Microstory 318: Neuropsychological Function

This is an experimental Stepwisdom microstory. The introduction can be found in Microstory 300. More to follow.

When I say neuropsychological function, I’m really just using it as an umbrella term for all things that have to do with the brain and mind. As with many other needs, I struggled to find a place for it in the list. It sort of feels like it’s something you don’t want to worry about until other issues are resolved, but there is an argument for its earlier placement. I suppose, in the end, I decided to treat it as a bridge between personal needs and societal needs. Most, if not all, needs I’ve discussed thus far have involved an individual’s ability to survive. Everyone needs those things somewhat independently of how they relate to others. Psychological health, however, is a global issue; one that every nation and subculture has a responsibility to deal with, in some way. If there is no general drive towards a world of well-adjusted, fulfilled people, then there is probably no world at all. As I’ve said before, I was recently diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Autism, as a word, comes with a lot of stigma, so it’s not a perfect description, but the word disorder probably does people like me the biggest disservice. I’m personally happy with who I am, and I wouldn't call my autism a mental health issue. My duty to find my place in the world is no more important than anyone else’s. It is, perhaps, simply more difficult. All this means is that I’m not one to believe we should all possess the same brain chemistry. But there are things that people of certain mental conditions struggle with, and these problems should be addressed accordingly. Likewise, a population must consider these problems as a whole, and try to find ways to make everyone capable of enjoying life. The first step in solving any problem is education. We could all learn something from the mental state of someone else.