Neurodiversity thread - for all MNetters who are neurodiverse - ASD, ADHD, Dyspraxia and more.

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Welcome one and all to the new thread. A safe haven for MNetters who identify as neurodiverse, diagnosis or not, and those waiting for assessment. Links available in recent threads. Newbies welcome. We just ask that you introduce yourself

Cloud, there's always the distinct possibility they did it accidentally. Sometimes these things are easily done if on a phone etc.

Polter, I end up searching strange combinations on Google Images when trying to figure out an outfit. I don't know why; it never really helps.

I go through fits and starts with Twitter. Sometimes I barely look at it and other times I use it quite a lot. I, much like Polter, always feel a bit like I'm interrupting. I get really excited if someone speaks to me or likes/retweets something of mine but then I panic in case I'm supposed to reciprocate in some way.

My cousin was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder but later got an ASD diagnosis. She still talks as if she has both whereas my mum and I are pretty sure the BPD was just them misinterpreting her autism. You can't really say that to someone, though.

I recently met someone who is diagnosed BPD, she gives off very aspie vibes to me. (Not that I'm an expert or anything!)

No diagnoses here, I have a doctor avoidant personality

Sorry if that sounds too facetious.... just hate seeing doctors. I always feel like I'm about to be judged and I'm never sure what to say or do, and like I'm wasting their time. So I don't generally go, even if I'm ill.

BDH I'm the same on twitter. Always second guessing whether to answer a tweet.

Laura and Polter, I was about to say I haven't seen a doctor in at least 5 years, but as I am a doctor and work with other doctors all day, that wouldn't strictly be true. But I hate going to the doctor myself though, always very uncomfortable. I'm still somewhat surprised when patients are so at ease with me.

Yeah, but doctors are allowed have a doctor phobia, cause everyone knows doctors are weird anyway (I should know, I grew up with one around the house)

Polter, I saw someone had DM'd me and closed Twitter in a panic.

Sometimes my reactions to those sorts of things make me wonder how I actually manage to ever do anything/get through the day!

At least I feel better now about not being able to work out what services were available here. Turns out, I'm not the only one!

Bdh where is your blog?

Polter, to be honest, I panic whenever anyone contacts me in any way.

New email: panic
Mumsnet PM: panic
Facebook message: panic
Text: panic
Twitter DM: panic

It at least gives me something to do. Hopefully, that'll stop me feeling like I've sort of put my life on hold.

Fire, I'll PM you (try not to panic like I would! ) since I try (and probably fail) not to 'out' myself on here.

Oh, wait, I don't seem to be able to PM you, Fire.

I love getting messages! Makes me feel like I have friends 😂

Ratty, I do love it at the same time as it making me feel all flappy and panicky.

In fact - I don't think I've ever said this on here before - it was actually after receiving an unexpected message from Polter once that I first realised I hand flap. It was the specific mix of excitement and panic that prompted it and after noticing it that first time I've noticed it more and more.

That makes me sad in a way… not in a bad way towards you at all! It's probably about me, not about you, but… your excitement reminds me of mine, and it makes me think - for me, maybe for other people, I don't know, it's hard to be a person who struggles with people and sometimes doesn't have the best history of having good social connections with people, when simple human contact can make that person so happy. I dunno. Sometimes, the way ASD people are treated - it's like kicking a puppy. Not that we're all innocent and sweet and child-like, God no, but so many of us struggle… i dunno what I'm trying to say. 😂

I feel really heartbroken for DS1 sometimes when he has some sort of little rejection from his peers (and we really are talking little - nothing nasty or bullying) because he's so desperate for human interaction all the time. He wants to be liked and to have friends so badly (and, luckily, so far he does seem to). I hate the stereotype of the autistic kid who doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone because it's so often not just wrong but the complete opposite of the reality.

Just like when my mum took my sister to the GP with her initial suspicions about ASD and the GP said, 'The good news is it's not autism because she wants to have friends.'

Considering how much I do actually enjoy social interaction when I force myself to go for it, and considering how excited I get by messages, I don't know why I'm also so anxious about it and feel so panicked.

Is it from bad experiences? I don't think so. None really stick out.

Is it just one manifestation of more general anxiety? Is it because I'm pretty out of practise with socialising these days? Is it just a fear of saying the wrong thing? Is it the implicit demand that a response will be needed?

I don't know. Probably some combination.

I don't know how relevant that was to what you were saying; I ended up rambling.

BDH yep. It's not nice. I'm glad your boy has friends :)

That made me laugh rat. I'm glad you said that.

I'm ok with emails, PMs are scary. FB notifications that I have a message make me anxious and angry, and I tend to ignore them until I have to respond.

I think I may have annoyed someone who shared a link about "Why the French don't have ADHD" and I may have left an honest reply.

Rat, his best friend is - probably not surprisingly - being assessed for autism and has two older brothers with diagnoses. In fact DS1's friend has an assessment the day before DS2 has his SALT assessment.

Well, I've emailed an autism charity based in my area that Polter found for me asking how I'd go about getting an assessment here (I explained my GP told me there was no such service for adults).

Brilliant BDH. Bet that took some courage!