'Neurodiversity' (5 Viewers)

fernandopartridge · 2026-02-12T14:38:00+0000

Anybody else think this is getting a bit much now? Humans are different yet every subtle difference is being badged. Employers now embracing it and then you're potentially at risk of not recognising somebody being ND.

I know around here there are 28k people on the list for an ADHD assessment. People complete a questionnaire that asks things like do they ever get distracted from a boring task which then suggests they have an ADHD assessment.

I think a lot of what people perceive as potential ADHD traits are in reality just the consequences of having a smart phone.

chiefdave · 2026-02-12T14:45:14+0000

fernandopartridge said:
Anybody else think this is getting a bit much now? Humans are different yet every subtle difference is being badged. Employers now embracing it and then you're potentially at risk of not recognising somebody being ND.

I know around here there are 28k people on the list for an ADHD assessment. People complete a questionnaire that asks things like do they ever get distracted from a boring task which then suggests they have an ADHD assessment.

I think a lot of what people perceive as potential ADHD traits are in reality just the consequences of having a smart phone.

Someones been hauled into a disciplinary at work today, what did you do

SKYBLUES90 · 2026-02-12T14:46:01+0000

What!? You mean people shouldn’t be given priority to board the plane first or not have to Que up at Alton Towers if them and their whole family are wearing sunflower lanyards? How dare you….

Nick · 2026-02-12T14:46:18+0000

It depends really.

Reasonable adjustments that are actually reasonable at work then I'm all for it.

A motability car for somebody. Way over the top. Skipping queues at Alton towers because of ADHD? Over the top.

Not sure traits are all because of smart phones if people are older when diagnosed and they go back through childhood. One of the main issues is people thinking it's "oh they don't sit still" or are naughty. (Again, some kids are just pricks and it's excused by ADHD)

Like with most things, people will probably just rinse it for everything where as others will just want medication to help quieten their brain.

If somebody wants medication, they have to go through the process or pay privately.

Ccfcisparks · 2026-02-12T14:48:46+0000

I am considered neurodivergent but think a lot of the time now it is just allowing people to take take take.

Nick · 2026-02-12T14:57:09+0000

It can actually be dehabilitating but the people who are aren't the ones that are heard about.

Evo1883 · 2026-02-12T15:10:27+0000

Its nice to understand why you behave the way you do and why you think the way you

SkyBlueSoul · 2026-02-12T15:12:15+0000

Yeah I've seen both sides. I have a close friend who is all over the place, chaotic, highly distracted, high energy etc. and getting diagnosed as ADHD and all the support that comes with it has helped her no end.

On the other side a friend of a friend had an assessment and now has a blue badge because forgetting where she parked her car all the time stressed her out...

torchomatic · 2026-02-12T15:18:41+0000

Evo1883 said:
Its nice to understand why you behave the way you do and why you think the way you

I think we've all got a touch of something, to be honest, i know I probably have. In infants school (so 73/74 yime) I remember this kid who was a right fucking nightmare. Unruly, misbehaved, borderline violent to teachers. At the time we all thought of him as The Psycho, but nowadays he would get help and with a bit more understanding be just another one of our classmates. Hope he was OK.

Nick · 2026-02-12T15:19:15+0000

Evo1883 said:
Its nice to understand why you behave the way you do and why you think the way you

Exactly. One of the issues is that if anybody wants meds or help to help calm their brain they need to go through the process.

There are just people abusing it for benefits or make it their whole personality.

I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, got no interest in benefits for it but am wanting to get meds to help if they do. I went onto a webinar and had to close it within 5 minutes as everybody was a victim and I don't see it like that. It was just the process I needed to go through to be able to get prescribed something that might help.

Half of the time it isn't even about being hyperactive or naughty, it's just how the brain is processing things (or not). I see the benefits of it and the negatives and over the years have just got on with it. It will have held me back with some things but then it will have helped me for others, it explains a lot of things as well.

I have joked with my mates about getting a Sunflower Lanyard so that we can skip the queue at football though but it looks like loads of effort. Wouldn't mind a brand new beema though?

Ccfcisparks · 2026-02-12T15:21:42+0000

Nick said:
Exactly. One of the issues is that if anybody wants meds or help to help calm their brain they need to go through the process.

There are just people abusing it for benefits or make it their whole personality.

I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, got no interest in benefits for it but am wanting to get meds to help if they do. I went onto a webinar and had to close it within 5 minutes as everybody was a victim and I don't see it like that.

Half of the time it isn't even about being hyperactive or naughty, it's just how the brain is processing things (or not). I see the benefits of it and the negatives and over the years have just got on with it.

I have joked with my mates about getting a Sunflower Lanyard so that we can skip the queue at football though but it looks like loads of effort.

Yes it should be used for self evaluation and adjusting your life to suit that diagnosis rather than feeling entitled as a consequence.

Totally agree with this post Evo.

Nick · 2026-02-12T15:24:13+0000

Ccfcisparks said:
Yes it should be used for self evaluation and adjusting your life to suit that diagnosis rather than feeling entitled as a consequence.

Totally agree with this post Evo.

I do get why some places try to help cater, it's not even massive things either. It's just having a line manager maybe communicate slightly differently, maybe offer to write instructions in bullet points rather than verbally or use some task management software.

Again, there will be piss takers who want to milk it for all it's worth rather than just actually trying to make their (and their colleagues) life easier.

Otis · 2026-02-12T15:24:30+0000

fernandopartridge said:
Anybody else think this is getting a bit much now? Humans are different yet every subtle difference is being badged. Employers now embracing it and then you're potentially at risk of not recognising somebody being ND.

I know around here there are 28k people on the list for an ADHD assessment. People complete a questionnaire that asks things like do they ever get distracted from a boring task which then suggests they have an ADHD assessment.

I think a lot of what people perceive as potential ADHD traits are in reality just the consequences of having a smart phone.

I haven't got the attention span or durability to read all that

What does it say?

Ccfcisparks · 2026-02-12T15:26:45+0000

Nick said:
I do get why some places try to help cater, it's not even massive things either. It's just having a line manager maybe communicate slightly differently, maybe offer to write instructions in bullet points rather than verbally or use some task management software.

Again, there will be piss takers who want to milk it for all it's worth rather than just actually trying to make their (and their colleagues) life easier.

Yep exactly. I think for some people who are diagnosed late, its more an answer to questions or experiences they had and theyve got use to dealing with it and navigating it their own way.

I may be wrong but my perception on those who want more is usually parents who have got a diagnosis for their kids, with that it makes it seem more debilitating than it is in some cases.

Evo1883 · 2026-02-12T15:27:46+0000

torchomatic said:
I think we've all got a touch of something, to be honest, i know I probably have. In infants school (so 73/74 yime) I remember this kid who was a right fucking nightmare. Unruly, misbehaved, borderline violent to teachers. At the time we all thought of him as The Psycho, but nowadays he would get help and with a bit more understanding be just another one of our classmates. Hope he was OK.

To be blunt im fucking nuts i could write a book about my brain im sure .. long story short , riddled with ADHD and probably more

Nick · 2026-02-12T15:27:55+0000

Ccfcisparks said:
Yep exactly. I think for some people who are diagnosed late, its more an answer to questions or experiences they had and theyve got use to dealing with it and navigating it their own way.

I may be wrong but my perception on those who want more is usually parents who have got a diagnosis for their kids, with that it makes it seem more debilitating than it is in some cases.

Without a doubt there will be parents who push for it for the benefits they will get from it rather than actually trying to help their kids navigate life.

alexccfc99 · 2026-02-12T15:30:44+0000

I worked at Birmingham Airport for a couple of years up until last summer and the amount of people who used to completely cheat the system and get a sunflower lanyard just to skip the security queue and be first on the plane was ridiculous, once saw the mother of one family flashing her lanyard about going 'told you it would work' just after security

Unfortunately like many things in life it is a genuine concern/issue that has been hijacked by a select few to completely take the piss to detriment of the people who actually need the support

Otis · 2026-02-12T15:40:02+0000

Evo1883 said:
To be blunt im fucking nuts i could write a book about my brain im sure .. long story short , riddled with ADHD and probably more

This.

Evo1883 · 2026-02-12T15:47:35+0000

Otis said:
This.

Its hard for my missus , shes had to deal with it for 20 years

fernandopartridge · 2026-02-12T15:54:40+0000

alexccfc99 said:
I worked at Birmingham Airport for a couple of years up until last summer and the amount of people who used to completely cheat the system and get a sunflower lanyard just to skip the security queue and be first on the plane was ridiculous, once saw the mother of one family flashing her lanyard about going 'told you it would work' just after security

Unfortunately like many things in life it is a genuine concern/issue that has been hijacked by a select few to completely take the piss to detriment of the people who actually need the support

I think I've got a few traits as it goes

Otis · 2026-02-12T16:02:11+0000

Evo1883 said:
Its hard for my missus , shes had to deal with it for 20 years

I have gone my entire life believing I was thick. Struggled at school and at work too and can't read a book (it's just too much for me and my mind wanders)

It's only when I met my new missus and she said "you're not thick, you are clearly very clever, but are autistic."

It's something I never ever considered before.

Before I moved down here and used to go to the CBS, I always arrived early 2pm ish and always left with a couple of mins or so to go. And never knew why. Just a compulsion.

Anyway, I only just discovered myself in the last 3-4 years and I am now in my 60's.

Really struggle with long posts on here too. Just don't have the attention span and when I watch TV I have to watch everything with subtitles.

Ccfc_Addy · 2026-02-12T16:10:05+0000

Gonna be completely honest: Opened this thread expecting to wade into a fight, have gotten to the bottom and feel both relieved and guilty for having such a pessimistic mindset.

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was six years old, when my family lived in the USA. I've been managing it for most of my life through a combination of medication and therapy. I say "most of my life" because there were times when I foolishly thought that I could deal without any help and ignored incredibly obvious signs that I couldn't. As an adult, I was further diagnosed with GAD and Depression but honestly, every one of my problems stems from ADHD.

The popular belief of ADHD is that it means you're a little airheaded and hyperactive, but I can tell you with certainty that, for me anyway, it makes regular life more difficult most days and unbearable on the worst days. My childhood and adolescence was a nightmare because of the side of ADHD that most don't know about: I'm talking inability to read social cues; not understanding anything but completely explicit, impossible to misinterpret instructions; emotional dysregulation, when I'm angry I want to put my forehead through a brick wall, when I'm upset I'm sobbing, when I'm confused I'm yelling at the top of my lungs; being unable (and I don't mean finding it difficult, I mean physically and emotionally unable) to engage with anything that doesn't spark a specific part of my brain to the point of disassociation and feeling overwhelmed to the point of shutting down at certain triggers.

As I said, over many painful years I've learned to manage it. I'm very happily married, have many rewarding hobbies, have a career I excel in and am passionate about and have many wonderful friends.

Speaking as someone who is classified as "neurodivergent": All I want from the world around me is a little bit of flexibility, a little bit of kindness and understanding, access to the appropriate tools I need to manage my difficulties and the right to be left alone to live my life the best way I can without feeling like I need to defend my honour because somebody somewhere has gotten a first class flight due to ADHD or whatever it is this time. I have never asked for any kind of special treatment above and beyond what anyone else would get apart from "please go easy on me, I don't mean to come across as rude", and never will.

Captain Dart · 2026-02-12T16:12:12+0000

Is this thread for sympathy or is it being used as a confessional.

There are too many distractions in life now but I wouldn't want to go back to the 1960's when Sundays were a drag because there was nothing to do.

Covkid1968# · 2026-02-12T16:13:17+0000

Otis said:
I have gone my entire life believing I was thick. Struggled at school and at work too and can't read a book (it's just too much for me and my mind wanders)

It's only when I met my new missus and she said "you're not thick, you are clearly very clever, but are autistic."

It's something I never ever considered before.

Before I moved down here and used to go to the CBS, I always arrived early 2pm ish and always left with a couple of mins or so to go. And never knew why. Just a compulsion.

Anyway, I only just discovered myself in the last 3-4 years and I am now in my 60's.

Really struggle with long posts on here too. Just don't have the attention span and when I watch TV I have to watch everything with subtitles.

Are you quoting your wife word for word or have you took it upon yourself to add a ‘very’ in there Otis?

Nick · 2026-02-12T16:13:35+0000

Ccfc_Addy said:
Gonna be completely honest: Opened this thread expecting to wade into a fight, have gotten to the bottom and feel both relieved and guilty for having such a pessimistic mindset.

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was six years old, when my family lived in the USA. I've been managing it for most of my life through a combination of medication and therapy. I say "most of my life" because there were times when I foolishly thought that I could deal without any help and ignored incredibly obvious signs that I couldn't. As an adult, I was further diagnosed with GAD and Depression but honestly, every one of my problems stems from ADHD.

The popular belief of ADHD is that it means you're a little airheaded and hyperactive, but I can tell you with certainty that, for me anyway, it makes regular life more difficult most days and unbearable on the worst days. My childhood and adolescence was a nightmare because of the side of ADHD that most don't know about: I'm talking inability to read social cues; not understanding anything but completely explicit, impossible to misinterpret instructions; emotional dysregulation, when I'm angry I want to put my forehead through a brick wall, when I'm upset I'm sobbing, when I'm confused I'm yelling at the top of my lungs; being unable (and I don't mean finding it difficult, I mean physically and emotionally unable) to engage with anything that doesn't spark a specific part of my brain to the point of disassociation and feeling overwhelmed to the point of shutting down at certain triggers.

As I said, over many painful years I've learned to manage it. I'm very happily married, have many rewarding hobbies, have a career I excel in and am passionate about and have many wonderful friends.

Speaking as someone who is classified as "neurodivergent": All I want from the world around me is a little bit of flexibility, a little bit of kindness and understanding, access to the appropriate tools I need to manage my difficulties and the right to be left alone to live my life the best way I can without feeling like I need to defend my honour because somebody somewhere has gotten a first class flight due to ADHD or whatever it is this time. I have never asked for any kind of special treatment above and beyond what anyone else would get apart from "please go easy on me, I don't mean to come across as rude", and never will.

Do the meds help? Is it a life changing type thing when you get onto them?

fernandopartridge · 2026-02-12T16:18:24+0000

What prompted the post was hearing of somebody declare 20+ presentations of different forms of ND. It is not to belittle people with a formal diagnosis of ADHD or anybody with ASD. It's more about how people might cherry pick a very specific trait to imply something bigger.

Ccfc_Addy · 2026-02-12T16:20:32+0000

Nick said:
Do the meds help? Is it a life changing type thing when you get onto them?

For me personally: Yes, absolutely. The difference in the world is light and day, and you can track the times in my life I tried to go without them. It's a very personal thing and I know plenty of ND people who cope via other techniques, but I definitely recommend at least talking it through with your GP.

Nick · 2026-02-12T16:20:56+0000

fernandopartridge said:
What prompted the post was hearing of somebody declare 20+ presentations of different forms of ND. It is not to belittle people with a formal diagnosis of ADHD or anybody with ASD. It's more about how people might cherry pick a very specific trait to imply something bigger.

I don't see why people do that or the benefit to exaggerate. I can only assume it's for attention or benefits if they have more things listed on their medical record

ADHD is usually paired with something else

Nick · 2026-02-12T16:22:19+0000

Ccfc_Addy said:
For me personally: Yes, absolutely. The difference in the world is light and day, and you can track the times in my life I tried to go without them. It's a very personal thing and I know plenty of ND people who cope via other techniques, but I definitely recommend at least talking it through with your GP.

I'm on the waiting list for that, it can take months. I'd do it privately but then I wouldn't be able to move it over to my GP so it means spending a fortune every time I need a prescription.

Evo1883 · 2026-02-12T16:23:45+0000

Nick said:
I don't see why people do that or the benefit to exaggerate. I can only assume it's for attention or benefits if they have more things listed on their medical record

ADHD is usually paired with something else

My old man has OCD and adhd

The OCD aspect almost ruined his life

Nick · 2026-02-12T16:26:15+0000

Evo1883 said:
My old man has OCD and adhd

I think when people say "it's just my OCD" as well. People assume it's just people who tidy up a lot or wash their hands every 2 minutes.

Again, most people will be suffering in silence because it's all they really know.

Evo1883 · 2026-02-12T16:29:19+0000

Nick said:
I think when people say "it's just my OCD" as well. People assume it's just people who tidy up a lot or wash their hands every 2 minutes.

Again, most people will be suffering in silence because it's all they really know.

Yea the ocd aspect is pretty bad for my dad .. its rituals more than tidying although he is tidy

Ccfc_Addy · 2026-02-12T16:30:13+0000

Nick said:
I'm on the waiting list for that, it can take months. I'd do it privately but then I wouldn't be able to move it over to my GP so it means spending a fortune every time I need a prescription.

Best of luck with it, truly. I hope you find the answers you're looking for!

Nick · 2026-02-12T16:31:42+0000

Evo1883 said:
Yea the ocd aspect is pretty bad for my dad .. its rituals more than tidying although he is tidy

I've suffered with that side of it as well. Can literally have a fight between the OCD and ADHD in your brain. Driven home 10 miles to check the door was locked etc etc.

I wish it was that I was a clean freak though

Evo1883 · 2026-02-12T16:32:17+0000

I remember my dad finally telling us all several years ago that he had been diagnosed with several things and some of it had been so hard for him to deal with (OCD) All his life.

It shocked me as i had no idea and i remember saying to my step mum that my dad couldnt have all these things as he was normal ... her response was pretty blunt .. she said yes he is normal .. to you .

Made me realise tbh

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