There’s a difference between wanting acceptance and equal treatment and fetishising things like ADHD, Autism, and mental illness by doing shit like making them into GENDERS and creating pronouns for that. I don’t really care if you feel like whatever diagnosis effects your perception of your gender, but it is not your gender. Your perception of your gender and what your gender is are separate. Autism isn’t a gender. ADHD isn’t a gender. Fidgeting/stimming/whatever isn’t something you can make a pronoun out of and.. frankly, in my opinion, makes a mockery of both LGBT and the disorders in question. It’s not okay. Stop.
Many people believe that stimulants cure you of ADHD but unfortunately, that is not the case. Medication can be beneficial in reducing symptoms, but it won’t magically make you a neurotypical. Things such as therapy and regular exercise can also be extremely helpful in reducing the symptoms of ADHD
2. Not everyone who is high energy has ADHD and not everyone who has ADHD is high energy
Read that again. Now read it again. And now just one more time so you don’t ever forget it. Sure, there are plenty of us who are off-the-walls hyper and loud and spunky but there are others of us who may struggle to get up off the couch or never say a word in class or at work but are constantly in our heads. ADHD does. not. equal. Hyperactivity
3. ADHD doesn’t just affect young boys
yeah hi, allow me to introduce myself, a GIRL with ADHD. Shocked? Well you shouldnt be considering 5.4% of girls between the ages of 3 and 17 have been diagnosed with the condition. ADHD, unlike those who believe it to be a young boys disorder, isn’t misogynistic and can affect someone of any gender and any age
4. There isnt one brand of ADHD
Shout out to all my Robin Williams types who are outgoing, loud, and hugely hilarious. Shout out to all my JD’s from scrubs who aren’t very hyperactive but are more daydreamy, spacy, and immature. And shout out to everyone in between because ADHD isn’t “one size fits all”
5. Intelligence has nothing to do with ADHD
Ive mentioned this before in previous posts and I’ll do it again, ADHD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH INTELLIGENCE. You would be shocked if you did a quick google search of all the famous scientists, mathematicians, and geniuses that have been diagnosed with ADHD. The belief that those with ADHD aren’t as smart as others probably comes from the inaccurate and superficial portrayal of ADHD in the media and the fact that many ADHDer’s also have learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, processing disorders, etc.
6. Many ADHDer’s struggle with Short Term Memory
For those of us who live with this condition and those close to us, this one probably doesnt come as much of a surprise. We may be able to remember the name of our childhood hamster, but not what was said to us 5 minutes ago. Because of this, staying organized and keeping a calendar can be crucial which is why it is important for us to get help in learning how to do these things.
7. ADHDer’s have an extra hard time at sticking to healthy routines
People with ADHD often struggle with maintaining a healthy sleep schedule and are more likely to have problems with sleep patterns. Lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep can easily worsen symptoms and nobody likes that. ADHDer’s also have problems sticking to plans which is why diets and gym memberships get dropped quicker than a politicians promises after election day
8. ADHD can appear differently at different times
It has been said that “The only thing consistent about my ADHD is it’s inconsistency.” This quote speaks volumes about the lives of someone with ADHD. Our symptoms may vary day by day but this quote can also be applied to a broader idea. Some of us do really well in high school but by the time we get to college, we crash and burn in a huge fiery explosion when faced with having to balance our lives by our selves and taking on a million different responsibilities that our parents used to handle for us. Others don’t do great in high school but thrive in college or in the work environment because they thrive under pressure.
ifesbob 