Sometimes The Executive Function Fairy Godmother Finally Shows Up, Whacks You, And Then You’ve Got

Any other late diagnosed people relate? 😅

because i love y’all, i’m sharing my family’s recipe for apple tea (traditional fall/winter drink in west asia, turkey, and many areas of the balkans)

it’s like a more delicate version of apple cider and i basically live off of this stuff when the weather starts to cool!

Apple Tea (for two)

1 large apple or 2 small, shredded (you can use a cheese grater)

3 cups water

1-2 cinnamon sticks

2-3 pc clove (optional)

honey to taste

1 tsp of lemon juice (add at end)

green tea (optional! some versions call for green tea but i actually prefer it without. up to you!)

throw it all in a pot and let it simmer on a low temperature for an hour or so. while it’s simmering, it will also make your home smell delicious! (if you make it with green tea, add the tea at the end, about five minutes before taking it off the heat so the flavor doesn’t become bitter from oversteeping). strain into your cups and enjoy hot.

end result:

"should autism exist in my fantasy story?" yes. "should psychosis exist in my fantasy story?" yes. "should personality disorders exist in my fantasy story?" yes. "should ADHD exist in my fantasy story? should intellectual disabilities exist in my fantasy story? should dissociative disorders exist in my fantasy story? should trauma disorders exist in my fantasy story? should anxiety disorders exist in my fantasy story? should mood disorders exist in my fantasy story? should--"

yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

you don't have to include their real actual names and you don't have to have main characters with every single one of these things. But neurodivergent and mentally ill people should EXIST in fantasy stories and fantasy societies, because we exist in real life. We deserve to be acknowledged.

Just saw a post that said, “young does not mean pain free. young does not mean abled.” Yes, absolutely. And equally: autistic does not mean a child. Learning disabilities do not mean a child. Developmental disabilities do not mean a child. Both in the sense that we do grow up, actually, and in the sense that, when we grow up, we are true adults. Needing help with certain things does not negate this.

I'd try this out tbh if it were not for the emotional side of executive functioning that made it like there's no point to this. the brain going crazy just visualizing getting the thing out / writing things down because first, that feels like a lot of emotional energy is required. Second, doing the actual task? that feels like a lot of emotional energy is required. like fuc- whEN WILL THIS CYCLE END

Recently accidentally discovered the best executive dysfunction hack I’ve ever found

Ok so we’ve all heard of tips involving lists, make a list of everything you need to do, cross it out when you’re done, etc.

Well recently next to each item on my list, I wrote down how to start that task. This can be as simple as “get out my notebook and the assignment” or a little more detailed like “open chemistry textbook to page 235 and review the section on gibbs free energy”

Basically, you do all the executive functioning all at once before you start your tasks! Now when you get to the task, your brain doesn’t need to access that executive functioning to figure out how to start, you’ve already done it. Even stupid stuff like “take the assignment out of your backpack” helps a weird amount when it’s written down. Like it helps more than you think it should. I was rolling my eyes up until the point where it worked

I mean surely we all grew up feeling like there was a wrongness inherently deep inside us that will endure for the rest of our lives