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
Tag Archives: ADHD
Learning the Hard Way
Sometimes you gotta learn things the hard way. Typically that refers to making the mistakes people tried to warn you about. In this case, learning the hard way meant having a concussion (two, actually) axed the coping skills that used to work for me and to finally learn some useful things about myself: 1) I was … Continue reading
The Three H’s: Hormones, Hyperfixation, and Homeschooling
2021 has been unusual for me, to put it mildly. My husband Éric and I had made a plan at the end of 2020 to write a book together, starting on the first of the new year. You probably don’t know me very well, but I’ll give you a hint; I’ve never written a book … 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
Writing Through the Depressive Lens
There was recently a themed writing call from one of my dream journals. It asked for works that feature or explore joy. Writing to a theme is one of my strengths, but I was flummoxed. The only take I have on joy is that I don’t have a take on joy. I see the world, … Continue reading
Internalized Ableism, Week 2: DIY
Editor’s note: This is Pat Flewwelling’s first post with the Spoonie Authors Network. Welcome, Pat! Grampa used to park his car umpteen kilometers away from work and then bike the rest of the way. By then, his hip was about 75% disintegrated, and he used a cane. In his off-hours, he worked for Gideons and … Continue reading