The Blog
How to Reconnect with Lost Special Interests
Reconnecting with lost special interests is a deeply personal and healing process for neurodivergent individuals who have set aside their passions due to burnout, external pressure, or the demands of adulthood. This article explores ways to gently reintroduce curiosity and creativity into daily life, emphasizing self-compassion, exploration without expectation, and reclaiming joy for its own sake. By removing the pressure to be productive or "good" at an interest, neurodivergent people can rediscover the fulfillment and comfort that special interests provide, allowing them to reconnect with a part of themselves that may have felt lost.
Why So Many Neurodivergent People Struggle with a Sense of Self
Neurodivergent individuals often struggle with a fractured sense of self due to factors such as alexithymia, identity masking, and the pressure to conform to neurotypical expectations. Many spend years suppressing their natural traits, leading to a disconnect from their authentic identity and internalized feelings of failure or inadequacy. However, through community, self-acceptance, and engagement with special interests, neurodivergent people can reclaim their sense of self and build an identity that embraces their unique ways of thinking, feeling, and experiencing the world. A guide to knowing yourself is included in this article.
How Special Interests Shape Identity in Neurodivergent Adults
Special interests play a profound role in shaping identity, providing comfort, and fostering connection for neurodivergent adults, offering a deep sense of joy and stability in a world that often feels overwhelming. These passions serve as a form of self-care, a pathway to career fulfillment, and a means of building community, yet societal stigma often discourages neurodivergent individuals from embracing them fully. Recognizing special interests as a vital part of neurodivergent identity allows for greater self-acceptance, validating their importance as more than just hobbies but as essential aspects of well-being and self-expression.
What are Sensory Sensitivities and What Do I Do About Them?
Sensory sensitivities mean that everyday sights, sounds, textures, and smells can feel much more intense and sometimes overwhelming, impacting your emotional and physical experience. These unique perceptions can be both challenging and enriching, allowing you to notice subtle details and beauty that others might miss, while also requiring adjustments to maintain comfort. By understanding your triggers and creating supportive environments and routines, you can honor your sensory profile and live more comfortably and authentically.
How to Meal Plan When You Have Executive Dysfunction
If meal planning feels overwhelming due to constant decision-making and executive dysfunction, the article offers strategies to simplify the process. It suggests creating a go-to grocery list, establishing small, regular meal prep routines, and arranging your kitchen to be calm and organized. Ultimately, it encourages you to embrace a personalized, flexible approach to meal planning as a form of self-care and empowerment.
How to Design a Neurodivergent-Friendly Work Schedule
Traditional 9-to-5 work schedules often fail to accommodate the natural rhythms and cognitive strengths of neurodivergent individuals. The article explores strategies like flexible scheduling, energy mapping, and alternative work structures to align work tasks with your natural energy cycles and reduce stress. It also emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy and tailoring your work environment to support your unique sensory and cognitive needs.
Neurodivergent Parenting: Breaking the Cycle of Shame and Ableism
Neurodivergent parents are breaking the cycle of shame and ableism by rejecting the harmful parenting practices they experienced and raising their children with acceptance, validation, and autonomy. Instead of forcing their children to mask, suppress their natural behaviors, or conform to neurotypical expectations, they are creating environments where neurodivergent children are supported in ways that honor their needs. This shift not only helps children thrive but also allows parents to heal from their own past experiences, fostering a new generation where neurodivergence is embraced rather than erased.
Sensory Processing Isn’t Just About Sensory Sensitivities—It’s About Sensory Joy, Too
Sensory processing differences are often discussed in terms of challenges, but for many neurodivergent individuals, they also bring deep sensory joy—whether through textures, sounds, movement, or nature. The intense pleasure of certain sensory experiences, like the feel of soft fabrics, the rhythm of music, or the grounding presence of nature, is just as real as sensory sensitivities, yet it is often overlooked. Recognizing and embracing sensory joy allows neurodivergent people to fully engage with their environment, self-regulate, and experience the world in ways that are meaningful, fulfilling, and uniquely their own.
How Hyperfocus and Burnout Exist on the Same Spectrum
Hyperfocus, a common experience for autistic and ADHD individuals, allows for deep concentration and bursts of productivity but often leads to burnout when unmanaged. Because hyperfocus does not come with built-in regulation, many neurodivergent people push themselves past their limits, leading to exhaustion, shutdowns, and difficulty sustaining long-term productivity. Understanding that hyperfocus and burnout exist on the same spectrum can help neurodivergent individuals develop strategies to balance deep engagement with necessary rest, allowing for a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to work and creativity.
Why Many Neurodivergent People Are Drawn to Speculative Fiction and Fantasy Worlds
Speculative fiction and fantasy resonate deeply with neurodivergent individuals because these genres offer alternative ways of existing, exploring identity, and imagining a world beyond rigid societal norms. Many autistic and ADHD readers connect with characters who process the world differently, struggle with conventional expectations, or find strength in their uniqueness, reflecting their own lived experiences. These stories provide both escapism and validation, showing that difference is not a flaw but a source of power, and that belonging can be found in the spaces where individuality is embraced.