Autism AND Schizophrenia | Dr Syl's Analysis

In this video, Dr Syl reviews another wonderful interview by the special book by special kids channel. It covers a young man with autism and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic psychotic illness and autism is a chronic condition associated with social reciprocity. It can be tricky when people have a dual diagnosis with these two conditions but hopefully this video provides some insight.
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** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional. If anything in this video was distressing please consider calling LifeLine 131114 **
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
01:28 - Review
23:10 - Closing comments

[@lofihidef]

The interviewer is a former special education teacher who stays in contact with the interviewees if they wish, if that helps. He often plays video games online and spends time with many of them when he's in their area.

[@jodyhowells1518]

God bless this compassionate human (interviewer) ❤

[@dianajane6185]

It seems that he became more confident and articulate when he realized the interviewer understood, accepted and liked him.

[@SchizophrenicCathy]

Wow! I didn't know a schizophrenia-autism correlation is actually common. I have both, but I just figured it was just coincidental.

[@AlisolteAllGrownUp]

Awa.

[@3k166]

I also have both but I discovered the comorbidity rates while studying the effects of psychedelics on autism and schizophrenia.

[@ZadenZane]

I heard something years ago where a psychiatrist said schizophrenia and autism were at opposite extremes. Something to do with "theory of mind". I tried to research autism and why was it first written about only in the 20th century and the irony was that before then it was often misdiagnosed as .... schizophrenia!!

[@fury_saves_world]

You are probably gifted, needed help too early, prematurely hypermature, possible autoimmunity and modernity's curse.

[@RubenEliasWiik]

Me to

[@CatMamma94]

Chris (the interviewer) does stay in touch and keep friendships with all his interviewees. And when he’s back in their area often visits them, if they wish of course. I’ve been following SBSK for many many years, I highly encourage you to watch as many videos as you can, even the not mental health related ones. They’ll help you soooo much as a doctor to relate to a wide variety of patients.

[@brookebickley6873]

Can you please tell me what the page is called for those videos

[@CatMamma94]

@@brookebickley6873 SBSK

[@joaoneves5701]

​Special books for special kids @brookebickley6873

[@MiggieJean]

@@brookebickley6873SBSK

[@thuggie1]

I have a friend with schizophrenia we met when we were in hospital years ago. It's always nice to see him and to chat. I find that when you have a mental illness, it can be very lonly due to others not speaking to you or the other one they speak down to you.

[@squidhands6941]

I have googled so many times the difference between seeing something out of the corner of your eye vs a true hallucination and never got a clear answer! You answered my question so well. Illusions are what I used to get all the time before my PTSD was treated/managed. I never had a word for them! I always just said “mini hallucinations.” Thank you for your help!

[@rachelk2457]

As someone with ASD, I would hate to have hallucinations because my sensory issues are stressful enough so to have more sensory overload to the max with voices. It would hurt my head A lot. That's why I feel super bad for people with this duel diagnosis. 😢

[@Ladulteautiste]

Concerning our inability to put the right word on how we feel, it's very much not helped by some "professionnals", who will tell us ad nauseam that we're experiencing angryness when what we're experiencing is distress and fear from sensory, cognitive or other form of overload. "Professionnals" misinterpret our external observable stuff (tone of voice, walking pace, postures, etc.) because they use their own self as a gage "I would be angry in that situation" and proceed to tell us that we don't use the right word. I see so many autistic teens and adults who've been mislead that way and are completely mixed up now in understanding their feelings because they've basically been gaslighted by "professionnals" who had no clue about how an autistic person experience reality.

[@Ladulteautiste]

I understand you mean well, are benevolent. But I do wish so badly that we could have access to autistic professionnals, that would not misinterpret so badly what we say and how we react and act.

[@zach446]

Being outwardly angry causes distress in others, even if you do not own up to it or want to call it something else. Not sure how it is with everyone with ASD, but the ones I know have issues taking responsibility and live in their own world where they are always correct.

[@thebluetwistie]

Agree Re: leading questions. As a psychologist, instead of asking “why”, I would ask “what” questions. e.g. “What is it that makes you feel uncomfortable when I ask questions?” 😊

[@isabellefaguy7351]

beign autisric, i have to correct you! stereotypies are not without purpose, we do them to self regulate from overload, either cognitive, emotionnal, physical pain, exhaustion, hungry, thirsty, too many verbal instruction, etc

[@isabellefaguy7351]

and othr purposes too, read autistic authors books, blogs, conferences,etc, you'll see that only non autistic think that stimming, repetitive movements and echolalia is purposeless

[@luxe0780]

thanks for sharing this. i pointed it out in his last video too. it was stated that stimming is purposeless movements, we all know stimming is a self soothing and self regulating behavior that is very important to an autistic person. i do feel like dr syl is not that familiar with autism.

[@squidhands6941]

i was going to say the same thing. I am aware when I am stimming and I can choose to stop, but it distressing to do so. I can see how to an outsider it looks like I am not in control of it, but I am! Its just a good way for me to have a bit more control over everything in my life.

[@andreakokko5246]

@@luxe0780I just found him now. That’s interesting he doesn’t know stimming is to self soothe. I love when I’m finally home and I can stim freely after a long day.

[@andreakokko5246]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@squidhands6941same.

[@sazonada]

I appreciate the Dr's comment about him saying "We're friends." Miguel seemed really excited about his new best friend. I am imagining it right now, the moment he realizes he's not coming back.

[@tammyhines1585]

Thank you for this great interview. As a mother of an Austist child I felt that I learned some new things today.

[@Maverick_Mad_Moiselle]

I have read that the term autism was meant at first to refer to certain symptoms of schizophrenia, I think the negative ones. and that eventually it was understood that autism was its own thing, distinct from schizophrenia. I've read studies claiming to evidence a link between the two conditions and it being possibly a spectrum going from autism to schizophrenia. But I've also read studies trying to differentiate them by opposing some features and thinking the two were unrelated. I've also read that having a parent with schizophrenia increased the probability of autism and schizophrenia. I think it would be nice if you made a video about how the 2 conditions might be related and how you differentiate them, how you make a double diagnosis of it. I've read schizophrenia can start in childhood and those children tend to be diagnosed as autistic until they grow old enough for doctors to notice psychosis. Also, aren't seizures/partial seizures known to potentially cause hallucinations, and don't they cause the kind of behavior he showed (blinking, absence)? I'm not sure if I remember that correctly.

[@chrissy24-7]

I think the seizures you are taking about are called "absent seizures". I have a friend who gets them. These didn't look like that, also my friend would have not realized that anything happened.

[@CruzFavela]

My son was miss diagnosed when he was little at the time they didn’t have a lot of information about autism, for my son the specialist diagnosed him with a slow learner and he was half a day in special need classes and the rest of the day in regular classes, when he became a young man everything went haywire it was crazy not to make it long he was baker act so many time I lost count, he went to jail got into drugs got kick out of school i didn’t know what else to do until I took him to a program were they help teens to complete high school but they require a psychiatric evaluation and that was the answer I need it, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and later on with autism but is not in his medical records because they told me it gets treated the same way as schizophrenia and unfortunately know I had to put him in a home that deal with adults that have mental problems because he refuse to take the medecine and the consequences to that were huge and I have no choice but to do that because I have a minor in my house is not easy for them or for the parents

[@chrissy24-7]

Great information in this and what an interesting interview. Just shows what connections can be built when understanding is the key.

[@anaguevara1900]

Loved this video ♥️ He’s so sweet and had incredible view points … this will help me better support my daughter thank you ❤

[@luxe0780]

hello - me again. i commented about autistic individuals in your last video. i’m commenting again - this time about the comment regarding autistics and the inability to connect deeply. autistic people can and do connect deeply, they have monotropic brains and so when they find something they like, then tend to go deep with it (hence the term “restricted” in the DSM, which is pretty non-neuroaffirming and very much takes the neurotypical perspective; it’s not so much that their interests are “restricted”, it’s just that they have deep focus on the subjects or things that are of lost interest to them). autistics do know how to connect, it’s just that they struggle with neurotypical social connections. you’re coming from a NT perspective and kind of assuming/positing that that’s the only one. please be aware that autistic connections and relationships are authentic and rich and meaningful, they’re just different to how NT connect.

[@SoupyGal]

This ^

[@jackyboyslim1379]

I don't think he said they can't. He just said it was difficult and abnormal.

[@jarradhurley4866]

He's clearly surrounded by a lot of positivity which means he'll find meaning in the struggle.

[@brookebickley6873]

This was one of my favourites in all the videos you have done to watch, I loved this guy, and enjoyed watching this one in particular.

[@DavidBowman-mq1bm]

I have both ASD autism spectrum disorder and SAD schizo affective disorder. That is one tall order. Its been a difficult journey. Starting to figure it all out though. Always wonder why I spent so much time alone. 95% of the time perhaps. I didn't know I had schizophrenia until last December of 2022. I had not been diagnosed previously with ASD in 2012. Spent most of my life clueless about my schizophrenia. Not the autism. That I had suspected since my 30's. I am 52.Thank you Dr.Syl for these videos. They have been enormously helpful to me. Had to proofread my post twice. I have dementia and some of posting lately has been atrociously error filled.

[@seadoll]

I have adhd and autism and I think I might have schizophrenia developing especially after both of my parents passing away everyday I hear voices talking down on me I sometimes see things at night and my sister has to remind daily it’s all in my head it’s getting way out of hand

[@erinbeswick403]

My brother also has Schizoprenia and Autism, I thought perhaps he was just very unlucky, I didn't realize that it was common.

[@fulicious2991]

His vibe is great, seems like a fun guy

[@Vanness11]

Very informative and a great video! Do you have another video about the correlation between Autism and Schizophrenia and how they interact together? Thanks for the post!

[@DrSyl]

Link to footage: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foTWq2uVq99_fa8si=KHqRWQJfQb8MhqPP Support the Channel by shouting me + the team a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/DrSyl.AU What should I watch next?

[@arieljadewarnick445]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5DaaGdtlJlqrqMsi=44PPtG3BPGgRhDTK found this to be an interesting conversation. Thank you for all your videos. 😊

[@maiganmattson5836]

Thanks for finding time to make content. Idk how you do it haha but I really appreciate it. Watching you is my relaxation lol

[@fredericbuchanan5570]

Anything SBSK is great!

[@JulianaAndersson]

I think it’s an important point that you bring up about the power differential between the interviewer and Miguel regarding the “we’re friends” part of the conversation… and how expectations of what being “friends” actually means may be different… it’s a valid concern… an interviewer always needs to build rapport, understanding and a safe zone for a successful interview… but there are boundaries to that professional space…

[@d14551]

I wonder if anyone has compared the cost of providing the kind of social supports you describe to the cost of the police and the prisons which too often are the largest "providers" of mental health services where those supports are not available.

[@ct9196]

Stunning. So fascinating.

[@ct9196]

And so sweet. What a beautiful video.

[@patrickvelazquez3419]

Man the “hurts” answer really hurts

[@radiochickpro]

😢

[@matthewcrome5835]

I have autism (Asperger's) and a mood/psychotic disorder (it's been alternately diagnosed as Schizoaffective and Bipolar with psychotic features, most doctors agree that I don't have psychosis to the extent of schizophrenia, but that I have psychosis to some extent). I don't really see a positive side to either of those. My ASD, though very high-functioning, can be very disabling in day-to-day life, and the psychotic stuff, though it's rarely gotten to the extent of a complete break from reality and I usually can recognize hallucinations (though not delusions obviously), is incredibly terrifying and isolating. And despite having two conditions associated with increased creativity/intelligence, I am by no means a genius. So I can see why some people might like having "an active imagination" or whatever side traits come with autism or schizophrenia, but I certainly don't see things that way.

[@sage4487]

I’m curious about visual hallucinations being rare. I have 3 adult kids with schizaffective order and all 3 have visual hallucinations. Not constantly but often. Also auditory hallucinations and tactile ones as well.

[@marthayoung3203]

Visual hallucinations in the psychosis spectrum and comparative information from neurodegenerative disorders and eye disease Flavie Waters, Daniel Collerton, Dominic H Ffytche, Renaud Jardri, Delphine Pins, Robert Dudley, Jan Dirk Blom, Urs Peter Mosimann, Frank Eperjesi, Stephen Ford, Frank Larøi Schizophrenia bulletin 40 (Suppl_4), S233-S245, 2014

[@tajjie_taj]

Interesting video. My criticism for you is although aggression/agitation may be true. Dont make that the first thing you say bro. People are gonna feed into stereotypes by you saying that. That people with mental heath issues and developmental disabilities are dangerous which simply isnt true.

[@EmberCrow]

I thought the same thing about the leading questions. I know an autistic guy that literally says yes to every yes or no question. You can ask him if he’s married and he says yes but he’s never had a girlfriend.

[@Srindal4657]

How do you tell the difference between simple dissociation and schizophrenia

[@ZadenZane]

You say visual hallucinations are rare in schizophrenia, i don't think so. I had a friend who spent decades in the mental health system living in halfway houses and i got to speak at length with people with schizophrenia and also bipolar and visual phenomena seem fairly common in both, especially schizophrenia

[@Maverick_Mad_Moiselle]

Consider sample bias and anecdotal evidence. He may be wrong but we would need to look it up properly to make sure of that.. But someone's personal experience can contradict with the reality of the general phenomenon. I've looked up very briefly for the most common types of hallucinations in schizophrenia and found this study (Hallucinations: Clinical aspects and management, 2010) confirming visual hallucination are quite less common than auditory hallucinations however they are fairly common indeed. I didn't bother to look more into it. I should have looked for a review/meta-analysis closer to the present year, but I can't be bothered atm.

[@tajjie_taj]

Yeah ive had both visual and auditory hallucinations but the auditory was way more.

[@darthmewtwosmaster4064]

Rushing an assessment is highly dangerous. "Gotta get it done" who do you think that helps?

[@chuckmaddox6725]

Curious. How would an Australian pronounce cephalosporin?

[@junepaterson2267]

My son is,autistic but has what they say is pseudo psychosis but the voices are constant and very destructive. I note that the psychiatry team are reluctant to say he has schizophrenia aswell.

[@radiochickpro]

I would love to understand more about visual hallucinations. If that is a symptom should other or medical tests be done? "Inflammation" in the brain sounds like a medical symptom to my layman ears.

[@SomeoneBeginingWithI]

Inflammation is a process that the body does when there is an injury, and especially if the injury becomes infected. Like if you get a cut on your hand, and it gets infected, the area will become swollen and red as bloodlflow increases to fight the infection. The swelling and increased blood flow is called inflammation. If there is a bacterial or viral infection in the brain, inflammation happens in the brain. That can cause hallucinations. In that case doctors would need to treat the infection.

[@h.a.n.na17]

I HAVE A DUAL DIAGNOSIS OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER AND SCHITZOPRENIA.

[@hays9008]

You are going to be/or are a fantastic psychiatrist

[@darklybright]

It's an interview for a youtube channel, and the guy doing the interview isn't a doctor. If you want to compare this to an anamnesic interview in your comments, it might be a good idea to explain a little why you are doing so.

[@Wendy-bd9zu]

Poor Soul ❤

[@heatherbc7914]

Does anyone else find the interviewer to be quite patronising? I'm autistic, but I mask a lot and most people i meet wouldn't immediately pick up on it, except maybe that i'm a bit odd. But in certain situations where I become more visibility autistic people change their voice and start talking to me like a child. You can speak clearly without doing the weird voice.

[@Maverick_Mad_Moiselle]

He is. He creeps me out a bit, but the people he interviews are interesting so I watched several of the videos he made.

[@SomeoneBeginingWithI]

I think he tailors how he talks to the individual person he's talking to. I'd feel patronised if I was talked to like that too, but Miquel seems to open up. If Miquel is hearing a lot of voices, it might be easier for him to hear the interviewer over the voices when he talks slowly and clearly like that. He has interviewed a lot of autistic people on the channel and he doesn't always use that voice.

[@KellyCDB]

Stimming is different from ticcing, js.

[@sarahcunniffe4678]

Typical for an autistic person to need to be told what the motivations are.

[@Alayhoo]

I’m autistic and do not have the “social deficits” described in the DSM when I’m interacting with other neurodivergent people, especially other autistic people. So saying we have social deficits isn’t that accurate. It’s more like we don’t understand neurotypical’s style of communication and interaction and society uses neurotypical communication as the baseline. More current research literature is slowly moving away from that sort of deficit based approach to understanding autism.

[@heatherbc7914]

I feel this. I think NTs have just as much trouble understanding NDs as we have understanding them, but they are the majority and write the diagnostic criteria, so we are the ones whose communication style is pathologised

[@Alayhoo]

@@heatherbc7914 exactly!

[@tajjie_taj]

Exactly. Cool to know this idea is starting to get debunked.

[@annissa8959]

I am also autistic ( late diagnosed woman) and I often feel I have so little of it that I have troubles fully identify with other autistics. However, that don't mean I don't have difficulties and ASD is a spectrum and a very broad spectrum. My own autistic attributes are probably not that visible because I often feel it hard to identify fully with other autistics. I am not a fan of the advice that autistics always should stick together with autistics (I have seen that sometimes), because if we do that only how will be ever be able to learn NTs to understand us? For me, that advice is mildly ableist, but I understand and respect those who have to do that to feel safe