What a week its been for several Asperger Adults that I know. Delusions, paranoia, anger outbursts were springing up like daffodils and tulips in New Hampshire. I told a colleague at the college this morning that there must be something in the Spring air that's interacting oddly with the neurochemistry of Asperger folks. An important question is Where does this psychotic behavior come from? Is it part of a schizophrenic process? Is it stress related?
I think that AS individuals spend most or all of their lives being (and feeling like) outsiders to the social world. When things go badly (or when unders stress, such as during final exam periods at colleges), they misinterpret the intentions of others, and begin to feel that others are "out to get them" and so on. In other words, I think their AS condition drives delusional behavior and paranoia, rather than some typical psychotic process. While anti-psychotic medications are always a possibility, I first encourage AS'ers suffering from psychotic symptoms to actively challenge these irrational ideas and work hard to move forward. Of course, I don't want them to suffer needlessly, and a pharmacology consult is always an option.
4:35:22 PM 
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