The magic of a movie: inspiring or ...?

[Seraphim]

If they have to accept SCD as autism they have to drop one the defining criterias of autism and that is repetitive movement and narrowed interests. Those are pivotol to diagnosis.

[midnightdeirdre]

It is on the website because previously children who were diagnosed autistic were re diagnosed SCD and are not getting services they got under the autistic umbrella and parents are peeved.

Oh. I can see why that would tick off parents. (Even the article said SCD kids can benefit from autism services.) In which case, I won't be surprised if the diagnosises get changed again very soon....geez, I hope they do.

[Seraphim]

Asperger's is not called SCD now but believe whatever you want.

[midnightdeirdre]

If they have to accept SCD as autism they have to drop one the defining criterias of autism and that is repetitive movement and narrowed interests. Those are pivotol to diagnosis.

 

As I said, I can remember lining things up a lot....particularly coins. Quarters, nickels, dimes, pennies, perfectly stacked from biggest to smallest, next to each other.

[midnightdeirdre]

Asperger's is not called SCD now but believe whatever you want.

 

I'm just telling you what the article said, and what my doctor explained to me. But whatever.

[Seraphim]

As I said, I can remember lining things up a lot....particularly coins. Quarters, nickels, dimes, pennies, perfectly stacked from biggest to smallest, next to each other.

 

That is not what is meant by repetitive movement. Repetitive movement is non conscious movement which is repeated .

[Heather Dawn]

Wow, we've really gotten away from the point here. Bottom line - you need help.

[midnightdeirdre]

Wow, we've really gotten away from the point here. Bottom line - you need help.

lol, I'll admit, this made me laugh. But anyway--- I've seen various counselors and therapists since I was 16. Only a few have geniuinely helped. So now my question is: What kind of help should I get for this issue? Check into a psychiatric center at my local hospital? Tell my current counselor and have her move me along to ANOTHER therapist that's quipped to handle this?

[Seraphim]

Tulip, I know your parents have been very unsupportive of you. I am sorry. It is probably why you have turned to fiction for self soothing. The most effective form of self soothing though is to rely upon ourself. I'm sure your present counselor could really help you. But for anyone to be able to help you you have to be honest with them.

[browneyedgirl36]

I feel responsible for this thread going off track as I'm the one who mentioned that the OP had indicated she was diagnosed with Aspergers. I'm sorry about that, but I did feel it was relevant, again, based on my experience as a teacher working with adults who are on the autism spectrum, particularly AS.

 

Anyway...while I think the OP could benefit from counseling (as could many, many of us, I suspect), I guess I'm in the minority in not thinking this is all as "off" as everyone else does. I think a lot of us -- myself included -- have turned to sources outside of ourselves to soothe ourselves in times of anxiety and distress. I know for me, as a young person, it was books and music. I was pretty obsessed with certain books and certain bands/performers -- I spent a lot of my time immersing myself in those. I was bullied as a young person, and I never felt like I fit in anywhere, and the characters in the books felt like friends to me. The song lyrics spoke to me. Granted, this pretty much ceased when I became a young adult, but...as the OP has admitted that she has been seeing a counselor for some time and that she could very well be on the autism spectrum, I don't see this as being some manifestation of a serious mental illness that requires serious attention (i.e. hospitalization).

 

I'm not saying this kind of thing, at the OP's age, is "normal" -- it's definitely unusual -- but I think we ALL have some method of self-soothing that others would think is odd, or at least that others wouldn't partake in. I just think this particular one seems strange to a lot of people because of the OP's age. She has a college degree and holds down a job, so it doesn't seem, at least, as if it's interfering with her ability to function on a daily basis or anything, though it may interfere with some relationships and may prevent her from making decisions about certain things. Now, if the characters in the film were "talking" to her, "telling" her to do things, then...I might be more concerned, especially if those things were bad/destructive things; that might be evidence of a significant mental health issue.

 

My suggestion: Talk to your current counselor about this. Explain to him or her the situation and your concerns about it. A professional can be a lot more helpful than we can in terms of determining whether this is something you should be really concerned about because he or she will be more effective in differentiating between behaviors that are merely odd/eccentric and ones that suggest an underlying mental health issue.

[midnightdeirdre]

She has a college degree and holds down a job

True; but the only job I've been able to keep and be successful at for over a year is being a part-time cashier/bagger at my local supermarket.

 

so it doesn't seem, at least, as if it's interfering with her ability to function on a daily basis or anything

By "function" I assume you mean take showers, brush teeth, right? I once bought certain body lotions/soaps because they reminded me of my movie.

 

though it may interfere with some relationships and may prevent her from making decisions about certain things.

Isn't this the same as functioning on a daily basis?

[midnightdeirdre]

I'm sure your present counselor could really help you. But for anyone to be able to help you you have to be honest with them.

Of course I've been honest.

[Seraphim]

Of course I've been honest.

 

Not what I mean. What I mean is tell her your fantasy life about your movie.

[browneyedgirl36]

True; but the only job I've been able to keep and be successful at for over a year is being a part-time cashier/bagger at my local supermarket.

 

 

By "function" I assume you mean take showers, brush teeth, right? I once bought certain body lotions/soaps because they reminded me of my movie.

 

 

Isn't this the same as functioning on a daily basis?

 

Well, but "function" I mean you can do the basic things that people need to be able to do to survive -- work, take care of yourself (and yes, showering and hygiene are part of that), feeding yourself, etc. -- basic functions of life.

 

As far as relationships and making decisions go, yes, some of those things CAN be tied to functioning on a daily basis -- i.e. you have to be able to work/reasonably get along with other people in order to be able to hold down a job; you have to be able to make basic decisions (i.e. about eating, managing your time, managing your money, etc.) I guess what I was referring to more in my post were things like dating (where, for example, someone might find some of your ideas and behaviors "odd" and might be put off of dating you because of them) or making decisions (i.e. not to do a certain non-essential thing because of how your favorite movie makes you feel, etc.) These things aren't essential to the daily basic functions of life; you don't *need* to date in order to survive, certain decisions won't cause any significant hardship or strain on your life, etc.

 

What I'm getting at is this: While I think your feelings are a bit unusual for an adult, it seems, from what you've posted, that your life is not terribly adversely affected by this. You're still able to work (yes, even if it's just a part-time gig at a grocery store, which is more than a lot of people are able to do), you were able to go to college, you have dated, and you have relationships with your family and others. If you're not suicidal, not profoundly depressed, not hearing voices or hallucinating or thinking of harming yourself or others, I'd say you definitely do NOT need to consider hospitalization or anything close to that. I really think -- and again, this is not the assessment of a professional by any means -- that what you experience is a part of being at least somewhere on the autism spectrum, as opposed to being a manifestation of some sort of mental illness that needs all kinds of special attention. That said, however, it can't hurt to discuss it with your counselor, who IS a professional and can give you a better sense of what, if anything, you should do about this.

[midnightdeirdre]

I think you need professional help. You claim to know the difference between reality and fantasy - and perhaps you do on an intellectual level - but you clearly have emotional problems to work out if you're living your life based on a movie. It's so unhealthy and abnormal. If you don't seek help now, you will only slide deeper into trouble.

 

What professional help do you think I should get? I get a sense from you that seeing my current counselor isn't enough.

[Batya33]

What professional help do you think I should get? I get a sense from you that seeing my current counselor isn't enough.

 

How about explaining your latest situation to your counselor and ask if she thinks you need to see someone other than her to work on that issue.

[midnightdeirdre]

How about explaining your latest situation to your counselor and ask if she thinks you need to see someone other than her to work on that issue.

 

I agree. I don't see her until the 14th, which stinks.

[midnightdeirdre]

When I first entered college, I tried to be something I wasn't. Throughout high school, I planned that when I went to college, I would party till I puked, then when I went home, I'd be the quiet-version of myself. (Dr. Jekell/Mr. Hyde complex.) It stemmed from my feeling of not fitting in. I also had an OCD issue where I was afraid of getting tired of things that I loved, and/or if I brought something back from home back to college with me, I would no longer associate that item with home, but with college. I basically wanted to separate "church & state."

 

I'm beginning to realize that my movie is Justin's Superman II ~ it was the Universe's way of telling me, "THIS is who you are! Not a party animal like you're trying to be." That's why I love it so much. And I don't want to "betray" it----because if I do, I'm betraying myself. :strawberry:

[midnightdeirdre]

Update: I spoke with my counselor about this, and read to her all the various opinions on here. She agrees with browneyedgirl36.

[Heather Dawn]

I think you need a new counselor.

[midnightdeirdre]

I think you need a new counselor.

 

I feel I should explain more about why the movie has such an impact on me.

 

Ages 8-13 were the most difficult years in my life. I was a loner who stuttered and struggled both academically, socially, and emotionally. It wasn't until recently---like I've said---was I diagnosed with a Social Communications Disorder/Aspergers/light autism, whatever you want to call it. (Age 14, while I still struggled with my depression and autism, was a good year for me, as school was suddenly easy and I had some close friends.)

 

When I entered high school, things became difficult for me again. I lost my close friends and schoolwork became difficult and stressful. My life truly didn't start to become positive until I attended my second college; and even then, it was sometimes painful because other students would reminice about their high school memories; which I, obviously, couldn't contribute to.

 

I have a close friend who I've known since kindergarden, and we meet for breakfast about once a week. But it still pains me to hear her talk about her other friends and how she has plans with them. Even in elementary school---back when email was just starting out---I stumbled upon a black 3-ring binder, full of pages of printed-out emails that she had with a French penpal. As you can guess, it hurt me to see that she had "secret" friend behind my back. ("Like she wasn't valuing the friendship as much you were," my couselor wisely observed.)

 

The movie is about a close-knit family who lives in the woods in their town. While they have some close friends, they are essentially loners.

 

Now, can you understand why I love the movie so much?

[midnightdeirdre]

I watched the movie tonight with my dad. It didn't effect me as much as it always has, which is disappointing. Although I know why: we watched it on our new TV, and the picture-quality was almost too clear! (HD hurts my eyes.) Plus, the room was too warm, so I didn't feel very comfortable phsyically.

 

But what really makes me cry is that my OCD was really bad tonight. When I really love something, I have intrusive thoughts that ruin it. (I'll think of bad memories, body parts, over & over again and then try to compensate by thinking of a good memory to replace it.)

 

I do take medication to help with my OCD and depression. I ran out of my medication a few days ago and went 2 days without taking it (my doctor had to call in the refill). The second day I was feeling the withdrawal effects horribly, and thank GOODNESS my pharmacy was able to give me 2 pills to tie me over until my medication got filled. (This may have been why my OCD was so bad tonight as I watched the movie.) Ugh, sorry needed to rant.

[midnightdeirdre]

UGH, now I feel horrible because I didn't feel the magic of the movie that I have always felt whenever I've watched it. (Although I think my reasons as to why are correct.)

 

Although it still breaks my heart thinking that it might actually be because I've changed and grown...and maybe don't need the movie as much as I used to.

[midnightdeirdre]

Ok---I thought about it some more and talked it over with my friend Jacki. I realize now it was definitly mainly the picture-quality that did it----it made the movie "different." More other reasons were legit also.

[Heather Dawn]

OK, first of all - it's Twilight, isn't it?

 

Second of all, how's it coming with finding a new counselor? Because you don't sound like you've improved at all.