You're being too optimistic. The amount and composition of sedatives and downers they've probably got him on stand a good chance that even when he's weened off of them, he'll never be the same as he was before. There are some people who are capable of taking the type of drugs a mental ward gives out and making a full recovery afterwards, but as a general rule, the older and more disordered you are, the harder it is to come back. pl: I was heavily over-medicated for a couple years by a psych who did not have my best interests at heart. I can remember what happened ten years ago but I can't remember what happened last week. My short and midterm memory are absolutely destroyed and it's unlikely they'll ever get better.
Generally, people with autism above a certain level of functioning can be taught empathy, either by an educator or by experience. It's part of a good human suit if nothing else. Chris shows minimal sign- if any- that he has ever given a flying fuck about anyone other than himself. Even with the boyfriend-free girl saga it was all about his pleasure and satisfaction. Anything he said he'd do for his potential love had a price tag on it. It would have been a purely transactional relationship on his part. If she wanted him to give her a cuddle, she would have had to let him put it in at the same time.