20. Thought disorders
The AS person is born with an ASC, an ‘altered state of consciousness’; it is there from the start. The state of consciousness is different, something allistic people find difficult to conceive. That does not mean our AS state of thought is disturbed, but the information perceived is different. There is much additional information we can learn to interpret throughout life, linked to the AS person's more developed and sensitive senses.
It is like changing to glasses with a new prescription: at first it feels strange, but our brain adapts. ‘When we look through binoculars, we see things differently: in more detail.’
Our senses send information through neurons to the centre of our brain. The information is distributed to assigned processing areas where it is computer-processed, as neuroscience puts it. The brain creates algorithms to automate the process; neurotransmitters carry information. The process of transmission and reception requires sufficient neurotransmitters suited to the task and active reception areas. When the process is out of balance, the head becomes disturbed or dysfunctional.
Thought disorders in the AS person are currently being studied by neuroscience, which focuses on salience in the functioning of dopamine (a neurotransmitter) in the brain. Dopamine records and sorts events in a particular way: salience is how an event is highlighted and ranked. Many thought disorders in AS people are linked to the functioning and distribution of dopamine. Dopamine can make us misinterpret information, turning it into a false thought. In the worst cases, a misinterpreted information record is filed away.
Altered consciousness gives thoughts a different interpretation. Allistic people experience ASC when they take substances described as hallucinogens; these states are comparable to the AS person's natural state of consciousness, perceiving another world, said to see other planes.
I am sincerely sorry for all those unable to perceive these different planes. Most of humanity cannot see them, but that does not mean they do not exist. You see, in many areas the AS person really is different: it is not only a difference in perception through the seven senses, but also a completely different way of managing information.
ASC is a major asset in the artistic world: many artists have an AS genetic background.