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Autism and the cost of masking

This article “We are not OK”, from The Autistic Advocate, is not an easy read.

I wouldn’t recommend it if you are feeling down. BUT it’s important to recognise the side effects of masking (pretending to be neurotypical). For this reason, I’d say the article is of more benefit to the neurotypicals in our life. For them to see and – hopefully – understand.

It contains a brief introduction, content warnings, and then a loooong list of comments from autists/autistic people on how they feel about masking, repercussions, anxiety and depression. I’ll be honest, I didn’t read them all.

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Great article on #ADHD and burnout.

This article, “Burnout, Connection, Hope” by Dr Nancy Doyle looks at ADHD and what to do when it all gets too much. Self care is important, but what IS self care? And what does it look like when someone with ADHD isn’t coping? 

The few people that ‘got me’ in this period were noticing what I was saying, not the energy with which I was saying it.  “How are you, Nance?” “Ridiculously busy, totally in need of some rest [add smile which confuses]”.

When do you need to pull out all the stops and seek help from the professionals? Worth a read.