Hyperverbal Is Valid!

You’re not lazy, you’re neurodivergent:

A post on executive dysfunction, ADHD inattentiveness and hyperfocus, and whatever else occurred to me as related as I originally wrote this for twitter.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been called lazy by people in your life. But the thing is, there’s almost no-one (if anyone) who’s actually lazy. And I promise you, if you’ve felt guilty because there are things you should be doing and can’t get them done? You are NOT lazy.

I’ll get to executive dysfunction, the main focus of this thread in a moment. Because I want to start by talking about ADHD and hyperfocus.

Is it hard for you to pay attention to things you don’t enjoy, but can focus for hours on things you do?

Does the world ever disappear to the point you forget to eat/drink while you’re working? Can you suddenly get days worth of work done in a short amount of time, but only once it’s the last minute, or when you get into the zone? But you don’t necessarily have control over getting into that mode?

Hyperfocus

The reason this is related to this thread is that often this is the “proof” that you’re lazy. Look, if you’re interested you get things done! Look at how much you can do when you “just make yourself” or “just focus”! Clearly you just don’t want to do the thing.

I can’t tell you how many days I’ve sat there trying to get into a zone that’s eluding me, losing sleep and feeling guilty, just to finally hyperfocus in the final day and pull out a miracle.

But I have ZERO ability to force it (I have tricks! but it’s not the same).

Hyperfocus often gets brought up as a “you can’t have ADHD, look how focus on the things you enjoy! Look what happens when you do focus!”

But actually, it’s a major aspect of inattentive ADHD!

So, that’s why hyperfocus matters in this convo.

Now onto Executive Dysfunction.

To start with, a quick note: Executive dysfucntion is not just an ADHD thing. It’s an aspect of a lot of different neurodivergencies.

Also, this is primarily from my perspective as a person with ADHD, I’d love to hear your versions of these experiences!)

I like to describe executive dysfunction as “the start button isn’t there.”

Also, this isn’t just for chores or boring things.

Have you ever sat there going “I want to game” but it just never happens?

I sure have!

When you have executive dysfunction, this means that starting tasks can be near impossible. You just can’t get yourself to start it. Often, you may sit there staring at the document with the blinking cursor, or looking at the stove, or glancing at the full laundry basket, etc

But again, there’s no start button. You just can’t do the thing. Which makes it really hard when people tell you to just focus, or that you could do it if you just cared, or that you’re just lazy.

Because we want to do the thing! We do!

(I mean, okay, want may be a strong word sometimes, I never WANT to do chores, but it’s still not an intentional putting it off. It’s more an “I need to do this thing, I know I need to, I want it to be done, but I can’t get myself to do it”)

Now for me, and many with ADHD, once someone points out you haven’t done the thing, or when the deadline comes close, suddenly the start button appears

Which again, people use as proof you totally could have done the thing the whole time.

So clearly you were just lazy & are only doing it cause you got yelled at/prodded/nagged.

But this isn’t true, there was no start button!

@adhd-alien has a PERFECT comic on this: https://twitter.com/ADHD_Alien/status/1138475368191598594

Now, we learn tricks to deal with this. Or meds may help.

For me, I find ways to enforce outside deadlines, or I’m more likely to have. a start button for something I’m doing with/for other people.

But ultimately, our brains just don’t work the same.

So for someone where the start buttons are always there, who assumes everyone is the same as them, it looks like we’re actively making the choice not to hit start.

So they call us lazy, unable to see us desperately trying to hit a button that’s just. Not. There.

Now, add on to this all the other comorbidities that come with neurodivergency, we almost never have just one thing. Add on physical disabilities or chronic/invisible illnesses or chronic pain or fatigue.

All of these make it so much harder.

There are SO many things that affect our abilities to get things done.

For example, I had a doctor appointment four days in a row (OT, neurologist, OT, infusion). I also helped schedule an event, and did a stream.

Before MS and chronic pain that would be nothing.

I could have done SO much more, filled my days with getting things done.

Now? I’m spending today on the couch, recovering before my stream tonight.

And I have to fight so much guilt, because I feel like I should be doing more. But my body just CAN’T.

So.

Do you feel guilty, but you just can’t start the thing?

Is there no start button?

Are you exhausted and your body is insisting you rest?

There are so many things that affect our ability to do things.

Brains, bodies, the world we live in.

But you’re not lazy.

warning ⚠️

Please, for the love of god, leave me CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS!!! If you think it’s implied, I promise you that to me it is not. If you give me poorly worded or vague directions I’m gonna spend half an hour stressing over the potential different ways to interpret them and either become paralyzed with indecision or inevitably interpret them the least correct way possible

Never understood this 😭

Just when I thought I'd learned all my lines...

‘There was a time before police and there will be a time after’

“Leave that bigoted person alone, they’re old"

Translation: They lived through almost every 20th century social movement & learnt nothing

-  Alex Gabriel

It’s time again

CrimethInc.

“This Is What Our Ruling Class Has Decided Will Be Normal”

On February 25, we received an email from a person who signed himself Aaron Bushnell, announcing an act of protest against the genocide of P

If your heart is broken by the horrors in Gaza and you are prepared to bear significant consequences to try to stop them, we urge you to do everything in your power to find comrades and make plans collectively. Lay the foundations for a full life of resistance to colonialism and all forms of oppression. Prepare to take risks as your conscience demands, but don’t hurry towards self-destruction. We desperately need you alive, at our side, for all that is to come.

Ⓐ RIP Aaron Bushnell (1998-2024) Ⓐ

being in your 20s is like: i’m so young i’m so old. i should do everything i should rest. i can do what i want but i need to be careful. i’m an Adult™ but i need help from an Adult™. i’m so smart i’m so stupid. i’m leaving i feel left behind. i want to be a kid again and i can’t wait to be old. i’ve done a lot i’ve done nothing. i wanna be alone but i’m so lonely. like.... what the hell ??