#nd resources

[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

[systemserendipity]

Need to explain spoon theory to somebody that doesn't understand?

Try using infographics! Here are a few we've used before. Hope this helps somebody!

Graphic Sources: 1 2 3

[arijensineink]

Do you hyperfixate like meeeee?

I bid thee, start using the pomodoro kitteeeeee!!!

ポ���ドロキチ！＜３

I set this and let it run all day long today. I didn't always use the time slots as recommended, but the constant random meowing reminded me to get up and look away from my screen for little bits here and there.

Bonus, you can customize the colors 🥰

[the-aromancer]

@roomba-hallelujah

From the book Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD:

Putting a coat on the back of a chair by the door is fine, but if you prefer, use coat hooks and a large catch-all basket for dropping keys, hats, gloves.

Small bookcase end-table next to the couch to store craft projects, books, and other things being worked on for easy access.

Add a storage unit near the dining room table to transition between eating and working there.

Daily toiletry items should be stored in a basket that you can move easily

Extra toiletries and medicine cabinet items go in open shelf/basket storage so they can be seen and used easily. If items no longer fit, purge the excess. Don't obscure the view!

If you disrobe in the bathroom, place a tall hamper in there.

Keep a set of cleaning supplies in each bathroom

[verflares]

what if he was webkinz

[whattraintracks]

I kinda feel we didn’t much of raph and splinter’s relationship in 03 thoughts?

Hmm, I suppose that's fair. I've heard it said that 03 isn't a very character-driven story, and I agree we don't see as many character dynamics or arcs explored as we could have.

Below the cut are the pieces of Raph and Splinter's relationship I've pieced together for myself.

Splinter's bio on Raph in Tales from the Sewer presents this interesting duality in Splinter's perception of him. He's a difficult child but just a kid. He trains the most but he's a difficult student. He makes poor decisions but Splinter has the utmost faith in his abilities. As both father and teacher, Splinter sometimes struggles to approach his sons and their needs in the appropriate role, especially when it comes to Raph.

For example, his hands-off approach to Raph's rage, or what I usually think of as emotional dysregulation (either as a product of neurodivergence or his young age). When Raph nearly maims Mikey during a rage attack/dissociative episode (see S1E4 "Meet Casey Jones") Splinter doesn't try to stop Raph or separate him and Mikey, although he very well could have. He doesn't step in until after Leo and Donny have broken up the fight. Despite addressing Raph parentally, he comes at the issue like a teacher offering those ninja master-esque nuggets of wisdom about rage being a monster and a true warrior is balanced in all things. I think he wants to come across sympathetically (gentle voice, physical contact, calling Raph "my son") but there is a sense of disappointment and unmet expectations in what he says.

In the aforementioned bio, Splinter notes that of all the turtles, Raph trains the longest and hardest. He likely equates length of training with dedication to ninjutsu and assumes that because Raph exhibits these things he should be something he isn't: more disciplined less angry. Perhaps he compares Raph to Leo who apparently trains less but fits Splinter's prototype of a good ninja. Speaking of Leo, later in the same episode we see Splinter chastise Mikey and Donny for interrupting Leo's practice and tell Leo to keep practicing his split kick without offering any advice on how to get it right.

We see this idea directed to Raph in Splinter's comment about a true warrior finding balance in all things. It's not particularly informative. This is his version of telling Raph to keep practicing but it's not what Raph needs at this moment, hot off such an overwhelming experience. So instead of reading this as the patient, parental advice I think Splinter intends it to be, Raph's body language screams chastised. He doesn't meet Splinter's eyes and he runs away. Raph (like all of the brothers) wants Splinter's approval and he's devastated to have fallen short in this instance. Then Splinter doesn't let Mikey follow after Raph. And yeah, Raph likely needed that space but it's this hands-off approach, again. Another example comes from the one of Raph's diary entries in the Raphael: Collector Book. He talks about Splinter assigning him more meditation exercises to help him control his emotions and temper. Perhaps training, space, meditation, and nuggets of wisdom are effective tools for Splinter to self-regulate his emotions, but Splinter is also an adult. Raph needs more guidance and practical advice at this point in his life that Splinter isn't providing. The tools aren't enough, he needs to be taught how to use them.

So. Raph responds in a couple ways to Splinter's hands-off, more-teacher-than-father approach. The first is to train harder, and longer, and learn everything he can about ninjutsu. If Master Splinter says becoming a true warrior will help him find emotional balance then he's going to try his hardest to become one. When he meets Casey, he shares with him verbatim the true warrior line but confesses to Casey he's not sure how hot-heads like them are supposed to do that. He still takes the advice to heart even if it's not helpful or he doesn't understand it because he wants to please and obey his father. The collector's book shows us that Raph has taken the time to learn aspects of ninjutsu that are confusing, uninteresting, and even inaccessible to him. This book contains a lot of technical information about ninjutsu techniques and teachings. It presents Raph as even more of ninja nerd than Leo! Some of this stuff appeals to his interests, for sure; the different punching techniques for instance. Some of it, he seems to have only learned to gain Splinter's approval. He has a detailed spread on hand signs that he explicitly finds too mystical and confusing, claims it took forever to learn, and he can't even use it as a three-fingered being, but he hopes Splinter will be impressed with him.

Second, he goes behind Splinter's back. If there's something he wants or needs and he thinks Splinter won't approve of it, he'll take it for himself. Such as going to the surface when he needs space or bringing his brothers to the surface when he thinks there's something important they need to do. This feels, to me, like access thievery, which is the concept (typically applied to disabled/neurodivergent folks) of taking what one needs (time, space, resources) without asking for permission or waiting to be offered it (because you likely won't be). Again in the collector's book, Raph exhibits an awareness of his faults and a self-compassionate recognition that he's just a teen. Splinter know this too but has shown that he can't always offer what Raph needs or won't give him it in some cases (forbids them from going to the surface). So Raph has developed a willingness to take what he needs for himself and sneak around Splinter to avoid the disapproval he fears.

All that aside, I think they're very similar in their fierce love and devotion to family and the ways it can drive them to anger, fear, hatred, and vengeance. There are traits Raph inherited from Splinter they bond over, too. They're both competitive. The Battle Nexus Tournament isn't their thing but we see them playing pokey in "Dragons Rising." I love the idea that they play a lot of games together! They have a similar sense of humility. They know they're skilled but they're more likely hang back and play support while their other family members take the spotlight than boast. Unless it's really personal, then they'll take over, like how Splinter's quest for vengeance guides them in Exodus and Raph's desire to help Casey leads the brothers to sneak out with him in "Meet Casey Jones." I think, they have a similar sense of humor, too. Raph has this silly line in the collector's book about Splinter being proud he used his head, that is, like a battering ram, and you cannot tell me Splinter wouldn't chuckle at that.

[frostghost]

mini autism and ADHD symbols by me

20x20

30x30

[emergent-neurodivergent]

Tried it, and it's working!

ADHD life hacks #41,279: Vegetable Management

source tweet: X

[quotidian-oblivion]

GUYS 😭

I can't stop seeing BBC Merlin parallels. I'm seeing it everywhere on the show. Every time I watch a new episode (nearly at the end of the show now), I go back to the earlier episodes and watch a scene that reflects that or is similar but has changed.

Damn it I want to make a Merlin parallels video but I don't have the whole show episodes w me to make it.

[ashmaenas]

Ash's guide to getting shit done (aka how I survive. Kinda).

Disclaimer: This is just stuff that (mostly) works for me. I can't make any promises that your type of brain worms are the same as my brain worms. They may be a totally different species.

Music. I find that I am very music motivated, and I can kind of hack my brain into doing certain things by listening to a Specific type of music every time I do them. For example, every time I want to clean I listen to 50s music and my brain goes 'Ah yes, you should be mopping the floor around about now.' It's very effective when I actually remember to do it.

Clothes. In much the same vein as music, wearing outside clothes tells my brain it's time to be Alert. Again, it only works when I remember to do it.

Starting step. This one is a bit dubious because the beginning is the hard bit, but with some activities (like showering) I'll do an easy action (getting naked in the bathroom) and my brain will kick into the correct mode for that activity. This works maybe... 40% of the time, but that's still better than nothing.

Doing something else. Occasionally, I simply Can't Do The Activity but I'll have enough spoons to at least do something. In that case, I'll just trick my brain into being productive by incentivising it with organising stuff. So I may not be able to study but I will be able to compile resources for every topic I need to research based on the syllabus. It's not what I needed to do, but it will make my life easier later on.

Half ass it. The perfectionist in me hates doing this, but doing something badly is still better than not doing it at all. I've reframed this as 'doing the bare minimum is still doing it' and this method helps me with things like basic hygiene, cleaning, studying, eating ect... When I have next to zero spoons. An example would be that a sink bath isn't as effective as a shower, but at least I'll feel a bit cleaner.

Have someone watch me Do The Thing. This doesn't work if they tell me to do the thing because then my brain goes "Well, now I'm not doing it," and everything is difficult, but if I voluntarily have someone in the room then it makes it easier for me to do tasks. Sometimes. Unless I was already in the zone. Then my brain says no again. It's kind of a hit or miss but it may work for you.

Turn on the Big Light. I actually don't recommend this one, because I don't recommend that other people voluntarily cause themselves distress in order to get things done, but it is a last resort for me. Turning on the big light makes me feel a bit like a rabbit being hunted for sport. Namely, stressed and alert. This helps me get tasks done because the quicker I do them, the quicker I can turn the light off. On one hand, it is effective. On the other hand, it's horrible. 10/10, would not recommend.

Disguise it as something fun and automatic. Confession: at this point the only exercise I get is late night bedroom dancing and skipping (to music) with a skipping rope I made out of an old bathroom robe sash and a shoelace. I'll listen to danceable music and the urge will be there, so I fulfil it and get some Movement™ in at the same time. It works because it's something I'd do anyway, but it's also beneficial.

If you're the type of person who can just do things easily without having to have a hundred different strategies to wrangle your brain into submission then you're probably a bit confused right now. To that I say, don't worry about it!!

Go get a snack with the convenient cues your body sends you when you need to eat, and get started on that minor task that you won't spend all week in a state of procrastination paralysis and terror about.

If you're like me and everything is difficult (except sometimes the things that everyone else finds difficult—either that or except some super niche skill that is not regarded as useful by society) then I'm proud of you for making it this long and I hope you found at least one of these useful. Feel free to reblog with your own strategies for Doing Tasks and surviving life (seriously. Anything helps).

[emergent-neurodivergent]

ETHAN

@altra-dimensione-sys @laimagistino

cats are ideal bc they're gods most autistic creatures

[drivenbydopamine]

Sometimes struggling with basic daily tasks when nobody else around me does, feels like we were all asked to build a house and they were given a full construction crew, all the materials, and a million dollars... I was given a duck and a kazoo. And then they look at me like they don't understand why I'm struggling so much to build my house when they didn't struggle at all.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Hi @undercoverthunderstormlover

I say your comment and I found some sources that might help with your diagnosis if you wish to pursue it.

Hopefully these help you. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️

[emergent-neurodivergent]

Unless you ARE a librarian, then WHEEE

[arijensineink]

Wednesday blog day!!!!!

Ya'll, it is FINALLY time to kick off the inaugural Fighting For Writing Series! I've been working on these articles for months and I'm so excited to finally share them with the world.

This series is for writers who are struggling with their practice--whether that's consistency, productivity, inspiration, or feelings of inadequacy and shame.

If you join my livestreams, you'll hear me talk a lot about why I started this blog. In a nutshell, I was tired of writing advice that completely leaves out chronically ill writers, writers with disabilities or mental health issues, neurodivergent writers, or anyone who basically doesn't live an Instagram-perfect life.

So Fighting For Writing is designed for us: the weirdies, the chronically ill creatives, the crack fanfic writers, the goblins who refuse to stick to formula.

I really hope you find this helpful, and there is much more to come!