very few things have been as frustrating as growing up in a world/society that has demonized the use of stimulants for people who genuinely suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorders, and particularly ADHD, as i have for my entire life

i have ALWAYS struggled with finding the proper medication to actually help me function as the person i should be. a few years ago i underwent several tests, brain scans, and EKGs in order to find some kind of answer as to why nothing i try seems to work

i had been on Adderall for most of high school and honestly i probably would not have graduated without it. but after HS, the doctors i had turned their nose up at the idea of an adult needing Adderall to function. i was taken off of it and went thru several medications after

Welbutrin sort of worked for a while until it began to cause seizures, so that wasn’t gonna work obviously. After my seizures everything changed. Because I will need to see a neurologist annually for the rest of my life, I managed to find one that i connected with

She empathized with me. She BELIEVED ME when i said that the only time i ever felt normal was when i was taking some form of stimulant. she set me up with several tests designed to determine what kind of medication would work best with my brain, specifically.

and these were the results. when i saw this, i cried. i was happy, but i was angry. how could people tell me what i needed without knowing a single thing about what my brain truly needed/needs. it’s infuriating. it’s a feeling of indescribable helplessness.

now, i don’t give a shit about what people do with their bodies as far as experimenting with drugs are concerned. i really don’t. but what rubs me the wrong way is when people don’t take adults with ADHD seriously, adults like me who rely on stimulants to live a normal life

anyway. i don’t know where i was going with this thread in particular. i just found this paperwork and it Sparked Feelings. i guess just don’t give neurodivergent people in your life unsolicited advice on how they can “improve” their circumstances “without drugs”

don’t tell people they should “exercise more” or that they should meditate or do yoga in order to better themselves when you don’t know the first thing about their mental health and wellbeing.

stop and fucking think before you speak because your stupid advice can actual potentially come off as hurtful. every one’s brain is wired a little differently, and to assume that you have all the answers when you have no real understanding just makes you look like an asshole.

food for thought!!! end thread!!!!