Introspection
Sep. 30th, 2024 09:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
awanderingbardHello folks! Hope your September has been pleasant. We've had some lovely weather here and had been out walking with Paxxie, who is finally, after 6 years of existence, willing to put on a leash and go somewhere. A triumph!
He turned 6 on the 24th, which is insane to me. I cannot believe we've had him this long! He's become a very fine Scottish gentleman and I am proud of him. And me, because, my God, was it a hard road to train him.
I've been doing a lot reading lately into neurodivergence. My brother was diagnosed with ADHD in his mid-thirties and in researching that we realized 'oh, Dad definitely has undiagnosed ADHD', and in trying to figure out how Dad works over the years, I discovered that 'oops, I think I might have some sort of neurodivergence, too'. For sure sensory processing disorder and dyscalculia, and possibly some degree of other stuff, too. I'm obviously not diagnosed and at this point I don't feel like I need to go down that route or seek help for it. I had cognitive behaviour therapy as a kid as part of my treatment for anxiety and it turns out, from the reading I've done, my mum basically instinctively knew how to help me and teach me how to cope with things. She's like a human living with a bunch of wild fae and we must all praise her resilience in holding the house together when we were growing up. She is an incredible mother and was always indulgent in my and my brother's hyperfixations, taking us to shows, museums, finding books, watching movies, etc. to encourage our love of learning. I am so grateful for her.
It's been very validating to read up on neurodivergence and help me understand myself better. I wish I knew a little sooner as it would have made life easier, but it's allowing me to be gentler on myself when I struggle with things now, especially as with the chronic illness, I don't have as much resources to push through/masque like when I was younger and healthier. I am working on trying to heal, though, and I think we're all making progress here. Mum is zooming around like a mad thing, which is great to see after so many years of hip replacements and back injuries and anaemia and such.
Anyway, hope you are enjoying the autumn lifestyle! I will check back in October!
He turned 6 on the 24th, which is insane to me. I cannot believe we've had him this long! He's become a very fine Scottish gentleman and I am proud of him. And me, because, my God, was it a hard road to train him.
I've been doing a lot reading lately into neurodivergence. My brother was diagnosed with ADHD in his mid-thirties and in researching that we realized 'oh, Dad definitely has undiagnosed ADHD', and in trying to figure out how Dad works over the years, I discovered that 'oops, I think I might have some sort of neurodivergence, too'. For sure sensory processing disorder and dyscalculia, and possibly some degree of other stuff, too. I'm obviously not diagnosed and at this point I don't feel like I need to go down that route or seek help for it. I had cognitive behaviour therapy as a kid as part of my treatment for anxiety and it turns out, from the reading I've done, my mum basically instinctively knew how to help me and teach me how to cope with things. She's like a human living with a bunch of wild fae and we must all praise her resilience in holding the house together when we were growing up. She is an incredible mother and was always indulgent in my and my brother's hyperfixations, taking us to shows, museums, finding books, watching movies, etc. to encourage our love of learning. I am so grateful for her.
It's been very validating to read up on neurodivergence and help me understand myself better. I wish I knew a little sooner as it would have made life easier, but it's allowing me to be gentler on myself when I struggle with things now, especially as with the chronic illness, I don't have as much resources to push through/masque like when I was younger and healthier. I am working on trying to heal, though, and I think we're all making progress here. Mum is zooming around like a mad thing, which is great to see after so many years of hip replacements and back injuries and anaemia and such.
Anyway, hope you are enjoying the autumn lifestyle! I will check back in October!
no subject
Date: 2024-10-07 12:18 am (UTC)I wish I knew a little sooner as it would have made life easier, but it's allowing me to be gentler on myself
Better late than never, I guess.
I would enjoy autumn more if it weren't bringing hurricanes to Florida!
no subject
Date: 2024-10-08 08:48 pm (UTC)At the very least it's giving me language to explain what's going on in my head, which is good. I can say "I'm overstimulated right now and can't do that until I've sat down" rather than getting irritable or pushing myself too far.
I would enjoy autumn more if it weren't bringing hurricanes to Florida!
I know! I hope you're staying safe there, things look grim. I'll be thinking of you!