Autistic and Living the Dream

Tag: Mental Health

  • What does the DSM say about ADHD?

    What does the DSM say about ADHD?

    The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and is used to classify cognitive differences. It covers many different neurotypes and mental health issues including schizophrenia, bi-polar, gender dysphoria, and autism. It is used across the USA and UK and anyone who has been formerly diagnosed…

  • Under construction

    Under construction

    I haven’t written poetry since I was a teen, it used to help me when words came to me in less conventional ways. I’m excited to start with that side of writing again.

  • ADHD isn’t a mental health condition

    ADHD isn’t a mental health condition

    I’ve seen lots of misinformed people call ADHD a mental health condition. This is inaccurate and harmful for many reasons. First, ADHD is a neurotype. Just another type of bodymind. Hyperactive? Yes. Impulsive? Maybe. Disorganised? Sure. But never a ‘disorder’ as far as I’m concerned. I’m getting on reasonably well with my particular brand of…

  • Alexithymia: emotional processing ‘gone wrong’

    Alexithymia: emotional processing ‘gone wrong’

    An example of my experience with alexythima… This morning I woke up feeling a feeling. It felt like a big feeling but I couldn’t explain what is was let alone what it meant. I went on with my day with this weird feeling sitting somewhere in my stomach and chest. I fed little man, put…

  • My relationship with OCD

    My relationship with OCD

    Content warning: abuse, cPTSD, intrusive thoughts, self harm. I don’t talk about my OCD very often. Its a very difficult thing to talk about. It sounds both baffling, ridiculous and very scary, and that’s because it is. I have several intrusive thoughts, from one or two a day to near constant. I think about old…