Episode 131 - Mental Diagnosis Inclusivity

In this episode, the two Matts install an AI for their house that's incredibly overzealous and ruins everything as AIs do, compare themselves to giant fantasy books in terms of girth and children's picture books in terms of depth, talk about twists and when they work versus when they don't, and talk about writing characters with different mental diagnoses in the last of our set about inclusivity. How should writers treat these characters? Do these mental diagnoses define the characters, or can they expand beyond it? How can you handle revealing outright if characters have these diagnoses? Is Matt Donald justified in his dislike of Shane Black, or is he being overdramatic as usual? We discuss it all, with actual experience in the matter as a person on the autism spectrum or living with someone on the spectrum, and talk about Jurassic World, Big Bang Theory, The Predator, and a hilarious Donald Glover standup special for some reason. Have any feedback or questions for our hosts? Email us at [email protected]. Also you can purchase Matt Donald's book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. If you'd like, of course. Also, here's our links for guides on writing these characters: There’s a literal encyclopedia’s worth of information out there.  To get you started though (wind up the car and let ‘er rip!), here’s a link: https://medlineplus.gov/mentaldisorders.html or from Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968  To read about anxiety disorders from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH.nih.gov):https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/  Mood disorders, accessed at Mental Health America: https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/mood-disorders  From the American Psychology Association, regarding personality disorders: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders   Stress disorders and dealing with them, from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body  Neurodevelopmental disorders, from Dignity Health: https://www.dignityhealth.org/las-vegas/services/neurological-care/neurodevelopmental-disorders  Somatic symptom disorders from the Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17976-somatic-symptom-disorder-in-adults  Neurocognitive disorders, this from MedlinePlus: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001401.htm [by the way, these typically come later in life than the developmental phase, including dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.] Finally, as a source for those dealing WITH said people: https://www.mhanational.org/recognizing-warning-signs