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Post by shapes on Jul 28, 2017 19:09:24 GMT
What are people's thoughts on the way we refer to ourselves and are usually referred to by others? It strikes me that there isn't an easy way to use ADHD in an identity-first way. The closest we can get is to say that we are "neurodiverse" but is this a term that ordinary people understand? It also doesn't specifically refer to people with ADHD. Without such language we seem to be stuck in a halfway house between being sufferers of an illness and being a minority group. Perhaps we would be in a better position with regards gaining public respect if we had better language to describe ourselves. What do people think?
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jamieg
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Post by jamieg on Jul 29, 2017 10:36:43 GMT
Hello
Having a 10 day old diagnosis I've only told a few people along with an explanation that it isnt what you think it is. I suppose identifying as an 'adder' seems to work within the neurodiversity community but the rest of the world so far doesn't understand. When it was first suggested that I could have it I was very dismissive. Isn't it just a way of describing cheeky kids who need a clip? This is coming from someone who used to work in childcare and regularly encountered Adhd, asd and other conditions. If I can get it wrong then what will everyone else think?
Perhaps the name itself needs revising. Executive function disorder is more appropriate but even the word disorder suggests something negative. The big thing that helped me get my head round it all is the hunter vs farmer hypothesis. If I think of us all in car terms then different vehicles have different engines tuned in different ways for different requirements. A race tuned supercharged V8 isn't needed to go to Tesco (it livens up the trip though!) And a 1.2 litre petrol engine is no good for a rally spec road racer.
I'm not disordered, syndromed, deficient or any other negative description. I'm just tuned to operate to a slightly different spec to some other people.
Yes I'm awful at remembering appointments and staying focused in a busy office but I don't panic in a crisis, think quickly and outside of the box, and I can hyperfocus. So called neurotypicals don't have our superpowers. Put me in the right setting where I play to my strengths then I'm awesome!
I quite think of an apt description for us all but we certainly need to get away from the negativity!
Jamie
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Post by shapes on Jul 29, 2017 18:07:07 GMT
I've used the same analogy about cars (I've noticed ADHD people like using analogies). For something so prevalent it struck me how badly accepted and understood it is. As you say "I don't panic in a crisis, think quickly and outside of the box, and I can hyperfocus ". I am the same and those are useful abilities to have.
As ADHD is something you are born with, to call it a "disorder" is not always helpful. In my mind I think of ADHD the disorder as responsible for my disorganisation but also I have a neurodiverse brain regardless of how well or how badly I am coping with neurotypical expectations. It is quite normal to have such a brain, in the same way it is normal for people to be left handed.
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jamieg
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Post by jamieg on Jul 29, 2017 21:33:22 GMT
Funnily enough, I'm left handed AND colourblind!
I must've made it this far by pure luck!
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whatsnext
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SHUDDUP AND GIMME ALL THE SHINY THINGS
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Post by whatsnext on Aug 1, 2017 20:28:20 GMT
What about 'Procrasts'?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2017 10:12:19 GMT
Fun as it is to think of neologisms, the fact is that we are stuck with ADHD - even getting it to be called ADD is an uphill struggle....
I find myself on a mission nowadays - out and proud! I suppose that I'm lucky as I now work in the field of psychiatry - and so most people have some sort of understanding of what ADHD means. I've also been quite lucky in life - so I have quite a few of the trappings of success. I'm not trying to boast - merely saying that the victim of circumstance is less able to carry off an in your face attitude to ADD. Part of my normal spiel on the subject is along the lines of "it's only a disorder if it is impinging on your life enough to be treated as such - my attention deficiency is no longer that disorder - and that was because I chose to make sure that it wasn't by taking the medication and learning the best techniques to manage the way that my brain works."
I consider myself lucky - my wife tells people that, in a crisis - on a desert island with nothing but a penknife, a ball of string and a dead goat - I am the man to have beside you. Unfortunately, she does go on to point out that if you just want to sunbathe and wait for the next cruise ship to come over the horizon, I can be really irritating!
I too like the racing car analogy - Ned Halliwell used it first I think - a racing car with no brakes! I also use it.
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whatsnext
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Post by whatsnext on Aug 4, 2017 11:43:51 GMT
You know, for those of us who came to adult ADHD later in life, without a childhood diagnosis, I'm reminded of the story of the Israelites left to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Although I guess calling ourselves 'Israelites' might have delusions of grandeur and be a bit confusing
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jamieg
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Post by jamieg on Aug 8, 2017 22:17:24 GMT
Speaking of the Israelites...
I grew up listening to Desmond Dekker!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 23:15:06 GMT
You know, for those of us who came to adult ADHD later in life, without a childhood diagnosis, I'm reminded of the story of the Israelites left to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Although I guess calling ourselves 'Israelites' might have delusions of grandeur and be a bit confusingĀ Delusions of grandeur is my favourite coping strategy! The nomenclature matters not. We will never be auto-respected nor should we wish to hasten such a day. Why? That day would come. All our strife would come to an end. The day after? We'd be bored.
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whatsnext
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SHUDDUP AND GIMME ALL THE SHINY THINGS
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Post by whatsnext on Aug 9, 2017 23:23:54 GMT
Speaking of the Israelites... I grew up listening to Desmond Dekker! I, err... I think I've heard the name, but I wouldn't know him if I heard him Edit: D'oh. It's just clicked with the reference to the Israelites. He's the man who sung the Vitalite song!
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