#TIL about #monotropism
"One of the positive aspects of being monotropic is the capacity to enter a ‘flow state’ – a term used to describe deep immersion in an activity, heightened focus, creativity and satisfaction.
For Autistic individuals, engaging in activities aligned with their special interests and passions can lead to such flow states, contributing to wellbeing and a sense of fulfilment."
https://www.autism.org.uk/learn/knowledge-hub/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism
(1/3)
"Building upon the concept of monotropism, recent research by Heasman et al. (2024) has explored the idea of ‘Autistic flow theory’. Understanding autistic flow can provide valuable insights into the strengths and challenges associated with monotropism, highlighting the importance of creating environments that support attention tunnelling and deep focus and minimise unnecessary disruptions."
https://www.autism.org.uk/learn/knowledge-hub/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism
This sounds intriguingly like ADHD hyperfocus.
(2/3)
Once again, as I have so many times before, I find myself wondering if "Autistic Spectrum Disorder" and "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" are really just pathologisations of an overlapping set of natural variations in human cognition, at either end of the bell curve.
I'm very careful not to pass judgment on people (myself included) who try to "treat" our ADHD with medication. But I often find myself wondering if this is equivalent to "treating" autism with drugs.
(3/3)
"With hyperconnected nervous systems comes emotional intensity, heightened sensory experience and potential for impulsivity ...
I’ve come to realise that a missing piece for me as a highly monotropic multiply neurodivergent person navigating life with cPTSD is assessing the risk of disruption should things not work out and whether I have the emotional cost of any upset or need to deal with challenging people."
#AnissaLjanta, 2026
https://anissaljanta.substack.com/p/leading-with-no
Me too!
A big problem here is what I would call "conflative(/undercomplex) thinking", where you have a concept, that is made up of other concepts and struggle to seperate the parts, when necessary/useful.
If a person without ADHD would take amphetamine, they'd likely become more active, but that wouldn't mean they'd "treat their non-ADHD".
It's not like you have a certain amount of ADHD in your brain, that gets reduced by the meds, or a switch, that gets turned off.
1/
@strypey
In this "conflative thinking" ADHD is just a bunch of symptoms and not a way your brain works, but by that logic, you'd also "treat your ADHD" by living in a less stressful environment, or getting enough sleep.
Nobody would treat it as a "rejection" or even "betrayal" of your neurotype to live a healthy lifestyle, because you're reducing what people perceive to be "your ADHD".
People also generally wouldn't consider getting drunk at a party as a "treatment" of your autism.
2/
@strypey
There are allistic/NT traits that I'd see as an important part of their, what you'd call "clinical presentation" in medicine, that are affected by drugs.
In everyday life, because of the regularity of consumption, especially caffein, but in many cases also alcohol.
But we wouldn't say that NTs treat their "neurotypicality" with caffein.
Seeing "ADHD meds" as a "treatment for ADHD" is just the way most people can understand it the easiest.
3/
@strypey
So in the case of an "autism treatment", especially a medication, the question would be, what is even meant by "autism" and "treatment".
What "part" of the conflated "whole" gets "treated"?
Is it a treatment in the same way as people say they "become more autistic when stressed"(despite actually just becoming more visibly autistic while stressed, not more autistic per se)?
If you don't just see it as visible or recognisable symptoms, it gets a lot more complicated.
4/4
Strypey
hauch