Autism and ADHD are just words. Words that give me the possibility to talk about myself, about my experiences and to understand myself.
They stand for something that is so much more complex, something that defines my identity. Yes, it defines my identity. If it defines a part of the identity of a person, if they prefer to wear sneakers or high heels, the fact that I struggle with wearing almost any kind of clothes, especially shoes, it’s very much part of mine. It has a strong influence on how I can express myself and my personality, how I experience the world around me and my ability to interact with it. And that is just one example of many aspects that are part of my neurodivergence, of me being AuDHD, being shaped by CPTSD.
We need simplifications to communicate, to talk about our neurodivergence, to share experiences, even if these words can’t describe this experience as a whole. They are just placeholders for something so much more complex than a diagnosis, a set of traits, a label other people put on us, but they give us a voice. They are a tool that enables us to connect with each other and getting to know each other as neurodivergent people. And we need that so much.
![Avatar for Emily Moran Barwick [archived]](/proxy/identity_icon/280779823553852866/0ce5ffc456.png){kind=icon}
![The image features a meme with a dark blue background. At the top, in white text, it reads, "Them: What does it feel like to have ADHD?" Below this, the word "Me:" is written in white text. The main content of the meme is a tweet from a user named Natalie, with the handle [@]jbfan911. The tweet, also in white text, reads, "Every day I wait for an email that says 'you're in BIG trouble and everyone is mad at you.'" The tweet includes a circular profile picture of a woman with blonde hair, wearing a blue top. The overall layout is simple, with the text and profile picture clearly visible against the dark background](/proxy/post_attachment/734339/a63d5cd2f1.jpeg "The image features a meme with a dark blue background. At the top, in white text, it reads, \"Them: What does it feel like to have ADHD?\" Below this, the word \"Me:\" is written in white text. The main content of the meme is a tweet from a user named Natalie, with the handle [@]jbfan911. The tweet, also in white text, reads, \"Every day I wait for an email that says 'you're in BIG trouble and everyone is mad at you.'\" The tweet includes a circular profile picture of a woman with blonde hair, wearing a blue top. The overall layout is simple, with the text and profile picture clearly visible against the dark background")
