#adhd skill regression

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

i used to be so good at writing strong, thoroughly-researched, thoroughly-edited essays.

as a kid in hs, my teacher literally came up to me, holding my 40 page essay on the intersection of the European witch hunts and capitalism/exploitation/gender roles (it was supposed to be 7 pages...whoops) and went like "this is literally a master's-degree level thesis. what are you doing?? you could literally use this as your final dissertation in a master's program, what the fuck."

NOW??? NOW?? you'd think I'd be oh so skilled. but alas. i can barely piece together two ideas. adhd skill-regression is so so real. im SOBBING

[echologname]

ADHD skill regression is hitting me hard. I'm supposed to be growing up, not growing down! I was a mature, organized, hard working kid who had her little life together but as an adult, I'm a chaotic, mismanaged mess who doesn't human well.

[whyalesbianstakingtestosterone]

Skill regression fucking sucks cause I KNOW I CAN DO THIS SHIT, I used to be able to do it!

AND NOW WHAT? Goo goo gaga bitch? Sorry but i picked a card “go back to the start?”

I am gonna go and bang my head on a wall, maybe that will restore the factory settings

[sentientsky]

i’ve been terrible at replying to people lately. i feel so guilty, but how the hell am I supposed to explain that i’ve been flaky because i can't stop thinking ab two fictional immortal losers that spend two seasons of a tv show and 5 and a half odd million years just homoerotically gazing at one another and yearning???

[autisticlee]

want to become someone cool and useful and important to say "screw you" to ex friends and school bullies and adult bullies and everyone who screamed at me for being "useless/lazy/failure/weird/creepy/etc" growing up make them jealous and feel bad for treating me bad. rub in their faces and ignore them when they come back begging for attention.

but so far they are right and i'm a useless failure that hasn't accomplished anything. who they ignore and probably laugh at behind my back. can't even do "normal" things correctly. can't get any support at all. no regular amount of support and definitely no disability support. more I live with no support and try my hardest all alone, more I burn out and regress and get even worse and more useless and fail more. ugh. what's the point of life!!! why's everyone right and can't prove them wrong!!!!!!! 😭😭😭

[fallowtail]

damn remember when i thought i could like...be a writer...truly embarrassing 😬

[mansion1of7]

Skill regression is a bitch, but I'm never gonna let it stop me. I'm just gonna focus on enjoying life and doing what I can, dwelling on it would just be pointless, and tryna push myself would just make it worse. I'll simply be dumb of brain, thick of ass and full of passion <:3

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

yo i just want to let you know that i really relate to your adhd skill regression post. its literally so distressing to have excelled at smth in hs and then Bam! no longer be able to do it :/// youre valid and thank you for posting abt it

Aww thank u! I totally understand what you mean; it can be so so disheartening and frustrating to feel like you’re backsliding!! You’re also so valid!

[juniorsailmakermattcruse]

I’m glad you agree that Doof works better in Phineas and Ferb when he’s evil. I have thought it for so long, and I know a lot of others in the fandom think it’s regressive of him to go back to being evil but the show really does work better that way. Also, the times we’ve seen him not be evil are in the OWCA files and in Milo Murphy’s Law, and those definitely aren’t his best moments.

yeah that’s what I was thinking, it just doesn’t work in those instances at all. his character suffers a lot and he goes from being pretty much the most popular character in the fandom (or at least one of them) to being super polarizing. like I love him and all but he pisses me off in mml and owca files is a lot of the same. he just works better when he’s being evil and when it’s just him ranting at perry instead of just existing to bug other characters. I know people have said “oh but it’s because he’s audhd and has bad social skills” which I completely relate to but it’s still annoying to watch on tv y’know. especially because without him building shit he’s just reduced to being a fucking idiot and that bugs me because he deserves a bit more credit than that. I think he’s more competent than the writers seem to think he is but when he’s not shown doing anything… like anything at all (what exactly does he do in mml? sit on the couch and cry about missing perry?) he just kind of sucks and it sucks to watch. but that’s another topic I could rant about forever

anyway it’s the same thing with candace returning to busting, like this show has had 4 seasons of going back to the status quo every episode and changing the formula so drastically in season 5 just doesn’t make sense. sure in other tv shows having big character arcs and growth is good but this show is so much of the same stuff over and over that having such big character changes be permanent would feel weird. sure I would’ve loved having doof be a science teacher but that would work for a spinoff, not for the main show. and if the new seasons take place in summer that wouldn’t even work anyway because he wouldn’t be teaching then. so if not that then we’re left with him being in owca or being prof time and I don’t like either of those (especially prof time I really hate everything about that). so pretty much the only option is for him to go back to evil. it makes it a lot easier to come up with episode plots too I’m sure

I’m fine with the idea of him giving up evil in the future, like when season 6 eventually has a finale we’ll see what happens then. but in the meantime I feel like this just makes way more sense for the show. it also helps solve the plot holes of why he’s evil in the winter episodes which have been topics of conversation for over a decade

ALSO he has adhd and he’s very fickle. so that also makes sense for him to change his mind and go back into old habits

[pawtoon]

🥛 ︵︵ identity & who am !!

use names such as : ruru, toffuu, cami, bibi, zu, scribble or snappy.

intersex. nonbinary. xenogender. cistrans. transxenofem. transgirl. pansexual lesbian. man loving lesbian. aromantic & asexual spectrum. more!!!

age dysphoric chronological adult. permatween. tweenfluid. transspecies. nonhuman. alterhuman. otherkin. otherhearted. (physical) therian.

shi / hir. kid / kidself. kyu/kyuself. pie/pieself. use name or it / its if cant use more abstract pronouns.

mixed origin traumaendo. polyfragmented. fictive heavy system. fluid memory. med level amnesia.

🥛 ︵︵ disability & brain stuff ..

complex high support need autism. original diagnosis of severe autism. intelectual disability.

moderate C-ADHD. continued regression of skills. mild visual impairment. learning disabilities. dyspraxia. EDS. CFS/ME. shizophrenic. just.. mentally unwell.

semiverbal. semiscribal. stutter. speech delay. used to be considered nonverbal in childhood for a few years.

🥛 ︵︵ boundaries stances views ?

do not have dni but will block freely to curate own experience online.

dont involve me or ask or anything when comes to discourse on plurality, shipping, transid, radqueer, blankqueer whateva idc dont like it leave me alone

leftist align with socialism communism and anarchism in different ways.

intersectional feminist. support all queer ways of identification. support nonhumans. support those with paraphilias or paraphillic disorders. DO NOT! condone abuse or harassment. support good in faith identification.

🥛 ︵︵ special interests (⁠*⁠´⁠ω⁠｀⁠*)

my little pony. cartoons. sesame street. psychology. need my little pony & sesame street most for functioning especially

🥛 ︵︵ hyperfixationsssssss

breaking bad. amazing world of gumball. shameless. the muppets. future man. cookie run kingdom. LOL suprise dolls. sea slugs. popular “2020„ drawing style. moreeeeee..

🥛 ︵︵ big posts of mine :O

[mythologyfolklore]

Jiankong Headcanon List

(Warning: wholesome! List will be expanded whenever I think of a new hc! Happy Valentines Day!)

1. Sūn Wùkōng's love language is touch. Èrláng is more reserved, but he just can't say no, when Sūn Wùkōng gives him the "Please hug me!" puppy eyes.

2. Èrláng's love language is food. Sūn Wùkōng doesn't like cooked food (mostly because of his time under Five Phases Mountain, when he was fed molten copper and iron pellets), so Èrláng makes cold dishes for him. Sūn Wùkōng appreciates his consideration (and cooking skills).

3. Sūn Wùkōng and Èrláng Shén are both asexual. Wùkōng is sex-indifferent, Èrláng is sex-repulsed. Èrláng gets very upset, when someone makes dirty jokes about their relationship. And if Èrláng is upset, so is Sūn Wùkōng.

4. When the two got together, Chén Xuánzàng - the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit - sat each down separately to give them the shovel talk. First to Èrláng Shén ("You better not break my disciple's heart, or else!"), then to Sūn Wùkōng ("Don't break my friend of ten lifetimes' heart, or else!"). Once he was sure both got the message, he gave his blessing to the relationship (it helps him knowing that both are ace and aren't gonna indulge in sexual misconduct).

5. Nézhā also gave both of them the shovel talk separately. He warned Sūn Wùkōng not to break his dad's heart, while Èrláng Shén got warned not to break his little brother's heart (Nézhā sees Sūn Wùkōng as a younger brother).

6. While Jiankong isn't sexually attracted to each other, both get jealous, if someone else hits on their partner. Èrláng will just hoist his boyfriend/fiancé/husband over his shoulder and declare: "This one is mine!". In turn, Sūn Wùkōng will float menacingly behind Èrláng, staring down the poor fool daring to hit on his handsome mate. Those glowing red eyes with their golden pupils, plus the razor sharp fangs usually do the trick.

7. Of course they give each other petnames. Wùkōng calls Èrláng things like "my sun", "my heart and liver", "beautiful" and "soulmate", aside from affectionate versions of his name. Èrláng calls Wùkōng things like "my treasure", "my king", "my victory" and "my love everlasting". Other than that, they also like calling each other by their titles in an affectionate manner.

8. Sūn Wùkōng loves giving Èrláng Shén monkey hugs. At the same time he insists that Èrláng gives the best hugs in the world. Èrláng feels like he's being embraced by a furnace every time Wùkōng hugs him, due to the latter's high body temperature.

9. Sometimes, when Sūn Wùkōng gets overwhelmed, he will regress to his animalistic instincts and return to monkey. When that happens, he will cling to Èrláng's back like an infant to its mother. If Èrláng isn't there at the time, Wùkōng will chirp in distress, until whoever is nearby finally snaps and calls Èrláng to take care of his monkey. Being in his partner's arms or on his back will calm the Monkey King immediately.

10. When Sūn Wùkōng regresses, Èrláng will groom him, talk to him in monkey and allow him to play around.

11. Sometimes Èrláng Shén also regresses, usually to his childhood. This usually happens, when he's around people he trusts and feels safe with and is too tired and overwhelmed to function normally.

12. Sūn Wùkōng has ADHD, with a diagnosis. Èrláng Shén is autistic, but undiagnosed due to an unpleasant experience he had the one time he visited a psychiatrist. Wùkōng is determined to find him a better one, who specialises in helping traumatised Immortals.

13. They're both crazy old men with too much bloodlust and power, while also being so disgustingly lovey-dovey and mutually supportive, that it makes everyone around them cringe at how in love they are.

14. Everyone is still trying to solve the mystery, how two so dysfunctional beings can be in such a functional, healthy relationship. Sūn Wùkōng and Èrláng Shén are absolutely milking the confusion and making jokes about it.

15. It took the Monkey King a lot of persuasion, until the eldest of his grandchildren would tolerate Èrláng Shén's presence on Flowerfruit Mountain. After Èrláng gives them the long overdue apology for the fire, they finally agree to let him visit their king (after realising the Monkey King is happy with him for some reason) - under the condition, that he come as a monkey. No problem, as Èrláng is a prolific shapeshifter.

16. Èrláng Shén's monkey form is a Sichuanese golden snub-nosed monkey. Sūn Wùkōng thinks it's the cutest thing ever.

17. Sūn Wùkōng gets very excited, when Èrláng Shén talks in monkey. Èrláng thinks this excitement is illegally adorable.

18. At a bit over 1m/ 3'1ft, Sūn Wùkōng is slightly bigger than a normal rhesus macaque. Èrláng Shén is almost 2m/6'5ft tall and loves scooping his fun-sized partner up and cuddling the shit out of him.

19. Wùkōng doesn't need to sleep, but he will often fall asleep in Èrláng's arms and then Èrláng will smile like the lovestruck fool he is.

20. The first gesture of goodwill the monkeys showed towards Èrláng was letting their infants playing around him. At first he would just sit very still and let them climb all over him, because he was afraid of messing up and hurting them somehow. Eventually his inner child protector took over and he started to let them play-fight him and hit him with tiny sticks, until he'd drop to the ground, dramatically declare that the "noble warriors" have defeated him and pretend to be dead. The adult monkeys find it very amusing, though they don't say it out loud.

21. Èrláng is touch-starved as hells, but being autistic, he has a lot of do-not-touch-days. Wùkōng uses his auspicious aura to hug Èrláng during times, when the latter needs a hug but can't stand being touched.

22. Every time Èrláng is in monkey form, Sūn Wùkōng will insist on grooming him. Èrláng usually makes a show of reluctantly agree, only to fall asleep within less than 10min, once Wùkōng gets started.

23. Like most demons, Sūn Wùkōng is very territorial. Not just in regard to territory, but also in regards of getting attention from Èrláng. Èrláng is spending too much time with his sworn brothers/friends? Well, soon he'll have a pouty monkey clinging to his back! Èrláng's dog Xiàotiān Quăn is competing for affection? THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE- nahh, just kidding, Wùkōng isn't jealous of the dog.

24. Xiàotiān Quăn knew about those two's feelings before they did. He thinks his owner and the Monkey King are huge morons for keeping their feelings to themselves for so long.

25. Èrláng is monophobic. The latter becomes especially a problem, when everything gets too much and he needs to be alone for a little while to clear his head. A compromise is having Xiàotiān with him, or knowing that someone will check on him often and with regularity.

26. Èrláng is also arachnophobic. Once the monkeys of Flowerfruit Mountain figured that out, the pranks were endless. Èrláng can't choose what annoys him more, the pranks or the fact, that he just can't get used to the spiders, no matter how many times he's subjected to them. Yeah, exposure therapy doesn't work for him.

27. Wùkōng is extremely claustrophobic. He still has nightmares about being trapped under that mountain again or still. The only acceptable form of being trapped is hugs and cuddles.

28. When Èrláng is overwhelmed by his own guilt, Wùkōng will often point out, that he's not innocent either and that he too has his guilt.

[sometimesraven]

re: the ableism in Dot and Bubble

I understand it almost certainly wasn't Rusty's intention for the "can't walk without the arrows" thing to be ableist, but the implications are there and it was so, so hard to watch.

As I said while liveblogging, I've noted that reliance on tech like Google Maps has caused a regression in skills like navigation and a frustrating refusal to even try. I'm frequently faced with that fact as I live somewhere you have to use your eyes to see and most fast food delivery drivers just Cannot Find Us bc the GPS goes wild and they can't follow the directions I always give them so I inevitably have to go out to find them myself. Believe me, I know what he was going for with that part of the script.

However.

When you exaggerate that point to the tune of "she literally cannot walk" without the aid, and then instead of it being deeply disturbing to the two 'kind, helpful' characters (Doc n Ruby), they actively roll their eyes at her and it's played as an "omg how stupid is she" moment, you have to see how that looks.

Let's reframe it: someone you've met was raised in a cult. A very insular, very strict cult that they literally have never seen outside of. At this point in time you know nothing about them but you do know they're in a very insular, very closed-off society. One day they tell you they have no idea how to,,,,,, idk, wash themselves without assistance. If your first instinct is to laugh at them and roll your eyes like they're overexaggerating, you're an ableist.

I struggle to believe anyone like the Doctor wouldn't perhaps initially react with confusion/incredulity but then, after realising this person is 100% serious, go "oh my god that's horrible okay uh let me try to walk you through this and teach you how".

It's a horrible, cynical response that would maybe track if at this point the characters already knew she was an entitled pissbaby. But they don't and that's why it comes across so terribly.

Especially when there's no indication that this is a side-effect of her entitlement and she's literally insulting herself "I'm so stupid!" and genuinely upset and frustrated that she can't even walk in the face of actual death. And yes, she miraculously can walk again once she meets Ricky but it wasn't because she was ignoring the Doctor's advice because racism because he had not given her any. She had literally zero clue how to walk without assistance until Ricky guided her.

This isn't a refusal to learn a skill based on entitlement, this isn't a heavy-handed metaphor, you have given this girl a disability (even if it is psychosomatic, it is still a disability). And in a time where social media + youth entitlement is being blamed for an increase of ADHD, Autism, chronic illness and DID diagnosis-seekers (among other things, but those are the ones people are most aggressive against) that just does not look good At All.

Russel could easily have made it so that they just had no idea how to navigate without the bubble and refused to learn.

Maybe at first show it as genuine frustration on Lindy's part that she can't find anything without guidance but slowly show that no, she's perfectly capable, she just doesn't care to learn.

Hell, you could have everything play out the same way but have her genuinely get offered help to begin with by the Doctor and ignore it, only for Ricky to say the same thing to her later and she gets it immediately.

Idk, anything beyond literally disabling her. The show does a great job at humanising her before showing us that she was a monster all along, but I feel like Rusty himself forgot that he was still representing a Whole Entire Person (something that people on all ends of the political spectrum do All The Time: "person is bad therefore [___ism] is okay in this instance". Ableism especially)

[lokidips]

Van update... Vandate?

I write this to you, my lovely supporters, of whom I keep close to my heart, and even more specifically, those of whom have sent in asks or dmed me:

I promise you, as a very sensitive (specifically to rejection) person, your messages do not bother me, you are not a burden nor inconvenience. I am on here of my own volition, it is my choice to leave these gates open for you to walk through. That, I am aware, leaves you with expectation of a reply, and rightfully so. And I am here to apologise for my lack thereof, and to promise you, sincerely, that it is not personal. I am truly sorry that I don't get to all asks and dms, even if my abundance of free time certainly should allow for it!

But I am also here to confess that I am a very socially anxious person when it comes to interaction with strangers. It is, again, no fault of any of you lovely people, merely my own, uh... comorbidities, let's say (hello, fellow neurodivergent folk), that make it hard to make easy conversation. I have about two close friends in total, for reference (of whom I love <3).

In terms of the asks I receive, sometimes I simply cannot think of an answer I believe adequate! I understand the craving for more fuel for the hyperfixation fire! But, unfortunately for both myself and you, the ol' Van brain goes a bit blank...

In other news, my lack of posts (both on tumblr and ao3) can be blamed on said comorbidities once again! Blame the ADHD! But I am working on the next part of Conflict of the Mind and trying to motivate that plot bunny... come on, do something, poke, poke.

But! I am giving myself a deadline, 26th of April! An update to mark my... one year of not publishing to ao3... yay?

I also have other fics in the works, with our lil Loki. Where CotM has lane a little dormant, other bunnies have been popping up! Specifically, one featuring our lovely Jane Foster, an AU I'm quite fond of and eager to explore. Another actually features age regression as it appears in our world, with Loki as your average adult in a relationship with... how do we feel about polyamory? And just to reassure, I will always keep my tumblr and ao3 sfw and non-sexual, so never fear!

And in regard to art commissions, that decision has been put aside for now while I work on improving my skills and gaining the confidence to create what people request of me. I thank you all for your continued interest, it's a lovely contrast from Instagram's useless algorithm and makes me so happy!

Thank you for reading, let's make some stuff this year!

[maaskuline]

so i've mentioned a few times that Johnny is neurodivergent (Autism, ADHD & Dyslexia), but is undiagnosed and has no idea about any of it. but i have also thought about how Johnny might take it if he WERE to ever get diagnosed or generally learn more about this aspect of himself!

i imagine it becomes much more prevalent to him sometime after he starts getting into the workforce (which would mainly happen when he doesn't have his mama to rely on anymore), looking for a job and all that — he may not realize he's NEURODIVERGENT exactly (that part will likely have to be pointed out to him), but he does gradually realize that he's just... different, compared to everyone else. like... is it because he's dumb? how come he doesn't understand everything the same way everyone else does? why does it always have to take so much longer for him to learn anything, when it just seems to come so naturally to everyone else? why does he keep offending everyone every time he opens his mouth? why can't he just say the right things, do the right things, like he's supposed to? why can't he just follow directions? why can't he just be normal?

all of these thoughts are big reasons why Johnny doesn't HAVE much motivation to work in the first place — but, of course, he probably wouldn't tell you any of that outright, because that would mean admitting that he has... INSECURITIES! 😳😱

BUT. the more he realizes this about himself, or if he's diagnosed and/or learns more about neurodivergence, well, you'd think it'd help, right? and maybe it does, in the long-term! but this also opens up a whole NEW list of problems for Johnny as well, especially in the beginning as he learns to cope with it — one of those troubles being... skill regression!

an example of how skill regression might look for Johnny could be... working out, for instance! say Johnny has just realized he's neurodivergent, or just otherwise different from everyone else, and so he's internalized that. the next time he goes to the gym to work out, his entire routine is thrown off; his movements are more clumsy now, he's forgotten how certain things are supposed to work, and he's feeling much more self-conscious than he used to be... to the average joe, this might seem entirely random! after all, if he's never had a problem with his workouts before, then why would he suddenly have problems with it now, as if he needs to re-learn it all from scratch? and to Johnny, this could easily frustrate and overwhelm him, making him question why he's struggling so much all of a sudden. he wouldn't understand it himself! so he wouldn't be able to give you a clear answer if you asked him about it.

and skill regression can last for a WHILE, possibly even permanently if you don't take the time to re-learn the skills that were regressed. and it can extend to little things too — like talking, walking, eating, sleeping, even breathing! for some it can be extreme, and for others it may only be a minor issue, since it affects everyone differently in various ways. in Johnny's case, i imagine he regresses on a few things, such as working out like i've mentioned, but also other little things that require motor function or social conversation.

which... for a lot of job employers, that might also be a BIG issue, which may lead to him getting fired and struggling even MORE to find a good job to keep himself afloat. capitalism ain't set up with neurodivergent folks in mind unfortunately, and if Johnny doesn't have his mama anymore by this point, this could be pretty devastating for him since... yknow, you kinda need money to survive. (but he would manage to scrape by regardless, anyhow)

Johnny trying to find a job is pretty much like this fr:

Johnny's already at least VAGUELY aware that he's, like... not the sharpest tool in the shed. he gets told that he's "dumb" or "stupid" by people all the time, so he's sorta used to and desensitized to it. and for the most part, he's gone a long time without ever properly confronting any of these hidden insecurities — keeping up that confident, flawless macho man act. so it might be hard to imagine him suddenly switching up from that tough guy persona, and growing in the sort of opposite direction, in which he feels more self-conscious and emotional instead. buuut...

the silver lining is, Johnny becoming MORE self-conscious and emotional is actually more of a good thing. it may suck for him in the moment, sure, but yknow, that's life! but it's good for him in the sense that he NEEDS to confront those insecurities in order for him to learn and grow! and sometimes confronting deep-rooted insecurities like that can be an ugly, awkward and frustrating process. doesn't mean things don't ever get better for him though! but of course... THAT part is mostly dependent on whatever happens in rp, so things could really go any which way for him!

[rin-and-jade]

Damn it, Back to Square One: A Post about Skill Regression

It's like how that one time you had an interest to practice a cool trick for impressing people, and you're fully committed until it was pulled off perfectly, only to be performed once before its forgotten for a good while.. Yet, when you thought of going back to that well-practiced trick, it barely replicated the results that was from the previous attempt.

How? You perfectly knew how to do it inside your mind, but your hands failed to perform otherwise. Which means being forgetful wasn't the culprit, but to how our brains store these learnt skills--or behaviors. This is an example of skill regression, let's learn more!

TLDR fast pass: AVAILABLE

What was that?!

That setback? - oh, not to shock you with it being a real thing, here's the general definition of it:

"A phenomenon which entails gradual or abrupt loss of previously acquired skills." - PubMed Central

Yikes, um, nevermind. That DOES sound like a shocking problem... but yes, to put it simply, this regression can be regular or abrupt depending on the circumstances that triggers it. Skill regression also can manifest as temporary or permanent loss of any skills, too.

By the way, everyone can experience this type of regression, though for those who are neurodivergent,, they actually risk skill regressing 5x more than a normal person would, double freaking out right now? Save your screams, i haven't said it is doom's day with no cure.

Then why,, why?

im not telling. Just kidding,,

Here's where thing's get complicated.. There's two common neurodivergence, and those two divergence have fully different reasons why a skill regression was triggered. Isn't this wonderful--you're going to read longer than you'd expect now. (Ha! But knowledge is power.) I'll attempt to keep it as concise though;

Those with ADHD, this is why you got setback:

Stress - it can impede how well you perform or think, causing a temporary regression. Tasks that are usually effortless now takes double the amount of effort to achieve the same result.

Unfamiliarity - You might've practiced singing in your own personal home, the unique atmosphere, and audience who resides in that abode feels like a default setting due to exposure and repetition. So, if you were to do it outside in public, or a stage, the sense of anxiety and zero preparation in a different setting causes your brain to simply.. short circuit. It's temporary though.

Executive Dysfunction - because of how it impairs many other processes such as planning, action, memory, and focus,, these impairments can severely impact how you apply the learnt skills to reality. This is a comorbid-related default reason for regression.

Those with Autism, this is why you got setback:

Overstimulation - sensory disruptions and overwhelm can cause an imbalance in cognitive function, it's like how a computer lags from the sheer amount of information and causing all necessary operations to a halt. This is temporary, upon retreating from stressor.

Unpredictability - routine and stability is where people with ASD function at peak, obstacles that got caught up in the way breaks this flow of mind, as if a train had derailed from it's tracks. Depending on if it is solvable or not, it can be temporary or permanent regression.

Inconsistency - Skills need to be practiced, and often require repetition to further ingrain it. Without it, you would have difficulty applying to different contexts or even worse, fail to create a solid neural pathway and decayed. It can vary from temporary or permanent regression.

Other conditions that cause skill regression:

Neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer or Parkinson

Brain damage

Psychological disorders such as depression, OCD, Schizophrenia

Nutrient deficiencies that impact brain function

Withdrawal side effects

Stress

The issue complicates even further when you have other conditions, and/or have ADHD and Autism at the same time. This causes higher chances of overlapping and potential stressors that triggers the regression.

How is this system related?

I promise this post is also related to systemhood, but the basics on this phenomenon still has to be taught so you and i are on the same page. This has been sufficient, so let's finally get to the point of this post!

Right, this is where the questions start flooding, "why do alters have different proficiency?" "why are some unaffected, yet others are susceptible?", and other kinds. Let me go straight to the point.

Alters retain different memories, and they don't get to choose what they remember. These memories can be explicit or implicit information:

Implicit - Where actions are unconsciously adapted and performed, needing no conscious awareness or effort. Automatic. E.g. riding a bike, writing, holding cutlery.

Explicit - Where actions require active recall and thinking in order to be performed. Manual. E.g. math multiplication, reading comprehension, speaking (needs vocabulary)

Skill regression can impact two main aspects such as:

Your social skills - how you pronounce, how to start speaking, or how you use the words, or stay engaged in a conversation

Your motor skills - how you do independent actions, how well is your rough and soft skills, or muscle memory

And sometimes, you can have both skills impacted

Which means.. what the part remembers, can also impact different kinds of regression it will be susceptible too. For those who have shared skills but cannot perform as good, or at all, compared to the proficient alter, this regression is natural due to the dissociative element.

Something feels wrong..

What was that? You just had a realization which unintentionally causes you to function worser than ever without the skills returning?

It seems like you learnt to do things when masking. It basically means when you are used to living in a tight little box, and finally got out of it,, it is more difficult to fit in there again which conveys the strain in upkeeping the skills you had learnt previously.

The purpose of masking is to function on a daily basis to avoid conflict or negative experiences,, it can be as simple as conforming to the norm of "eye contact when talking" or alternatively it is how you cope while being unaware of your condition (such as baring uncomfortable textures, thinking everyone feels that way)

Problem here is, because it feels wrong/unaddressed yet it keeps you going, it will take more energy the longer you upkeep these skills in a masked state as the core issue wasn't tackled. This will slowly bring you to a burnout. So when you realize that this isn't the norm, your mind just drops everything on the ground in relief as its silently detrimental to your health, no matter how convinced you it is helpful.

This is a permanent skill regression caused by any kinds of exhaustion.

Things won't go back to normal?!

Sadly... no. Good news is, you can always build a new framework!

Though, you will be immediately greeted with a problem: hypersensitivity.

After realizing and being aware of the situation, the accumulated stress, and any other factors that comes into play,, being overwhelmed would happen in a daily basis when left unaddressed, so make sure to minimize the sensory/emotional stressors and pay attention to any heightened senses. Also incorporate regulation tools, since if emotions were suppressed when masking, unmasking means releasing these pent-up feelings, making emotions more intense than usual.

Burnout is not normal exhaustion too, so refrain from overexerting yourself and implement lots and lots of rest.

From here on, it will be easier to re-learn everything from the start, and specifically in ways that accommodates your needs. It takes plenty of time in order to see results, if you need any help in this aspect, you are always free to reach out to me or search for any resources regarding this.

Another reminder for yourself, this type of skill regression also cause other symptoms such as trouble focusing, poor memory, and overall difficulty in doing regular tasks as it feels taxing.

Last notes

Okay my bad, you must've expected that alters are involved with skill regression due to CDD's--but apparently, it is closer to neurodivergent experiences that manifested in systemhood.

What are your thoughts on this? I was surprised myself, were you too? Let me know what's interesting in this post so far, and other questions you might have!

- j

--

TLDR

What is Skill Regression?

Skill regression is the loss of previously acquired skills, either temporarily or permanently.

More common in neurodivergent individuals (e.g., ADHD, autism).

Causes of Skill Regression:

ADHD:

Stress: Impairs performance.

Unfamiliarity: New settings cause anxiety.

Executive Dysfunction: Affects planning and memory.

Autism:

Overstimulation: Sensory overload disrupts function.

Unpredictability: Routine disruptions cause setbacks.

Inconsistency: Lack of practice leads to skill decay.

Other Conditions That Cause Skill Regression:

Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)

Brain damage

Psychological disorders (depression, OCD, schizophrenia)

Nutrient deficiencies

Withdrawal side effects

Stress

Skill Regression in Systems:

Alters may have different skill levels due to varied memories and experiences.

Dissociative elements can naturally cause skill regression.

Addressing Skill Regression:

Build new frameworks tailored to your needs.

Minimize stressors and incorporate regulation tools.

Ensure plenty of rest to avoid burnout.

Skill regression is more correlated to neurodivergence which in return affects system experiences, rather than where being a system causes skill regression.

[mochiwrites]

Hi Mochi! I’ve been lurking around ur blog for a lil while now, peeking into your writings and aus. I have to say, they’re all so lovely! I really enjoy all your writings! The emotions you put into them are just so AHHH!! <3

But uh- I may or may not have discovered the secret husbands au today and binged the entire tag… I’m so sorry if I filled ur notifs with my liking posts to save them for later LMAO.

ANYWAYS! I’ve been having a difficult time writing lately (pretty sure is the ADHD skill regression hitting me hard 😔) but the secret husbands au makes me itch to write! I wanted to say thank you, bc it’s really hard for me to find that motivation right now. So thank you! You’re very inspiring, especially as a writer, and I appreciate it.

This is getting so long help- but one last thing. Is there any secret husbands scenes or ideas you’d be interested in seeing interpreted by someone else? I might give it a try!

Have a wonderful day/night, and thank you again! :D

hihi!!! :D wahhhh thank you 🥺

I hope you liked the secret husbands stuff ;w; it’s definitely one of my favorite aus I’ve done — top 5 for sure hehe. also no worries about the notifs!!! you’re free to spam away XD

and awe ;w; I’m really glad I could inspire you and offer some motivation with my silly little guys <333 motivation is always such a thing sometimes, you’re absolutely not alone in that <3

as for scenes, hmmmm. it might be because it’s my favorite era for them, but hypixel era secret husbands is so 🥺 I’d adore seeing other takes on them in their lil apartment together ueueueue. I can’t say I have anything specific that I’d want to see interpreted by someone else, mostly because there’s so much that I wanna write myself (it’s mainly big plot point things or a silly idea here or there) LOL but yeah! if you’ve got an idea, run with it!! :D