"OMG I'm so OCD about this!"

"This is so my new vocal stim!"

"I'm so overstimulated right now!"

"This is so my new hyperfixation!"

"I think we all have anxiety these days”

“My intrusive thoughts won 🤪”

...

"Wait, you don't have any friends? Kind of a red flag not gonna lie..."

"How are you this old and still struggling to socialize? Just go out and practice on people. You just have to be nice and you'll find friends. It's so easy."

"Why are you being so quiet? It's so weird."

"Why are you talking so much? You're bothering people"

"You don't shower? That's so disgusting. How do you not realize how disgusting you are?"

"You're acting this way because of trauma? Why haven't you just gone to therapy and gotten over it?"

"There's just something off-putting about you. You should work on that."

"Why do you have to be such a picky eater? It's annoying."

"Don't you realize how your issues are affecting ME?"

"Nobody's obligated to help you when you're so difficult to be around."

---

On these pictures:

Where the first and last symptoms described are primarily if not solely neurodivergence is just... a spectacular kind of entitlement and self-centeredness.

Like, maybe the person who posted the twitter screenshots is the same person who wrote them and it's just internalized neuroableism, but if not, how entrenched in bullshit dualism and exclusionism do you have to be to read a post that starts with language processing issues and ends with brain fog and tell "able-bodied"?*

*Not just "abled", but specifically a dogwhistle aimed at specifically telling neurodivergent people to shut up about the ableism we face, because the response to even physically disabled neurodivergents daring to mention their neurodivergence on these posts is far harsher than the response to fully abled people and often fakeclaims and erases EVERY one of our disabilities.

Even assuming it was aimed at all able-bodied individuals though, and not including anyone who is physically disabled by their neurodivergence, the twitter post was about both.

Never mind that the idea that neurodivergence and mental illness are some abstract illness of the soul forms the basis for the dangerous, deadly, and massively ableist idea that people can "overcome" their mental illness if they try hard enough, that if they have enough willpower they can enter full remission and if they accept being mentally ill or don't have the ability to fight their symptoms it's their fault for "being anti-recovery" and "not trying hard enough". Which is why the whole "neurodisability is a physical disability of the brain" narrative is so important.

talking about neurodivergent experiences isn't inherently "pathologizing." I don't fucking "suffer" from hyperfixations, i relish and benefit from them. They're an important part of my day-to-day enjoyment, and even my identity.

stop shutting down neurodivergent language. tbqh i don't care all that much if neurotypicals go through a collective "phase" of calling every interest a "hyperfixation." That will have next-to-no impact on how neurodivergents get treated on the ground, except maybe (a) normalizing our language and (b) making some misunderstandings of that language more common - chiefly misunderstandings that will err on the side of assuming our traits and behaviours are Normal. and while that does have its own issues, it's still miles less materially dangerous than the hostile whispers that currently constitute the majority of public opinion on neurodivergent terms. (As the word "hyperfixation" becomes more common, I might even be able to use it around my dad without him assuming I'm broken.)

Quit focusing your efforts on shutting down ignorant-but-well-intentioned individuals, and carelessly or intentionally catching the majority of neurodivergents in your crossfire. if you're worried about "overpathologizing normal behaviours," though, maybe pay more attention to how the fucking DSM and medical profession treats us.