Among those of us who are neurodivergent (ND) and/or who manage mental illness, the word lazy has been stamped on our foreheads, like a much unwanted label, by people who just don’t understand our experience. Many of my friends who have ADHD, for example, have had their executive dysfunction completely gaslit by family members, teachers, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Getting support
Welcome to Disability (a House with Infinite Rooms)
Hi there. You’re new here. You and maybe one hundred forty-one million, five hundred thousand others. That’s a guess. An imperfect one, because the data is young and ever-changing and because lots of folks lived in this house before a brand-new Goldilocks broke in and started judging our food and lodgings. Too metaphorical? Probably. Let … Continue reading
The Struggles of Getting an Adult ADHD Diagnosis
I have ADHD. This is pretty obvious if you watch me go about my day. I frequently pause one project to write down ideas for another; I’m constantly stimming with one thing or another; I forget where I’ve put an object the moment I’ve set it down; I am chronically early or late, never on … Continue reading
Internalised Ableism, Week 9: The Little Boy Who Internalised Ableism
Editor’s note: This is K.W. Ramsey’s debut post with the Spoonie Authors Network. Welcome to the family! Until a couple years ago, I’d never heard the word ableism, never mind examining how I might have internalized it in myself. You see, I was born in the ’70s, when the idea of being disabled was anathema, … Continue reading
Internalized Ableism, Week 7: I’m Not Disabled
Most of my health problems have been with me since childhood. I was diagnosed with a learning disability at eight years old. I acquired insomnia, anxiety, depression, and PTSD in my prepubescent years. I developed a repetitive strain injury at fifteen. Yet it was not until last year that I really felt comfortable claiming the … Continue reading
A Message from the Editor About the COVID-19 Pandemic
CW: mentions of eugenics and ableism Warm greetings from your friendly neighbourhood SpAN editor! I just wanted to say I’m aware that many of us Spoonies are feeling tense right now because of the pandemic. I definitely am. But the Spoonie Authors Network is a forum of caring and community, and we want it to … Continue reading
Internalised Ableism, Week 5: Not Disabled Enough
I have an issue with appearing weak. This all started when I was born with spastic cerebral palsy. I was raised to believe that I would have to learn to do things for myself. I was raised not to be a quitter and to move forward, despite the pain that I might be in. It … Continue reading
Internalized Ableism, Week 4: Solution to Being a Terrible Patient, or, How I Learned It’s Okay to Need Help
I had surgery recently on my foot to remove a bone chip and arthritis bone spurs. The pain in my foot wasn’t terrible but it had changed my gait, adding to the workload in my lower spine and making one hip pop out of joint daily. I have arthritis and degenerative disc disease, so I … Continue reading
Internalized Ableism, Week 3: All Better Now
I feel better these days. I’ve done and am doing a lot of things for myself: I’ve moved to a position with less stress and fewer hours at work; I’m seeing a lot of doctors; I’m finally on the right meds after years of trial and error; and, I’m eating better. My good mental health … Continue reading