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19 Comments
Double edged sword: love that there is more awareness for neurodivergence, not loving that it’s being hijacked because it’s trendy
Appropriation. These MFers don’t know what overstimulated is.
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I have adhd and I think even neurotypicals get overstimulated. Not to the same level ofc, but I feel like that ones valid.
I started looking into getting diagnosed after seeing something on Instagram and relating to it (not an influencer, but an infographic), but never would have put two and two together until years later if not for that. My algorithm does tend to show more “curated” Au/ADHD content because I don’t engage with the “we’re all a bit adhd”-type influencer.
They can come and check back in with their hyper fixation statuses when they’re so overstimulated they can’t get out of bed and function on a day to day basis. Or when they have a fun day of echolalia where the same word or phrase is going over and over and over in your head.
The reason this is bad and appropriation, and not good and visibility, is that these neurotypicals will still deny an autistic person a job for not “being a good personality fit”
On one hand, I think the broad usage of these phrases can help neurotypical people understand and empathize a bit better, just by virtue of knowing what words mean. Nowadays, stepping outside to take a break from a party because you’re “overstimulated” will be met with a level of understanding and nonchalance. A vibe of, “That’s fair, you do you!” Whereas 10 years ago, people with no familiarity with the term would be confused, ask further probing questions (which would probably make you more overstimulated), and might judge you or think you’re crazy.
On the other hand, the co-opting does lessen neurotypical people’s understanding of the *depth* of these Autistic experiences. A NT person’s overstimulation is not the same as an Autistic person’s overstimulation. (And as a Level 1 Autistic person, my overstimulation isn’t even the same as a Level 3 Autistic person’s overstimulation!)
I think a good comparison is the popularity of “Mental Health Day.” NT people/people without any mental illness may need a Mental Health Day when they’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed. That happens to everyone. It is very different from a depressed person’s Mental Health Day, where they can’t get out of bed. Or a MHD for someone with clinical anxiety, where they are battling panic attacks. Now, I think everyone should have access to Mental Health Days! The popularity for NT people makes it much easier and less stigmatized for the rest of us to take them. But it can also give NT people the sense that they understand your experience, when they *don’t*. Worst case scenario, they can say, “I needed a Mental Health Day but I pushed through it, so you can too!” when that is not true at all. Your Mental Health Days look completely different.
In conclusion, there’s pros and cons!
It’s tough because the relatable TikTok’s people were posting really validated a lot of things for me, and lead me to doing my own research and being like “oh so that’s why I feel like a mutant in a human suit” (not saying folks with autism are mutants, just that I feel like one specifically because I can’t perform like a regular neurotypical person 🤡) I can empathize with it being frustrating. I might be naive to think people are being good faith when they use the language mentioned.
Anyway I’m waiting for my neuropsychological office to call me and schedule an appointment so I can get the 411 on what is going on with my brain.
To be fair about the “overstimulation” part, I think a lot more people experience this than they realize. I have so many instances of being overstimulated as a kid and adolescent, but they didn’t present as stereotypical autistic. I didn’t have the language back then to understand why I would hit a wall (in different ways). Fast forward to six months ago and I’m diagnosed AuDHD at 43, and suddenly everything made sense.
To suggest that neurotypical people can’t also be overstimulated is ridiculous. It may not be as intense, but of course it happens.
Because it is language for things we didn’t have language for. Saying you are overstimulated does not mean you are diagnosising yourself as autistic, or lessening the diagnostic criteria, or minimizing autistic people’s overstimulation. It’s not a competition. It’s a descriptive word and we are all just trying to communicate as best we can.
It only annoys me because far too many people seem to forget about those whose autism affects them in such a profound way they are not able to be apart of the conversation. They’re going completely ignored in some of these spaces and it’s infuriating because they need the *voice* more so.
Yes. While everyone is unique and processes stimuli and info differently. Everyone isn’t neurodivergent. I recently learned the term NeuroDiversity meaning a recognition of the myriad ways our brains process information or respond to stimuli. I think that is a useful term. As a retired teacher, we recognized that left handedness could be an indicator of challenges in the classroom. I thought of it as a Super Power and often quietly told my lefties and with challenges, learning to print/write/type/tie shoes/etc came gifts.
Don’t get me started on gaslighting. Like 1% of usage is correct. Mostly it’s just substituted for “that’s not true”. Sigh. That’s like saying a pamphlet is a novel.
OCD be like: 😭😭😭
i just cant bring myself to care. even the whole “they dont know the struggle” angle is so pointless to me, like being able to use specific terminology because i suffer isnt all that and a bag of chips to me.
the other angle tends to be “this will make people take us less seriously” which i also find silly because people dont take us seriously now, didnt take us seriously back then, and many would not take us seriously regardless. the people who will take us seriously always do so in spite of everything.
i wish these people would make infographics and thinkpieces about workers rights to advocate for neurodivergent people in the workplace instead of going on at length about people saying words. or pieces about mutual aid. anything but this lol. and before anyone says one can do both, the thing is they don’t do both. not in a meaningful way.
Yea people really can’t understand the difference between “this happens to me too!” and “this is such a problem that it’s destroying my ability to participate in society at a basic level without consistent treatment and tools.” We really need to stress the disorder part of being neurodivergent.
https://preview.redd.it/lypkzylh5nxg1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f1ea4a02bf22f1c1f4bd706ad789da337355c5d
honestly as someone who was diagnosed later (in my early twenties) and who spent all of her life feeling like something was inherently wrong with me and I was a broken person.. getting my autism diagnosis literally saved my life. And I do have to thank social media for a bit of that
HOWEVER, the way so many people have co-opted and diluted what autism actually is, and now some are using it as an excuse for certain behaviors… I do not like it at all. It is kind of a continuaiton of the old adage “everyone is a bit autistic” like no they are not. ofc autism is a spectrum but some people are not on that spectrum. ofc there is overlap with feelings/sensations/struggles autistic people have with those who are neurotypical because autistic people are people too. But I think it is really weird that autism has become trendy, it really does invalidate the struggles of people who autism. I do not think it makes actually autistic people more accepted because only the “trendy” parts are accepted, but when you have actual support needs I don’t think most people are more open to acknowledging those needs and accomodating them.
As a sister to a Level 3 deaf and autistic man, a partner to a Level 2 AuDHD man, and a behaviorist of over 15 years in the ASD space, and possibly (most likely) undiagnosed…
Double edged sword. I’m glad people have a better understanding of what autism is, but the misinformation is also so great and the lack of representation of high/full support needs individuals on the spectrum can be more damaging than helpful