I have tried traditional “self-care” activities, and they don’t do anything for me. What am I doing wrong?
Nothing! Neurodivergent brains need more time to process, decompress, and recharge. It probably has to do with how For us neurodivergent folks, the type of rest has to match our needs. A lot of neurotypical forms of rest work against what we need. “Candle-lit bubble bath?” If you’re ADHD, an understimulating environment might force your …
How can I recognize when I’m about to make an impulsive decision?
Impulsive decisions can make us feel powerless. Even if we ignore the possible negative consequences of the decisions, simply feeling that we did something we couldn’t notice “in time” or catch while it was happening can be very vulnerable and disempowering. After the fact, it sometimes feels obvious – ‘duh, this was silly; I made …
response inhibition
Response inhibition is our brain’s ‘hey, are we sure about this?’ button – the ability to pause or stop actions, thoughts, or emotional reactions already in motion. For neurodivergent folks, especially those with ADHD, this system often works differently, leading to quicker decisions and more spontaneous actions.
night terrors
Night terrors are episodes of intense fear during sleep that involve screaming, physical movement, and autonomic arousal (racing heart, rapid breathing, sweating). Unlike nightmares, they occur during non-REM sleep with no memory of the event afterwards.
Night terrors affect both children and adults, with higher prevalence in neurodivergent populations, particularly those with ADHD.
They’re triggered by sleep disruption, stress, hormonal changes, and sometimes medication, reflecting both neurological and environmental factors.
What’s actually happening when I go into verbal shutdown?
A verbal shutdown might appear to be “nothing” from the outside, but actually, a lot is going on beneath the surface. Language, speech, even just on the technical side, are very complicated, even before you start adding the social layers on top of it (word choices, cadence, implications of tone of voice, non-verbal communication aspects). …
Why do traditional productivity methods make me feel worse instead of better?
Traditional productivity methods are tips and tricks designed for people who already have all the resources and opportunity to be productive – they just need fine-tuning. Productivity methods are like buying a map when your car is already ready to go, with a full tank, a clean MOT, and you just need an optimal way …
What’s the difference between being ‘lazy’ and experiencing executive dysfunction?
Laziness is not simply “not doing” something. A lazy person could do the thing, would have the energy to do so, but chooses not to. And they don’t care about it at all. Lazy people are okay with the task not being done. Their inner monologue isn’t even mentioning the task. Lazy people don’t think …
proprioception
Proprioception refers to the sensory system that provides information about body position, movement, and spatial orientation without visual input (i.e. knowing where our body parts are without having to look at them).
vestibular system
The vestibular system is a sensory system located in the inner ear that detects head position and movement, working together with vision and proprioception (body position sense) to maintain balance and spatial orientation.