In 1925, Sukhareva clearly described older boys who were writing for a school newspaper in a great literary style, playing musical instruments, creating art, connecting deeply with nature and select individuals, and holding on to their ethical principles. They also had sensory sensitivities, limited motor coordination, intense idiosyncratic interests, and difficulties with socializing.
In 1973, an American psychologist called David Rosenhan published the results of a bold experiment. He'd arranged for eight pseudo-patients to attend appointments at psychiatric institutions, where they complained to doctors about hearing voices that said empty, hollow and thud. All were admitted, diagnosed with either schizophrenia or manic-depressive psychosis. They immediately stopped displaying any symptoms and started saying they felt fine. The first got out after seven days; the last after 52.
This week, the Trump administration announced that it was taking "bold action" to address the "epidemic" of autism spectrum disorder - starting with a new safety label on Tylenol and other acetaminophen products that suggests a link to autism. The scientific evidence for doing so is weak, researchers said. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said federal officials "will be uncompromising and relentless in our search for answers"
Internalising conditions are defined by what a person feels inside-thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations-that may not be visible to others. Take depression: although it can involve externally observable changes like altered sleep, appetite, or activity, its essence is often thought to draw heavily on internal, subjective experiences: lowered mood, emotional blunting, feelings of guilt, and rumination. The same is true for anxiety disorders, where excessive worry, dread, and tension are core criteria.
Suicide is a topic that is often challenging to mention for those struggling with these thoughts, their families, and those around them. Misophonia is likely a neurophysiological condition that causes significant distress from otherwise normal auditory stimuli such as chewing, snapping, sneezing, and more (Brout, 2018). Distress is a major component of misophonia, and it may not be shocking to some that misophonia has been linked to self-harm and suicidal ideation (Edelstein, 2013; Alekri, 2019). Despite this link, misophonia suicide awareness is rarely a detailed topic of conversation in social media and peer support communities.