Weirdly Successful
Dedicated to helping you understand, navigate and enjoy your weird & wonderful neurodivergent life.
The dopamine system is the network of neurons, pathways, and chemical machinery that produces, delivers, uses, and recycles dopamine throughout the brain. It's one of the most-discussed systems in ADHD, and with good reason — differences in how this system works are closely linked to difficulties with motivation, attention, reward, and the ability to sustain effort on tasks that aren't immediately …
Sensory avoiding, also known as sensory under-responsivity, refers to a pattern of behaviour where individuals actively try to avoid or minimise exposure to sensory stimuli. These individuals may have a heightened sensitivity to sensory input and may find certain sensations overwhelming or discomforting. As a result, they may engage in behaviours such as avoiding crowded …
Sensory-seeking refers to a behavioural pattern or tendency in neurodivergent folks where they actively seek out and engage in sensory experiences or stimuli. People may have a heightened desire for sensory input and actively seek activities or environments that provide intense or stimulating sensations.
Hyposensitivity, also known as sensory underresponsivity, is a condition characterized by a reduced sensitivity or diminished response to sensory stimuli from the environment.
Individuals with hyposensitivity may have difficulty with detecting or processing sensory inputs, such as sound, touch, taste, smell, or visual stimuli. They may require more intense or prolonged sensory stimulation to …
Hypersensitivity, also known as sensory over-responsivity, is a condition characterized by an extreme sensitivity or heightened response to sensory stimuli from the environment. Individuals with hypersensitivity may have a seemingly exaggerated reaction to various sensory inputs, such as sound, touch, taste, smell, or visual stimuli. These sensitivities can result in discomfort, distress, or even …
Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty characterized by difficulties in writing, handwriting, and spelling. It is a condition that affects the ability to accurately and efficiently express thoughts or ideas through writing. Individuals with dysgraphia may struggle with letter formation, organizing thoughts coherently on paper, maintaining consistent spacing and alignment, and spelling.
Autism is a lifelong, highly heritable neurodevelopmental condition characterised by a brain that processes information more deeply and through fewer channels at once — producing differences in sensory experience, pattern recognition, social communication, and the need for predictability. Autistic people are born autistic. Many autistic adults are identified late in life because their coping …
Dyscalculia is a learning difficulty where a person has difficulty with numbers and mathematics in general.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty. A dyslexic person with has difficulty with literacy skills and retaining information.
Hyperactivity means a group of traits and is one of the ADHD subtypes. Hyperactivity can present in physical and mental symptoms. Hyperactive traits include fidgeting and other sensory-seeking behaviours, interrupting others when they talk or finishing their sentences for them, impulsive actions and thrill-seeking behaviour (with a reduced sense of danger), having many ideas and blurting them out.
Having a learning difficulty means a person has a harder time learning and acquiring skills. Learning difficulties are not related to levels of intelligence, the related conditions are neurological.
Unmasking is when you slowly learn to allow your neurodivergence to present itself and you don't try to hide yourself. However, to unmask is a privilege, as you need a safe space to do it.
