O'tu (aka 02)Apr 24
Aaron

Well, this explains a lot...

https://www.psypost.org/a-long-shadow-childhood-adversity-predicts-combined-physical-and-mental-illness/

#ActuallyAutistic

And later:
#Depression
#Anxiety
#Diabetes

Childhood adversity predicts combined physical and mental illness in later life

Childhood adversity casts a long shadow on human health, elevating the risk of developing simultaneous physical and mental illnesses during adulthood. New research details how early trauma fundamentally alters long-term biological and psychological outcomes.

PsyPost Psychology News
Apr 22 at 6:12pmWeb
Show threadAaronApr 22
"The likelihood of developing these co-occurring illnesses rose sharply alongside the number of childhood traumas a person had experienced."
Show threadAaronApr 22

And this is especially relevant:

"For people with high levels of early adversity, early-onset depression played a massive role in paving the way for later physical decline."

I had my first encounter with major depression at age 12. As of the time I was diagnosed with diabetes, I had spent more time with major depression than not.

Show threadAaronApr 22

Things that often happen to you when you're autistic:

* You have no friends.
* You have lots of enemies.
* People blame you for things you didn't do or didn't intend.
* People infer maliciousness or negligence where there is none.
* People are violent without instigation.
* People do not care about your welfare because they believe you do not deserve or need care.

Show threadAaronApr 22
This happens when you're a kid, not just when you're an adult. And as a kid, you don't have the benefit of wisdom learned from the "school of hard knocks" so it's not clear how to defend yourself, nor why it's even necessary. You end up internalizing the social signals you receive to mean that you, as a person, are inferior and undeserving of love, not just by one person, but by *all* people.
Show threadAaronApr 22
And the violence... I won't go into details this time, but I can't count the number of times I was punched for literally minding my own business, helping someone, or conducting myself neutrally. I have a fake tooth -- for helping someone -- for example.
Show threadMorgan ⚧️Apr 22
@hosford42 *thinks back to that kid who knocked out my tooth and convinced all adults involved it was an accident when he punched me in the face* ohhh he was lying huh
Show threadKhleedrilApr 22
@hosford42 Story of my life. People on both sides of the fence need to see and understand these things.