#ADHD Resources

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Knowing and admitting you need help is one thing

but knowing what help you need or how to acquire it or where to even start is a whole other thing entirely.

Anyone have any tips or resources for this?

[rogue-academic]

just wanna share a youtube chanel I found with amazing adhd-friendly study tips - Elizabeth Filips. I don't think I've ever heard her mentioning adhd in a title or a video, so I thought someone searching for adhd study tips might not find her which would be a tragedy because I got almost all of the best study tips that I use from her. hope this helps someone, go check her out

[eosofspades]

quick n easy list of gentle coping mechanisms for bad mental health days / neurodivergent understimulation episodes!! some are more applicable to one or the other but when i'm feeling particularly like a tiger in a too-small enclosure i find doing at least a couple of these things helps me so much

drink water. basic, but annoyingly effective

eat a snack. same as above

stretch! even just some laying down stretches like pulling on your arms and knees (in fact, here's a great tiktok series for "depression stretches" and workouts/physical stimulation you can do laying down/without much movement)

music/podcasts/video essays. your favorite playlist you haven't listened to in a while, a podcast you like/have been meaning to start (i listen to podcasts while i'm drawing!)

draw/color! if you don't wanna draw, a coloring book is always fun. i actually prefer kids' ones.

read a book. i prefer physical books bc i know i'll get sucked back into the social media scrolling for hours if i try to read on my phone. i also recommend a nice tea/hot chocolate/juice with this one.

video games. this can be anything from minecraft to destiny 2, but i usually never give myself time for these, even when i have it (stuck in that phone scrolling). a more action-packed game for mental understimulation, maybe a more mellow one for a bad depression episode.

shower. i am fully aware this tends to take a lot of spoons but even just sitting under running water ALWAYS makes me feel better when i can manage it. it also helps me with adhd overstimulation!

clean/organize. this sounds counterintuitive but i actually do enjoy organizing stuff for understimulation, and cleaner workspaces help with the depression. even if it's something as simple as "put all the pencils on the desk back into the pencil cup."

puzzles/brain games. this one is almost exclusively for mental understimulation but once i get going it makes my depression SO MUCH BETTER, TOO. my niche is getting myself some algebra sheets but this can be anything from math to jigsaws to crosswords to word searches!! some kind of problem solving that engages your brain and requires focus. this one is my favorite because i find it really grounding.

playing an instrument. this is in the same vein as the last one! again, my personal niche is the piano, but this could be any sort of thing. in fact this could even be substituted for some kind of alt hobby all together, like knitting or crocheting or something! again, mostly for understimulation, but gives me the serotonin boost to get through the depression stuff as well.

this is all i have for my list, but i'd love for anyone to reblog and add their own stuff!!

[beesandbis]

Hey guys, just wanted to share something for my neurodivergent folks who spend the first two hours of a productive day breaking down every thing they wanna get done into small task.

This thing is fucking magic.

You put in your task, like clean bathroom, than tell it how spicy that task is and how much you need to break it down and....

(this is most spicy level because my brain is just not there today)

Are some subtask still too big? No problem, press the wand again, it breaks them down.

Are some tasks not necessary? Remove them!

Need to switch stuff around? Do it!

This is such a blessing! Holy hell!

Oh and more! If you click the dots, it cn estimate how long each task will approximately take you.

When I heard about this I told all my neurodivergent friends, but I figured it might help some people here as well.

[my-neurodivergent-education]

Neurodivergent Resources - Websites

Here's a list of some of my favourite websites to do with neurodivergence, specifically Autism and ADHD. I'll add to the list if I find any more good ones. Let me know if you have any recommendations!

Neurodivergent Insights

Key Features: Blog, Shop, Community, Training, Digital Downloads

Content: Autism, ADHD, Education, Practical Advice, Lived Experience

Something I liked: The Autistic and ADHD Nervous System

NeuroClastic

Key Features: Nonprofit, Blog, Shop, Digital Downloads

Content: Autism, Education, Lived Experience, Research, Advocacy

Something I liked: What Is Autism?

Reframing Autism

Key Features: Nonprofit, Blog, Training, Digital Downloads, Podcasts, Webinars, News

Content: Autism, Education, Practical Advice, Lived Experience, Advocacy

Something I liked: Autism Essentials (free course)

All Brains Belong

Key Features: Nonprofit, Blog, Community, Training, Digital Downloads

Content: ADHD, Autism, Education, Advocacy, Lived Experience, Practical Advice

Something I liked: Everything Is Connected to Everything: Improving the Healthcare of Autistic and ADHD Adults

Neurodivergent Narratives

Key Features: Blog, Podcasts

Content: ADHD, Education, Lived Experience

Something I liked: Neurodivergence, Intersectionality & Me

Embrace Autism

Key Features: Blog, Screening Tools

Content: Autism, Education, Practical Advice, Lived Experience

Something I liked: Autism & Camouflaging

ADDitude

Key Features: Blog, Screening Tools, Shop, Community, Digital Downloads, News, Podcasts, Webinars

Content: ADHD, Education, Practical Advice, Lived Experience

Something I liked: Understanding Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

Neuroqueer

Key Features: Blog

Content: Autism, Education, Lived Experience, Advocacy, Research

Something I liked: Throw Away the Master's Tools: Liberating Ourselves from the Pathology Paradigm

ASAN (Autistic Self-Advocacy Network)

Key Features: Nonprofit, News, Digital Downloads

Content: Autism, Advocacy, Education

Something I liked: Welcome to the Autistic Community

Autistica

Key Features: Nonprofit, Blog

Content: Autism, Education, Research, Lived Experience, Advocacy, Practical Advice

Something I liked: Supporting Autistic People Who Are Overwhelmed or Having a Meltdown

[adhd-money]

Just Diagnosed with ADHD? Here's what You Need to Know

Understanding your ADHD diagnosis is the first step toward a more fulfilling life. Discover practical advice and supportive tips below! Receiving an ADHD diagnosis as a young adult can be both enlightening and overwhelming. While it may explain many of the challenges you’ve faced, it also brings up important questions about your future. Below is a 100% free guide to help you navigate your new…

[potionpoof]

I'm soooo excited because I recently made a Dan Stevens Korvo voice in ElevenLabs and it sounds so good!! 💙

I'm currently working on a couple of comfort audios, one where he comforts you when you're sad, another one in which he guides you through the process of cleaning your room, and lastly one to keep you calm while you plan out your school assignments.

These comfort audio videos will be specifically tailored to the Neurodivergent community, specifically this with ADHD, Autism, or a combination of both. This means he will constantly reassure you that you should not feel ashamed of yourself or compare yourself to those who don't share the same struggles that you!

Here's a little snippet so you can get a feel for what he sounds like! It's been a few days since I've made this, and have since then been practicing on making more accurate audio. So it wasn't until yesterday that I realized this audio is a little off...

There are times in which you can't hear Korvo's accent. I've been messing around with his voice setting and am seeing good results! His accent is much more prominent now! And I even made two versions of him! One version that speaks in his normal, pompous and cranky tone, while the other is soft and soothing based on a few clips where he sounded that way.

The soft version will be used for most of these audios, as they are meant to be comforting!

I hope you all enjoy being comforted and taken care of by Korvo as much as I did!💙😊

[manuka-honey-dog]

Does anyone know any good online ADHD tests?

I did the BetterMindset one only to be hit with a “pay for your results” and its more than i currently have in my bank account. Any recs would be appreciated!!

[catsconflictscopicsandchamomile]

Resource: Help Post

I told my dad that I wanted to change psychiatrists, since I’m supposed to be trialing adhd meds/doses (only started in March) and I didn’t feel safe doing that with this psychiatrist. Dad asked what I meant, and I explained that the dr was very clearly biased against adhd/adhd meds and I couldnt be open with her, and that a lot of psychiatrists have this bias. Dad, for all his efforts to be an (extremely performative) autism- and abuse-recovery-supporting Pure Ally uwu, said:

“sounds like Bullshit”

he asked me “where I’d heard this information”, and I said that along with trusted online sources, there was a ton of anecdotal evidence, the entire adhd community, and MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

He said “come back with Real Sources” and then proceeded to get aggro at me for being angry “because I live in his house” (and he’s still being a dick????) and then tried to accuse me of some kind of “addiction to constantly changing psychiatrists” and a bunch of other bs while I desperately tried to signal that the conversation was O V E R.

anyway I’m looking for some AcTuAl SoUrCeS to convince my father (who is, like me, obviously autdhd but never been treated) that the stigma I and the adhd/autdhd community experience.... is real. 

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Having ADHD does not mean what people think it means. It’s so exhausting having to explain that all the time

[fractoluminescence]

So I got an email about the creator of the Anti-Planner struggling to advertize it what with the whole Twitter and TikTok messes, and I figured why not give a hand (especially since its creator doesn't seem to be on Tumblr, so hopefully this'll push it to a new crowd?). So here's a quick review

Basically the Anti-Planner is this book for ADHD folk where, when you're struggling to get stuff done, you open it, you go to a tab (there are different tabs depending on what type of issue you're having, like being unmotivated vs disorganized, etc.), and it suggests a bunch of activities to help get you started. Sometimes it's flipping a coin about whether or not you do a certain task now or put it off just a little more, sometimes it's about working out what's scaring you about a particular task, etc.

And it's just. It's really neat. So here's a little post to spread the word around about it.

You can buy it here

Here are some images I stole from the official website's product listing:

[daughterofthemuse]

Us demigods don't just have ADHD. Our godly heritage means our brains run differently to neurotypical mortals'. It's most well-known to present as ADHD, but it can also present as autism or a range of other neurodivergent conditions.

And well, what we have to deal with as demigods doesn't make it easier.

Hope this resource helps ppl

truly what is r the main differences like ACTUAL differences not things in common with adhd and autism

[adhdandcomics]

"adhd is the easiest disability to have" “sure plenty of people have adhd but most people are faking” “people are abusing the resources that WE need so that’s why i can’t get my adderall!”

there has been an artificial shortage of all adhd medication for the past 4 years in the US. every investigation into this shortage has returned with the unequivocal result that simply nobody thinks we need it enough to solve the problem.

so they point fingers at the “faker” gaming the system to get adderall who “thinks” they have adhd or is “abusing stimulants to get ahead” for a problem that Our system MANUFACTURED.

so we would be at each others throats instead of realizing that our government and big pharma is to blame for all of this. because their First priority is to punish addicts and to punish folks with adhd and to punish anyone who relies on medication. over everything else. even over profit.

[grumpyoldsnake]

@nurgletwh If I’ve never thanked you and dad for the occasional room-cleaning instructions as basic as “pick up all the paper trash on the floor” when I was a kid, I’d like to do so now 💙

weird little brain tweak/reframing that helped me out. i Often find that advice that seemingly helps Everyone Else doesn’t make any sense to me, in ways that are hard to describe, and it can be really frustrating. but when i find a way to explain it to myself that finally seems to break through and make it click, it feels really good

[hashtagmushlove]

6/13/2023 - DadHD

I have ideas that fly through my mind every day, and it just so happens, that ChatGPT is able to bounce these ideas off my mind very well, in a very productive manner, very, very quickly. So quickly, that I can almost create a whole business during a work day. Enter DadHD: The High Definition Father. I want to start a support group, that contains resources for fathers with ADHD and fathers to…

[toothtalk]

a neurodivergent spoonie's guide to having teeth

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only. This does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Information on this blog should NOT be used for diagnostics or treating a health problem. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified dental health provider regarding diagnosis and treatment of a dental condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

this is as close to a comprehensive guide to dental care as i can make. i'm autistic/adhd/ocd/chronically ill and i've worked in dentistry for several years. i want to use my knowledge to help other spoonies struggling with dental care. i know it can be really hard, but dental health is so important and we deserve healthy mouths just as much as NT/abled folks!!

being neurodivergent and/or chronically ill can make personal care tasks incredibly difficult. so many of us struggle with washing our hair, getting dressed, and cleaning up. but remember: hair will grow back if it's damaged, clothes can be washed when they smell bad, and a dirty house can be made clean again, but we only have one set of teeth to last our whole lives. those pearly whites are worth taking care of!

these tips are based on feedback/questions i've gotten from ND folks on tumblr and facebook, patients at the practices i've worked in, and my own experience. standard disclaimer that this information will not be applicable to every single person, just take what works for you and pass the rest on to the next person. i am also a resource for further information. this is going to be pretty rapidfire, so if you want me to elaborate on anything or have a question about something i didn't address in this post, my askbox is open and anon is enabled. i love talking about teeth and i would love to help my fellow spoonies take care of theirs!

without further ado:

on homecare:

any dental professional will tell you that having good oral health starts at home. taking care of our teeth can be incredibly difficult when our spoons are low, so i've made a list of strategies to make it easier.

best practice is to brush twice per day and floss once per day. this may not be realistic for those of us who struggle with habits and/or executive dysfunction. if you can only remember to brush once per day, brushing at night is the most important.

the ideal order of operations is floss, tongue scrape, mouthwash, then brush. but flossing and brushing are the most important steps in the routine.

brushing your teeth in the shower is perfectly acceptable! personally, i keep one toothbrush in the shower and one on the sink to maximize my opportunities to brush.

if you don't have the energy to floss, a toothbrush with fine bristles like this one is a good compromise.

you should replace your toothbrush or electric brush head every three months. the bristles get worn down and become less effective over time. set a recurring event on your phone calendar to keep track!

if you find it difficult to brush your teeth at all, use a washcloth to gently scrub your teeth until you feel that you've gotten the film off, then use a fluoride mouthwash. they also make single-use waterless toothbrushes like these. i like to keep them on my nightstand for really bad days when i can't even get myself to the bathroom to brush.

this is an excellent guide on proper brushing technique.

an electric toothbrush is an excellent investment. even a cheap one at the grocery store is a huge step above a manual toothbrush. personally, i love quip because they're more affordable than brands like sonicare, and they send you replacement brush heads on a regular basis.

be careful not to brush too aggressively; your brush should glide gently over the surface of your teeth. if you feel a lot of friction, lighten your pressure. brushing too hard can wear away your enamel and damage your gums.

if the mint flavor in toothpaste triggers sensory discomfort, try kids' toothpaste! it has less fluoride than adult toothpaste, but it's still miles better than not brushing at all.

mouthwash is used to neutralize bacteria on soft tissues. use an antibacterial or fluoride mouthwash for healthy gums and strong enamel. listerine original is the best, but they have lots of varieties including gum health, alcohol-free, and many more.

whenever possible, use a straw to drink soda or coffee so it doesn't touch your teeth, and rinse with water after you drink it. try to not sip sugary drinks throughout the day. switching to sugar-free beverages will make a huge difference in cavity prevention.

if you have any gaps between teeth, an interdental brush will help you keep the areas between those teeth clean and prevent decay.

i like to keep a package of floss picks in the living room so that i can floss while i watch tv. the best time to floss is right before you brush your teeth, but there is no bad time to floss.

this video shows proper flossing technique. this video shows proper technique when using floss picks.

dry mouth is a lesser-known cause of cavities. saliva protects your teeth from decay, so when you don't produce enough of it, you're at higher risk. dry mouth rinses like this one are a great defense against this!

remember, something is always better than nothing. brushing once a day is better than not brushing at all. flossing once a week is better than not flossing at all. be gentle with yourself.

on finding a dental provider:

finding a new provider and making an appointment can be confusing and overwhelming when we have low executive function. there are some ways to make it just a bit easier.

if you have insurance, they likely have a tool on their website to find providers in your network. you can usually find this information on your insurance card. this should narrow down your options considerably.

the absolute best thing you can do is find a supportive provider who you can open up to about your struggles with dental care. look up your options on google reviews and ctrl+f "anxiety". if these anxious patients have a good experience, it's more likely you will too.

you can ask for recommendations in your local community's facebook group or subreddit, both of which offer anonymity. specify your needs in your post. chances are, other people in your community have similar needs, and can help you find the right people to meet those needs.

a few people expressed that they avoid the dentist because of a family history of poor dental health, and the fear of having the same problems. i want to assure you that, while dental health does have a genetic component, it is far from the only factor. the most effective thing you can do to prevent dental issues is to go in for regular maintenance. prevention is the gold standard in dentistry.

a lot of us struggle with making phone calls. luckily, it's becoming increasingly common for practices to allow online booking and communication via email. look for these options on a practice's website!

if fear or executive dysfunction is getting in your way, phone a friend for help. sometimes things that are hard for us aren't as difficult for others. maybe your roommate can call the office for you. maybe your sister can drive you to your appointment. don't be afraid to lean on your village.

in the dental office:

a big issue with dental offices is that they are basically a sensory nightmare. while it's never going to be fully comfortable, there are some things you can do to make your experience more tolerable.

be open and honest with your dental providers. if you smoke, tell them (this includes cannabis; they cannot report you for cannabis use even if you're not in a legal state). if you've never flossed before, tell them. their job is to help you, not shame you. if a provider makes you feel ashamed, stop seeing them.

so many people have mentioned they're embarrassed about their anxiety and sensory struggles in the dental office. let me assure you that your providers see so many anxious patients every single day. they're used to it, and they're not going to be judging you. to help illustrate this, i'm going to cite some examples of patients from my practice and the ways we help them manage their anxiety and sensory struggles.

probably the most common concern among patients in our practice is a fear of the numbing injection. i have a pretty severe phobia of needles myself. our dental assistants are well-trained to manage this fear. they distract patients during the shot, and help them breathe through the anxiety before and after. this training is part of the dental assistant certification process, so it should be relatively universal.

you can bring a comfort item with you. be it a stuffed animal, a video game, a book, even a comforting person who can sit with you.

you know that lead vest that they lay on you when they take xrays? you can ask to wear that during your whole visit. it acts like a weighted blanket and it feels so nice and comforting. we have a few patients who do this at my practice.

headphones or earplugs are a lifesaver to drown out all the horrible sounds. i literally refuse to get a cleaning without them. there's even a hygienist at my practice that wears earplugs while she's working because the sound of the cavitron bothers her. there's no shame in it whatsoever.

if your practice offers it, nitrous oxide is a great option for anxiety. most people know it as laughing gas. it puts you in a dreamlike state so you're more or less unaware of what's going on. no joke, this stuff had me so relaxed i fully fell asleep while getting a root canal. you can even get it when you get your cleanings!

a lot of our patients request a specific doctor, dental assistant, and hygienist for their appointments. this is incredibly common. if you find someone that makes you feel safe, let the scheduling staff know that you'd like to see that person each time you come in.

dress comfy. there's no dress code for the dental office; show up in sweatpants if you want.

remember at the end of the day, your dental providers are not there to judge you if you don't have perfect homecare. their ultimate goal is to get your mouth healthy no matter your starting place. i can't speak for every dentist obviously, but the dentists at my practice are incredibly patient and sympathetic and have nothing but their patients' best interests in mind.

again: if you feel disrespected or shamed by your provider, find a new one who will be compassionate with you. you don't owe any provider loyalty, even if you've been going there since you were a toddler.

on recovery:

one of the hardest things to do is build healthy habits when you're starting from an unhealthy place. if you're dealing with poor dental health, getting your mouth healthy again can seem impossibly daunting. i'm here to tell you it is possible, but it takes work.

it starts in the dental chair. your provider should communicate what treatment is the highest priority, and they will start there. rather than overwhelming yourself with the big picture, focus your attention on the next step.

things like root canals, crowns, and periodontal treatment can be very expensive. unfortunately, in the united states at least, dental insurance is quite lacking across the board. if expenses are a concern, dental schools are a great option for having treatment done at a low cost. keep in mind that treatment will often take significantly longer due to the dentists being supervised students.

my job in the practice is treatment coordinator. this means that i work one-on-one with my patients to help them understand their treatment plans and make the process as easy and comfortable as possible for them. ask your practice if they have a treatment coordinator. if they don't, suggest that they create the role, and reach out to me here. my dream is to be able to help people manage their oral health. i will be a resource to anyone that doesn't have a treatment coordinator available to help you navigate your course of treatment.

any restorative work (fillings, crowns, etc.) that you have done has to be cared for, just like virgin teeth. cavities can still form underneath fillings and crowns. make sure you are keeping your regular hygiene appointments, and use the above strategies to effectively care for your restorations at home.

if you have a lot of treatment to work through, it may take a long time. we have patients that have spent 2-3 years working through their treatment plans with us. this can feel daunting and depressing. but remember, it's not forever. the majority of these patients who continue to see us for regular visits only have 1-2 new cavities at a time, if anything, once we finish their initial work.

there are very few dental problems that cannot be fixed. cavities can be filled, crowns placed, root canals done to save teeth that are severely decayed. gum disease cannot be cured, but it can be very effectively managed. i see patients all the time that come in expecting to lose all their teeth and need dentures, only to be relieved when we tell them only a few teeth are truly not restorable.

my job revolves around patient education, and it's always shocking to me how little we are taught about caring for our teeth. please be kind to yourselves; it is NOT your fault for not knowing or having the resources to take care of them yourself. once again, my askbox is open and anon is enabled if you have more questions after reading this guide.