How could anyone know that I was looking for this? I didn't talk to anyone! It was heard at the next table. It's the algorithm! they said quickly. How? questioned the same initial voice incredulously. It's the algorithm! repeated the second voice again, certain of what it was saying and with the idea that every human being should know about it by now.
Has something like this ever happened to you? Looking for something and suddenly feeling that all the stimuli present on the Internet point to it? Even the most distracted must have already stumbled upon this algorithm. I have, that's for sure. And sometimes I have also experienced people stumbling on the algorithm and coming to me. That's right, apparently people were looking for something and came to me. Calm down, that this is no self-congratulatory text. And actually people aren't looking for me. In fact people aren't even really sure what they're looking for. But the algorithm seems to know. Weird? Scary? It's not, I'll explain!
The algorithm represents the steps needed to solve a problem. And no, it's not just a concept of now and information technology. Problems have been around for longer than that and have always needed to be solved. That is why the concept of algorithm comes as far back as Euclid. For any problem there is a finite sequence of executable actions that seek to obtain the solution to that particular problem. For example, many have tried to build the Tower of Hanoi. And in that attempt they have discovered that there is a sequence of steps that need to be performed. But what does this algorithm issue have to do with autism?
When people use a search engine, for example like Google, they have a problem. That's right, a problem! That is, there is something they seek to know, understand, learn, know, etc. And the results derived from that same search will constitute the solution or solutions to meet their needs. Bearing in mind that the internet has for some time now presented an endless amount of information, this information needs to be ranked. And so, the solutions presented by the search engine appear in a certain order, precisely calculated according to the algorithm.
Now with regard to autism, more and more people are searching for information about autism in the various existing search engines. Either because they have someone known with this diagnosis, because they want to know more about autism, but also because they themselves suspect they may be autistic. And when people think they may be autistic, they start visiting sites with information about this condition. Or they look for information about aspects of mental health, but also about certain behaviours they display. For example, "difficulties in social interaction", "social isolation", "like routines", "noise hypersensitivity", etc. The words used are many and not always the most appropriate to lead the person quickly to the right information. But the person does not give up on finding a solution to their problem and undertakes several and further attempts at the search engine. And the algorithm, which has this ability to learn, refines the information that the person needs.
Moreover, as there are many other conditions that end up happening simultaneously with autism, usually called comorbidities, people end up finding this solution more quickly. And from here they discover that they have a lot more to discover. But at least they know that there is a possible way to get an answer to their questions. So, if we all talk more about autism, more people will find solutions to their questions.
And this is the beginning of the whole journey - finding an initial answer and leading to a diagnosis. Early research began by helping the person to understand that there may be an understanding, an explanation for their person, what they do, feel and think. As well as helping the person to find health professionals who can help them in this process. And this is when some people find me and more precisely the site www.autismonoadulto.com. But it also helps people to find autistic communities and people with whom they can more easily and quickly identify and who provide them with a sense of identity and belonging.
The rest of the journey is something that goes on, with ups and downs, successes and failures, frustrations and solutions, just like everything else in everyone's life. In the case of adult autistic people, it is important that they can be the ones to build their path and their life project, even if it can be carried out in an accompanied way and with preferences by people they choose and it makes sense for them to have present. As such, this research, on autism and not only, is a research not only of behaviours and medical and psychological concepts, but it is also and fundamentally a research on themselves. And that is an inherent characteristic of the human condition.
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