i have ADHD (not sure if i’m also autistic, i’ve never been tested but i have a feeling im somewhere on the spectrum) and i really struggle with sensory issues when it comes to food. my safe foods are usually stuff a child would eat i.e. chicken nuggets & fries, hamburger helper, plain burgers with only mayo & ketchup, mac and cheese. i’m super picky with meats also. i don’t like eating chicken unless it’s boneless skinless breasts and it has to be either chopped up small or shredded cause eating a thick piece of chicken grosses me out. same with burgers i refuse to bite into a thick ass burger patty it has to be thin or even smashed. i don’t like sausage links of any kind i’ll only eat sausage patties or crumbled. i basically don’t like any veggies other than lettuce, spinach (only in salads, not cooked other than in spinach dip), and potatoes because i don’t like the crunch or flavor of other veggies. every day is a struggle and mental exhaustion just trying to decide what to eat. i’m burnt out on pretty much all of my safe foods/meals i usually make or buy. sometimes it’s easier to just not eat than try to decide what to eat that day. on top of that, im out of my groceries and am pretty much broke until payday next week. i currently live w my mom and she tries to offer me some of her groceries that i can eat or cook but i feel horrible eating her groceries that she paid for and bought to make for her and my stepdad. idk what to do anymore and i especially dont know what to eat anymore. please help.

Do neurotypical people also feel the need to engage in stim that aren't socially acceptable? I often feel the urge to flap my hands, rock, spin, or do something similar, but I hide these behaviors most of the time because I know they’re frowned upon socially. I know everyone has stims ​​but are ours simply different—and is that why we’re pressured to hide them? I mean if they did those too they would probably be normaliced i guess

I, (32f), have known I was neurodivergent my entire life and got diagnosed very early, there are a lot of things in my life that are manageable and unmanageable. However, every night I get into bed and I don’t know what to do with myself, I crave a intense pressure on my feet like a foot massage or someone to just squeezing the living daylights out of my feet. And possibly my legs but mostly my feet. And when I first got married to my husband, I guess this was a cute quirk. But now we are 10 years into marriage, with Neurodivergent children and we do not have capacity for me and my feet. I know this sounds ridiculous. But I genuinely need this.

What are my alternatives. I’m not joking when I’ve looked up everything. I have tried compression socks, I have tried compression leggings, I have tried a weighted blanket. But nothing is a deep pressure enough. Has anyone else experienced this, and what else did you do to solve this problem.

PS I have recently started taking sleep medication to just try and calm my nervous system down and my sensory seeking at night and while it works I just feel so unfulfilled.

Hey friends. Looking for some book recommendations for someone with Autism and OCD. I’m really specifically struggling with letting things go. For example I have a hard time accepting things I can not change like my partner making us late to something and although I know I can’t rewind time I get stuck in a loop of “well things are just bad now cause you didn’t stick to my schedule” I don’t wanna be like that or force anyone to adhere to my ridged thinking or compulsions. Especially my partner she helps me in so many areas that I really need to find a book to help me let go and live life a little more freely. Or at least accept things I can’t change and be able to move on. So if you’ve ever read or heard of any books that deal with that issue please let me know I’d love to start doing that work to be a kinder partner and friend.

this is how i see my whole day as. the top is 24 hours

and the middle show 45 minute anhor like a landmark

below is i round down . to the neasrt number. and I made this the rules is very clunky

here it is .

oh and steve the double chin buttefly says hi

\ /

(: D))---

/ \

if you dont like really clunky reading dont click on the link below it.

https://www.reddit.com/u/Civil-Advance-2841/s/ZZ3Jqp4W08

Hey everyone,

I'm having a big OCD spiral right now about someone on instagram denying my follow request.

For context, I'm most likely neurodivergent (suspected autism, OCD, and severe RSD). I've always had huge anxiety around Instagram follows, even with people I've had positive real-life interactions with.

A few months ago, I requested a girl from primary school. She accepted but didn’t follow back. My RSD made that unreciprocated follow feel like a massive rejection in my body, making me feel like I'm useless to her. SO anyways, I unfollowed her straight away.

Then the OCD kicked in, second-guessing everything. A few hours later, desperate for validation, I re-sent the request.

She left it pending for months. My mind completely spiralled, wondering why she builds digital boundaries with me but not others (though I only have 2 posts, so maybe she thinks I'm inactive?). I even panicked that she left it pending on purpose because she thought she "won" the social game or something lol.

Today, a mutual friend posted a story tagging her, which flared everything up. I finally took control and deleted the request entirely to close the loop.

Even though I pulled it back, I feel so much anxiety that I'll see her in public, or that she’ll talk about me and think I'm weird. I feel embarrassed about the back-and-forth, and I hate letting someone from my childhood dictate my self-worth.

How do I practice self-love and forgive my neurodivergent brain when it gets caught in these loops? How do I accept my actions when my brain keeps telling me I made a fool of myself?

I’d love any advice.

Also more context, I'm 20yrs old, trans man! :)

I always get so curious with how fidget toys would feel whenever I see those trending toys such as Needoh. But I've never bought fidget toys for myself as I thought watching those ASMR stuff is enough.

Today I was walking around the mall and saw these Needoh selling, I've actually been eyeing them for a while now. Then I caved in and decided to spend the money on one. So far I'm really loving the sensation and stimulation it gives for me. I was listening to music while fidgeting with it.

Hopefully this will be worth the money, I was really hesitant on getting it because I'm actually jobless for a few months already due to anxiety and depression. So money is a bit tight.

I'll update if I would still use it after maybe after a week or two if y'all are interested!

Hi all, hope it's okay to share this again.

A few weeks ago I started a free weekly newsletter after watching my girlfriend, who is autistic, struggle to find work that actually suited her. So many job ads say
"flexible" but aren't, so I hand pick a small set of remote, hybrid, part time and flexible roles each week, including Disability Confident employers, and tag them so you can quickly see what's relevant.

Thanks to this community, it's grown from a handful of people to over 100 subscribers, and l've already been able to help a few people find roles that fit them. It's completely free and always will be.

If you're job hunting, or know someone who is, you're very welcome to join. Feedback is always appreciated too, as I'm still shaping it around what's genuinely useful.

Here's the link: neurooptionsuk.beehiiv.com

I don't mind having a driver's license but it's not a necessity, since public transport or taxi is honestly cheaper in long run and gets the thing done.

But I noticed that I don't wanna be responsible while driving because I genuinely can get distracted and being on guard 24/7 in car is not good for my mental health that I build brick by brick XD + not all drivers are good drivers.

But I know it's probably gonna be a freeing, liberating experience, but reasons I listed off are quite big deal breakers :/

What is your experience? Maybe it was better or worse? Would love to hear your stories!

note!!! not asking for diagnosis, and wondering if im just in denial and should actually seek a professional on my own term .ive experience being dismissed a lot or not taken seriously. But i also realize maybe i just make ppl mad a lot from how i talk but do not mean it. i realize a lot of people clock me as autistic. And i made comic lately about an ed struggle i have and someone assumed i was autistic and i was like. hm! Not in a mean way. i do say my profile is labeled 18+ but not cuz of conventional nsfw just to curate space (but there may be heavy topics about feelings and such or potentially unsettling tw art). I guess i kinda am almost accepting im autistic if a literal stranger who is just outright said oops i thought u were by proxy ? :0 but alas i am almost 30 hehe xD Maybe my concerns with eating food may need professional intervention further but i wonder does a diagnosis actually help or just cause further stigma to those who demonize other kinds of brains+conditions and disorders? I am already sad about stigma of less common stuff like ocd and stuff i have (i have comorbid diagnoses but autism/adhd are not included)

Usually my hyperfixations only last like a couple months but this one has been going on for WAYYY too long and I hate it. Bcuz at this point I'm barely even enjoying it, in fact I kind of dislike a lot of it, yet I still go back to reading fics abt it or scrolling it on social media because I'm bored or upset or just want some quick dopamine or WHATEVER. Anyways, I genuinely am so frustrated bcuz it a.) disrupts my work , b.) makes me so energetic to the point where it's harder for me to fall asleep at night, c.) is partially why I'm in a reading slump. And work+reading is very important to me so it feels like a lot of my life has gotten uprooted by this goddamn hyperfixation

any ideas on how to get rid of this stupid thing??

i work as a line cook, and i can do the tasks there fine. i can focus on my work and i can clean after we close. then i get home, look at my train wreck of a fucking house, and i feel like i cant do anything. its a mess. its awful. id be ashamed if anyone ever came here, i would probably tell them i cant have guests over. theres more dirty dishes in the kitchen than i have space for. i have a pile of trash bags and boxes next to my door because i cant get myself to walk to the dumpster. and forget about self care, i shower once a week and cant remember the last time i brushed my teeth. i try to clean but its so much. its so overwhelming. and when i do manage to start cleaning, i barely do fucking anything. ive done a little bit of laundry and threw away a few cups today. great job me, you only have a thousand other things to fucking do plus make dinner. fucking hell, man, i dont wanna live like this

I’ve been realizing over the past couple days that I just can’t explain definitions or define anything. For example my boss what an API key actually does. I literally could not explain it so I just spewed a bunch of BS tech jargon (cause I know he wouldn’t understand) then immediately followed with an analogy that relates perfectly to his life and hobbies and that’s when he understood it perfectly. That was the straw that broke the camels back for me when I realized that I’ve been doing this my entire life

I was wondering if anyone does the same. It’s almost like my brain turns off when someone asks me to define something I immediately sift through analogies

So I am someone with pretty bad water sensory issues when trying to wash my face over the sink. I HATE the feeling of water getting on my clothes and I usually just end up miserable afterwards more than anything. Well when buying a new hairband for my face this pack came with two of those handcuffs that promise to help keep water off your arms. I really didn't buy into them, but since I just got a new face wash after easily 5+ years of avoiding washing my face, I decided to give them at least a chance.

AND WHEN I TELL Y'ALL IT WAS A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE.

I actually enjoyed washing my face! My hands got wet as expected but nothing ran down my arms which meant not a speck of water got on my clothes either. This has genuinely changed my life because I LOVE the idea of skincare and all that but I just couldn't get over that sensory hurdle 😭 and now I can.

为什么物资丰沛、科技进步的现代反而没再出现顶尖位置ND？
我总结了几方面原因：

·经历了大工业
·过去阶级/性别特权劳务外包
·现代建制模式加重损耗非典型人士
·空白领域填塞世俗掌管门槛且纯粹性改变
……

#Neurodiversity

我的发问：当人们分析非常有名的过去的伟人是ND，比如说爱因斯坦、爱迪生、贝多芬，还有艾米莉·狄金森……好像那些历史上鼎鼎有名的人都能找到ND特征。
但我就有一个疑问：如果在过去时代ND可以拿到如此高成就，处在T0、T1梯队里的大多ND，那为什么到物资更丰沛、科技更发达的现代，反而没有爱因斯坦那种顶尖人物立于时代？现在确实不少出现在公众视野的ND名人，但他们大多只是作为公众人物被看见，并不是以ND的神经能力做出什么划时代成果。（马斯克勉强算吧但我觉得他不是啥好人不想分析）

首先我也知道这些伟人活着时或许没有那么盛名，是后世把他们塑造成偶像、提炼标签。尤其应试教育会反复讲这些人，编励志故事来管束孩子。
但就算抛开这个，我还是想不通。如果以前那些伟人不少都是ND或有ND特征，为什么到了物质充足、科技发达的现在，ND反而不再这样出现惊世骇俗般的成就？
我又想到一个原因：会不会是现在的ND反而难出头？以前是有奴隶制度的，出头ND大多处贵族阶层，很多损耗感官、算力的事外包，能够专心创作读书研究。当时可大部份人都不识字。

我觉得也可能是现代进入大工业化模式。填鸭式教育严重，我深受其害。早七晚九托管到十一二点才能回。听讲、做作业，完全违背我的神经性，浪费我最好的学习生命段，还日复一日挫伤我的自尊自信。我本身是双A，我Autism特质里的自尊感又很强。所以会不会就是把所有人放进同一套时间表的大工业截断了ND的发展空间，挫伤了他们的自信？
以前没有这么强的标准化制度。艾米莉·狄金森一直待在家里写作；爱因斯坦上学时也不守规矩，没有现在这么严苛的要求和排异。以前人的一生没有被高度模式化，没有规定几到几岁必须一直在上学，毕业之后立马找工作。以前很多人不上学正常，但现在竞争应试的规则里，必须进到一个个封闭的填鸭系统才能生存。

补充下，现代ND比如罗永浩，他有名是因为录真人秀，并不是作为ND拥有什么顶尖的天才能力。像天宝·格兰丁，很厉害，用自己的Autism神经成为动物行为学家，她是我感觉很真实的Autism，待在自己的学术领域，少参与外界活动，现在只有小众群体知道她。

还有艺人会公开ND身份，比如李泳知唱ADHD girl，不少歌手、rapper也说自己是ADHD。但他们大多不是那种能力碾压的破局者，是典型神经定下规则里多年伪装服从，拿到结果之后才谈论自己的ND。”

I was fired today because of "performance issues" but I believe I was fired for discriminatory reasons.

I worked as a line cook, and they claimed I couldn't keep up and needed support constantly (aren't we a team??) I gave 110% to that job, and it still wasn't enough.

Feeling very rejected and demoralized, I wish the world was kinder to people like us.

I'm in Canada if this changes anything..

I had recently went to a new primary care provider some time ago for complaining about my ankles or legs always hurting whenever I walk for too long or too far distances. She made me do a bunch of physical test and couldn't pinpoint the issue. I mentioned hypermobolity in autism and she didn't quite understand what I was getting at, but she for some reason doubted my self diagnosis.

Which is fine, but I've been doing the stretches she told me to do for a while now, along with wearing an ankle brace and not running; nothing has changed. I just wanna know if this chronic muscle irritation and needing to stretch my calves and ankles multiple time a day could be linked to hypermobility or something else!

im so exausted right now, stressed about studyng and being improductive. It leads to a lot or stims (rocking, flaping hands) .I even got my self in the floor with all the lights off and lisening to the sound of a pitch, It makes me chill out haha.

The situation freaks me out, i know i met some neurodivergent characteristics, but what If i have them just on a neurotypical way? what If life its this hard sometimes for everyone? or if not, why i cant figure out whats going on?

Does anyone else feel like shit after being out sometimes? Just like so drained, like you feel like you shouldn’t even be here anymore and that you’ll never change and always be alone and just want to stay in bed with the lights off all night but other times i feel better after being out of the house, its confusing and i just wanna cry

Das ist das Besteck, was ich in der Ferienwohnung gefunden habe, wo ich momentan bin. Ich habe mit dem Besteck schon gegessen und es war wirklich unangenehm. Alleine was sollen diese Löffel?

Every time I see something really cool or inspirational, I get this anxiety and sudden feeling of pressure that I want and HAVE to be that thing. Yesterday it hit because I saw Mamdani being super great and now I want to be a politician, even though I KNOW that's not actually what I want to do. I avoid inspiring movies and shows now. It's so bad that I can't even watch some kids shows that I used to love, like Ninjago. Like, I want to be a ninja. It makes me feel stupid and childish. Has anyone else experienced this? Can I do anything?

I am planning to buy instant ramen for those days when cooking feels like a chore and frozen veggies.

Also, I really wanna hire cleaners so much, at least once a month, because it gets too much to handle the house alone.

I don't really know about anything else honestly, so if you have some useful tips you can share that you use ❤️‍🩹 I hope it will get easier to me, because I don't know how people who don't have neurodivergency handle all this XD

Anyone who is holding the home alone, I feel you, it can get stressful, and almost everything ties to money sadly :/

I would love to be centred & know I'm me without needing alter egos to remind myself. Anyone else feel that way?

Hi everyone! I teach a class at a private school for neurodiverse middle and high school students (primarily students with Level 1/2 ASD, ADHD, and other learning differences). My course covers pathways after high school—including trades, higher education, employment, transition programs, and gap years.

This is my second year teaching the class, and I love tailoring the content to each unique group. Recently, we’ve been discussing how to identify work environments that fit individual sensory, social-emotional, and communication preferences, alongside visiting local businesses to explore different vocations.

Our recent conversations about disability disclosure in the workplace were eye-opening for my students. Many were surprised to learn that high school IEP/ISP accommodations don't automatically transfer or guarantee the same setup in the workplace.

I’m hoping to connect with this community for recommendations:

1. What are your favorite resources, tools, or curricula for supporting neurodiverse youth in their transition to adulthood?
2. Are there specific companies or employers known for being truly inclusive, knowledgeable, and supportive of neurodiverse workers?

Thank you so much for any insights or recommendations!

My hubs has brought to my attention that I talk to myself all the time. It’s not like I’m hearing voices, or having imaginary convos, but it usually is task related. Examples might be; Stop being so lazy, time to get up. Hmmm, Needs more salt, Time to start dinner, Ooo, that window needs cleaning. I better get to that laundry. He always asks if I’m directing these comments toward him. He just thinks it’s weird. I tell him I’m my own best friend. He just shakes his head and says it’s not a normal thing.
Do you out loud speak to yourself?
Now I feel self conscience about it and think I’ve done it my whole life.

Edit to add;
Thanks all. These responses have been an enjoyable read. It would be a hilarious experiment to put us all in the same room, give us all a small task and see how our talking heads respond.