By: Anonymous member
Whenever I heard that we were going to be doing blogs, I immediately thought about what I wanted to say, and so instead of talking to this dude I liked, I spent two hours on something that will never see the light of day (it was bad). This had me thinking, how do we tell people we care about everything? So, I wanted to write an article about how we talk about how our brains think differently and how to communicate our needs to people who don't have the same struggles. (I am a student with ADHD, dysgraphia, and anxiety who takes medicine to cope as well as my fair share of being a self-help junkie). I feel like telling people is a very increasing and real vulnerability that I wish we could talk about a lot more. When thinking about discussing your amazing and talented but unique brain, ask yourself a few questions.
Do I want this person to know that I am Neurodivergent? (Neurodivergent is the term for anyone with a learning disability (as the DSM-5 classifies it because I have no problem learning that France's current government was set up in 1958 at 3 in the morning). To me, it does not matter when I tell someone about being ADHD.
Still, in work situations, people can not ask you if you are neurodivergent, which I wanted to convey off the bat. I would start testing the waters before I full-out say something, often using vocabulary and beginning to unravel some parts so they can start to understand and get a feel. During these samplers, ask yourself:
Have they respected my need for privacy?
Have they ever said anything that would worsen my mental health? Have they made any claims that do not align with what you know that is a fact, and
Will this be a problem in the future?
How do I think they will respond?
What are the needs I want to be communicated?
Many people forget this, which is extremely important because our friend will want to know how to help, but you need to know how to help yourself first. I would create a list of things that would make your day, deescalate a panic attack, or even just what makes you laugh and let your friends know because you don't have to do this alone.
Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this mini-article about what I have learned about talking about my brain, but I still do not know what to do about my crush, so please send help!
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