neurological disorder

Written By Najwa Bashir

Whether you are a psychology student looking for movies and shows to understand the diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or someone just interested in enhancing your knowledge about this psychiatric disorder, add the following 10 movies and shows on autism to your watch list! Each of these movies and shows showcases autism in its unique way and will surely serve the purpose you are planning to watch them for!

Hollywood Movies

Rain Man (1988)

Rain Man, with Tom Cruise as the autistic child, is an original and famous movie that changed the way movies hugely show autism. This thriller from 1988, directed by Barry Levinson, got great reviews. Tom Cruise plays Charlie Babbitt, and Dustin Hoffman plays Raymond Babbitt, Charlie’s older brother, who is presented as having autism. The movie is about Charlie, a young man who is self-centered and interested in material things. He finds out about his long-lost brother Raymond when their father dies and leaves Raymond a large income. Charlie goes on a road trip with Raymond at first because he wants to save money, but he ends up learning a lot about his brother’s illness and the amazing skills that come with it.

A Brilliant Young Mind (2014)

For people with autism, making new friends can be hard, especially when they are teenagers. This movie is good for the whole family because it shows how a smart young man who has trouble making friends makes friends with a girl when he makes it onto the British team for the International Mathematics Olympiad. The moving story shows that even though it can be hard, making new friends can be done if you have ASD. His family will cheer for both his team and his new friendship.

Fly Away (2011)

The story of Fly Away is about how hard it is for Jeanne to be with her autistic teenage daughter Mandy. Mandy does a lot of bad things that Jeanne has to deal with while she tries to run her own life. Mandy’s behavior gets so bad at one point that her mother has to care for her 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and loses her job as a result. Mandy’s father and Jeanne need to find out if domestic placement is a choice for her. This could give her a safe place to live and more freedom.

Hollywood Shows

Atypical (2017)

This show is about a young man with autism who is 18 years old and wants to find a girlfriend and won’t let the fact that his mother is watchful stop him. His search throws his family into a panic as they try to find their freedom and learn how hard it has been to care for someone with ASD. It’s a show that makes you feel good, breaks your heart, and makes you think.

The Good Doctor (2017)

In The Good Doctor, a young autistic surgeon and genius from a difficult past moves from Wyoming to busy San Jose, California, to work at a famous hospital. His amazing skills and gifts as a surgeon keep him going as he deals with relationships and other problems in a new place. This show is a great medical story that shows the beautiful, unique, and complicated conflicts of life with ASD.

Bollywood Movies

Barfi (2012)

Jhilmil is a young girl with autism who is played by Priyanka Chopra in the movie. Priyanka learned a lot about autistic kids and how they act to get ready for the part. This comedy-drama movie was one of the best-reviewed and most-bought movies of that year. It was also India’s official entry for the 85th Academy Award for “Best Foreign Language Film.” Jhilmil, played by Priyanka Chopra, is autistic and finds love with Barfi, played by Ranbir Kapoor, who is deaf and dumb. Through Jhilmil’s trip, the movie did a great job of showing a small part of the daily lives of autistic people and the different ways they feel. Chopra’s performance as the character was so complex and natural that The Forum for Autism (FFA) asked her to be the face of their campaign.

Yuuvraj (2008)

The role played by Anil Kapoor in the 2008 movie Yuuvraj is said to have autism. In the movie, he plays Gyanesh, a rock star musician. The movie is based on the Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman movie Rain Man. In that movie, Hoffman plays a genius with autism.

The main focus of everything is Gyanesh Yuvvraaj. However, since he is autistic and a genius, he has no idea what money is, so his huge fortune doesn’t affect him at all. He only wants love. Without it, he dies. He has a genius problem by some strange turn of events. He has been very good at all kinds of singing since he was a child. He walks into Deven’s world of music and instantly turns into the hero Deven always wanted to be.

Turkish Shows

Dönence

Gece is at the heart of the story in this drama. She had planned to go to college and spend the summer making music with her boyfriend Emir. But she had to change her plans because her disabled sister Gülce is having a hard time in Istanbul with all the noise and people. Gece finds herself in Foça with her family out of the blue because she doesn’t want to leave her lover and all her dreams in Istanbul. Right away, her whole world changes, then she meets Özgür, a teacher at the sailing club where her brother is a member. After his parents died in a fire, Özgür, a beautiful young man, has given his whole life to his brother Rüzgar, who has Asperger’s Syndrome. Gece learns how to look at life more maturely as she spends more time with Özgür, and Özgür learns from Gece that she shouldn’t put life off.

Mucize Doktor

This drama is about Ali, a young autistic genius who just graduated from medical school and had a hard childhood. He is very smart, but his situation makes it hard for him to talk to other people. He really wants to become a surgeon. Adil is Ali’s uncle and the head doctor at the Anka Private Hospital. When Ali gets a good score in TUS, he wants to hire him as an assistant doctor in the hospital where he is the top physician. The hospital, on the other hand, is very against Adil. Ali has to deal with a lot of problems in this new world. Because of how smart he is, he helps many people, gets through tough times, and saves lives. But because of his situation, he also makes mistakes along the way. On the other hand, he keeps fighting his handicap and tries to figure out how to talk to other people. He learns what it means to be a person and slowly starts to stand on his own. In that hospital, Ali learns more than just how to be a surgeon.

Pakistani Dramas

Pyar ke Sadke

Pyar ke Sadke, which was written by Zanjabeel Asim, screens the main characters, Bilal Abbas and Yumna Zaidi. Both of them have Autism Spectrum Disorder and are dealing with life’s problems in their unique ways. Even though they both think about what they want in life all the time, it is clear that they are willing to fight hard for it. It gets worse for both characters because they have to keep up with the rest of the world and even go ahead of it. After all, that’s what their gender roles and societal rules say they should do. The weight of hopes and disappointments is so great that constant pain is unavoidable. Pyar ke Sadkey shows the sad truths of life in the best way possible. The beautiful plot is made even better by the light humor and real feelings of someone with ASD. As the series goes on, we see more changes and unexpected events. We also get to see Yumna and Bilal find peace in each other because only they can understand the pain that their society causes them.

Written by Najwa Bashir

ADHD is a brain condition characterized by problems with not paying attention, getting things done, or being too active and impulsive. People with inattention and disorganization can’t stay on task, don’t seem to listen and lose things they need for jobs at levels that aren’t appropriate for their age or level of development. Overactivity, pacing, not being able to stay sat, interrupting other people’s activities, and not being able to wait are all signs of hyperactivity-impulsivity that are too much for the person’s age or level of development. During youth, ADHD often happens at the same time as “externalizing disorders” like oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder of some people. ADHD often lasts into adulthood, which can make it hard to function in social, school, and work settings (American Psychiatric Association, 2022, p. 36).

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental and behavioral illnesses that kids and teens come to see for help. People with ADHD often have signs and problems that last a long time, even into adulthood. A lot of the time, ADHD is linked to other problems, like mood, worry, or drug abuse issues. Untreated ADHD has a lot of social and community costs over a person’s lifetime, such as poor academic and job performance, crime, car accident safety, and relationship problems (Wilens & Spencer, 2010). ADHD is one of the most common neurological diseases in the world. About 5–7% of children and teens (Polanczyk et al., 2007; Thomas et al., 2015) and about 2.5% of adults (Fayyad et al., 2017; Song et al., 2021) have it. A careful clinical review of symptoms and functional problems is needed to make a diagnosis of ADHD. Important standard factors help doctors make accurate diagnoses, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5th version (DSM 5) (Da Silva et al., 2023). According to DSM 5 TR, the following are the diagnostic criteria and features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Diagnostic Criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

A. A pattern of persistent lack of attention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that gets in the way of working or growth, as shown by (1) and/or (2):

Not paying attention: at least six of the following symptoms have been present for at least six months in a way that is not consistent with the child’s developmental level and has a direct negative effect on social, academic, or work activities:
Note: The symptoms are not just a sign of oppositional behavior, resistance, anger, or not being able to understand what to do or how to do it. There must be at least five signs for older teens and adults (17 years and up).
a. Doesn’t pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in school, work, or other activities (for example, forgets or skips details, produces incorrect work).
b. Often has trouble staying focused on tasks or games (for example, has trouble staying on task during classes, talks, or long reading).
c. During direct communication, often doesn’t seem to listen (e.g., mind seems elsewhere, even when there aren’t any obvious distractions).
d. In general, doesn’t do what they’re told and doesn’t finish schoolwork, jobs, or work duties (for example, they might start a task but get distracted quickly).
e. Has a lot of trouble planning activities and tasks (for example, can’t keep things in order; work is often messy and disorganized; suffers from poor time management and misses deadlines).
f. Usually avoids, dislikes, or doesn’t want to do things that take long-term mental effort, like schoolwork or chores; for older teens and adults, this could include writing reports, filling out forms, or going over long papers.
g. Frequently drops things they need to do things (like school supplies, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, cell phones, etc.).
h. Is quickly distracted by outside stimuli, which for later teens and adults may include thoughts that aren’t connected.
i. Forgets to do things like do jobs and run errands, or for older teens and adults, remember to return calls, pay bills, and keep meetings.
Hyperactivity and impulsivity: At least six of the following symptoms have been present for at least six months in a way that is not consistent with the child’s age or level of development and has a bad effect on social, academic, or work activities:
Note: The symptoms are not just a sign of oppositional behavior, resistance, anger, or not being able to understand what to do or how to do it. There must be at least five signs for older teens and adults (17 years and up).
a. Moves their hands or feet around a lot or squirms in their seat.
b. Often gets up from their seat when they are supposed to stay put, like when they are in class, the office, or another place of work, or when they need to stay put in other situations.
c. Runs around or climbs up often when it’s not proper to do so. Note: In teens and adults, it may just mean feeling restless.
d. Not able to play or do other fun things alone very often.
“Is often on the go,” acting like they are “driven by a motor” (e.g., can’t or doesn’t like being still for long periods of time, like in restaurants or meetings; others may see them as restless or hard to keep up with).
f. Talks too much a lot of the time.
g. Often blurts out an answer before the question is finished (for example, finishing other people’s words; can’t wait their turn in a talk).
h. Often has trouble waiting for his or her turn (for example, in line).
Often stops or gets in the way of other people’s conversations, games, or activities (for example, butts into conversations, games, or activities; may start using other people’s things without asking or getting permission; for teens and adults, may get in the way of or take over what others are doing).

B. Several signs of not paying attention or being restless and reckless were present before the age of 12.
C. In two or more places (like at home, school, or job; with friends or family; doing other things), the person shows several signs of not paying attention or being hyperactive-impulsive.
D. There is strong proof that the symptoms impair or lower the quality of social, academic, or professional performance.
E. The symptoms aren’t just a part of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder, and they can’t be explained by another mental disorder, like a mood disorder, an anxiety disorder, a dissociative disorder, a personality disorder, or heavy or light drug use.

Specify if:
F90.2 If both Criteria A1 (not paying attention) and A2 (being hyperactive or impulsive) have been met for the past 6 months, the person will be given a combined presentation.
F90.0 Presentation that is mostly not paying attention: If Criteria A1 (not paying attention) is met but Criteria A2 (hyperactivity or recklessness) has not been met in the last 6 months.
F90.1 If Criteria A2 (hyperactivity-impulsivity) is met and Criterion A1 (inattention) has not been met in the last 6 months, the person is likely to be hyperactive or impulsive.
Specify if:
In partial remission: Less than the full set of standards have been met for the past 6 months, but the symptoms still make it hard to function in social, school, or occupational settings.
Specify the current severity:
Mild: There are few or no symptoms that go beyond those needed to make the diagnosis, and the symptoms don’t make it hard to do things at work or in social situations.
Moderate: There are symptoms or problems with functioning that are between “mild” and “severe.”
Severe: There are a lot of symptoms, more than what is needed to make a diagnosis, or several very bad symptoms. The symptoms make it very hard to function in social or work settings.

Diagnostic Features for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a pattern of chronic inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that gets in the way of working or growth. ADHD kids with inattention act out by getting sidetracked, not following through on directions, not finishing work or jobs, having trouble staying focused, and being disorganized. This isn’t because they are defiant or don’t understand.
Hyperactivity is when a person does too much of something, like running around when it’s not proper, or when they fidget, tap, or talk too much. Adults with hyperactivity may be very antsy or wear other people out with all their activity. If someone acts impulsively, they do things quickly and without thinking, which could hurt themselves (for example, running into the street without looking).
Impulsivity could mean that a person wants benefits right away or can’t wait to get them. People who act on impulse may be socially offensive (for example, talking over other people too much) or make big decisions without thinking about the long-term effects (for example, applying for a job without enough information).
ADHD starts in childhood.
The fact that several symptoms must be present before age 12 shows how important a significant clinical picture during childhood is. At the same time, a younger age at onset is not given because it is hard to say for sure when the symptoms started in youth.
It is not always accurate for adults to remember symptoms from their youth, so it is helpful to get extra information. ADHD can’t be confirmed if there aren’t any signs before age 12.
If signs of what seems to be ADHD show up for the first time after age 13, they are more likely to be caused by another mental problem or the brain effects of drugs.
The problem must show up in more than one place, like at home, at school, and at work. It’s usually not possible to get a good picture of a person’s major symptoms in different settings without talking to people who have seen them in those situations.
Most of the time, signs change based on the situation and place.
Signs of the disorder might not be present if the person is rewarded often for good behavior, is closely watched, is in a new place, is doing very interesting things, is constantly stimulated from the outside (for example, by electronic screens), or is interacting with one person at a time (for example, in the clinician’s office).

The aforementioned criteria and features by DSM 5 TR can be kept into consideration to diagnose individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Early diagnosis can ensure the treatment is started in the early phase of the individual’s life to help him deal with the issues and avoid farsighted adverse consequences.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (2022). Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association.
Da Silva, B. S., Grevet, E. H., Silva, L. C. F., Ramos, J. K. N., Rovaris, D. L., & Bau, C. H. D. (2023). An overview on neurobiology and therapeutics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Discover Mental Health, 3(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-022-00030-1
Fayyad, J., Sampson, N. A., Hwang, I., Adamowski, T., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A., … & Kessler, R. C. (2017). The descriptive epidemiology of DSM-IV adult ADHD in the world health organization world mental health surveys. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 9, 47-65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-016-0208-3
Polanczyk, G., De Lima, M. S., Horta, B. L., Biederman, J., & Rohde, L. A. (2007). The worldwide prevalence of ADHD: a systematic review and metaregression analysis. American journal of psychiatry, 164(6), 942-948. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.6.942
Song, P., Zha, M., Yang, Q., Zhang, Y., Li, X., & Rudan, I. (2021). The prevalence of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of global health, 11. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.11.04009
Thomas, R., Sanders, S., Doust, J., Beller, E., & Glasziou, P. (2015). Prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 135(4), e994-e1001. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-3482
Wilens, T. E., & Spencer, T. J. (2010). Understanding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from childhood to adulthood. Postgraduate medicine, 122(5), 97-109. https:/doi.org/10.3810/pgm.2010.09.2206