the perks of being neurodivergent
Being neurodivergent can suck depending on your experience. I try not to be a doomer, so I wanted to write a list of some upsides to being neurodivergent.
High caffeine tolerance / caffeine helps you nap: I've had a high caffeine tolerance ever since I first discovered drinking monster energy in middle school (man, a meatball sub from Subway and a Monster Energy is a combo I have never been able to recover from, and it's oddly nostalgic). I used to brag that I could drink an energy drink and take a nap. This is still largely the case, caffeine doesn't "energize" me, but rather just does what my ADHD meds do to a lesser degree. So, 300mg of caffeine comes in handy when you run out of ADHD meds.
Heart of a Child: I get told often "you're just like a kid", this is usually meant as a compliment. I do my best to not let other people infantilize me, but I gotta admit, it's nice to be able to find joy in simple novelties. Especially when it seems people your age or older have lost that ability to be amused by simple things or having a visible enjoyment when engaging with a special interest.
Conversations are never boring: get two dudes with ADHD in one room and enough chemistry and that conversation will go in a million directions whilst also going absolutely nowhere, and it will be a blast. Time flies with ADHD convo, what were we talking about? Dunno, but who cares? We are having fun talking about nothing and everything!
Hyperfocus: it's not always reliable, but when you get in "the zone", shit comes by smoothly. Just gotta remember to pee and eat (not at the same time). It's like a canon manned by Ray Charles; it isn't accurate, but when it hits it works.
Seeing things others don't: On one hand you make "careless" mistakes, on the other you can notice stuff that other people normally wouldn't. It can often be great and even special being the only one who noticed a butterfly fluttering on a hiking trip. Or in my case, the only one who noticed someone's back tire fly off the axel of their car (seriously, how did nobody else even LOOK in the direction of the loud ass car?). You also have the ability to see patterns or make odd connections that others wouldn't have even thought of.
Life of the party: For some, having a mouth that moves faster than your brakes can lead to the group busting up laughing. I'll often say the most off-the-cuff comment without having thought of social pressure and can get my group to laugh. When you're not burdened by "looking proper" or whatever, you're a lot more free to pull the stick out of everyone's ass.
Example: I was playing games with friends last night, and our friend Lucy had her camera on her phone on, which just kept getting lower to the point she had it angled up at about hip-height. To which I say "Nice blowjob angle Lucy", got the entire voice chat (including her) laughing their ass off. This kinda also coincides with noticing things other people don't.
This can also get you in trouble sometimes though, so be careful.
Creativity: When you have more thoughts in your head in a single hour than most people do in a single day, some of that can have the benefit of emboldening your creativity. I've noticed this more ever since I quit social media and "downgraded" to a dumb phone. I've always had that creative spirit, but lost it for a time, but now it is back in full swing. Writing music, doodling, imaginative play, etc. Creativity also works well with problem solving abilities, as again you are able to see things maybe others hadn't. (I'm good at escape rooms for this reason).
Overall, neurodivergence doesn't have to suck all the time. Yeah, not everyone gets the benefits I do, but I think it is worth seeing the positives because it's a lot harder to do so when you're surrounded by the negatives.
Would it be easier if I wasn't AuDHD? Absolutely. It would be nice to not have to deal with sensory issues, poor working memory, inability to focus intentionally. However, if it wasn't for it, would I even be the same person people like? My wife, family, and friends love me for who I am, not who I could have been. If I wasn't neurodivergent, I wouldn't be me. And I'd rather be me than be someone else.
Pirate is wearing all-black converse, khaki green pants, Saviors Tour 2024 American Idiot tee.
Pirate is feeling productive
Pirate is listening to Frutiger Aero music
Pirate is reading No Longer Human.
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