Back in 2003, Christine Miserandino came up with the Spoon Theory to explain what living with a chronic illness is like. Since then, it's also been applied to neurodiverse people. Basically, spoons represent the energy—whether physical, mental, or emotional—that we have available at any moment. At any time, I might have ten spoons, but if I'm feeling mentally or emotionally drained, that can quickly drop to just one or two spoons. This has shown me how to respect my boundarie

Having Attention Deficit Disorder is pretty common for those with a DCC. Sometimes the symptoms overlap between the two. A neuropsychologist once told me I had "ADD on steroids," which I found amusing. Medication can really make a huge difference, though it might take some trial and error to find the right one for you. Without meds, I feel like a balloon just floating and bouncing around aimlessly through daily life. But with my Vyvanse, things get way better. Some of the co

Finding Clarity in Diagnosis I've touched on this a bit before, but now I really want to dive in. Getting diagnosed with ACC at 46 was honestly a huge relief for me; it felt like someone finally handed me the missing piece of a puzzle that I had been struggling with for years. It was like, "Aha! This is why I’ve felt so out of sync with everyone else!" All those years of confusion and uncertainty just melted away as I started to connect the dots. I had spent so much time fee

One of the things I value the most is the practice of meditation and mindfulness in my daily life. It's like a little oasis of calm in the midst of all the chaos that can happen day-to- day. You know, you don’t have to link meditation to any specific spiritual journey unless that’s what you’re into. There are so many ways to approach it, and honestly, it can feel a bit overwhelming at times. But for me, I like to keep it simple and just focus on my breath. It’s like the easie

I'm really grateful for a lot in 2026. I've got a place to live, food to eat, and a stability I didn't have when I was younger. Finding out I had ACC was probably the biggest turning point for me. I'm glad I realized I'm different, not less or broken. It was such a huge change that in many ways, I feel like a new person, or at least I see the world differently than I did years ago. The change, for one, was an internal one, not necessarily a change in my outer life (that would

So, here’s the deal: a ton of therapies popped up before we really got a grip on what neurodevelopmental differences like autism, ADHD, and DCCs are all about. Back in the day, many of these approaches tried to "fix" the traits of neurodivergent individuals, thinking there was something wrong that needed to be corrected. And guess what? Some of that mindset is still hanging around today, which is kind of wild when you think about it. Now, neurodivergence and trauma have been

I've realized I need to show appreciation to everyone who helps and supports me. I haven't said this in a long time. I've spent a lot of my life thinking about how others see me. Byron Katie mentions that there's 'God's business, your business, and my business,' and we end up causing ourselves pain when we don't 'stay in our own lane.' It's some of the best advice I've ever received. Finding My Way with a Little Help You know, it’s funny how life works sometimes. It feels li

Many of us who are neurodivergent have our own special way of experiencing the world around us. Some of us are all about seeking out sensory input, others try to avoid it, and some of us do a bit of both depending on the moment. Take me, for instance—I'm super sensitive to sounds, and little repetitive noises can really get on my nerves. But I can totally blast a Bach concerto on Alexa without a problem. Also, I'm not a fan of light touches, clothing tags, or even clothes the

Reflecting on the Past Thinking about my past really plays a huge role in how I take care of my spiritual and mental well-being. You know, before I got diagnosed, I kind of just floated through life, assuming that other people would step in and handle things for me when I couldn’t. It sounds a bit naïve, right? But honestly, that mindset led to a whole lot of hurt feelings and misunderstandings. The Struggles of Stability For a long time, I didn’t have a stable place to liv

The Positives Social media definitely has its upsides, right? I mean, it's like this magical portal where I can connect with people who totally understand me and see a wild mix of opinions that I might never encounter in my everyday life. Seriously, I can soak up so much knowledge just by typing away at my keyboard, and it’s pretty awesome! Plus, there’s something so satisfying about expressing myself and getting creative with what I share. And let’s not overlook the practica

Where do I start, hmm... Some people comment, “You can’t have ACC—you look like you’re doing so well.” My answer is: DCCs are often invisible disabilities. You usually can’t look at someone and immediately know how their brain works or what challenges they deal with every day. It affects me personally, even when it isn’t obvious to other people. Sometimes I may seem completely fine, but I could still be struggling to understand what someone means, keep up with a conversation

Feeling Stuck with Work and Accommodations You know, it's kind of a tough spot to be in when you haven't worked for over 30 years. I mean, life can throw some serious curveballs, right? And then there's the whole issue with my ACC—it's like hitting a brick wall every time I try to get the accommodations I really need. It's frustrating, to say the least. Now, let's talk about the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) for a second. In theory, it sounds great! It’s all about ma