#guide til adhd

[so-i-did-this-thing]

I just want to say thank you for all the things you say on here. I also want to ask, if it’s okay, how did you handle transitioning when it came to the what ifs? I’ve found myself thinking I might be trans more and more- but every time I think I’m getting close to deciding what I want to do about it I keep hesitating and now I’m worried it’s too late. I’m almost 30- I know it’s possible to transition at any time. But I don’t know if it’s worth starting a process unless I’d be satisfied with the result, and I don’t know if I’d ever get the opportunity to present how I want to.

I really admire that you’ve found what works for you. You seem so confident and comfortable, your style is incredible, and I always look forward to the good night pictures of your cats. I sometimes think that I could be like that someday, but I keep talking myself out of making decisions because I’m so scared of the risks. How did you know when it was time to start transitioning? Did you have to push through doubt or did it just feel right?

Thank you, and I hope you have a lovely day.

Heya, Anon. Thank you for the kind words. <3

I'm not the best person to ask about transition doubt, as I've always had a very strong male identity ever since I can remember. Once I learned about HRT and top surgery at 18, I knew they were for me.

But where I can help is if it's family that is holding you back. This article is something I desperately wish was around when I was younger - I spent an extra 10 years in the closet to appease family and it nearly destroyed me. (I came out the first time at 20, and started HRT at 33. Top surgery not 'til 40 because I was poor.)

Remember, there's always ways to try out a new gender presentation. I used cosplay to get used to presenting male in public. Haircuts, clothes, and binding go a long way. And even things like HRT -- you can start on a smaller dose, stop, start again... you're really in a lot of control here as long as you are aware of the timeline of effects.

There will always be things about medical transition that you won't be satisfied about. It helps to cultivate gender envies that share physical traits with you. There will be surprises, bad and good. But a lot of imperfections feel less so simply with age. And there is a lot to love about having a trans body.

So your real criteria is -- "will I be happier overall?" For a lot of us, transition erases a lot of the background radiation in our lives that kept us from flourishing. I knew it was time to transition because my world had gone so very grey with depression - I had increasingly become unreliable and wasn't taking care of myself or my home very well. I wasn't exactly suicidal, but I absolutely wasn't living.

I transitioned when I was dead broke, and though it was a slog at times to pay for things, it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Transition removed a major source of trauma in my life so I could focus on fixing my other shit and become a better person. I still have depression, ADHD, and my autism sometimes gets in the way, but they're manageable in a way that was impossible prior to HRT. And yeah, I also get to enjoy days of euphoria, too. :)

There's risks to everything and transition is a lot of work, rewarding as it is. The risks range from embarrassment to violence, and the former is survivable and the latter can be mitigated with planning & vigilance.

I'd suggest simply planning for the long term while you try things out. Build your safety net with affirming friends, work on your job prospects, and simply be honest and kind to yourself. Remember that emotional vulnerability is not a weakness and that doubt can guide you on what to prepare for.

And even if you decide transition is not for you, the introspection and planning should put you in a better place for what seems to be an uncertain future for us all.

[intrepidacious]

tag game

rules: in a new post, post the names of all the files in your wip folder regardless of how non descriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell us about it.

tag as many people as you have wips yeah no lmao

you know what i said i wouldn't ever do an honest version of this tag because it's frankly ridiculous how many docs/wips i have, but i saw someone else post the entirety of their wip folder and found it inspiring so. thank you for tagging me @writing-for-marvel ��

no pressure tags <3 @brandycranby @thereoncewasagirlnamedjane @fandoms-writings @nickfowlerrr @krirebr @levanswrites @scrumptious-delusion @demxters @sanguineterrain

here goes, adhd at its finest. changing font colours per character. also some of these are themselves folders with documents inside so this is still not an extensive list lmao 🫠

time after time

a witch for all seasons

vampire bucky

the bad days

tired

friendship breakups / the way we were / tangents meeting

wayward guide for the untrained eye

to home afar

smile

trivia

electric boots

more of you

timeless

color me

sing me a song

pouring rain

[untitled 40s bucky]

caught in the undertow

fair

winter soldier

summer loving

daisy jones

something to rely on

leaving on a jet plane

pancakes for dinner

snow child

jones

rewritten!bucky

librarian!bucky

librarian!bucky - haircut

half past six

the stars in your eyes

dandelions

stick season

after westview

fae!bucky

holding cell

fake dating

lotr au

something bout you

dust settling / lucky for me

call me but love / unconquerable

not yet

wishes / nineteen twenty-five

forty-three

death becomes him

lights out

come fly with me

ghost light

battle cries

[untitled angst]

wishing

private eye!steve

outlaw!steve

rewritten!steve

[untitled spice]

royal librarian steve / hearts of gold

a smile that cold

occupy my brain

too sweet

poison in my pocket

ready when you are

the horror and the wild

victorian!ransom

royalty au

pirate captive

[untitled drabble]

there's always tomorrow

[untitled fairy tale retelling]

sweet diversions / on the bride's side

westworld

the space between atoms

solar system

earth rover

that unwanted animal

second wind

not mine

why'd you only call me when you're high

welly boots

farewell wanderlust

dancing

pietro

marbles

wild blue yonder

the rockrose and the thistle

unmarried

watch the sunlight fade

secret agent au

the horror and the wild (2)

and we all still die

against all odds

scars

hurt/comfort

to play with fire

velen

a nature such as his

a common place

til the darkness has gone

just fairer than death / through the darkness-1

accidental marriage

circe

one day's head start

sub!james

formal dinners

eye of the storm

make up for lost time

ex wife

fine | b.b.

on the town | b.b. (tat)

crimson and clover | b.b. (tat)

| j.n.

must be the season | w.m.

in the absence of falling | b.b.

just like your dad | r.d.

hockey au | b.b.

| s.r./b.b.

library | b.b.

staring contest | b.b.

[notahorseindisguise]

terraria is such an adhd game why am i doinb one million different things a minute, setting up for things i cant even do til hardmode, when did i open 30 wiki tabs, why do i have all the ingredients for frostspark boots when i havent even managed to find the goblin tinkerer yet, why am i only now killing the queen bee . i need to build 5 more houses for 5 new npcs in the regions they each love the most and then im going to create an aboveground mushroom biome early because its always annoying having to do it in hardmode and i want to put my guide in there now so hes out of the way and . how did i get here

[pbaz7]

Hiii we are back! So excited to read this one, I really hope everything is fixed soon the angst was angsting

When the plane touched down in L.A., it was nearly 2 a.m.

- sometimes you just gotta go home

she still found the strength to slide her arms under Azzi’s legs and back, lifting her out of the seat gently.

- always the gentlewoman

Something that was louder than her thoughts as minutes passed without her moving an inch staring blankly at the shower floor.

- aw poor baby

but her hands found hers at her stomach and held them there, gripping them tight enough to let her know she didn’t want her to move.

- 🥺🥺🥺

This time Azzi leaned in and guided Paige’s hands to her cheeks, resting into them like she belonged there.

- healing slowly

I’m sorry for shutting down in Dallas. I’m sorry I haven’t been eating right.

- baby that is not something to apologize for 🥺

I’ve always struggled with being misunderstood. It’s…probably one of the biggest things I carry

- mmm that’s tough

“I need to find peace in it again,” Paige said quietly. “Not use it to silence everything else.”

- I hate when the things you love change 💔

We’re getting you checked for ADHD.”

- cool just call me out like that #fidgettingforlife

You think you disassociated?”

- scary scary

Because my beautiful, 6’0 girlfriend decided she wanted to not eat and now she only weighs 132 pounds.”

- 132 is crazy

Of course Paige listened

- whipped (get it lmao?)

You do realize how long it’s been since I’ve been touched?”

- Jesus wept and the tiniest violin in the world is playing

Wait he just did allat after she kissed his best friend?

- this is me with secret lives of Mormon wives i am very very secretly invested

Paige didn’t hesitate to nod. “Always baby. I’ll do whatever you want.”

- duh

After studying her for a second Azzi says, “We’re working on trust right?”

- oh lord

Before they even realized it both of them drifted to sleep from exhaustion.

- they got nowhere to be that shower can wait til later ig😭😭😭

Ok this was so so so good! I know it was freaky but I really love the trust part, good way to illustrate it and show the vulnerability there and hesitation. I love that things are starting to fall back into place for them, I love them so much in this! Hope you are well bestie and update soon!!

- 🫂🫂🫂

sometimes you just gotta go home

truly nothing like sleeping in your own bed

I hate when the things you love change

man the crash out i had a few years ago when i thought i didn’t like basketball anymore was detrimental

cool just call me out like that #fidgettingforlife

#seekhelpandsitstill

this is me with secret lives of Mormon wives i am very very secretly invested

BRO my girlfriend had me watching this yesterday and i was like 👀

[soelvfisk]

Jeg har tegnet mit drømmehus og undersøgt priser på mateialer. Nye og brugte. Shit hvor er velux vinduer fucking dyre. Der er 15 vinduer i mit hus. 4 forskellige slags. Og to vinduespaneler i taget. 6 døre inkl. 3 indendørs-døre, en hoveddør, en skydedør ud til haven og en altandør til lille altan ovenpå.

Mange af vinduerne kan man finde brugt. Og dørene også. Vil male dem så de er hvide indvendigt og lyseblå udvendigt. Ved ikke om det giver mening at bruge penge på. Men tanken gør mig glad.

Der er 5 rum i mit hus. Et badeværelse, et alrum i åben forbindelse med en gang der drejer i en runding og bliver bryggers, fra bryggerset er der adgang til værksted/atellier. Entreen er også i denne gang. Et badeværelse. Et værelse med trappe til overetagen som er soveværelse. Bum.

Jeg kan lide flowet. At man i løbet af en dag, ikke rigtigt kan undgå et rum. Og at der er masser af lys, samtidigt med at man ikke føler sig lukket inde i en glasboks. Alle vinduer er strategisk placeret.

Jeg synes det er svært at forlade et rum for at gå ind i et andet. “Dead ends”. Den følelse kan jeg ikke lide. Jeg kan lide følelsen af: herfra hvor jeg står, kan jeg tage mange valg. Gå i mange retninger. Bruge min tid på mange måder og nemt forandre mine omgivelser ved at læne mig ind i plantegningens flow. ADHD venligt. Huset som en guide. Og overetagen som en hellig åben zone. Sydvendt altan og terasse. Udsigt til himlen fra sengen.

Gad sygt godt bygge det. Der er ca 95 kvm bolig. Hvilket jeg faktisk synes er vildt meget. Men det kunne godt skaleres ned. Nu har jeg bare tænkt stort.

Det er ikke et familievenligt hus, men hvis det blev nødvendigt kunne overetagen deles i to med en skillevæg. Det gider jeg da bare overhovedet ikke at tage hensyn til lige nu tbh. At bo med en dum unødvendig væg der afbryder min luft uden grund. Nej tak.

Og så skal hund have en hundekurv ovenpå og en hundekurv nedenunder og en hundekurv i værkstedet.

Haven skulle være fuld af frugttræer. Et beskedent kirsebærtræ (hvis det findes! Synes altid kirsebærtræer er overvældende, men elsker kirsebær). Et æbletræ. Jeg er en basic bitch - vil bare have elstar æbler. Behøver intet fancy, men skal lige undersøge, for mine oldefædre havde planteskoler og frugttræer og lur mig om ikke der står noget i de bøger jeg har arvet. Og så vil jeg have et nøddetræ. Valnøddetræ fx.

Vil også have en hindbærbusk. En lille plot jord på grunden til at så kartofler og rødbeder og jordskokker. Gulerødder i højbede:) og kål hvis jeg kan undgå kålmider.

Vil have en stor busk med lyselilla syrener. EJ! Måske jeg skal tage stiklinger fra min mormors have, så det er PRÆCIS de planter jeg vil have, som jeg ender med???? Kan jo gro dem i mine forældres drivhus indtil de er klar til at få et hjem i en udendørspotte og senere blive plantet ud!!!

JA JA JA<3

Og så vil jeg lave marmelade og vin og chips og suppe og dele det med alle jeg synes om:)

Skal også have vildt meget persille.

Det bliver en oase.

[eggs-can-draw]

Wildcard (ha) for the oc thing that you haven't posted about on here but I want the world to know our joint oc girlies

Harumi hanamura and misaki hanamura in a separate post later

Happy gushing <3

Have a lovely rest of the day/week! :]

THE GIRL OF ALL TIME

Souyo daughters 5ever,,,,,heeho

Harumiiii!! She’s a Souyo fan kid, and Ough. Lore under tha cut

To start with simple stuff, she’s a wildcard! Her starter persona is Juliet (like Romeo and Juliet)

Her Velvet room is a planetarium and her attendant is a tour guide named Victor

She’s a first year at Yasogami High, and has lived in Inaba her whole life

She’s a younger sibling, and her older sibling is named Misaki (17-18)

For better or for worse, she tends to believe the best in people, whether or not they truly end up deserving it

“Woah she’s bisexual I didn’t know that”

She’s very close with both Misaki and her dads, she’d give up her world for them

She has absolutely no idea what she wants to do with her life!! Luckily, she has plenty of time to figure it out

She can be very closed off when it comes to expressing negative emotions, and will usually sneak off to the velvet room or somewhere similarly quiet/isolated if she needs to cry

She awoke to her persona in order to protect her sister <3

She struggles with being emotionally vulnerable with others, preferring to burn herself to keep others warm so to speak. She learns from her bonds that not only should she allow others to lean on her, but that leaning on others is something she needs to allow herself as well

More so a general world hc, but she rips a fire out of her heart to summon her persona (pulling out her Potential so to speak)

Shes got adhd (inattentive) and struggles with loud spaces/bad textures.

Can’t sleep til midnight most nights

Doesnt trust train stations

[asliverofsun]

🚨ATTENTION ALL ARTISTS, WRITERS, & CREATIVES🚨 You have ‘til 10/30, 9PM PST TO LET THE COPYRIGHT OFFICE KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT AI 🤖

They want answers on all kinds of questions, like training datasets ingesting creatives' works or the copyrightability of outputs. Here’s a guide I transcribed from my Twitter on how to get started:

On the comment submission page, there is the “Notice of Inquiry” document where the Office literally gives you what questions they want answers to (p12-21) - and there’s a LOT of them. Like, 50 at least. (It’s honestly so prohibitive to the average creative, which is why I made this guide). You DON’T have to answer every single question - just pick the ones that speak to you the most or ones you understand the best! To make it easier, here’s an edited list of questions that are most relevant for creatives

You DON’T have to be based in the US to submit a comment. In fact, the Office asks for examples of how other countries approach copyright & AI (Q#4), so if you live in places like Britain, Japan, etc. that have made major moves in those areas (for better or worse), leave a comment!

Below are some important questions for actors and VAs in particular. Though voice and likeness aren’t generally protected by copyright law, the Office is interested in hearing how AI may be impacted by state laws involving right of publicity or unfair competition (Q#30, Q#31).

📝WRITING TIPS📝

The Copyright Office’s goal is to create the best policy. Be clear, be constructive, and explain the reasoning behind your position. Wherever possible, counter the other side’s arguments. One well supported comment is more influential than 1000 copy paste ones!

Provide evidence - facts, expert opinions, your personal experience. How is AI already impacting you? Your industry? How will it impact you in the future? What are some stories you've seen in the news or social media about AI?

The Office is also VERY interested in any papers or studies relevant to AI and copyright (Q #3), so feel free to include a link to this incredibly informative paper on AI’s impact on artists

Be sure to mention any relevant personal or professional experience and credentials to lend more weight to your arguments, i.e. # of years drawing, years in the industry, major projects, awards won, union membership, etc

Here are some solid comments submitted by artist Kelly McKernan and screenwriter Bill Wolkoff if you want to see some examples

OTHER TIPS (courtesy of my ADHD brain): Schedule a block of time to write your thoughts out! Coordinate a little sesh with your friends! Keep a copy of your work in a separate doc! It’s so important that we get our concerns and ideas out there 💪

YOUR COMMENTS will not only inform the Office’s own work in determining what protections creatives may receive in the face of AI, but also inform their advice to Congress on potential generative AI legislation - so make your voices heard and SPREAD THE WORD! 📢📢📢

If you want to stay informed on this issue, particularly as it concerns visual artists, I highly recommend you follow @kortizart @ZakugaMignon @stealcase @chiefluddite @JonLamArt @ravenben @human_artistry on twitter and AI ML Advocacy on Insta (I don’t know of any tumblr blogs that actively follow this issue, so please reblog/comment below if you do!)

You also may know about the Concept Artist Association’s GoFundMe to represent artist voices in government - they made some big moves in the regulatory and congressional space, and are now fundraising for year two! 🙌🙌🙌

tagging some very cool creatives I follow that I believe care about how AI impacts their craft so this post doesn't die in the tumblr void 🫡

@neil-gaiman @geneslovee @anarchistfrogposting @pimientosdulces @sabertoothwalrus @simkjrs @loish @waneella @tunabuna @writing-prompt-s @logicalbookthief @bedupolker

[jmtorres]

this seems like an exaggeration of what i've seen people describe in arguments about chatgpt (although perhaps not an exaggeration of the experience itself).

what i've actually seen people say is something to the effect of if you've waited til the last minute because you don't know how to write the essay so you turn to chatgpt, no you don't pull an all-nighter and write some bullshit. --and the thing is, AS a chronic procrastinator with undiagnosed untreated ADHD who kinda had to do that a lot, it was never because my teachers hadn't given me weeks to do an assignment, it was my own brain fuckery. So it's not an inherent part of learning, and it didn't occur to me to think anyone was arguing that.

Could colleges screen students for learning issues like ADHD and support them instead of making people ask for accommodations? would be nice. that would definitely improve the college experience.

But also there's stuff on offer already that most students don't use, like the time I had for assignments but couldn't make myself do them in. If you're not sure how to do an assignment or what your instructor wants: almost every college I've ever heard of requires instructors to have office hours and almost no students take advantage of them. Instructors hate office hours because they have to sit there and wait around and hardly anyone ever shows up. It usually makes their day if a student actually wants to talk. (source: my dad is a bio prof at a state university.)

my brother is about to sign up for college classes and the school he's going to requires incoming students to take a "freshman experience" class which the description says is supposed to help you with things like time management and being aware of what resources the college offers. (at this school this class comes in two flavors: "you're straight out of high school" and "you've been away from school for a while," which seems cool to me because those groups need help with different things!) I am sure if I were signing up for classes myself I'd think "ugh what a waste of time I want to get to the interesting stuff," but on my brother's behalf I'm like "yes you need that. holy crap i needed that back in the day when it wasn't a thing yet."

I can't speak to med school or law school, although I understand they are deliberate wringers and shitty as fuck for disabled people.

And there's certainly ways undergrad could be improved. If it didn't cost so fucking much, for instance, people could more easily choose to focus on study and not work while in college. And wouldn't be under so much pressure to finish quickly so they wouldn't have to pay for more semesters. Lots of countries cover undergraduate education for all, I'd like to see that reform in the US.

And also, students should use university resources that they don't and sometimes don't even know exist.

Honestly my best advice is: talk to a university librarian. If you're having a tough time in a particular subject, chances are they've written a topic guide with a list of relevant books, journal articles and websites. If you have a question about stuff on campus, they either know or can tell you who to ask. If you are struggling to use the library system itself, they know most students come in not knowing how to use a university library to research and they WANT to tell you about it.

I'm listening to myself and I can see how many people would rather go to a computer program than ask another human being, especially one in a position of authority, for help; I'm not sure what to do about that. If resources exist but you have to ask about them and that's the bar people aren't clearing, what is the solution? Thoughts?

i completely understand & agree with the backlash against students using chatgpt to get degrees but some of you are out here saying "getting a degree in xyz means pulling multiple consecutive all-nighters and writing essays through debilitating migraines and having severe back pain from constantly studying at your desk and chugging energy drinks until you get a kidney stone and waking up wishing you were dead every day, and that's just part of the natural process of learning!!!" and like. umm. i don't think that any of us should have had to endure that either. like maybe the solution for stopping students from using anti-learning software depends on college institutions making the process of learning actually sustainable on the human body & mind rather than a grueling health-destroying soul-crushing endeavor

[ritalinnorgeblog]

Køb Ritalin i Danmark er blevet lettere end nogensinde før. Mange danskere, der lider af ADHD eller koncentrationsbesvær, søger efter sikre og diskrete måder at købe Ritalin på uden unødvendig ventetid eller papirarbejde. I denne guide får du alt, hvad du behøver at vide om at købe Ritalin online i Danmark – fra hvad Ritalin bruges til, hvordan det virker, samt hvordan du køber det trygt online uden recept.

​

[sc4r3d2r0t]

Imprimatura

Something I've been learning to accept recently is that my life has been rooted in the suppression of myself. I have ADHD/Autism raised in a household that did not know how to deal with me and I had 5 younger half-siblings whom I was told took precedence over me. Between my neurodivergence, emotionally distant home life, and a burgeoning gender crisis, I had a difficult time connecting with others meaningfully. My only guidance in this struggle was literally "fake it til you make it" and eventually it gets easier. As you might imagine, this doesn't work out well as a blueprint for going through puberty and adolescence. I stuck with the only people who could stand me and learned to fit in, which meant sticking around the boys who would eventually become part of the burgeoning incel and alt-right of the 2010's. This is probably all tmi for whatever rando person stumbles by thinking they are getting some coherent take on the journey of authenticity through introspection and experience but no, instead this is the lamentations of someone who wants to break free from the loneliness that became my home.

If you continue to read my posts, you won't find anything of substance, basically just a diary of an uneducated, undeveloped, egocentric trans woman. I don't have anything to say, but I do want to figure out how to say something of meaning. I've spent so long analyzing every word, every subconscious action, every minute social tell, every choice of words, but have come out of it understanding nothing. I instinctively suppress everything about myself, only letting the little bit of myself leak out that I have learned to curate for other people's acceptance. What at first let me feel safe at home and at school has become a prison which has become a matter of life or death to escape. I foolishly believed that transitioning could someday be my escape from this, but I was deluded. Not to say that I am not trans of course. This was always something I knew I would either confront eventually, or die. I had been living life on a tightrope, controlling every minute movement of my body and mind to maintain an image of serenity and confidence so that no one would even realize I was one step from falling. I thought that when I came out I was finally going to be able to put my feet on solid ground and walk, free to live my life. Feet gliding into some beautiful innate dance finally able to express what they had been held back from for so long. For some time it actually felt like my prophecy may have come true. However, even writing this I feel my body aching to return to the comfort of that serene walk. I feel the millions of potential eyes piercing my soul.

At first, I embraced this path of authenticity. Even with little to no "social skills", people respected my honesty and transparency even where skill in communication was lacking. In time I had a small but healthy group of friends, a supportive community, and a burgeoning career. But at no fault of mine (life happens) I lost all but one friend (who I had entered into a relationship with), and I had taken a step up into a career that included taking a supervisory role in my community that disconnected me from my peers. I was in charge of troubled 18-25 year olds hoping to guide them on what I had learned so far at the age of 26. Instead I slowly crumbled under the burdens of responsibility and my likewise crumbling personal life. The responsibilities pushed my behavior towards what I had seen in my parents over the duration of my siblings births. I needed to be perfect, I needed to do things right, I needed to be more than what I was. I was human, I am human. I had come this far by embracing my inevitable failures and accepting a sort of 'student of life' mantra. But I wasn't ready for how those failures would impact those around me that I felt responsible for. So I walked the best way I knew how. With the serene grace that I had honed for so long, channeling everything I knew into maintaining an image of competence so that no one would be hurt. But as I hit my breaking point I only hurt everyone more, stepping back onto my tightrope away from the solid ground of community.

I don't even know how to fit my SA or my loss of friends into here without completely diverging from what semblance of a thesis I can pretend to have. But this is all just to illustrate the backdrop for my current struggle that I intend to explore in time. Underpainting my canvas as if I have some worthwhile art to express upon it. My partner is providing a place to stay while I struggle to function let alone try to go back to work. I've dropped so far back into myself that I've gone back to /tttt for gods sake. Wrapping up all of this mess I once again state 'I have nothing to say' unfortunately. This is just a messy diary of a messy person who is practicing being messy in front of other people. I want to live my life again, but I don't want to wait until I have it all figured out to try living my life again. Maybe this whole post is just some form of self harm, but if you made it this far that's probably also an act of self harm lol. Thanks for reading anyways, I've always wanted to be seen for who I truly am. Unfortunately, this is all I got right now. Hopefully it'll get better if you stick around. I had some pretty cool friends until it all fell apart, so hopefully there's something there worth sticking around for.

[monriatitans]

Ta-Da! List: Sunday, June 23rd

The image was made in Canva; check it out at the [referral] link here!

I share my “Ta-Da! List” every day so everyone gets a daily update and I have a reminder of what I’ve accomplished.

To learn more about “Ta-Da! Lists”, and other ADHD life hacks, check out @adhdjesse’s book Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD.

Abbreviations

- O&T: Opinions & Truth Blog - TBR: To Be Read - WGS: The Weekend Game Show - LPS$: Let’s Play Some $#!7 - ASO: Artist Shout-Out - IG: Instagram - BMAC: Buy Me a Coffee - TDL: Ta-Da! List

Ta-Da! List

✧ throughout the day: - kept emails manageable - loaded the dishwasher - filled out today’s TDL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the mobile phone: - Hive: shared today’s ASO - IG/Hive: shared today’s Finished Book, “Current TBR Tower”, and VOD Announcement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the bedroom setup: - Movies: watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas” - O&T: shared yesterday’s and today’s TDL to the WGS Ko-fi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the office setup: - TBR: finished “The Affinity Between Us” by Melissa Sweeney; moved it to the “Finished Books” section of the “Current TBR Tower”, formerly “Current TBR Stack”, posts on O&T, Tumblr, Medium, and BMAC, added “The Bonds We Share”, “Smut Peddler X”, and “My Monster Girlfriend” to the tower, and then changed the published date of the post to Jun. 23rd for the O&T and Tumblr posts; added a link to the “Current TBR Tower” posts to the O&T, Tumblr, Medium, and BMAC “SITE MAPS” - WGS: gave a human artist, Varsha Vasudevan, a shout-out by sharing it on O&T, Tumblr, and other social media; did an LPS$ Stream, exported it to YouTube, shared it on O&T, Tumblr, Medium, and other social media, and then updated the O&T’s YouTube widgets; shared a VOD Announcement to The Titans’ Discord and other social media; prepared the ASO for tomorrow, June 24th - O&T: shared yesterday’s and today’s TDL to various social media - Branding: in Canva, created an “LPS$ Watermarking” template - Gaming: played “Super Lesbian Animal RPG”

- YouTube: watched and/or listened to: 1. Jim Sterling’s videos “Delayed Reaction”, “A Cautionary Post-Mortem Of Evolve”, “Falling Out With The PS4”, “Pay To Spray: Overwatch And Microtransactions”, “Game Industry Executives Are Fucking Idiots”, “Nintendo Switch Online’s Cloud Save Debacle”, “Nintendo’s Virtual Console Is Trash Garbage”, “Loot n’ Plunder”, “Can Evolve Cut Down The Bullshit Tree?”, “That Whole CSGO Gambling Thing”, “Fur Fucked”, “Weapon Durability, Fanbase Fragility”, “Why Horizon: Zero Dawn’s Success Is Good No Matter Who You Are”, “I Want To Review The Switch But A Dickhead Dev Accused Me Of Violating Trademarks”, “Resident Evil 7 Bravely Defaulted”, “Pokemon Go, The Best Worst Pokemon Game Ever”, “It’s My E3 And I’ll Whine If I Want To”, “What Would Link Do?”, “It’s Just A Game”, “The Slimy Sleaze Of That Apolitical Bobby Kotick”, and “Activision Is Innocent Because Activision Said So” 2. I’m Autistic, Now What?’s video “5 Traits You Think are Autistic (But They’re NOT)” 3. Kupo’s short “TIL: I laugh like a chicken from time to time” 4. BlackBeltBarrister’s video “Get this wrong and you’ll be at fault!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ chores and miscellaneous: - Food: had coffee and water for breakfast; had leftover family dinner for lunch and dinner; had a bowl of cereal - Chores: emptied and took out the trash; swept the kitchen

—

Well, these are all the updates I had for today! Thank you for reading!

May every decision you make be *in the spirit of fairness* and may the rest of your day *NOT go to $#!7*!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[jocolatemousse]

Hello me from ten years ago.

The website is on hold right now. I had to start over from scratch, but it was for the better. I met someone who was really fun to work with, but unfortunately our ADHD couldn't keep up with the work pace and now I'm in the longest burn out of our life. Our older brother is sure about the love of his life, but she's got some stuff to figure out before they even get a shot of getting together, let alone getting married. He says he loves you too.

Buddy, are you messing with me? A constant? A law? I wish I had your optimism. We're done with our thesis. I want us to contribute something in the studies of black holes or even gravastars, but I need to work on our foundations.

I haven't released any of my music. If you think Dreamers is good, wait 'til you write Pansindi. It's so fucking good. (Bet you're surprised I wrote a Tagalog song huh.) It's a long story, but we love our country now lmao. You've started writing Silver, right? When you refine it at 25, it's simply gonna be *chef's kiss*. Thanks for doing the barre chords buddy, it's coming along nicely.

You might be curious: so what exactly have I been working on? Well, I have a full outline for this queer medieval fantasy novel, so there's that. And I've been guiding our little brother Zack. He came out as trans. I've also just been figuring things out about myself. I have a psychiatrist now.

Mom is... mom. We had to give her an ultimatum. Dad is good, he's really supportive of us. As for our friends... I've fallen out with Jonas and Quenie, but Krina and Cheska are still my friends. And I think they will be for a very long time. I've had three boyfriends in total. But I'm single right now, and I want a boyfriend as much as you do. I am in a queerplatonic relationship though, and it's amazing. I love him so much, he's like a soulmate and it would be so cool if we ever get a boyfriend. Oh and I'm ✨polyamorous✨ now btw, but still very much a hopeless romantic.

27. What can I say? I'm enjoying it so far. I don't know, it feels young and old at the same time, if that makes any sense. I decided not to off myself back when I was 24/25, and life has just seemed... like a bit of an unreal dream since then.

I'm still naive, dude. And I'm so scared of grief. But these past few months I've been thinking maybe there's no point in bracing for the impact. Just enjoy life as it comes. Maybe. I don't know man. I'm damaged in a lot of other ways, but still untouched by grief. Anyway, we'll see. Hopefully 37-year-old me is still untouched by grief. I want him to be with the people he loves for a very long time.

Merry Christmas buddy.

A message to the me in ten years.

Hi. It’s been a while. Do you remember me? I have a lot of questions for you.  How’s the website doing? I hope it’s getting along fine. I’m about to start editing the Criminal Occupation, and my brother and I hope to finish this before Christmas. How’s your brother doing by the way? Is he married yet? Send him my regards, and tell him I love him.

And how’s Physics? Discover anything mindblowing? Right now, I’m still in the 102, 121 levels. Do you have a constant? Or perhaps a law? Don’t worry. I’m not pressuring you, and I know that some things are better left unknown.

And what about your music? Is Dreamers still a hit? How many albums do you have? What’s your newest single? How popular are you? Can you do barred chords on the guitar yet? I recently shifted my hand’s posture; I hope that did you some good.

How is everyone? Mom? Dad? Your brother, and your sister? Cheska, Quenie, Jonas, Christle, Krina… How are they? Meet anyone new lately? Do you have a boyfriend yet? If not, well… Get one, loser. Haha. Kidding. I’m pretty good-looking right now, and I still don’t have one.

You’re 27! How does it feel like? More responsibilities? Does it suck? I bet it sucks. I bet you feel really old right now compared to me. I’m 17. Haha! You’re old. Smile, though. You made it that far. :)

Right now, I’m naive. I don’t know grief. And I hope you were strong enough to endure any grief that came along your way. This is a moment of naivety, and I’m writing to you from a moment that will never return. I assume you’ve been damaged by now, compared to me. I’m sorry I’m not there for you, and this is probably the only letter you’ll get. But, remember me. Remember the good times and how they were all worth it. I want you to know that you have done everything you can, and you did not take anything for granted, and you’re not supposed to blame yourself for anything. You did your best. Keep going.

Oh, and have a Merry Christmas.

[queerlyglittering]

ugh and I’m supposed to go start a new D&D campaign tomorrow but the guy who’s supposed to be our dm has basically fallen off the face of the earth for the last month and hasn’t answered anyone’s messages about it in the last week? and this one guy in our group is getting super frantic about it and messaging him practically hourly now. which i mean i get it, we’re gonna play at his house so he needs to know who’s showing up/if we’re actually gonna play/etc. but he’s doing that thing kinda like my mom does where, in the absence of the person who’s actually supposed to be in charge, they step in and take over and act like they’re in charge and organize everything and wind up stepping on a lot of people’s toes in the process. he’s already said if our dm doesn’t show up, oh well, he’ll step in and dm. this is the same guy who fought our dm and argued/bargained with him for almost an hour over whether he was allowed to use Xanathar’s or other books other than the basic player’s handbook - and this is meant to be a super duper beginner level campaign, it’s a prefab one not homebrew and everyone else is limited to basic characters from the basic book because that’s what we’re all guaranteed to have, and it’s our dm’s first time dming. but this guy really pushed to get special treatment because he said he’d be bored playing this beginner campaign with beginner characters... like we’re all starting at level one and the campaign will probably be over by the time we reach level 5 or 6?? so it’s a super short one, but he just refuses to go along with the established rules, and keeps changing his mind on what kind of character he wants to play, and now he’s trying to take over and like. I’m starting to understand why the dm is trying to disappear. I literally am planning to give it exactly one session to see how this goes and if the actual dm doesn’t show, or if this guy starts pulling dramatic crap, I’m dropping out. I literally don’t have the energy for this.

[roboticchibitan]

Meditating with ADHD and anxiety

Disclaimer: this is just what's worked for me, everyone's brains work differently.

So you have ADHD, and you have anxiety, and everyone under the sun tells you to meditate but it feels impossible. Good news! It's possible to not only meditate with ADHD, but also see an overall reduction of cyclical anxiety thoughts both during and outside of meditation. My advice is coming from the perspective of someone who does ACT therapy and has studied Buddhism and is considering converting.

First of all, I know it's super annoying that everyone says meditation will solve all your problems. Trust me. I know. But, there is science backing up the positive effects of meditation on anxiety. A quick google search for scientific studies brought up this study, and there are others. I'm just in too much pain to hunt them all down because I want to get this typed up before I need to get off my computer and lay down.

I noticed a difference in my cyclical anxiety thought patterns after about a week of meditating for ten minutes every day. I get these thoughts about my partner dying, or losing my income, or becoming dependent on my really terrible family, and they just torture me. I suffer so much just because I can't get my brain to calm down and just stop. And I had tried meditation in the past, but I would get these cyclical thoughts in the middle of meditating sometimes. Other times, I simply wasn't meditating because I was lost in my thoughts the entire ten minutes. But! I figured out a method to deal with both of those problems. Here's how I did it.

First I'll start with the difficulty that ADHD causes when it comes to meditation. First of all, there are tools to help you meditate. I have a mala, which is a long string of Buddhist prayer beads, sort of like a rosary except without the guilt of Catholicism to go with it. The beads are used to help you focus on/count your breath or a mantra or whatever the object of your meditation is. Starting with holding the bead next to the big bead, you breathe in, breathe out, and then go onto the next bead. I find this physical activity helps with my ADHD fidgetyness and helps me focus. You can go all the way around til you get back to the big bead, but if you're going to continue, don't cross the big bead. Turn the mala around and go back the way you came.

I now do silent meditation where I focus on my breath, one in and out breath for each bead. But that's a little more advanced and harder to do without practicing first. I recommend first trying a short guided meditation. There's a Buddhist monastic community in France called Plum Village that has an app (called Plum Village App) and on the app there's a variety of guided and silent meditations, but I highly recommend the one in the short meditations section called "Calm-Ease." It's six minutes long (there's also eight, fifteen, twenty, and thirty minute versions but start with six), and I still use elements of it during my silent meditations because it's just that good.

All the meditations on the app have a mantra and then a shortened version. For example, the calm/ease one has several different mantras but the heart of it is "Breathing in, I am calm. Breathing out, I feel at ease." And then you can shorten it to (breathing in) "calm" (breathing out) "ease." In this case, you could repeat "calm/ease" once per bead on the mala. I sometimes do this when I can't sleep (I wear my mala to bed) and it helps.

(If you're interested in trying out meditation with a mala, I recommend buying one from The Tibetan Nun Project, which is a nonprofit that supports refugee Tibetan nuns in Northern India. They sell wrist and long malas, and the price ranges from $10-$45. They sell plastic, bone, wood, and crystal malas.)

Meditation takes practice. It's like a muscle you can train. At first, when I meditated, even if I was doing guided meditations, my mind would wander constantly. However, this happens less and less the more you practice. And getting your mind to be completely quiet isn't the goal. The goal is lowering your stress level. So the first thing you need to do is just accept that you'll get distracted. If you're beating yourself up or getting frustrated every time your mind wanders, you're just going to stress yourself out. But the moment you realized you've been distracted is the moment you begin the be mindful again, so please don't get frustrated. Meditation is a practice, meaning we can get better at it, and you have to suck at something to get better at it, that's just part of the process. So when you notice your mind has been wandering, simply tell yourself "Okay, back to the subject at hand" and go back to your breath or mantra or whatever you are focusing on.

Now, you ask, it's great that doing this regularly will help my anxiety, but what do I do if I get anxiety mid meditation? I have this problem sometimes, and it makes meditating frustrating and unpleasant. So I've taken up a practice recommended by both my therapist and Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh. In this method, you talk to your anxiety like you would a friend. Not trying to talk it out of being stressed, but rather, offering it your compassion.

Think of it this way: if your friend was anxious, you would have compassion for them. You would sit with them and be kind to them until they calmed down. And the part of you that is anxious deserves compassion and kindness too. So I will literally talk to my anxiety silently, saying "Hello anxiety, I see you are back. It's true we are very happy, and it makes us afraid that we will lose that happiness. Thank you for trying to prepare me for the worst. You are very scared, and it's okay to be scared. I will sit with you until you feel better." And then I find the compassion in myself that I would give to a scared friend, and I sit with that in my heart and let my anxiety feel it.

It's very important to not try to talk the anxiety out of being anxious, or tell it it needs to go away. It's very tempting, but anxiety will fight back if you do this. Instead, realize the anxious part of you is suffering, and offer it kindness and compassion. ACT stands for "Acceptance Commitment Therapy" and one of the main tenants is accepting things the way they are and knowing and reassuring yourself that things will not always be that way. So you're not fighting your anxiety, you're accepting it and reminding yourself that you won't always be anxious. This helps slow down cyclical anxiety thoughts. And from a Buddhist perspective, it's important to accept our feelings without judgement because we are not our thoughts.

I use this method to deal with anger, as well. I sometimes get into imaginary conversations with people I am angry at while I'm trying to meditate. At first this was frustrating. I'm trying to be compassionate and kind to everyone, even people who don't deserve it. Being pissed off isn't conducive to that. But anger is always a secondary emotion. There's always an emotion behind it, making the anger. Whether that is pain, frustration, hurt feelings, fear, hunger, etc, there's always a reason you're angry.

So I sit with my anger and talk to it, and offer to hold its hand until it calms down. By meditating on my anger in this way, I am able to see deeply into the source of my anger. For example, one day, I was getting agitated thinking about my father and my extended family. I don't have good relationships with them, and that hurts. So while I meditated on my anger, and sat with it and told it it was okay to be angry, I realized the source of my anger wasn't just hurt, it was specifically that I feel like these people, who should love me and who SAY they love me, don't actually love me because I am queer and they don't accept that.

And all of a sudden, the underlying reason for my suffering hit me all at once. I just want to be loved. I immediately felt compassion for myself. And knowing this, I was able to remind myself and my anger and hurt that we are loved! Maybe those people don't understand me well enough to love me, maybe they're cruel people and I will never get their true love. But there are other people who do love me. And seeing the source of my suffering and being able to give that suffering the specific kind of compassion it needed, helped me be less angry overall.

Overall, if you struggle to meditate due to wandering thoughts, fidgetyness, or intrusive anxiety or anger, it IS possible to find a method that works for you. It might not be 100% the same method as I have outlined here, but you can find what works for you. And you'll notice a difference fairly quickly. If you can meditate regularly, those cyclical anxiety thoughts will be less frequent overall, not just during meditation.

[normanblowup]

Would LOVE to hear your Nathan (or any of the bands) stim headcanons. I know a lot of people headcanon Nathan as autistic but I havent seen many headcanons of him stimming </3

AHHHHHHH—THANK U, alright imma do this for just nathan because i have the most thoughts about him when it comes to this but i also hc toki and skwisgaar as ADHD and possibly on the spectrum. (this is based on my experiences mostly and of what i’ve heard from others as well)

Nathan’s stims (+ other info)

i hc nathan as having autism

Stims:

-flapping and rocking are his primary stims, but i think he also bounces his leg when he’s nervous or in distress. those stims are for coping with negative emotions or for expressing happy emotions. some of his destructive stims are: pulling his hair, biting at his hands/fingers, and scratching his arms til they welt up or bleed. these are in response to negative emotions and situations and are not good for coping, you want to help/encourage him to do the less destructive stims.

Specific Sensory Issues:

-nathan generally does not enjoy the feeling of other peoples skin, sometimes he’s comfortable with it but in his day-to-day life it’s not enjoyable.

-he doesn’t like rough textures or things that are jagged or rigid in shape, it’s not enough to make him upset but it makes him slightly uncomfortable.

-he gets overwhelmed with the strand of hair that falls in his face, he tries to blow it away often but he can’t force himself to move it away with his hands.

-he has fairly intense executive dysfunction, not with just tasks or chores he needs to do, but with things like: using the bathroom, getting dressed/changing clothes, brushing his teeth, etc.

-he freezes up and will not be able to move, he thinks about himself moving and getting up but can’t make his muscles do it. it’s not generally because he is nervous about the task but more so he just can’t do it. encouraging him gently to get up will make him feel less stiff and he will eventually get up.

-if he’s trying to focus on something, repetitive sounds like water from a faucet or tapping on a table will make him incredibly upset but he won’t know how to communicate it and will end up either stimming harder to make up for it or getting angry/frustrated with the task he’s trying to complete.

Episodes/‘tantrums’/meltdowns:

⚠️ -i personally don’t like the word tantrum in reference to an episode, it makes me feel like a child or as if i have control over what’s happening which isn’t true. so if i get anymore asks about this, i won’t be referring to them as tantrums. for myself i refer to them as episodes or fits.

-if he is close to an episode he will curl in on himself and probably flinch/twitch. once in an episode he’ll start hollering or letting out quick shouts and slapping/hitting his head and thighs. to calm him down, start gently guiding his breathing and take him outside or somewhere cold so he can calm down. do not restrict him. it’s also good to give him something like ice to hold in his hands, he likes how smooth and cold it feels and it helps ground him. he also enjoys going swimming which is partially because his connection to the water, it’s also just very relaxing to him.

-to prevent an episode, it’s good to figure out his body language when he gets uncomfortable beforehand.

-he will probably abruptly stop stimming, and will either go completely silent or start rocking intensely to overcompensate for how he feels. he also has verbal and nonverbal cues like: mouth clicking, flailing one or both of his arms in a rigid and quick motion, and the twitching of his head and shoulders. it’s a very sudden flinch/twitch motion and it’s repetitive.

-again, taking him somewhere cold will help calm him down. he also enjoys soft things like furry blankets and cushions, so taking him to lay on the couch with the window open will be a good way to help him come down.

—

thank you so much for this ask, this is something i think about a lot especially cus i feel i can relate to him immensely on it.

[thevirgodoll]

hi! i was wondering if you have any tips to stay organized and stay on task? i’ve been doing a short online course this year and have really struggled to ACTUALLY bring myself to do the work, as assignments and lessons are not under any time constraints i just don’t do it. i also have adhd so get bored or distracted easily. do you have any tips for me?

This is really close to me because I also have ADHD. I have both inattentive and hyperactive type. *As a result, this academic tip guide will be a guide for people with ADHD and not neurotypical people, without disability. There is a difference.*

I am doing online as well this semester.

1. I create a schedule. If I do not create a schedule, I will be unproductive the entire day. So, what will help you is to do things in orderly fashion.

For example, at 12p - I will do this assignment/watch this lecture. You have to dictate what time you’re doing everything. Then, you also have to block out technology distractions while you are working. 

-> Even if you’ve gotten halfway through the day with no schedule, write down or block off times on your digital calendar for what you are going to do at each time. ADHD is easier to tackle if you break things down into smaller tasks.

*Pro tip that I almost forgot: before you do anything, wear your day clothes. Don’t wear pajamas. Actually getting dressed or even doing hair/makeup changes things.

2. Download the Forest app after you have created your schedule. I consistently recommend this because it works in increasing productivity. It allows you to set it for however long you’re doing this task, say 30 minutes.

-> Why?: It will block all apps on your phone for (insert time here) to plant a tree, and if you leave the app your “tree” will die. Eventually, the more sessions you do, the more points you will gain to plant different plants, and eventually plant real trees around the world.

3. Have a list (& a planner) as well. Not only is the schedule creating structure, but the list creates even more structure so you know what you need to get done for the day. It also helps you not fall victim to the classic symptom of forgetting. Each day, you should write down what you WANT to get done and create your own times to look at lecture and assignments. Have goals for the day.

For example: complete assignment 2.

If you do not have expectations with yourself before the day begins, your ADHD will kind of take over and do something else. I have structure to my day. I set a timer to wake up at the same time. I take my ADHD medicine 90 minutes before my final wake up time, and I do my morning routine once it kicks in. Having the same routine helps.

-> Focus on your goals. Don’t be super harsh about the times.

-> Don’t overwhelm with how many things on to do list. Again, break it up into small tasks. For example, one part being: Wash dishes or fold laundry. It makes it less overwhelming to your brain and gives you a choice of which task. Typical non ADHD people just tell you to prioritize tasks but that doesn’t work for us. Do it in a random order and it gets the job done.

4. TAKE BREAKS! The other side to this is making sure that you give yourself adequate breaks.

*For hyperfocus, wait til your hyperfocus has started to wear off. Use it to your advantage for peak productivity. It is no joke.*

-> The misconception is that some people with ADHD are lazy and as a result, some ADHDers won’t take breaks. You can take a break. Healthy, long breaks do more for you long term.

-> Have a timer set. For example, after a 45 minute session or an hour session, I will take a break to do another task that has nothing to do with studying, like laundry, eating a snack, or stretching. Then after that task is done, I will go back to studying.

5. Have a workspace. Only do work at this space. I do schoolwork at my living room table and it is perfect. I do not study in my room because that is my sanctuary for relaxation and rest, not productivity. Make an effort to make the workspace clean, with your supplies - laptop, notebooks, pens, etc - readily available.

-> Once I get to my workspace, everything for the morning is already done. I’ve done my morning routine, so all there is left to do is hydrate while I study.

6. Recognize if you have adequate energy to do the task. Sometimes, with ADHD you may neglect your needs. If you are not getting enough rest, here are some tips:

•Bed should be for rest only.

•Blackout curtains

•Lavender essential oil, I have a diffuser but you can also put it on your pillow

•Background noise: pick what you want, lo fi music, rain sounds, binaural beats, singing bowls

•If all else fails, ADHD is often comorbid with other illnesses, meaning you could have a form of depression causing insomnia for example. This should be considered if you are having long term issues and symptoms.

7. Don’t overdo it. We are not neurotypical. Executive dysfunction is real - meaning our brains actually shut down when it perceives a task to be mundane.

-> You do not have to fit everything into one schedule for the sake of being “productive”. Each day should be what you know you can do, and there are different days to tackle different goals.

-> When you feel like you cannot continue, which is literally a symptom of ADHD, sit still for a few minutes.

8. Have a “What I Did Today” List. Because of how ADHD actually makes us feel, we don’t realize how much work we have put in. ADHD actually can be explained easily, we have about 2 dopamine workers showing up to work while most people are at maximum capacity. We are working overtime to do our best, even on medicine. So, acknowledging what we did today is good and encouraging, or at least reflecting in a journal.

9. Play music. It’s recommended to play study music without words because with ADHD we will submerge ourselves into the playlist of nostalgic 90s R&B. I recommend lo fi hip hop on YouTube, video game instrumentals, classical music, or jazz instrumentals. Whatever gets you going just do it!

General ADHD tips:

•Rewrite lecture notes and type the lecture notes.

•Color code with bright colors and pretty drawings or calligraphy

•Instead of telling yourself “I need to take notes” which usually leads to procrastination say “Rewrite lecture notes and emphasize main points” ... this is useful in your to do list but in everyday goals

•Generally try to get your assignments done ahead of time if there is structure to certain courses, if not, again, stick to the schedule. If you slip one day off your schedule then don’t beat yourself up. Breathe!!!

•Side effect of most ADHD meds is that you’re not hungry so buy easy things to eat like muscle milk or yogurt and granola or smoothies so you can sustain yourself

•Get a dry erase board to show what you need to do for the day and put it on the fridge with command strips

•To avoid forgetting things, put them at a table near the door where you leave your apartment/dorm/house.

•Don’t overthink the time it takes to get ready, often that’s why ADHDers are late. Better to be super early than late though - have a routine set so you know how long each task takes - for example “I know a shower takes me 15 mins, washing my face takes 60 seconds and a few more including sunscreen/moisturizer, etc...”

•In that same grain, set timers for going to the bathroom, showering, etc just in case you one day hyperfocus and push yourself too far

•Open the blinds!!!!

•Clean your room and tidy up your space. A cluttered space impacts your mental health in a really negative way. Your space reflects your mental state at times as well, so check in with yourself. Have a specific day where you know you’re going to clean, but ADHD sometimes gives us bursts of cleaning so take advantage of that as well.

•Anytime your water bottle empties refill it. Have your water bottle or mason jar next to your workspace, and drink 5-10 gulps. Seriously. ADHD depends a lot on hydration, especially if you are on medicine which naturally dehydrates you. If you do not stay hydrated, you’ll get that massive headache mid day and crash sooner. A lot of times, lack of productivity can be due to not drinking enough water.

•If you don’t take medication, then sometimes you may notice you love coffee, and that’s because it’s a stimulant. Too much of anything is not good, but balance it with water. If you’re going to use coffee to kinda “medicate” then do it close to when you’re going to be productive.

•Setting yourself up to do a task rather than envisioning the overwhelming act of doing the entire action. “Okay, lets just get up and get the first step down, such as opening the laptop or wetting the toothbrush.” Baby steps.

•Take advantage of accommodations! Your college more than likely has an Office of Disability Services. Also, email your professors...they’re actually just as stressed as you about classes being online.

•Remember that you’re already trying as hard as you can, so don’t listen to the narrative of “try harder”, “you’re *r word*”, “you’re cheating by using medication”, “just do it,” “it’s easy,” “what’s so hard about it?” or “you’re lazy”. Anyone telling you that, even yourself, is wrong. And DO NOT allow anyone to be ableist, even yourself.

•Validate yourself. Don’t let anyone to do the “I experience that too”/“I know what you mean”/“we ALL have trouble with this!” and they don’t have ADHD. No. It’s our experience, it’s valid, and unlike anything on the planet. If you’re reading this and you don’t have ADHD - no, you do not experience any of the things in my next bullet point.

•Don’t be hard on yourself if you stumble along the way getting this right. ADHD completely changes your executive functioning.

We see the task, but our brain blocks it.

We have something marked down as “important” but our brain tosses it out in the “trash”.

We watch an entire episode of a show, but our brain ignored the entire thing. Our brain picks and chooses what is stimulating, our brain changes our interests.

We have sensory overload, we have no dopamine, we have bursts of curiosity that cannot be contained (often inconvenient) and if interrupted, our brains cannot take it.

People often discount how many things ADHD actually changes because it’s widely misunderstood. I want to take the time to acknowledge that ADHD, formerly known as simply ADD, has different types: primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive-impulsive, or combined which is what I have. So it’s not “hyper” and “relatable”. It is also not a buzzword to use to describe things. I must put stereotypes and misrepresentations of ADHD to rest.

It impacts us emotionally as well, which most people don’t know... such as rejection dysphoria — extreme sensitivity to being criticized to where our brains self destruct. Our brains don’t regulate emotions well.

ADHDers - do not fall victim to how everyone else operates and call yourself a failure. We have to work twice as hard and the results actually come out brilliant especially with our determination and imaginative ideas that are also seen in autistic individuals, honorable mention!

There’s good days and bad days. There’s literal changes in thinking that other people do not experience. We all collectively know wouldn’t be who we are without ADHD, but we all recognize the challenges. However, it makes me happy to see messages like this so that I can make a difference and hopefully help one person with ADHD, especially of color, at a time stop being so hard on themselves. 💗