#neurodiveristy

[mauvesockss]

horsegirl and her steed 🤝 autismgirl and her train

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hi! I saw you rb'd the post about autism and I rlly wanted to talk abt it! I don't live in the US, and therapists where i live are almost the same as you described. Idk if i have ADHD or Autism or something else entirely, but I do know there's something different from me than other people. I've known ever since I was little. I know my brain works differently, I see things differently, and I feel left out because of it. I relate to almost every obscure ADHD symptom (like i relate to the "i got distracted" but also the very specific "not everyone goes through that" ones).

I don't want to self diagnose because I'm nowhere near being an expert on neurodivergency, but I also know I'm different. Idk what to do because I talked to a therapist once about it (we didnt discuss it, i just mentioned it) and she said that if I've gotten this far (i'm 17) without a diagnosis and I've done fine, a diagnosis won't change that. I think that a diagnosis would 100% help because i would at least know for sure because rn i feel like i'm going crazy. Maybe everything I've been experiencing has just been the product of undealt with trauma, idk, but i rlly wish i knew for sure.

I imposter syndrome myself into thinking i'm actually just as normal as everyone else and am just thinking this becusde i want to think i'm "special". Which isn't true i'm 99% sure-

Sorry for the rant. I just dont know what to do :(

Hello, Nonsie! No need to apologize for the rant, I'm sorry you're in this situation. It absolutely sucks when therapists and other mental health professionals are like that. Sometimes it feels like they've made a decision about you already and are just tolerating you the rest of the time and dismissing everything else.

I've also been through the exact same thing with the "I know there's something different about me." I always chalked it up to me being "the gifted kid," but then I was different from all the other gifted kids as well. I didn't know what it was, so I instead turned to fiction and to stories. Especially those with magic and inhuman creatures, because I knew that whatever it was that made someone human, I didn't have it. So I saw myself instead in fairies and fae and as I got older, in monsters (I mean this in a good way). My point is that I think I understand the knowing you're different but not being able to put a finger on it experience. I often describe it as living in a bubble where I can see everyone else and they can see me, but I'm not with them. I'm separate even amongst everyone.

I will just say that if you don't think you're qualified to self-diagnose, I'd suggest looking into it more! Self-diagnoses are incredibly valid and are fairly accepted from what I've seen. Most people are very understanding about the process and about reasons why you might not be able to/not want to get an official diagnosis. I think almost all people who have diagnosed have also had the "I don't know enough to make this call" experience and then go on to look into it before doing so. They're generally not made lightly, instead made with the insight and reflection of weeks, months, years worth of work and research.

Also, I don't know how the rules work wherever you live, but it's possible that you'd be able to look into evaluations outside of your therapist if she is adamant about you not needing one. I know where I live I could find an evaluation location and submit the paperwork independently--though I think as a minor I'd need to include parent contact information, but then again maybe not. And that's also just where I am

You could also approach her or another therapist about it again and say that it's an avenue you'd like to explore even if it won't change much. Therapy is about you, so if you want something you're allowed to express that. One note I'd like to add is that I'd advise against relying on outside sources entirely for confirmation that your experiences aren't you "going crazy." That's not to say that an official diagnosis wouldn't be a relief or a breath of fresh air and a "finally! it was real!" That's an entirely understandable reason to want an evaluation or diagnosis, it's just that things don't always work perfectly and people can be wrong. So if you're basing your understanding entirely on someone else's assessment and they miss something, it can feel like a huge disappointment. And it's more likely when the system isn't friendly towards you.

I can tell you that you aren't making it up and that whatever you've experienced and been through, it is real and valid and you deserve answers about it. Whether those answers come from yourself or through treatment, I hope you find what you're looking for. I actually think a very common and relatable finding out you might be autistic/adhd/something else is obsessing over it and then convincing yourself you're making everything up and are actually normal and just suck at being a person.

I don't know if you want advice, but I think if I were in your situation (based on the knowledge I have) I'd look into it more. There are plenty of YouTube videos and online resources you can use to help figure things out, and if it's something you want then research what options are available in your area and what the requirements are (e.g. age/information/if you can do it alone or not). When I was first exploring all these possibilities, I started a thing in my notes app to keep track of different experiences that could potentially indicate or relate to something so I could look into it later, so maybe that could help!

I'm wishing you the best of luck in whatever comes next for you in this experience <33

[lilyspectrum]

Stable dressing Habillement stable

[elamarth-calmagol]

Well, the autistic second grader I work one-on-one with bit me on the arm today. I knew she was getting impatient with me, but usually when she gets physical it's sitting on my lap, trying to pull off my mask or bracelet, and/or pulling my hair. Annoyingly, she only had one more minute of work before getting ten minutes on the iPad and basically having nothing else to do for the rest of the school day. Oh, well.

I'm going to have a bruise there for weeks, lol.

[pyrriae]

someone: hey why are you obsessed with something so weird

people with ADHD/Autism:

[kelseythinks]

Things that people with Adhd/Add wish nuerotypical people knew about them #neurodiveristy #adhd #add #adhdawareness #adhdparenting #adhdbrain #adhdexplained #adhdtips #adhdisreal #adhdmemes #adhdlife #adhdkids #adhdwomen #blackadhd #adhdproblems https://www.instagram.com/p/CHvyLsTDLTr/?igshid=bw6gyikaptzs

[jonghobf-remade]

wish lgbt neurodiverse people werent treated so shitty by cishet neurotypicals </3

[queer-autistic]

On this page, please download and read the lecture notes for: Untangling the knots of neuroqueer intersectionality.

Autscape is an Autistic-run conference for Autistics. A hub of community, Autistic culture and many approaches to activism. You will learn more about Autistics from Autistics than from the allistics (non-autistics) who simply observe us, no matter how qualified they are in observing and studying us - we are still better equipped to tell you about ourselves. Autscape have compiled reading materials over the years from various talks and lectures, these will give you a window into aspects of our lives and experiences that will not have been covered in your training. The lecture I have recommended today talks specifically about the intersections of queer and neurodiverse identities.

If you are involved in fundraising during April for Autism Acceptance Month, consider donating to Autscape or other Autistic-led projects rather than charities that claim to serve the Autistic community but are not led by us.

[adult-female-with-aspergers]

[lilyspectrum]

[kelseythinks]

Not just kids have autism and adhd, ADULTS TOO #neurodiveristy #adhd #add #adhdawareness #adhdparenting #adhdbrain #adhdexplained #adhdtips #adhdisreal #adhdmemes #adhdlife #adhdkids #adhdwomen #blackadhd #adhdproblems https://www.instagram.com/p/CHIveF7jmvY/?igshid=g7yfnbyuuaha

[kelseythinks]

#neurodiveristy #adhd #add #adhdawareness #adhdparenting #adhdbrain #adhdexplained #adhdtips #adhdisreal #adhdmemes #adhdlife #adhdkids #adhdwomen #blackadhd #adhdproblems https://www.instagram.com/p/CGX1HV7DTaV/?igshid=1qtqfg9kilv2p

[kelseythinks]

#neurodiveristy #adhd #add #adhdawareness #adhdparenting #adhdbrain #adhdexplained #adhdtips #adhdisreal #adhdmemes #adhdlife #adhdkids #adhdwomen #blackadhd https://www.instagram.com/p/CF93QOHD0Jl/?igshid=1pm4d3n7e85lj

[kelseythinks]

#neurodiveristy #adhd #add #adhdawareness #adhdparenting #adhdbrain #adhdexplained #adhdtips #adhdisreal #adhdmemes #adhdlife #adhdkids #adhdwomen #blackadhd #adhdproblems https://www.instagram.com/p/CFKvrqNDsa7/?igshid=11tsyvahi4jdx

[kelseythinks]

#neurodiveristy #adhd #add #adhdawareness #adhdparenting #adhdbrain #adhdexplained #adhdtips #adhdisreal #adhdmemes #adhdlife #adhdkids #adhdwomen #blackadhd #adhdproblems https://www.instagram.com/p/CFIO7OjjjEx/?igshid=16xpoq876ufbz