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Putting my hands out while I'm coughing uncontrollably like I'm a villain laughing maniacally or a wizard casting a mighty spell does make the experience slightly better

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Today I finally used a mobility aid other than my braces while out. I never fully understood the statement that if you think you might need a mobility aid you probably do. I get it now. I felt so much more stable with using just one of my crutches. And I am less fatigued than I normally would be. I wish I had started sooner.

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That would explain a lot tbh

um guys, I think we need to stop waiting for ‘the right time’ and just start doing the things we want whenever because the right time’s never gonna come, and if we keep waiting it’s just gonna turn into an endless cycle

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Here's a guy talking about how bosses in America can try to illegally fire you for requesting accommodations for your disability at work and how to address it.

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this is from a "manipulation advice" video and it's just so fucking funny to me. why didn't I think of responding to insults like this

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Dudes healthcare is so fake. My ADHD meds are $940 without insurance. But they gave me a website of "coupons" which straight up looks like a scam website, and I got it today for $60! Just a coupon from a random website and it was $900 cheaper. America, I am confusion!! America explain!!

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Realest thing I've ever heard

Crazy thing about #healing #recovery Small Victories is when you'll have some shit going on that's like, saying this would involve admitting how you used to be doing. You know? Like hey guys good news I'm gonna change my bedsheets this year

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This seems absolutely genius, especially since navigating a bathroom is a basic necessity

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As a wheelchair user I'm trying to reframe my language for "being in the way."

"I'm in the way," "I can't fit," and "I can't go there," is becoming "there's not enough space," "the walkway is too narrow," and "that place isn't accessible."

It's a small change, but to me it feels as if I'm redirecting blame from myself to the people that made these places inaccessible in the first place. I don't want people to just think that they're helping me, I want them to think that they're making up for someone else's wrongdoing. I want them to remember every time I've needed help as something someone else caused.

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hi disabled friends. here's list of minimal things you can do to increase your hygiene & comfort today, if possible ♡

put on at least 1 clean(er) article of clothing (ex: underwear)

brush your hair

rub your teeth with a towel

rinse your mouth with water

splash your face with water

grab a clean(er) blanket

flip your pillowcase to the side you haven't been using

change your posture, stretch

put on a gentle light, or draw the curtains

allow yourself at least a few minutes in a quiet environment

put on some soft background noise (ex: ambient sound, lofi)

try to pick out some pleasant sensory input (ex: birds chirping, how soft your clothes/blanket is)

and if you cant do any of these, dont guilt yourself. disability isnt a failing, and you're doing the best you can!

(yes, this post includes chronically ill and neurodivergent people! you're disabled too!)

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This is rad

if your disability makes it difficult for you to leave bed to brush your teeth, Colgate makes a product called Wisps that are single use, no-rinse toothbrushes you can use while in bed. They have a bead on the brush that dissolves and acts as toothpaste and can be swallowed. The other end has a toothpick.

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*staring sternly into the mirror* you've had a wild week, you haven't eaten today, you've barely interacted with people today. do not trust the Vague Sense of Unease

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I feel like the reason a lot of people with ADHD are Obnoxious About It is because a lot of them spent a long time being blamed for things without knowing the cause. We spent years, possibly decades, being punished for forgetting things. Being told that we must not care enough because we missed an appointment. Getting called vapid, stupid, flighty, ditzy, what-have-you because we're constantly losing our phones or burning dinner. But now we have an explanation. We know what's causing it, we know how to combat it. We finally know what the deal is so we can build systems to help.

So yeah, I know it's annoying when that one friend starts every other sentence with "As someone with ADHD—" or "Because of the ADHD—". But try to give us some grace, we're making up for all the times we didn't have a name for it and just thought we were broken.

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The real thing with ADHD is not "I forgot", but that forgetting is this ongoing process. I remembered! And then I forgot.

At ten this (hypothetical) morning I remembered that I have a meeting at six. And then from 11 through 3 I worked on other stuff and had zero thoughts about that meeting. Maybe even thought about what I was gonna do with my evening at home. Got attached to the idea of taking the time to make a good dinner, maybe play some video games.

And then at three I said, "Oh! Fuck!" and remembered again, hopefully long enough to set an alarm. And then I went to the bathroom and remembered that I need to clean the counter and spent twenty minutes cleaning the bathroom and went to get a snack and then at five I said, "OH! FUCK!" and had to scramble to dress like a real adult and get out the door.

It isn't one clean forgetting. It's a constant process of forgetting and then, with an exhausting adrenaline spike, remembering. And then forgetting. Baby, I can forget the same thing more times in a day than you ever forgot your parents' anniversary.

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This is oddly validating, not because I'm experiencing menopause, but because I feel super weird sometimes after unmasking last year. I didn't even realize I was doing it, I just kind of did it more and more as I learned about neurodivergence and how other neurodivergent people acted. It wasn't a conscious change, and I accidentally stopped doing a lot of the people-pleasing habits I learned in my youth. I did that, I think, because I finally learned to accept myself. I finally understood my 'weirdness,' as other people called it when I was growing up (thanks guys). And while I think that's largely a good thing, sometimes it would be nice to be able to draw upon those social/people skills just as easily as I could before in certain social situations, and I'm just like "what, no, how do I go back—" But we're working on it. Building up our social confidence from the ground up this time, not just out of survival. So that's largely good, too. I also vocal stim a lot more, and it makes sense as to why I do it. A lot of things make sense, and I like it, and it's good. And I can recognize neurodivergent behaviour in other people now, and I like that, and it's good.

Also good advice for when I do eventually go through menopause, along with a healthy dose of self and others acceptance. Thank you.

Just so you younger ADHD people know this, it's pretty accepted that the hormone shifts associated with menopause exacerbate ADHD. Looks like a lot of uterus-havers realize or get diagnosed then, because the coping skills they'd developed stop being enough. My memory is much worse than it used to be, and it's really upsetting, but we're all working to help me find coping skills. It'd be nice if we lived in a society where this didn't blindside quite so many people.

On the other hand, when I'm reasonably content I now vocal stim way more, which is silly and wouldn't fly in some households, but I think it's kinda fun.