What’s the current state of the art for use of psychoactive prescription medication (or pain medication?) in alleviating the symptoms of high-functioning autism?

I’m thinking particularly of an adult who acts mute, bottles up emotions, locks self in room for 24 hours at a time, avoids social interaction whenever possible. … (Yes, I know, this is much like a typical teenage boy, but I’m thinking much more severe) … But doesn’t have convulsions, exhibit restrictive repetitive behaviours, doesn’t have obvious mental retardation, or do anything overtly self-destructive, and is able alone to buy food and travel on train, possibly even to drive a car.

So my questions are with regard to prescription medications would be as follows:
a) Is the avoidance of social interaction a fear response? If so then some anti-anxiety medication should help.
b) Is the bottling up of emotional thoughts a serious danger? If so then some anti-psychotics should help.
c) Does the self-knowledge of inabilities create depression? Is so then perhaps SSRIs could help.
d) Is there mental anguish as a result of hearing hurtful things? If so then slow-acting painkillers could help.
e) What about alcohol, which tends to lubricate the tongue, or caffeine, which tends to speed up thought responses?

caffeine just makes you wired, I don’t think it helps you think faster to achieve an objective

Has this person actually been diagnosed as autistic?

Quite a cocktail, should remedy the atypicality regards the absence or poverty of a home/ly feel of the creature’s internal mental states.

Bubblecar said:

Has this person actually been diagnosed as autistic?

I have been told by a third party that the person believes himself to be autistic.

mollwollfumble said:

Bubblecar said:

Has this person actually been diagnosed as autistic?

I have been told by a third party that the person believes himself to be autistic.

He’ll need an official diagnosis before it’s time to talk about medication.

Bubblecar said:

mollwollfumble said:

Bubblecar said:

Has this person actually been diagnosed as autistic?

I have been told by a third party that the person believes himself to be autistic.

He’ll need an official diagnosis before it’s time to talk about medication.

Their autism makes them mentally unable to visit a doctor.

mollwollfumble said:

Their autism makes them mentally unable to visit a doctor.

Doesn’t sound very high-functioning.

mollwollfumble said:

Their autism makes them mentally unable to visit a doctor.

That’s a problem, but you can’t really expect prescriptions for a condition that hasn’t even been diagnosed. It might be depression or a personality disorder, or just a “phase”.

Witty Rejoinder said:

mollwollfumble said:

Their autism makes them mentally unable to visit a doctor.

Doesn’t sound very high-functioning.

The mental conditions of a very large number of mental problems make the patients unable to visit a doctor. Ranging through mental retardation, phobias, paranoia, and psychoses in general (because psychotic people don’t know that they’re sick).

mollwollfumble said:

The mental conditions of a very large number of mental problems make the patients unable to visit a doctor. Ranging through mental retardation, phobias, paranoia, and psychoses in general (because psychotic people don’t know that they’re sick).

It’s sounds as though they have worse symptoms than what is generally thought of when people are called high-functioning.

mollwollfumble said:

What’s the current state of the art for use of psychoactive prescription medication (or pain medication?) in alleviating the symptoms of high-functioning autism?

I’m thinking particularly of an adult who acts mute, bottles up emotions, locks self in room for 24 hours at a time, avoids social interaction whenever possible. … (Yes, I know, this is much like a typical teenage boy, but I’m thinking much more severe) … But doesn’t have convulsions, exhibit restrictive repetitive behaviours, doesn’t have obvious mental retardation, or do anything overtly self-destructive, and is able alone to buy food and travel on train, possibly even to drive a car.

So my questions are with regard to prescription medications would be as follows:
a) Is the avoidance of social interaction a fear response? If so then some anti-anxiety medication should help.
b) Is the bottling up of emotional thoughts a serious danger? If so then some anti-psychotics should help.
c) Does the self-knowledge of inabilities create depression? Is so then perhaps SSRIs could help.
d) Is there mental anguish as a result of hearing hurtful things? If so then slow-acting painkillers could help.
e) What about alcohol, which tends to lubricate the tongue, or caffeine, which tends to speed up thought responses?

Treat this as a general enquiry, not about a specific person. I’ve just found out that they think I have autism.

mollwollfumble said:

Treat this as a general enquiry, not about a specific person. I’ve just found out that they think I have autism.

Most of the symptoms mentioned would also be caused by anxiety and/or depression so I think that should be the first of of call. It is vital that they see a GP straight away, preferably a doctor who is familiar with the patients medical history.