Neurodivergent women, what is something you wish our neurotypical counterparts knew?

11 comments

1. No, I can’t just take it one small step at a time and only focus on that.

2. That telling me to “just calm down” makes things worse.

3. Neurodivergence is way broader than just the autism spectrum, and you probably know way more neurodivergent folks than you think you do

4. That I am not avoiding eye-contact because I am rude or absent, but because it is physically difficult for me to do.

5. Just because I can handle something stressful today and be chipper and sociable the entire time; It doesn’t mean that next week I won’t struggle to understand or remember anything someone tells me, forget about me even attempting to talk.

6. Brain chemicals are just like insulin – not everyone can make the right amount naturally, so store bought is fine.

7. I’m not lazy my medication makes me slower, be patient I’ll get it done eventually.

8. How hard it is to be like us.

9. Being able to talk to strangers and make small talk does NOT mean I can’t have autism. It just means that I’ve spent my entire life studying and practicing how, and I have a laundry list of practical rules I follow to stay out of trouble. No politics, no religion, no money unless it’s to make fun of rich people, don’t touch people with your hands, don’t flinch if someone accidentally touches you, ALWAYS show your ring and mention being married when talking to a man (which can be hard to do without seeming creepy), don’t buy someone a drink unless they bought you one, don’t offer personal information. And a thousand more things that apparently are just instinct for NT people but that I have to constantly consciously remember. And I still screw it up enough to get strange looks and to be accused of flirting sometimes. But yes, I am a social butterfly and I have Asperger’s. It’s possible.

10. It is exhausting to navigate a world built around people whose brains function very differently.

    A lot of the things neurotypical people find enjoyable stress me out, and things they would rather not think about fascinate me. So, mostly either they’re bored/uncomfortable or I am.

11. Don’t fucking touch me