Who am I? After being diagnosed with ADHD at 26, I became frustrated at the lack of support and awareness of this condition in society and in workplaces. I am trying to build Flair, the first holistic health platform for people with ADHD & other neurodiversity (because I have autism and dyslexia as well). The mission is to empower people with neurodiversity to thrive in a neurotypical world.
I’ve been reflecting a lot on some of the things people have told me as I navigate this world being a neurodivergent person. I must admit, it is hard to not take these comments personally. I used to think having dyslexia meant I was somehow less intelligent than my neurotypical peers. I’ve now come to realize and understand a lot of these comments come from a place of ignorance.
It’s not our job as neurodiverse people to educate neurotypicals. But in sharing my experiences below, I hope that more people can understand the diversity of what neurodiversity is.
No not “everyone” has ADHD and no our world is not “making everyone have a bit of ADHD
👉🏼 ADHD is a neurological condition and it is an inheritable condition. The condition runs in families
💊 Since it is neurological, people with ADHD take medication for the condition to help with difficulties that ADHD exhibits such as executive functioning, focus and motivation.
It is offensive to tell someone that everyone has ADHD because it undermines the person’s difficult experiences living with ADHD. People with ADHD have a higher likelihood of experiencing mental health issues.
No I am not “too smart” to have dyslexia, ADHD, or any other neurological condition
🧠 Neurodiversity is different for everyone. Dyslexia can look very different in me vs someone else. Therefore, you cannot have stereotypes of what someone with dyslexia or any other neurodiverse condition looks like.
🥼Some of the smartest people in history had a neurodiversity. Albert Einstein was dyslexic and recent research thinks Leonardo Divinci had dyslexia too
😤 It is important not to have stereotypes about people with neurodiversity since it minimizes their unique experiences
No, I have not “done so well despite having ADHD”
🎓 Just because I graduated from university with a bachelor’s and Master’s degree doesn’t mean I have operated at my full potential
😓 Having lived through 26 years of my life with undiagnosed ADHD has been torture, to say the least and when I look back, I grieve at the years I lost struggling to do basic things that everyone around me found easy to do
🙆🏻♀️ It is only now that I finally feel like I can start operating to my full potential after getting all the help I needed to manage my ADHD and it’s still an ongoing self-discovering journey to reach my full potential 🔅
Telling someone that they have done so well despite having XXX is not a compliment because it detracts the focus away from the difficulties someone has had to go through to achieve what they did without any help for their conditions ‼️
No, I am not making an “excuse” for the difficulties I face with my neurodiversity
😤 A manager once told me I was making excuses when I explained I had interpreted the task wrong.
🗣️ Neurodiverse people need clear communication. We may struggle to understand social cues, sarcasm, etc. So when Managers are giving instructions, be clear on the task, outcomes, and timeframes.
👂🏻 Listen when someone with neurodiversity is explaining why they are struggling with something and don’t think we are making “excuses”.
I am not making excuses for living with my neurodiversity. You are making excuses for not accommodating me ⁉️
