As a twice diagnosed ADHD person, I adopt the social model of disability where rather than see a person as disabled for having a different human experience, I view the centering of certain types of people in society and the construction of society around that supposedly ideal person to be the thing that is disabling. ADHD can cause horrific executive dysfunction and can absolutely be a detriment, especially when you consider Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, a deeply upsetting experience similar to social anxiety. This is to say nothing of the actual social stigma. So there’s the social piece: there’s social stigma around having ADHD. According to WebMD, children with ADHD receive about 20,000 additional negative messages about themselves, something sure to impact self esteem. It’s no surprise then that embarrassment and rejection sensitive dysphoria happen.
Today we’ll be talking with someone who does not have ADHD as I figured it would be a better introduction on the topic than two people with ADHD though that episode is surely coming. Thanks for seeing me and being with me along for my journey of self discovery here on Intimate Interactions.