Author | Lightnews

Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 5h

As a Canadian, we didn't do it this time. Don't look at us!

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 5h

The White House East Wing has been completely demolished. The demolition is basically at the main White House walls.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6h

And the nastiest trick is that we become convinced that all that work that we're putting in on the inside doesn't count

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 7h

The closest thing there is to a universal ADHD experience is that feeling that we're working so freaking hard and still constantly falling behind because of distractions, impulsivity, forgetfulness, and/or understimulation and endlessly working harder simply because of the way our brains work

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 1d

I've just realized that my partner going into sensory overload puts me into caregiver mode the same way them being sick does.

Just instead of getting a damp towel, chicken noodle soup, or a vomit bucket, I come with squishies, earplugs, and eye mask.

I just hope they feel better again soon :(

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 1d

Having ADHD doesn't mean we can't do hard things.

There's plenty of people with ADHD who do amazing feats of scholarship, athletics, or social change.

It does, however, mean that we face different barriers, and that functioning well in one area often comes with major dysfunction in another

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 2d

Even seemingly successful people with ADHD are often carrying unseen burdens of executive dysfunction that touches every part of their lives

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 3d

Remember: if you're starting ADHD meds, the difference you notice on the first day you're on ADHD meds isn't necessarily the difference that you are going t notice every day that you're on ADHD meds.

Give yourself time to get used to the medication!

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 3d

ADHD'ers can feel understimulated when our need for sensory, cognitive, or social stimulation is greater than we have access to.

This doesn't mean lacking stimulation, just that there's less than we need. This means, we can be understimulated even in environments that overstimulate other people

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 3d

Don't mind me, I just got really excited about an idea, worked on it for 12 hours straight, forgot to eat or go to the bathroom, then woke up the next morning to find the passion is gone and now I'm leaving it untouched for the rest of time.

What? Do I have ADHD? ...yeah... why do you ask?

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 4d

ADHD is wild. It impacts different people's lives so differently.

For folks who have a natural interest in academics, ADHD hyperfocus can supercharge learning and achievement.

For folks who don't have this interest, however, ADHD can make academics feel like a challenge to just survive

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 4d

lol. I posed a similar scenario to my partner. They were not moved by it

Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 5d

My partner just looked at the best before date on my boxes of emergency Kraft Dinner rations: They expired 10 years ago.

10 years ago! I moved them to three different places in that time >_<

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 5d

Remember: If no one says that you've done anything wrong (especially if you've asked directly), you are allowed to assume that you haven't done anything wrong.

It isn't easy, but accepting that, can reduce the sting of rejection sensitivity

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 5d

Experiencing rejection, criticism, and exclusion a lot growing up, like many neurodivergent people do, can teach us to always be on the look out for possible rejection.

Sometimes, this can lead us to finding rejection where there actually isn't any

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

It is really hard, for sure.

Generally, the way ADHD'ers get to associative, non-linear thinking is related to internal impulsivity. We often have impulses that we act on before inhibition can catch up.

Impulsivity is more common among autistic folks, but it isn't a diagnostic criteria of autism

Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

That flashing cursor does feel like it's taunting me when I'm struggling to write something, but somehow having it stop flashing feels wrong some how?

But I can definitely see how it would be distracting and make ideas go poof ^^;

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

The thought of you shoving a physical print out of my skeet in someone's face mid-argument fills me with the weirdest combination of joyful chaotic excitement and existential dread

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

Those are the best conversations! As someone who talks to people basically all day, I'm so happy to have those :)

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

Sources: embrace-autism.com/thinking-sty... (Content Note: Temple Grandin mention)

neurolaunch.com/how-do-autis...

Thinking styles in autistic people | Embrace Autism

Temple Grandin suggests that autistic people’s thinking styles fall into 1 of 3 categories: visual, verbal/logic, and musical/mathematical thinkers.

embrace-autism.com

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

However, individual people vary quite a bit from person to person, so I'm 100% certain that there are autistic people who tend toward this associative thinking pattern

and I'm 100% certain that there are autistic people who aren't ADHD who do as well. How likely that is is up in the air though ^^;

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

Maaayyybbbeeee.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I honestly don't know for sure.

The long answer is: On a population level, I haven't seen much hard evidence in the academic literature yet. But there is some anecdotal evidence that perhaps this associative thinking pattern is more common for autistic folks

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 6d

ADHD'ers often don't think in a straight line. We often end up on a series of tangents and loops before we get from point A to point B.

This can lead to unexpected or creative connections that wouldn't be made otherwise, but this can also make it hard for non-ADHD'ers to follow

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 7d

ADHD'er's working memory can be very susceptible to changes in environment.

This means that changing what we're focusing on (or what's around us) is amazing at wiping our working memory, making us forget what we were doing or why we were doing it

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 8d

I did this task in one sitting in a hyperfocused bender the last time I did it. Why, oh why, can't I do it that fast again when my focus is three states away, lost in a corn maze?

I just don't get it.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 8d

Stress often makes ADHD and autistic traits more frequent, distressing, or intrusive. Struggling with ADHD and autistic traits often make us more stressed.

If we aren't careful, these can spiral back on each other leading to a big ol' merry-go-round of stress and dysfunction over here

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