I should make clear that schizophrenia does not present like an ASD, only that they both involve isolation which is all anyone is goin on.

My child has ASD. I have read before that schizophrenia can present like ASD in the early years. Even though it typically gets diagnosed in the early 20s, I think I read a study where looking at old home movies lay people could identify those who ended up diagnosed more often than not.

My guess is Holmes has schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder with psychotic features. Re:schizophrenia it sounds like he did have the prodromal period of sliding downward pre-event. It also struck me that the gun range guy said Holmes' answering machine message was just garbled words and jobberish.

Re:Bipolar with psychotic features...I wonder how much sleep he was getting pre-incident, especially since he slept like a baby in jail (makes me think perhaps he had gone days without sleep prior?). Also, the sex website stuff. Some become hypersexual when manic.

He was adopted (or so I read) and I would be curious about the family history of the bio parents-specifically any history of schizophrenia.

One of the many things that saddens me is the stigma this will give to those with mental health issues and their families. Most people with Schizophrenia, Bipolar, etc are people who who would never harm a person. Same with ASD and other disorders. If Holmes does get a diagnosis I am concerned it make people even more fearful and horrified when their own child gets a diagnosis or someone they know.

Also, I suspect Holmes' family did everything they could. I think I read they were getting him services when he was younger and they begged him to get counseling as an adult. I wanted to vomit when a newsperson implied the parents could have prevented this. How? He is an adult. He did not tell them he planned to kill people as far as we know.

I agree. Especially the fact that Holmes seem to have his meltdown this past year. Failing academically whereas before he was a star. Schizophrenia has an onset of late teens to early twenties.

The only thing these people displayed that could be consistent with Aspergers is isolation, which is consistent with pretty much every mental illness -- certainly schizophrenia but also depression. Cho had a diagnosis and it didn't include AS.

I disagree with people who say that those with ASDs are incapable of violence. They are generally the victims of violence, but they can in rare situations be the instigators. But I am concerned about this knee jerk way people jump to AS whenever there is a "loner" who commits these acts. Isolation is actually one of the hallmarks of schizophrenia and there is nothing that anyone has said who knows Holmes that makes me think he has AS.

Cho who has had mental health issues all of his life and was in treatment all through high school had a severe anxiety disorder (selective mutism) and depression:

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TempContent/techPanelReport.cfm

Looks like ASD was ruled out in his case although the diagnosis was in it's infancy and he may certainly qualify now and get more supports at school if he was a child nowadays.

Amy Bishop? Her lawyer speculated paranoid schizophrenia but we won't know until trial.

and Holmes who knows? Paranoid schizophrenia? ASD?

Bishop and Holmes may display symptoms of Asperger's Disorder but as has been argued vigorously on this board, many disorders can present like ASD without being ASD.

As sensitive a topic as it is and considering the fact that very few people with these diagnoses commit murder, I do think that Cho, Amy Bishop, and Holmes have displayed characteristics and behaviors that could be associated with Asperger's Disorder. Schizophrenia is also a possibility. Hard to say when we don't know the early developmental history, medications they've been taking, or more info about their socialization with others.

scarborough's response: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/joe-scarborough-on-autism-remarks-perhaps-i-could-have-made-my-point-more-eloquently/

This actual psychologist is putting his money on schizophrenia or depression induced psychosis



http://www.salon.com/2012/07/23/what_does_the_james_holmes_video_tell_us/

Sad. There are lots of mental illnesses that could be to blame! Or perhaps -- even scarier -- he wasn't "sick" at all in terms of a medical condition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/joe-scarborough-msnbc-retract-your-statements-
about-autism-and-the-colorado-shooting

Wow, I've seen nothing in the descriptions of Holmes to indicate an ASD. Lots of disorders lead to isolation. As the parent of a child with AS he should know better.

It's too soon to speculate like that and does no one any good. He could be suffering from ASD or not. The VA-Tech killer suffered from selective mutism (documented) and depression but most people with these conditions don't commit mass murder.

Even more shocking that Scarborough's kid has HFA.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/07/scarborough-holmes-on-autism-scale-129779.html

I'm sorry, but this was really irresponsible of Scarborough--expect better.