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In hindsight, I realize this statement is unhelpful, and more than a little needlessly passive-aggressive. Instead of continuing that, I'd like to elaborate on the point.
So, "neurodivergent": a term used to describe a person outside the "norm" for neurological development. 1/? https://twitter.com/Sacheverell/status/1273119059954094087
So, "neurodivergent": a term used to describe a person outside the "norm" for neurological development. 1/? https://twitter.com/Sacheverell/status/1273119059954094087
This can cover a wide range of disabilities, from Aspbergers, autism, dyslexia, ADHD, schizophrenia, and numerous other conditions ranging from "inconvenient" to "potentially life-destroying". What most of these conditions have in common, is being "invisible", not immediately- 2/
-obvious on causal observation, and sometimes not obvious with careful observation by those unfamiliar with them. This presents a range of complications on top of the difficulties introduced by a neurodivergent condition, the most obvious being, dismissal. 3/
Now, "dismissal" takes a lot of forms - some overtly damaging, others less so - but the cumulative effects are undeniable. Small things add up: difficulties at home, difficulties at work (when work is possible), difficulties in social situations, family, just plain living. 4/
I once had a self-described "disability advocate" try to explain to me how disabled people feel about a particular term. They flatly ignored the revelation that I was disabled, and continued to speak on my behalf, denying me a voice in the conversation about me. 5/
I should note that this person either remains blissfully unaware of that faux pas, or willfully chooses to ignore it. I'm not sure which is worse.
The point isn't to call them out, however. It's to show how easy it is to disregard a neurodivergent person, 6/
The point isn't to call them out, however. It's to show how easy it is to disregard a neurodivergent person, 6/
sometimes with every good intention, completely by accident. I don't believe that person had ill intent. I do believe their lack of information caused an unfortunate misunderstanding.
The sad thing is, this is a (relatively) good outcome. What do I mean by that? 7/
The sad thing is, this is a (relatively) good outcome. What do I mean by that? 7/
In this situation, my position was dismissed in a safe social setting, a private discussion with no repercussions outside of the discussion itself. Thing is, these same kinds of dismissals can have actual, lasting damage with applying for jobs, leases, or just buying food. 8/
Broad-stroke discussion on this topic is fine, but some prefer details. I offer the only perspective I can speak intelligently on - my own.
I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder (bipolar) and agoraphobia in 2007. This has a range of effects on my life: 9/
I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder (bipolar) and agoraphobia in 2007. This has a range of effects on my life: 9/
Occasional hallucinations. Frequent confusion. Extreme difficulty with physical expressions (laughing, frowning, et. al). It can often give the impression to someone that I'm callously indifferent about someone in person, something I work hard to avoid. 10/
Agoraphobia's easier to explain but not to live with - anything outside of my "comfort zone" (home, in this case) elevates my anxiety to extreme levels, sometimes culminating in panic attacks. There are a handful of places I can visit that usually don't provoke that reaction. 11/
Both are treatable. Of the two, one is (theroetically) curable (agoraphobia), the other is not (schizoaffective). I will never not have that condition. It will get worse as I age, and I will die with it. This is something I came to terms with a long time ago. 12/
Now, the combined effects these conditions have on my life are definable, and measurable. When I was originally diagnosed, I was told I'd never work again.
My understanding is SSDI can take years to approve for disabilities. Mine finalized in 3 months. Let that sink in. 13/
My understanding is SSDI can take years to approve for disabilities. Mine finalized in 3 months. Let that sink in. 13/
For the next 4 years, I'd remain on SSDI, largely confined to a hole in the wall in a very unsafe area, the only thing I could afford on that pittance. They only took cash. There was no paperwork. Police didn't come out there. Lovely area, if you like dystopia. 14/
I'd largely resigned myself to die in that place, at that point in my life. It was through a completely and utterly improbable stroke of luck, that I'd land a remote job as an editor on a forum for a little-known game called Minecraft in 2011. 15/
The one saving grace was that I didn't have to be in the one environment I couldn't function in: an in-person one. I'd had episodes in actual workplaces before, it never ended well. I lost two jobs from it. But, this was different. I was at home. Safe. And employed. 16/
Fast-fwd a number of years, and through a combination of hard work & very understanding friends, I'd be on-boarded to a virtually unheard-of streaming platform called Beam. Again, my strengths were leveraged without all that pesky "in-person terror" business. Here, I remain. 17/
By and large, I have extremely understanding co-workers, my bosses appreciate what I bring to the company without condemning traits I cannot change. Wish I could say that was a commonplace occurrence, but I'm sure many of you already know, it is not. A lot of jobs don't care. 18/
All of this would be difficult enough if there were some clear indication of my conditions, but there are not, for anyone not so trained to spot them. Most of us are not.
Over the years, I've had the privilege of getting to know a number of people with similar histories. 19/
Over the years, I've had the privilege of getting to know a number of people with similar histories. 19/
A number of people I consider good friends are autistic. I appreciate that they don't want me to waste time with platitudes, and instead just explain how I'll fix a problem, or right a wrong, directly. They're brutally honest. I've come to appreciate these things in them. 20/
Ive heard other people describe people with autism in much less flattering terms, simply by virtue of being different. The simple truth of being different is enough for those people to discount them. I couldn't imagine discounting those friends for it. They're amazing people. 21/
Suppose the point of this huge rant is this: sometimes, the hardest wars to fight are ones we can't see. I don't often talk about how hard it is to make it through any given day, because I don't want to "bring people down". But it has the side-effect of making it unseen. 22/
I don't talk about how often I forget to care for myself at all, or suddenly can't form spoken words for minutes or hours at a time, because my brain can't process spoken language. How many times I've seen objects in my room move on their own, or simply appear/disappear. 23/
I don't talk about how I look to my wife or pets any time I hear anything I don't recognize, to see if I'm the only one who heard it. I don't talk about the absolutely Machiavellian gymnastics my brain is capable of, when trying to lay blame on something without reason. 24/
Or how much work it is to silence that train of thought.
This isn't even touching agoraphobia yet.
Discussion on neurodivergent people exists. But it very often disappears behind many other things. Hopefully, we won't be forgotten or discarded forever.
~fin
This isn't even touching agoraphobia yet.
Discussion on neurodivergent people exists. But it very often disappears behind many other things. Hopefully, we won't be forgotten or discarded forever.
~fin
If you somehow finished this entire tweet chain, thanks. Your reward is a brownie.
Unfortunately, I already ate it while you were reading this.
Unfortunately, I already ate it while you were reading this.
