#mentally hyperactive

[noriartz]

Normalize stimming! How do you stim? I pinch my hands like a crab when im excited~

[k41tlyn8487]

This is me right now trying to read Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis for my Drama and Theatre Studies exam

[heartxloves]

𓏵 AuDHD NPD …

A flag for autistic beings with ADHD { Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder } & NPD { Narcissistic Personality Disorder }.

Made By : 望愛， 🐰．

[outergodly]

𓏵 Doll ADHD｡ 

A flag for those with ADHD & a connection to dolls, or who are dolls with ADHD.

[adhdcognizant]

🙂🙃

[flame-cat]

doug eiffel has adhd.

he doesnt know it. he doesnt know it for most of his life, anyway. he knows he has trouble focusing and sitting still, knows that if a topic doesn't interest him he tunes out immediately. he knows that just like he knows hes capable of working on fine-tuning a satelite dish for 9 hours straight in the hot sun and only noticing how long its been when he nearly falls off the roof because hes dizzy from heat exhaustion.

these are just quirks of his. little things. things that made kate go "oh, doug," and ruffle his hair. that made anne point and laugh at how silly her dad is.

once.

anyway. he doesnt know it, and its not relevant. so he doesnt find out.

until...

"officer eiffel. officer eiffel!"

"gah! hera! for gods sakes, warn a guy before you send him into cardiac arrest!"

"i... did warn you. ive been trying to get your attention for the past... 30 minutes."

"you... have?"

"i have. i understand youre hyperfixating, but commander minkowski really needs you to report to the bridge."

"yeah, yeah, in a min... wait. im what-now?"

"uh... hyperfixating?"

"okay, yeah, that. what the hell does that mean? if youre making up words to insult me now, youve gotta at least tell me what they mean!"

"... eiffel, do you not know what hyperfixating is?"

"uh, yeah? kinda what i just said?"

"um. well. hyperfocus is an intense form of mental concentration or visualization that focuses consciousness on a subject, topic, or task. in some individuals, various subjects or topics may also include daydreams, concepts, fiction, the imagination, and other objects of the mind."

"okay, webster's, now can we get the normal people explanation?"

"you were really, really focused. to the point where it was like nothing else around you existed."

"oh. i mean, i guess? but what makes it 'hyper?'"

"well, people dont normally focus that intently on a task or topic. its generally a behavior exhibited by those on the adhd or autism spectrum."

"... huh?"

"officer eiffel, youre aware that you have combined type adhd, yes?"

"... what?"

"oh boy. um, hang on, commander, this might be a minute..."

[thisisnot-yourgrave]

What I learned about my brain and routines as a person with ADHD and autism:

The number one strategy that I've been implementing is

Eliminate any and all decisions to avoid being burnt out by 10 am

My partner turns on the radio as soon as he leaves for work, so I'm not met with the decision of putting on a podcast or music as soon as I wake up

I have the same breakfast every day and this might change, the basic concept here is, that it doesn't require any fresh ingredients so that I always have breakfast available even if I forgot to get groceries because I take my meds in the morning

Moving to the bathroom is a little tricky sometimes but when I'm there, I can do everything I need to do to get ready in one room and in sight so I remember to actually do them (including my clothes because I undress anyways to shower)

I simplified my wardrobe so every shirt goes with every pair of pants so it doesn't really matter what I pick, it will always look (somewhat) put together

Also, dressing to be comfortable instead of dressing to look nice was a huge thing for me. That simple mindset shift truly eliminated so many decisions I was making and that were truly tiring me out

What also really helped, is, that I stopped tying my routine to a certain time. Now, I realize that this is a privilege because I don't work at the moment but this truly changed things for me because it became a lot less daunting once I eliminated a lot of decisions. I don't have to mentally prepare myself to get ready anymore and I consider that a huge win because I have a lot more energy throughout the day.

I realize that these things are not new in any ways, shape or form but I have a very hard time unlearning things I was thought as a child. Maybe seeing that other people do things "differently" helps someone else.

[scretladyspider]

No, ADHD isn’t caused by iPads and screen time. We’re seeing a rise in diagnosis because professionals are recognizing that it’s not just hyperactive, white, middle and upper class little boys with bad grades. Not because of more access to the internet.

follow me on tiktok

[starfishinthedistance]

It's annoying that ADD has not been a diagnosis since 1987 (or 2013 depending on how you define "not a diagnosis" as well as your source, either way at least a decade) and yet there are STILL people fighting tooth and nail to argue that ADD is it's own thing, or a thing at all.

It's ADHD-I. There is literally no difference between "ADD" and ADHD. They're the same disorder. It's just a subtype. The inattentive subtype. It's such a basic piece of misinfo yet it's EVERYWHERE.

[askblueandviolet]

Who’s the cat-person & dog-person between you two?

Also.. *slowly shoves coffee pudding in front of you* :3

MASTER POST

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[lesbian-disaster-academic]

Since there's been some discussion of this on a prior post I made, let's address

Neurodivergent Skill-Regression: What is it & Why Does it Happen?

Content Warning! This post will make brief mention of various topics, including: childhood abuse (not explicit), depression, suicidal ideation, car accidents, the COVID-19 pandemic, and throwing up.

Okay, let's begin with a quick preface. I'm writing from the Global North, in a capitalist economy, and in a country founded on (ongoing!) systems of colonialism. Therefore, that's how I'll be situating this discussion (just because it's what I know best). Neurodivergence and Capitalist Exploitation Under capitalism, productivity and extraction in the name of profit become of the utmost importance. Extraction can take place in the form of extracting physical resources (think fracking on Turtle Island), extracting labour, etc. Ultimately, neurodivergence itself is not an ill-formed or "bad" mind. It is only conceptualized and coded as such because capitalism and various other interlocking systems of oppression are actively hostile to minds that, in some way, subvert capitalist and colonial ideals. (however, this is not to negate, invalidate, or trivialize the fact that adhd/asd/ocd/bpd/etc. are disabilities. by their very nature, they impede and disrupt functioning. what is considered "functional", however, is determined by this capitalist/colonialist state and the things it values. this is all simply to say that we would be able to more easily exist and thrive within a society that doesn't reward self-destruction in the name of accumulating capital for the upper class) Of course, living in a system that is not built for you is going to be exhausting—it takes a toll on you, both physically and mentally. This can be further compounded if you are marginalized in other ways; for instance, if you're a person of colour, working class, a woman, 2SLGBTQ+, an immigrant, or a combination of these.

Masking and Burnout Many neurodivergent folx are forced into positions in which they have to mask. For the sake of clarity, "masking", in this case, involves concealing one's neurodivergent traits. For me, that might look like suppressing compulsions, consciously regulating my facial expressions, working longer and harder to accomplish tasks because I can't focus, or scripting conversations before I have them. These manifestations are often invisible to outsiders, but they take a heavy toll on us, and can often result in neurodivergent burnout. This is where the skill-regression comes in. An Example... Let me give you a personal example of what neurodivergent skill-regression can look like! Prior to the pandemic, I was a highly productive person. I was designated "gifted" (whatever that means) and was top of my class in every single class. I was participating in (and running) multiple clubs, working a steady job, volunteering within the community, and learning new instruments and languages. I was a skilled pianist and painter, and also very athletic. From the outside looking in, I appeared successful: I had a massive scholarship lined up at the most prestigious university in the country. I was generally well-liked. I was creative and skilled in both the humanities and STEM (mostly humanities lol), etcetera etcetera. But I was in no way okay. I was incredibly depressed and suicidal. I had multiple undiagnosed anxiety disorders and neurodivergencies. I was experiencing relentless abuse at home. I was throwing up every few days out of pure fear and stress. I was constantly sick, crying (in secret, and then later too numb to cry), overwhelmed, exhausted, and apathetic. And yet I refused to stop pushing my body and mind to their limit because I had this ingrained belief surrounding my productivity—if I slowed down, would I be worth anything? At the time, to my mind, the answer was a staunch no (even though I didn't apply this thinking to anyone but myself lol). So I repressed everything. I pushed it all to the side and kept moving forward. To put it in perspective, I got hit by a truck at one point, but I was so scared of being late to a thing and disappointing my parents that I just apologized and kept going. This kind of behaviour went on for close to a decade. And then the pandemic hit. And I was forced to stop. I was made to (by virtue of my relative privilege) take a moment to sit down, look around, and actually feel things. And it hit me like a ton of bricks: All the weight of the anger and fear and everything that I had been repressing for the sake of survival came RUSHING in. Now? You want to know what I'm like now? I am very burnt out and incredibly unproductive. I have the attention span of a gnat. Where I used to be able push through exhaustion or else tamp it down with consistently high levels of adrenaline, I now almost ALWAYS feel tired, to the point where I have to lay down. I used to be able to toss together an essay in the span of a couple hours. And, yes, while I can still put an essay together quickly, it’s not going to necessarily be good. Likewise, where I used to be able to mask my neurodivergent traits, I'm now hyperaware of how exhausting it all is, which makes it more difficult to appear neurotypical in public.

The thing is, when you have something like adhd as well as an anxiety disorder, the anxiety can pretty effectively mask the adhd. But once I started medication and more intense therapy, I got a hold on my anxiety and alllll of my coping mechanisms fell away. I no longer had that constant, vibrating fear to force me to maintain attention, and push myself to the breaking point.

It’s like not aging for 80 years and then suddenly having decades collapse into you in the span of moments. So Where Does This Leave Us? Okay, that was a loooong tangent, sorry. Returning to the original point. As the infinitely cool and talented @revenantscholar mentioned in a previous post of mine, when you exist in an unsafe environment (or one which is generally not built with you in mind), it's difficult to hold onto the skills you once had. Your body goes into survival mode and prioritizes keeping you alive. Once you have returned to a space where you can unmask and be physically/emotionally/mentally SAFE, you have the capacity to relearn some of those skills. Not all of them, necessarily, and not all at once. But these things do return—and even if they don't (listen to me, this is important), that doesn't make you stupid/bad/worthless. You are living in a world that is not built for people like you and I, and it sucks, and it's painful and scary, and we will continue to fight for a better future. In the meantime, it's important to remember that you are worthy of care, compassion, empathy, and support regardless of what you can contribute/do. You are incredibly important and I'm so glad you're here. (Thank you for listening. I'm drawing on my human rights knowledge from my degree, and also my own personal experience. However, feel free to correct me or ask any questions you might have! I'm also happy to provide resources/citations if needed. Now go drink water and rest if you need to! Ily!)

[echo-stimmingrose]

Real shit I've heard in regards to my adhd and autism

"you shouldn't go on meds for your ADHD because you may become dependent on them." Let me ask you this, what the fuck do you think meds are for?

"but you sit so still-" One, no I don't, I'm usually stimming in some way, and two that's not my issue, I have the attention span of a fucking fruit fly. Aka inattentive type.

Doctor seeing me for the first time- "We can put you on a sedative, that will help with hyperactivity" Again, not hyperactive. Also I have chronic fatigue as is, so no thanks. (They put me on it anyway, I was practically a zombie for months)

Well meaning doctor- "I don't want to put you on a stimulant cause it can increase your anxiety." Yeah okay, but you see, the main source of my anxiety is that I can't get shit done.

After I lose something for the fifteenth time in ten minutes- "how about you make a specific place for everything so you don't lose it?" Genuine question, do neurotypicals consciously set stuff down? Cause I sure as hell don't.

"but it's a super power!" Why does this shit only apply to non physical disabilities? Y'all don't say this to me about my wheelchair why the fuck do you say it about this.

"just try harder to focus!" How about I hit you over the head with a shovel.

"have you tried praying?" Yup. Even had an exorcism done once. All I got was religious trauma funnily enough.

"it's a spectrum because everyone is on it!"/"everyone's a little autistic." Do me a favor and do even the smallest bit of research before you say shit like this, or else I'm gonna run you over like a human bowling pin.

"You don't look autistic though." Please explain this without sounding abelist. You can't, but it will be funny to watch you try.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of your autism, autistic kids are just so cute!" I do not know how to respond to that.

"you hide it so well." Thanks, it's called masking and it's caused detrimental damage to my mental health.

Bonus: Something my great aunt said after I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder (which was a misdiagnosis and was determined to be just bipolar one)

"You're lucky, most schizophrenics are too dangerous for society." There's way too much to unpack there, just stop talking.

[clearpathscounseling]

More great content from Angie Cibis [Instagram]

[musingsofanaroace]

AuDHD Burnout

According to the dictionary, burnout is an intense mental or physical exhaustion. Neurodivergent people are more prone to burnouts than neurotypical people.

Here are a list of symptoms:

increased exhaustion

decreased capacity to socialize

decreased attention span

increased meltdowns/shutdowns

refusal to make commitments

increased anxiety  

increased sensory sensitivity

harder to mask

loss of skills

I have AuDHD, and I usually experience burnout when I take on one too many projects at once. As of July 2024, I’m still recovering from a massive burnout.

In late 2022, I thought it a good idea to start a YouTube channel, learn a foreign language, learn about linguistics, read fifty pages a day, and write Heartbeats of Home. By early 2023, I had burned myself out. Every minute of the day, I felt exhausted and nonhuman. My limbs felt floppy and gravity became overpowering. I had more heartburn and nausea than normal. I didn’t want to go anywhere, not even places that I usually enjoy. Internally, I felt empty. Almost like I was an ethereal being and would dissipate into a fine mist with the slightest breeze. I had more meltdowns and shutdowns. I couldn’t handle situations that I normally could, such as someone asking me for a favor. I would snap or shutdown. I also found it a struggle to attend to self-care, and all sensory stimuli seemed more intense and unbearable. My thoughts constantly felt lost in a fog. I was in a bad place.

I had to scrap all of my projects. After work, I would spend my free time playing video games; watching Netflix shows and YouTube videos; going on long, meandering walks; and listening to my favorite songs on repeat. Sometimes the same song for days on end. Gradually, I started to feel better.

In October 2023, I finally received an AuDHD diagnosis, and this diagnosis gave me permission to deal with it. I spent the next two months reading and watching videos about people’s experiences with AuDHD. From them, I learned coping strategies and how to love myself.

At the beginning of 2024, I started my next writing project, Gentle Comes the Night. It’s been slow going, but I’m making progress, which is good. I also started posting on Tumblr. It’s been good getting the garbage out of my brain that would otherwise just sit there and sap up my mental energy.

Eighteen months after the start of the burnout, I still feel exhausted, but not as overwhelmed as I had been. I now feel ready to tackle my life goals and ambitions. I now know that I have to take it one project at a time, and if a project becomes too overwhelming, I have to take a step back, reassess the situation, and go at it from a different angle. That might mean doing a little less each day, taking a few days off, or abandoning the project entirely. And that's okay!

Well, that's all I have for today. Until next time, take care and stay curious.

If you’re suffering from burnout, I recommend the following YouTube videos:

"Autistic Burnout 101 - Recognizing the Signs, Triggers, and Impact" - Orion Kelly - That Autistic Guy

"struggling with autistic burn out..." - I'm Autistic, Now What?

"Adult Autism: Autistic Burnout Taught Me This" - Chris and Debby

[heartxloves]

🔗 ，Demon ADHD Justice …

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No Kin ／ ID tags．

[adhdcognizant]

🙂🙃 Apple Watch to find my phone is my solution