ADHD & Autism on the Rise: Are There More Neurodivergent People Now?
Why it seems there are more neurodivergent people now than before, when in fact we’ve always been here.
Internalised ableism
Internalised ableism is a psychological construct that refers to the internalisation of negative beliefs, stereotypes, and prejudices about disabilities that are prevalent in society.
It involves self-stigmatization and the development of a negative self-concept based on one’s disability and onboarding negative beliefs said to us by parental figures, teachers, grown-ups and society in general.
Waiting mode
Waiting mode is a psychological state characterized by heightened anticipation or anxiety while awaiting a specific outcome or event.
In the neurodivergent, especially ADHD community it usually means the period before an event that needs focus or attention spent in a sort of paralysing waiting mode, not being able to do little else until the event is over.
Decompressing
Decompressing refers to engaging in activities or behaviours that allow a person to relax, unwind, and alleviate stress or sensory overload.
This term is particularly significant in the neurodivergent community as we often experience heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli, leading to increased stress and anxiety levels.
Making sure to have time to decompress after especially taxing events is an essential part of self-care.
Transitions
Transitioning, in the context of neurodiversity, refers to the process of moving from one state, activity, or place to another. It involves a shift in attention, focus, and cognitive resources.
For neurodivergent individuals, it may require additional time, support, and strategies to manage effectively.
Transitioning can encompass a wide range of changes, from minor daily shifts like moving from one task to another, to major life changes such as transitioning from school to work or from living at home to independent living.
Context switching
Context switching refers to the cognitive process of shifting attention between different tasks or mental states. It involves disengaging from one task and engaging in another, requiring the brain to change its focus, rules, and objectives.
This process can be mentally taxing due to the cognitive load involved in stopping one task and starting another, shifting gears to focus on the new task, and getting accustomed to the new situation with all its stimuli. Frequent context switching and jumping from task to task can lead to a decrease in productivity and efficiency.
The Weird Winter Holiday Workbook – a neurodivergent-friendly Christmas-ish planner
There are lots of winter holiday planners out there. Not a lot of them are particularly ADHD, Autism or neurodivergence-friendly, though! So we created this one to reduce holiday stress, hassle and overwhelm so you can: Waiting for you on the pages ahead is a combination of guided self-care and planning pages to help you …
ADHD tax
ADHD tax is a casual term used to describe the additional costs, both tangible and intangible, that ADHD individuals often face due to their neurodivergence, especially struggles due to executive dysfunction.
Penguin pebbling
Penguin pebbling is a term derived from the behaviour of Adélie penguins who meticulously collect and arrange pebbles to build their nests.
In a neurodivergent context, the expression is used to describe a common neurodivergent behaviour of people collecting and giving loved items to others – “this made me think of you, I think you’ll like this, I thought this was pretty and I want you to have it”.