Social media trends have people thinking they are
Lately I’ve been seeing these TikTok videos where someone describes themselves as being on ADHD medication for the first time in their life. The lights are brighter, their brains are quieter, and angels sing.
Although stimulant medications may help us, the world around us is still very neurotypical-centric, or neuronormative. This means our society and culture are built for and by neurotypicals, with their needs and ways of being in mind — and considered the “right” way of being and doing — not ours.
Certainly, there have been positive changes in my life thanks to medication. I want to treat the symptoms that cause me difficulty, but only because this makes my life easier — helps me to be a better parent, partner, and a better advocate for others.
In other ways, I have truly come to love the fact that my brian diverges from the norm. I don’t want to be neurotypical, and I don’t want to have to pretend I am someone I’m not for the benefit of others.
Read my article on Invisible Illness.
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Good post! I relate. I took a prescribed adderall today, which has allowed me to read this. When I tried my roomate’s concerta back in college I had the positive experience the Tik-Tok’er describes. Through therapy I got a vyvanse prescription that helped me save my senior year and graduate. But over the years have come to use stimulants sparingly. They help me a lot for a short time. But they are not a foundation on which to build a life. For me at least. The side effects… They lose effectiveness after extended periods of use. Now I use them every now and then to remember what it feels like to have a clear day. And for that I am grateful.