Thought I’d share some info from the booklet the doctor gave me when I was diagnosed! These two pages really helpfully explain autistic burnout and meltdowns.
People seemed interested in joining a discord server for people with autism, so I made one!
Here’s the link: https://discord.gg/YtU9xYx
#this is a post i did on my main blog a while ago and it got like 1.5k notes but i thought id share it here too since i have an adhd blog now#adhd#adhd mood#adhd meme#meme#relatable#TGWDLM#the guy who didnt like musicals#adhders#autism#autistic#actually adhd#actually autism#hyperfixations#hyperfixating#hyperfocus#actually neurodivergent#neurodivergencies#actually autistic#actuallyadhd#starkid
Generally, people with ADHD and/or Autism aren’t very good at showing empathy.
But a lot of people misunderstand what this means, and think of empathy, sympathy, and compassion as the same thing.
Empathy is feeling the same as someone else feels.
Sympathy is understanding how they feel.
Compassion is wanting to help them feel better.
We may not always be the most empathetic people, because a lot of the time we have trouble with handling our own emotions, let alone anyone else’s.
But a lot of the time we can be very sympathetic, and we can be so compassionate.
So please, don’t read somewhere that we’re not very empathetic and assume that we’re robots, because even if we can’t make ourselves feel or properly understand the way you’re feeling, we want to help.
#adhd#i dont know what this is but i made it and im posting it#also if you were wondering then yes this is what i look liek#actually adhd#autism#autistic#actually autistic#actually autism#depression#anxiety#actually anxiety#actually anxious#mental heath#did#personality disorder#bipolar#mental disorder#my comic#comic strip
When someone who thinks mental illness/neurodivergence isn’t real asks me to tell them what’s wrong:
I would like the ‘fidget toy’ rant.... you have Intrigued Me™️
Okay WELL
I’m gonna start off this rant by saying that according the social model of disabilities, people with adhd are disabled, because the systems of education and work that are set in place don’t work properly for our needs. I’m saying that because in this rant I’m going to use the word ‘disabled’ a few times and I don’t want to confuse or offend anyone.
Things like fidget spinners and fidget cubes were originally designed for people with autism and/or adhd as a way for us to stim and (in the case of adhd) help us to focus.
But because we don’t make up a majority of the population, and businesses want to sell their products, they try to market them in ways that appeal to everyone. So, they decide to call them “fidget toys”, because every kid fidgets.
And they’ve done this with countless other disabilities, too. I mean, think about the adverts you see on tv - you see an advert for a bowl that’s impossible to tip over, and the advert has a guy who is just stupid enough that he can’t stop knocking over his bowl until he has this product. But that’s not who this product was designed for; it was made for someone who has frequent seizures, or has some other kind of neurological illness which presents itself in very shaky hands.
In little ways like this, the media erases us!! Things that are made for us to help us are sold in a way that makes people think they’re for everyone, so then when they become everyone’s favourite thing, it’s great. Everyone has to have them, and the kids that needed a stim toy are happy. But then all the NT kids are using them too much, and they get banned from schools.
So then all the kids that really need to use these stim toys aren’t allowed to use them anymore, either because they’re not diagnosed so the teachers can’t do anything, or they are diagnosed and the teachers don’t want to let anyone break the rules, no matter what, or they are diagnosed, the teachers make an exception for that child, and then they constantly get bombarded with questions from other kids about why they’re allowed to have one of those toys. And kids tell everyone it’s unfair, because why does that kid get to use the toy and we don’t? What’s so different about them?
This was what happened with fidget spinners, and it killed me to see so many kids who needed their stim toys not being allowed to have them.
So that’s why I think they should just be marketed as stim toys from the start, and then the kids who need them can get them, and use them discreetly without anyone noticing, and without any fuss being caused.
Anyway, that’s my rant over.
Anonymous asked:
Can you (or anyone else) recommend some classroom-friendly fidget toys for ADHD?
I kinda talked about ways to stim in class here, but I’ll make a list of a few toys I like in this post I’ll also include links to where you can buy them on amazon, though you can probably find them cheaper on eBay, they’ll just a few months to get to you because the cheap ones are always shipped from China)
I have one of these. It’s a key ring, so you can attach it to the side of your bag or to your keys to stop you losing it. (That also gives you an idea of the size, too.)
This one is also a key ring, and I don’t own one myself but I’m gonna get one because (just like the other one) it’s small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, so no one will notice you fiddling with it.
Also, I recently found out that kneadable erasers exist! I don’t own one, but I’ve seen a few videos, and they look really good for the classroom! (I think these would be a great fidget toy for an exam, too, because we’re never allowed to bring anything except a pencil case with stationary, and this would blend right in, since it’s also an eraser!)
Anonymous asked:
hi i space out constantly like in lessons, conversations, all the time I'm fine at home because i have chewing gum and music and fidget spinners and i can bounce my leg etcetc but none of those are allowed at school (i mean im allowed to bounce my leg but everyone gets irritated by it) anyway i hate never being aware of whats happening so could you suggest any discrete stims for school that dont need toys bc im not diagnosed n my parents dont support me rip ok thanks sorry theres no punctuationn
If your school allows it, maybe you could use a laptop in class. That’s what I do, and I find that it helps me focus, and it gives me something to do with my hands.
I also keep a scrunchie around my wrists at all times, so that I can fiddle with it when I get bored. I used to wear a charm bracelet instead, because I could discreetly fiddle with each of the charms, and just slide the beads along the bracelet.
Also, a necklace with a pendant that you can touch. I sometimes wear a ring that I can slide on and off my fingers, too.
….I’m suddenly realising how many of these ideas are based on jewelry.
I rub the backs of my hands against each other so that my fingernails rub together (but that’s only satisfying if my nails are painted or fake)
I carry a small notebook around with me and some colourful pens and highlighters so that I can doodle in the book while I listen.