out if I’m violent are not? You know, I have grown pretty fond of you. Sometimes we have the tendency to hurt the ones we are closest to.

Tyrone Tourette:

Girl, don’t make me unfriend you and push the button. I do have a Facebook account and I will Tweet you out.

Nicky NLD:

Is your collar on that shirt too tight around your neck? I hope your shirt is the right size. The last time you had neck tics.

Tyrone Tourette:

It’s all good. The last time I had tried to suppress my tics,  it only made them worse. I do better when my tics are expressed. Letting it build up is not good for me at all. A lot of times people think I’m doing this on purpose. I don’t know what causes Tourettes Syndrome. Let’s put it this way, I have unintentional behaviors that I don’t plan. It happens and my brains play a big part in the way I react. These neuro-behavioral problems can be caused by not paying attention, hyperactivity, and being impulsive. The guys (disorders) that hang out with me and are associated with me is OCD and ADHD. Even though my buddies know I can suffer from depression and anxiety they still remain to be my friends.

Hey, Catrina Schizophrenia you are up to bat. Tell us about yourself.

Catrina Schizo:

I have some positive symptoms about me.

Nicky NLD:

Is that positive good or positive bad?

Tyrone Tourette:

How can a positive symptom be bad?

Nicky NLD:

Tyrone TS, you are full of your ignorant oil (liquor). You can be HIV Positive, that is not good, and you could be like Catrina Schizophrenia, very delusional and not being able to face reality.

Catrina Schizo:

If you guys let me finish, I’ll tell you the rest.

Tyrone Tourette:

Ahhhhh Yeah Baby, Take us there (too much to drink).

Catrina Schizo:

As long as I take my meds, I’ll do okay. I do have psychotic behavior. Sometimes I lose touch with reality. This can come or go. Right now I’m not the healthiest person.Yes, I do hallucinate. I just really need to keep up with my treatment.

Tyrone Tourette:

I’m hallucinating right now.

Nicky NLD:

Tyrone you have enough green beer and Irish cream Whiskey in you already. I can’t tell you from Catrina Schizo.

Catrina Schizo:

It’s not like that Tyrone. I hear voices. My voices talk to me about the way I’m behaving. My voices order me to do things, alert me to dangers, and my voices can talk to each other.I had been hearing voices for a very long time before my family found out.  Bruce Willis could see people in the movie Sixth Sense. I see people too. I can feel people touching me. I can smell odors that others can”t smell. People try to tell me it’s nothing there but I know for a fact I see objects.

Tyrone Tourette:

You got some skills. Did you take your meds before you came out? You still go to treatment?

Nicky NLD:

Let her finish.

Tyrone Tourette:

Just checking Baby, this is the TS.  I did not want my tics to come out and play.

Catrina Schizo:

I am delusional. Many times people have proven me wrong and showed me what I am believing isn’t true. My delusions can get pretty bizarre. One time I thought Rachel Maddow was broadcasting my thoughts on her  TV program. Chaka Khan was out impersonating me. My boyfriend, Kanye West was mad because my album came out before his. He started cheating on me, then he tried to poison me. I reported him to the police for harassment. He had been spying on me for months.

Tyrone Tourette:

Your mind works like that for real?  Girl, I will trade you my disorder. I hope Jennifer Hudson got over me. I know she got married but she still wants me. Right.

Catrina Schizo:

These are things I believe. It is called delusions of persecution.

Tyrone Tourette:

Wooooh, I think you sobered me up. I have got to keep my eyes on you.

Catrina Schizo:

Sometimes it’s hard organizing my thoughts to make logical sense. I talk nonsensical and in garble. It is hard to understand me. I have thought to block. When I am talking to a person it feels like someone kidnapped my thoughts. You know what, I can even make up meaningless words called neologisms.

Nicky NLD:

I know someone who acts this way.

Tyrone Tourette:

Who?

Nicky NLD:

My girlfriend.

Tyrone Tourette:

Oh Man, you sure you don’t want to crash at my house until you have a talk with your girlfriend?

Nicky NLD:

Thanks for the offer but I can’t prolong what I suspected all the time.

Tyrone Tourette:

The offer stands whenever you are ready.

Catrina Schizo:

I’m not finished. I have body movement that I do over and over when I get agitated but not like yours Tyrone Tourette. Back in the day when there was little treatment, I would be in that catatonic state not responding to others. My main course meal is I hear voices. The negative symptoms are tricky and hard to identify. People mistake them for depressions or other symptoms. It disrupts ones normal emotion and behaviors. You notice how Meridia’s face doesn’t move (flat affect) and her voice is dull. It always seems to be monotone. No matter how hard she tries she never sticks to her planned activities. You have to stick a crowbar in her mouth to force her to speak.  She needs help with everyday tasks and I would constantly get on her about her hygiene. She was a hot mess. I thought she was lazy and trifling but this was all because she is schizophrenic. Nicky NLD you remember Rita?

Nicky NLD:

Yeah, I had a crush on Rosy Cheeks Rita. What happens to her?

Catrina Schizo:

She had some psychological testing. Her working memory wasn’t working. She didn’t have the ability to use information immediately after she learned it. Rita never stayed in focus or paid attention. Rita had problems with understanding the information to make a decision. This is called poor executive functioning. Cognitive symptoms are hard to find unless they are tested for.  These symptoms are understated. It was hard for her to keep a job, lead her life, and she was emotionally stressed out.

Nicky NLD;

That is a lot of information on my homegirl. Hey, can we get to the story now?

Tyrone Tourette:

Yeah, this is the new and improved Clarence Update.  St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March the 17. This is the day that St.Patrick died. We associate this day with the color green,  leprechauns, fairies, shamrocks, snakes, corn beef and cabbage, Irish music, green beer and Irish Creme Whiskey, and of course the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Shamrock was a sacred plant that represented the rebirth of spring. The Celts called it a “seamroy”. The shamrock later represented the Irish breaking out and expressing themselves and taking pride in their culture and advocating for rights to be who they are. The English began to take over the Irish land and they didn’t want the Irish to speak their language nor practice their religion, which was Catholicism. The Irish said, “screw this we are wearing our shamrock and since we like the music we are going to sing it to the tune of Kool Moe Dee, How You Like Me Now”.  This pissed Queen Lizzy No.1 off.  Every artist and piper that was Irish got the ax. Nicky NLD you really are going to like this.

The Celts expressed themselves verbally. Since the APA(American Psychiatric Association) won’t open up a community for you this would have been the perfect place.  They rocked the house with their verbal expression of storytelling, singing, and dancing. Their oral culture of religion, history, and their folklore was passed down through the ages.

They got a little depressed but they never stopped singing “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross. Since they never gave up, today they’ve got popular bands like the Chieftains, Clancy Brothers, and Tommy Makem. You just keep singing that tune “Hold on I’m Coming” by Sam and Dave.

That story about the snakes was made up. St Patrick didn’t go up on a rock and banish thousands of snakes.  He took his behind up there. He drove his Orkin’s truck and pulled out his Real Kill snake spray gun. The snakes were a metaphor to get rid of the idea of worshiping all those crazy statutes the English worshiped.  Their traditional meal was always cabbage and corn beef.  Corn beef didn’t show up until the turn of the century.  The corned beef got pricy. So the Irish immigrants, now living in New York City on the lower east side, found a way to save money by bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan. They got the hook up from their Jewish neighbors and all went well.  Then you had shorty running around. These were the leprechauns known as “”.

Little dudes with tree stump bodies.  They were so paranoid about their pot of gold. They used voodoo, hoodoo, and doo doo to protect their funds.  The Leprechauns didn’t have anything to do with St. Patrick’s day. Do you see how lies get started?  In 1959 Walt Disney got creative and threw the leprechauns in the mix.  In 1962 Chicago River has become famous for being dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day.  The Irish grew in numbers and became the Green Machine and gain Respect just like Aretha Franklin’s song. They are no longer considered the Drunken Monkeys.

Catrina Schizo:

Can you get me a date with one of those little guys?

Nicky NLD:

See what you did, Tyrone Tourette. You know Catrina Schizo doesn’t need any more false reality in her head.

WARNING: To all those who read this story…  if there is anything in this story that sounds like you,  a friend or a family member, get to a doctor immediately. We don’t want any Shame In Your  Game.

Getting Zach on the Right Track

Scene:  Sparky SPD (representing sensory processing disorder) and Nicky NLD (representing nonverbal learning disability) visit OWN Studio to help a friend get on the DSM5.  Zach is having extreme behavioral problems. Sparky SPD and Nicky NLD came to visit Oprah to see how they can help an old friend out. The conversation takes place in the green room and Oprah has stepped out for a studio break.

Nicky NLD:

Sparky sit down.  Stop touching everything. You are going to get us thrown out of the studio. I knew when I came here with you it was a bad idea. What did you have to eat?  You are all jacked up. Did you eat anything with sugar in it?  Put that down. You are on sensory overload.  Don’t make me call 1-800-Jesus Christ on you.

Sparky SPD:

Chill Nicky, Oprah won’t mind if we help ourselves and take a few souvenirs.

Nicky NLD:

Oprah has a deadline to meet and we are here to help get sensory processing disorder on the list.

Sparky SPD:

You are not on the list either.  As I recall you are not on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) list nor the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) list.  Are you on the Center for Disease Control for prevention list?

Nicky NLD:

No, I am not on any of those lists. Isolation is terrible and no recognition is even worse.  There is no validation and this could hang us out to dry. The APA is trying to throw Aspergers off the list and merge it with PDD-NOS. You know that diagnosis is just not enough of anything to rate being on the list.  If Aspergers vanishes we will not make the DSM5.

Sparky SPD:

Are you serious?

Nicky NLD:

I’m way more serious than Sally Savant “splinter skills”.

Sparky SPD:

What are splinter skills?

Nicky NLD:

Splinter skills are very unique skills that a person has that are totally unrelated to their life but they do them exceptionally well. Savants are noted for these skills. There are so many skills that savants can’t achieve but they should always be recognized and respected for what they can do. No one should ever take any credit away from a person who can achieve the smallest tasks. It messes with a persons self-esteem and self-confidence. For many years, not making the list has done the same to me. I am treated totally different from state agencies, insurance companies, schools and their districts.

Sparky NLD:

Nicky, I was reading your tweets and I did not know we had all that in common.

Nicky NLD:

I spelled it out. As long as people point it out or spell it out for me I don’t get so frustrated.  It was about 30 tweets. I gave brief definitions of some of the disorders. I did not want to cause confusion because a few of the disorders get mixed up. Sparky we share and have difficulty in the following areas: hypersensitivity, apraxia, dysgraphia, fine motor, severe coordination, hypotonia, developmental delays, developing friendships and relationships (social domain), self-esteem, self-confidence, speech and language development, dyspraxia and our nervous system is wrecked.

Sparky SPD:

Are you sure we don’t have the same Dad? We’ve got so much in common. You know I always liked the song Papa Was A Rolling Stone by the Temptations.

Nicky NLD:

Okay Sparky, shorty by nature, don’t make me mad. People don’t realize that when I get angry it could be for something that happened 2 or 3 days ago. It could be something that happened for 3 or 4 years ago or even longer. The doctors call it a manifestation of one’s behavior. I call it being pissed off for a very long time.

Sparky SPD:

What strategy do you use to keep from going ballistic?

Nicky NLD:

You need to go process with a person that you can trust – like a doctor or a therapist.

Sparky SPD:

I can get pretty angry.

Nicky NLD:

That is the best time to go to your doctor.  They can help level you out by talking it out. If you don’t want to talk you can look at the ceiling. If it is your doctor or therapist you are going to pay them regardless.  You might as well talk.

Sparky SPD:

I need a safe area like you. I use to think that your mom was a decorator. When you told me she put those rooms together to calm you down that was really cool.  I love the fountains, candles and the easy colors she chose to make it like a spa. Why did your mom take the doors off the rooms?

Nicky NLD:

I cannot tell where my body space is.  Removing the doors just kept me from bumping into them. The look on your face was priceless when I told you we were in the closet. You thought it was a music room. You asked me where do I keep my clothes. I told you that we were sitting on them. You didn’t have a clue the benches were storage chest. You know I have trouble with hanging my clothes on clothes hangers. I don’t need to get frustrated.  My family always figures out a way to help me work around something that gives me difficulty. They remind me it is no big deal. They teach me alternative methods by verbalizing and pointing out what it is I need to do. As I practice the skill more I learn it and I’m ready to move on. If you tell me to go clean the room. I need to know exactly where you need me to start. They will leave notes on the computer or a sticky note on top of the computer for me to find my information. It takes a lot of work but my family wants me to be successful without the pressure. They continue to teach because I learn by a step by step method. It is habilitation, not rehabilitation.

Sparky SPD:

Man, your mama acts like she is McGuyver or Inspector Gadget. You know our house is so cluttered and it looks like something out of Rag Magazine. You know my mom doesn’t do well with changes.

Nicky NLD:

Sparky, your mom may need to change to keep your behaviors from triggering. The clutter and having no order in your life could be part of the problem. I’m not trying to place the blame on your mom or your dad. If they don’t know when it is time for them to learn. They have so much hurt, guilt,  fear, and feelings of hopelessness. All this can be changed with empowering themselves with education and learning about sensory processing disorder.

Sparky SPD:

How does your mom manage her feelings?  My parents just seem so beat down by my behavior.

Nicky NLD:

My mom and the rest of my family educate themselves on the material. She said if it is nothing up to date, She would take action, bring the information up to date and create a new format for people to learn. She and the rest of my family understand that I have a neurological disorder with unintentional behaviors. A characteristic of NLD is anosognosia.

Due to the nature of my disability, I do not have the ability to recognize the seriousness of my own problem. So I would see my peers like I view myself, not having a problem. Bottom line Sparky, I can’t put myself in other’s shoes to show compassion, empathy, and support. Don’t be frightened, I have come a very long way. Emotions are hard to teach.

Sparky SPD:

Man, that is deep. So what did your mom do?  I feel like this is a seminar.

Nicky NLD:

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She said every adversity does not have to have an adverse effect. I have a difficult time understanding fear. She said this was a good opportunity to teach fear and other emotions. She stated that people don’t like breaking themselves down to the lowest denominator. It makes them appear weak. She said she wanted the world to know how much they are taking for granted. Their adversity would give them a greater strength  She felt if you could write, spell and read… then do it.  She expressed her fears and pointed out fears of others. I did learn a lot. I still have a long way to go.

Sparky SPD:

It is time for me to make some serious changes and start surrounding myself, with positive people, and those who have my best interest at heart. I have got a lot to learn. If you don’t mind Nicky, do you take medicine?

Nicky NLD:

No, I have several coping skills and strategies that are taught by my family members to reduce the panic, anxiety, depression, and stress. Whenever I decide to go out to dinner or a movie, I go at a time when it is not crowded. I go to a place where there is less noise. I enjoy music. Maybe Zach can read the book Musiophilia by Oliver Sacks.  One of the neuropsychologists gave it to me. It is an excellent book. I tried not to overload myself on social events. I get tired and I rest in a room with white noise and low amber lighting.  Social events I attend there are 3 being the minimum and 5 being the maximum people around.  They are very knowledgeable of my unique abilities. I use scented candles for relaxation (mild scented). When I walk, I take a backpack loaded with books for deep pressure. I have a fanny pack with mints, a stress ball, and clay. If  I get anxious, I return to my safe area. If someone is angry with me it is explained to me that the person may not be ready to talk. I have the same option as that person. I am never placed in competitive sports.

Sparky SPD:

Nicky that is a lot. Will we ever grow out of this?

Nicky NLD:

We don’t grow out of this. We grow up with this. We just have to work harder.

Sparky SPD:

I like that Bose Bluetooth you are wearing. What kind of phone do you have? I got that new droid.

Nicky NLD:

I don’t have a phone.

Sparky SPD:

What!

Nicky NLD:

One day  I was at the mall with my brother and he started complaining about everyone on their cell phone talking to other people.  He was so agitated and began to point out people who had Bluetooth attachments.  I looked at him and asked if he knew if anyone was on the other end talking. You know I process out loud and this attachment would keep me in sync. He took me out to the Bose store and purchased it for me.  I wear it all the time. Everyone looks like me but there is no one on the other end of my Bluetooth.

Sparky SPD:

You are going to have the whole world with phone gear and attachments paranoid.

Nicky NLD:

I wonder how many people are laying down their phone gear and looking at others with phones crazy?

Sparky SPD:

You need to cut that out.  Where did Oprah go?

Nicky NLD:

It’s getting late.

Sparky SPD:

Should we leave her a note or that sweater you have chewed at the sleeve? Why you do that?

Nicky NLD:

Sometimes adults with developmental delays have a tendency to eat non-food items. This is called pica. It is mostly seen in children ages 1-6 and mentally challenged persons.

Sparky SPD:

Alrightee! Let’s leave a message for Zach and his family.

Nicky NLD:

We need to let you know that you are not alone. To his mom and dad hang in there and be strong. It would devastate me if my family gave up on me.

Sparky SPD:

You are right Nicky. I don’t always see eye to eye with my parents. I wouldn’t want to be isolated or rejected by them.

Nicky NLD:

A good book to read with your parents is The Explosive Child by Ross W.Greene Ph.D.: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Child. It would be good for you to have an oral motor grocery list. When you become anxious/nervous you will have things to munch and crunch on and non-food items for your body.  Learn about your sensory system which consists of Tactile System (skin,touch), Proprioceptive System (muscles,joints and tendons), Vestibular System (inner ear,balance up/down and left/right), Gustatory System and Oral Motor Input (mouth and tongue),Visual System(eyes) and Olfactory System (nose,smell). Learn what calms your sensory system and what alerts it.

Sparky SPD and Nicky NLD:

We wish you all the luck in the world. We hope this helps.  To the parents of Zach, hang in and don’t give up. You need each other.

Zach quality time with mom and dad reading, listening to music, singing and playing games will help. You need a safe environment with trusted adults and grand guardians. Thirty-two hugs a day might help and you could use a good teacher or a mentor. A national cheerleader could boost your self-esteem. Lots of love and a stable home will shoot you to the moon.

We are rooting for you.

Superbowl Game Time, Rockin’ the List

For the first time in the forty-year history of the franchise … the NLD’ers.   It has been a painstaking miniseries and a Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure, but it finally paid off.  The fans are quite mystified by the NLD’ers.  They have been around for years but no one has been scoping them out.

Walk with me.  I see Commissioner District.  Commissioner District can you tell me anything about the NLD’ers?  “No, who in the hell are these guys and what spectrum do they come from?”  The Commissioner commented:  “I know about Aspergers and my money on them.”

Aspergers is a tough team to beat.  They are not very sociable.  It is not that making friends and developing relationships don’t matter, but they only hold one special interest.  They go on and on about that interest and people become frustrated and think they are boring or only into themselves.  Well, it won’t be any love lost between the NLD’ers and the Aspies.  There will be no Hollywood hugs and kisses between them.

So, Bobby Tourette, what is the big rivalry between the NLD’ers and the Aspies?   Remember we have kids in the house, just hold the cursing down!  Well, the NLD’ers hold many interests.  They can converse on any topic.  The Aspies think that NLD’ers is the know-it-all.  NLD’ers volume gets pumped up on their vocals and then they’re in your face and in your space.  This is not intentional.  Hey, I get along with the NLD’ers.  The Aspies will let you know they are not interested.  You might as well find someone or something else to do.

Mark Autism you have been in the game for over thirty years.  You know what it is like to be Number #1.  What is your perspective on the game?  Jack PDD-NOS  it is like being at the top of the Billboard’s records chart. This is a very recognizable label.  You know how that works Jack PDD-NOS. Take, for instance, you are a little bit of this and a little of that and not enough to qualify for anyone’s team.  You need a real label.  Dr. Psych.  despises you.  Dude, get rid of the NOS (not otherwise specified) and you can come out and play with the big boys.  People might think you are that NOS caffeine drink.

Andre ADHD pays attention and tries to stay focused on the commentary,  but he can’t put the Munch and Crunch down.  How do you think the NLD’ers will do against the Aspies?  Well, Mark Autism,  this will be a bloodbath.  Right now,  Aspergers is pretty hot under the collar.  Dr. Psych and his followers decided to drop the Aspies off the list and put them down with NOS, of all players.  Do you know this will affect their insurance, state funding, and definitely affect their educations?

We are in for one hell of a game. I don’t know why they would have picked the American Psychiatric Association to moderate the game.  When the Aspies see the APA they are going to go off and start cursing like Bobby Tourette.  They are so focused on the list.  I wonder will they be able to play the game?  Do not mess with the Aspies special interest. The NLD’er just might pull this one-off. They have a lot going on. Winning this game means a lot to the underdog. For the first time in the history of forty years, there will be more testing, state funding, insurance coverage, school reformation, and they will be recognizable. NLD’ers will take their rightful place on the DSMV, hold their trophy in the air and wave it like they just don’t care. Keep your heads to the sky and they will be Rockin’ the List.