self-image Archives

justice sensitivity

Justice sensitivity is the heightened awareness of rule violations and inconsistencies, paired with an intense emotional and physiological response. For many neurodivergent people, fairness and consistency function as essential navigational tools when you can't reliably read social cues or predict what will happen next. When rules are applied inconsistently or stated expectations don't match actual consequences, your nervous system registers this as a genuine threat to your ability to navigate the world safely. The intensity of your reaction reflects the pattern violation itself, regardless of the moral weight of the situation. Justice sensitivity is morally neutral—it tells you when a rule has been violated, but not whether the rule was good or fair in the first place.

“Will I still be myself after an ADHD / Autism diagnosis?”

diagnosis identity self-image

You won't lose yourself - in fact, most people find the opposite happens. As you gain clarity and self-compassion, drop the shame around your struggles, and learn to unmask more, you might discover you're more yourself than ever before. You'll finally get to meet the version of yourself that isn't constantly performing, compensating, or apologising for existing.

“I don’t want to become my label and use my neurodivergence as an excuse”

diagnosis identity self-image support

If you're worried about this, you're already not that person. Asking for accommodations (like quiet spaces, reminders, breaks) is self-care and self-advocacy. The difference between advocating for your needs and being manipulative comes down to respect: are you communicating your limits while taking responsibility, or are you demanding others tolerate harmful behaviour?

internalised ableism

prejudice self-image society thoughts

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.

high-masking

prejudice self-image society

High-masking refers to a person who is able to mask so efficiently that they ‘pass’ as neurotypical. High-masking is often one of the reasons women go undiagnosed – unfortunately, many assessors completely ignore masking and dismiss the experience of the individual. References1↑ Bondü, R., & Esser, G. (2015). Justice and rejection sensitivity in children and …

masking

pain prejudice self-image society

Masking is a partly unconscious effort to hide or suppress the manifestations of your neurodivergence. It is an exhausting process that many of us do to "fit in" more. Many people start to mask to avoid abuse, discrimination, bullying, harm and ableism.

Why self-compassion is more important than self-care

self-care self-image

Self-compassion literally means what it says on the tin: you have compassion for yourself. You can feel empathy towards yourself, you can be kind, even loving towards yourself. But it is often overlooked in favour of self-care. Learn why it's so crucial for every neurodivergent person to learn self-compassion.