I had no idea #ADHDAwarenessMonth was a thing (or I just forgot about it--either way, thanks, @KydiaMusic for the notice! lol) so due to my choice in username, I feel obligated to share a little about my experience. 😁
So here's the heavy shit: It's estimated that kids with #ADHD receive over 20,000 more negative messages/corrections than neurotypical kids by the time they are 10 years old. That's not an insignificant number on paper, but living it is something else entirely.
I was diagnosed at 21 years old. When someone goes undiagnosed that long, it means that they've internalized more than a few stories they've been told about themselves. "I'm stupid," "I'm lazy," "I'm a failure," "I'm afraid of success," "I can't do anything right," and other fun fables. This is a quasi-universal experience for us because it's not just "hard" to avoid internalizing that. It's not the same as having a bully tell you you're a sack of crap every day at school; it's everyone in your life--friends, teachers, your parents. When the people that love you most in the world are fed up with you on a daily basis, it wreaks havoc on your self-esteem.
Now here's the truth about ADHD: Yes, it's a disadvantage in school, at work, and in our relationships. The fact is, however, that having an ADHD brain is not the problem. ADHD will only remain a disability while the world continues to be disabling to us.
The ADHD brain is wild. It's untamed. We're out-of-the-box thinkers. We're creative. We're perpetual students and teachers. We're passionate, excitable, bright, and lively people. ADHD brains are typically charismatic and have a veritable toolbox of skills and acquired knowledge. We're often great in a crisis and can think fast on our feet when put in a corner. Our brains actually take in more information than neurotypical brains, and while it can be intensely overwhelming at times, it also means we are surprisingly observant and skilled multi-taskers. In fact, studies have shown that, despite our "scattered" nature and difficulty directing our attention, we can be given a task in a room full of distractions and not only complete the task more efficiently than our neurotypical counterparts, but we can recall more details about the distractions and environment afterward.
All this is to say that there is a real need for #ADHDAwareness in our world, because #ADHDers have so much to offer but so many of us don't get anywhere near what we need to thrive. We need parents and teachers to be curious about us, not judgmental. We need leadership at school and at work that is knowledgeable about our condition. We need accommodations to be accessible to us, if not baked into more systems for everyone. We need timely diagnoses, especially for girls/women, people of color, and intersectional folks who are all systematically under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, and ignored.
Anyway, thank you for reading. Sincerely. Go give an ADHDer a hug. Peace and love. 🤙
I almost forgot it’s ADHD Awareness Month. I was diagnosed in November 2021 after several of my friends posted ADHD memes and I recognized myself in them.
Finally being diagnosed and on meds has been great, overall. It’s not a super power, even tho medication definitely empowers me.
Being on meds doesn’t give me more spoons, but it does mean my spoons are no longer all slotted.
Also today is the last day of #PrideMonth but that doesn't mean we have to stop posting Pride memes or encouraging, supporting, or standing up for our #LGBTQIA peeps.
Ok, last one for the day. I hope y'all have a good weekend. Say hi to the raccoons if you happen to see them. But you probably won't see them at this place.
I wanted to post this for my #ADHDers and the #NeurodiverseSquad at large. These are low- to no-effort nutrition tips that I have accumulated over the years for "no spoons" days:
There are a ton of veggies you can eat with no preparation at all. Baby carrots, snap peas, cucumber, grape/snacking tomatoes, mini bell peppers (the red ones are sweet and you can bite into them like an apple), romaine/leafy green lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, canned bamboo shoots/menma, jalapeños, bean sprouts, and a bunch more.
Sardines. They are a great protein source and so damn nutrient-dense. All you have to do is pull the top off the can.
Sprouts can be added to sooo many things. They're barely noticeable and they pack in a lot of extra nutrients. I like alfalfa sprouts, but there are also clover sprouts, broccoli sprouts, and others--and they're all super good for you. I put them on sandwiches, mix them into salads, wtv.
Plain avocado oil is a fine salad dressing that's also a great source for healthy fat with Omega-3s. It's also good on rice, potatoes, or anything you'd put butter on.
Oatmeal is a great healthy carb. Just get some instant oats and add water. Microwave or use an electric kettle. You can add some fruit and honey to make it sweet, you can add chocolate protein powder and peanut butter to make it decadent, you can throw sautéed mushrooms and chives in it and put a fried egg on top to make it savory.
Peanut butter is my JAM, but almond butter is arguably better for you. Just find a nut butter with as few ingredients as possible on the label, but ideally one that is no stir. Eat it with a spoon, put it on bread, put it on apple slices, put it on put it on whatever. It can be high sodium, but if you're having trouble getting enough calories or enough protein: peanut butter.
Are you having lots of no spoons days? Depression slump? Chronic illness? Let me introduce you to Tray™. Just get a normal tray, ideally with hand-holdy bits. Reserve a shelf in your fridge for it, and load a variety of foods onto it. Maybe some lunch meat, cheese, a bit of dark chocolate, whatever you want. Just put a bunch of zero-effort foods, then when you are hungry, remove Tray™, eat stuff off of it, return Tray™ to fridge. Just make sure to restock it every week.
If you have the means, look into Instant Pots. Especially the ones with the air fryer. You can bake potatoes, make hardboiled eggs, rice, broth, and all kinds of basics really easily. There are also a bajillion hands-off, one-pot recipes that you can make with it. Dump some stuff in, put on the lid, press a couple buttons, wait a few minutes--dinner's ready. It takes so much time, thought, and energy out of cooking.
Easy portions: your plate = 50% veggie, 25% lean protein, 25% complex carb. Add a Tbsp or two worth of healthy fat onto that.
I hope this helps! Please feel free to comment any tips you've picked up.
My latest song is about a relationship (friendship/client) I had with a covert narcissist (NPD). It's taken me a long time to forgive myself for falling for her bullshit. This video does a good job explaining how a covert narcissist operates.
If you're confused or new here, and want to follow along, just click on this post and scroll up to the top. I'm tryna be better about connecting it as a thread.
But I have #ADHD and might forget. Also, my #storytelling skills are not very linear and I tend to go off on tangents to explain some concepts like what a #MusicProducer even does, since that's relevant to the story.
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Salad is cool. Salad saves time. Salad saves you money. Salad is good for footprint. Ready prepped in the fridge is awesome for health, exec function, good choices & quick meals. Salad is good rebellion, in lots of ways.
Consider just how many nudges you get in shows, on social, endless ads, pushing towards unhealthy, high profit, low nutrition, high cost, highly processed, high environmental impact, food.
I'm not a TV chef who can pluck fresh lemons from a tree in my garden. Lemons in the UK are dreadful esp since Brexit. Typically hard, juiceless, turn to rocks in the fridge or go bad really fast if left out. Also ADHD comes with it's own ingredients realities which #ADHDers will understand.
I buy a bottle of already squeezed spanish lemon juice (where lemons are great). It keeps better longer and saves you time.