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Author Topic: Neurodiverse people on the board?  (Read 15073 times)

Tom

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Neurodiverse people on the board?
« on: August 03, 2014, 10:37:14 pm »
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.

Sarah

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2014, 10:49:14 pm »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.

 
I have Dyspraxia and I have most of the symptoms described in the link.

I don't know how it effects my practice really. I guess it means I keep rituals simple, I tend to do offerings and worship as and when because I am not good at planning/organizing schedules. Most of my practice is solitary because I find groups of people exhausting
Knowing when to use a shovel is what being a witch is all about. Nanny Ogg, Witches Abroad

Faemon

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2014, 11:33:05 pm »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice.

 
I haven't been diagnosed and treated for anything but depression. However, I recognize a lot of other things that might have probably maybe sort of come into play if I had them: avoidant personality disorder (or social anxiety, or anxiety) especially in my childhood although I don't know how much I could have had it if I'm over it now and even quite obnoxious at times and it does bother me...very mild obsessive compulsion that nonetheless could explain my resorting to disordered eating (my therapist never corrected me when I referred to it as anorexia, despite not matching a lot of the DSM, so perhaps it was closer to EDNOS), schizoaffective maybe (or just lenient with my imagination, since I always know when nobody else can see them.)

Depression has definitely mired me in shadow work, as in Jungian sort of shadow working--I've read shadow-workers' blogs and sort of get the sense that it's coming to mean something or apply to something quite different than Jung's idea of it.

At this turn of my path, the magic that I do (and feel, and experience) doesn't need to serve empirical evidence for itself; I might find that anyway, with heuristics and cognitive biases that aren't exactly neurodiverse--everybody has them--but, right now I feel more comfortable with this sort of...there are physics (in a world we share) and there are metaphysics, and they're all one, but I can make the distinction. It's difficult to explain, much easier to simply live it out.
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Sisu

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2014, 12:12:41 am »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.

 
Not sure if this is the type of response you're looking for, but I've struggled with severe depression for most of my life and was diagnosed a while back with major depressive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. At this point in my life the PTSD affects me more regularly (though still infrequently) than the depression that I've managed to get under control.

At one point my doctor tried to diagnose me with bipolar II disorder but this diagnosis ended up being inconclusive since the team of psychiatrists and counselors treating me did not reach a consensus and it was very possible that the behaviors in question were a side-effect of some medication they had me on at the time.

As far as my practice goes, I think overall my work with meditation has proven to be helpful in managing my depression. However, I haven't found much of anything to be effective at keeping my PTSD in check and I've been careful about taking on certain forms of shadow work because of it.

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2014, 12:27:17 am »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice.

 
I have ADHD (combination type) and major depressive disorder as well as PTSD. I also might be autistic, but that's provisionally stated unless and until I get a professional diagnosis (but boy, do I fit the criteria). The ADHD has made meditation a bit awkward without an external focus. I luvs me some drums, in other words. The depression has made shadow work a close personal friend while the PTSD makes that a little touchy.

Of the stuff that makes me think I may be autistic, the hyperlexia comes in rather handy. I can grasp academic texts and remember a fair bit of what I read only once. The first half is important to a reconstructionist, believe me. *laughs*

Flame

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2014, 12:42:44 am »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.

 
High functioning Autism, Social Anxiety/GAD, and Depression. Along with a lovely side of PMDD. Wife has undiagnosed HFA as well!

Voren

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2014, 01:09:16 am »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.


I am not sure if this counts but I have a seizure disorder (though my neurologist doesn't quite want to call it 'epilepsy' since we're not sure the cause of the seizures or anything (because there's multiple triggers)), and with that also comes spells of impaired consciousness I also have OCD, anxiety, a form of PTSD, and something that starts with a "p" to where it makes my whole body jump and I make loud noises (I can't remember what my neurologist called it, she said its not Tourette's though).

How does it effect my work I do, my spiritual work and such? I'm paranoid about certain things...silence for one. I have to finish what I start working on even if it means extending said work into hours I should be sleeping. If I feel like a seizure might be coming on I try to pause any work I'm doing because if one does happen, the abrupt stop isn't something I really don't like. Beyond that, it doesn't effect my work that horribly much.
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baduhmtisss

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2014, 09:30:09 am »
Quote from: Voren;154666
I am not sure if this counts but I have a seizure disorder (though my neurologist doesn't quite want to call it 'epilepsy' since we're not sure the cause of the seizures or anything (because there's multiple triggers)), and with that also comes spells of impaired consciousness I also have OCD, anxiety, a form of PTSD, and something that starts with a "p" to where it makes my whole body jump and I make loud noises (I can't remember what my neurologist called it, she said its not Tourette's though).

How does it effect my work I do, my spiritual work and such? I'm paranoid about certain things...silence for one. I have to finish what I start working on even if it means extending said work into hours I should be sleeping. If I feel like a seizure might be coming on I try to pause any work I'm doing because if one does happen, the abrupt stop isn't something I really don't like. Beyond that, it doesn't effect my work that horribly much.

 
I've got schizoaffective disorder. So, I guess I fit the neurodiverse descriptor. It affects my practice greatly, in part because it takes things involving active magical work off the table. Also, I've got triggers that are centered around certain paths and practices. Some things just throw me into a major state of delusion, and I can only tell it's coming right before it hits me. Then, even if I get past the major issues, it tends to have long lasting effects, I've noticed.
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Sophia C

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2014, 11:25:48 am »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.

Asperger's and dyspraxia here (as most people have probably heard from me before!), with a side order of secondary mental health problems.

I do think it affects my practice, but as to how, that's more difficult to be sure about. On a practical level, it affects how well I relate to others, and therefore my group practice - I absolutely have to be social in my practice (it's just a 'me' thing), but doing so can be really painful (in detailed ways that I won't go into or we'll be here all day), so I'm often stuck in a double bind. Overall I get more good stuff than bad from my group practice, though, so it's worth it.

On a more spiritual level, I think there are some things I can't do that others often find very simple, while I'm naturally good at some things that others find complicated (possibly because I'm incapable of over-analysing them). I have difficulty moving energy around, and I can't shield - I can't even relate to what shielding is, about five years after I first started trying. This means that my thing where I'm overloaded by others' emotions and presence is not getting any easier. (If anyone ever comes up with a neurodiversity-friendly shielding technique, I'd love to hear about it. I've tried a LOT of things, at this point.) Grounding is incredibly hard work, although I can do it (sort of). Some types of magic are FAR too complex for me - even the OBOD ritual, which is fairly simple, messes me up. (My grove is now used to seeing me going the wrong way around the circle about 50% of the time, and hissing "Nay! Other way!") I think that's also why I'm so attracted to folk magic, which is often much more ritualistically simple (though complex in entirely different ways, of course). Certain types of visualisation and journeying are easy for me, while other aspects of such things are very difficult. Some concepts are utterly beyond me, while others I grasp very easily. (One of my 'special interests' is theology...)

While I'm personally delighted that people with mental health problems are starting to use the 'neurodiversity' label, I wish there was a sub-category that means 'neurodiverse in the sense of autistic spectrum, ADHD, dyspraxia and other learning-specific and interaction-specific stuff'. (That's not snappy. I wonder if anyone's got a better one.) It's such a useful, non-medicalized term to explain my specific issues, at least to people who know about it. I'm also keen to meet other Pagans with autism-spectrum conditions, although I don't really know where to start looking (apart from the few good people I've met through TC). It really is a very lonely experience. You can end up feeling like the only one, and the weirdest person in the world.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2014, 11:27:10 am by Naomi J »
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Redfaery

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2014, 02:36:09 pm »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  

I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.


I have been diagnosed with Asperger's, and am classed as high-functioning. I also have ADHD and chronic Anxiety, as well as a panic disorder. Throw in some latent OCD tendencies, and life is FUN. :D:

As for how it's affected my practice, I think the Aspie inability to "filter" is what's given me such an open head and has caused me to be so godbothered. For example, earlier this year I lost a cat, got two more, one of those became desperately ill, then recovered, and then another cat died. About this time, who should wander in but Bast. She was just like "Hey, how ya doin'? I hear you're having a lot of issues with your cats. Just here to check on you. Buy a statue of me." So I bought a statue of her. Then she left.
KARMA: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Flame

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2014, 03:14:32 pm »
Quote from: Lysana;154656

Of the stuff that makes me think I may be autistic, the hyperlexia comes in rather handy. I can grasp academic texts and remember a fair bit of what I read only once. The first half is important to a reconstructionist, believe me. *laughs*

 
Oh yeah, forgot to mention that too, the hyperlexia. I love it. I call it my 'superpower'. My long term memory is just AWESOME.

Unfortunately, a medication I take gives me mild/moderate aphasia. Oh, that sucks so much!!! And I did go off the medication for six months. I was miserable, and the aphasia did not go away. So I had to go back on.

Sefiru

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2014, 03:35:48 pm »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice.


I'm Highly Sensitive (I react more strongly to most sensory stimuli than neurotypical folks), based on my own experiences. I'm also strongly introverted. I wouldn't say that has affected my practice much, aside from being comfortable with a solitary practice.

I'm also left-handed, though I'm not sure if that counts as a *neuro* diversity.
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stephyjh

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #12 on: August 04, 2014, 11:14:11 pm »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice. I myself have been diagnosed with Asperger's, though I don't really talk about it too much here.  



I'm not exactly sure how it's affected my practice, honestly because I'm so used to being me that I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Aspergers, though it does make group work harder for me for example. I have talked about it previously on blog entries though and learning how to people is a very big part of my shadow work, which is tied in with my religious work as well.


 
ADHD with sensory processing issues, PTSD, and a history of eating disorders (bulimia and EDNOS) and depression. The biggest way that it affects me is that I am unable to do complex ritual or to lead ritual. I can follow along with someone else's lead, but if it's my ritual, it derails into something ecstatic that I struggle to come back down from.
A heretic blast has been blown in the west,
That what is no sense must be nonsense.

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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2014, 01:12:38 pm »
Quote from: Tom;154630
I'm curious as to how many people are on the board who are some form of neurodiverse and how it's affected their practice.

I have severe chronic migraine, a traumatic brain injury I sustained about 6 years ago, and some PTSD from that accident.  

The migraine stuff has several effects on my practice. When I'm in more than the usual amount of pain, I have a hard time doing anything, including lighting a candle or praying.  I have major energy issues much of the time. And I have a lot of visual disturbances that interfere with any kind of functioning.

The TBI caused me to almost completely lose my ability to read. I've gotten a lot of it back, but I still have major problems with academic materials -- exactly the kind of books and articles I want to read to enhance my practice. So that's a huge effect.

The PTSD is about falling down stairs, so it doesn't have a direct effect on my practice. It does sometimes limit my mobility quite a bit, though.
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Re: Neurodiverse people on the board?
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2014, 06:28:27 pm »
Quote from: Flame;154727
Oh yeah, forgot to mention that too, the hyperlexia. I love it. I call it my 'superpower'. My long term memory is just AWESOME.

Unfortunately, a medication I take gives me mild/moderate aphasia. Oh, that sucks so much!!! And I did go off the medication for six months. I was miserable, and the aphasia did not go away. So I had to go back on.


Autistic hyperlexics! UNITE! Gather and command the myriad unenlightened masses of this world to osculate our hinder anatomies! All while displaying a lack of sartorial extravagance!

Ummm....sorry. That's kind of my normal response to the mention of hyperlexia. I have a bad case of it. Can you tell? The translation is: tell everyone else to kiss your ass while you're wearing sweatpants. :ashamed:
KARMA: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

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