Being Disabled - Tumblr Posts
Troublesome Buddhas. That's what this podcaster and Zen practitioner I listen to calls difficult people and relationships, bc he sees them as teachers. I'm attempting to balance my defensive skepticism and my will to develop myself and craft a spirituality in my life. His podcasts always resonate. I'm coming to the interesting conclusion that my superiority complex is 1) detrimental in ways I hadn't yet recognized (there are ways that are pretty obvious, like that assholes have superiority complexes, I've been clear on that for a while) and 2) a defense mechanism. In terms of 1, I'm seeing a pattern of my thinking I know more than someone and then being confronted with how I've underestimated them. And for 2) when I try to imagine *not* assuming I'm smarter than others all that comes to mind are lots of situations where I am much better off doing so (eg. you would not believe the number of vaccine denying *doctor's* I've met).
Relatedly, I'm starting to think there are a lot of situations where there may be clear wrong answers, but there are no clear right ones. This isn't bc I need to try harder to find them or bc it's pure luck or something. It's that the options aren't especially going to lead to better outcomes, just different ones. This has not been easy for me to accept.
Do people know about Vocational Rehab? If you're USAmerican they have this in every state.
It's a program that helps disabled folks access education, training, and employment. For FREE.
You only have to be disabled to qualify (autism, ADHD, mental illness, physical illness, etc) and they cover very broad categories of disability. You do NOT have to be officially diagnosed yet when you walk in - they will even help pay for your diagnosis if you are struggling w disability.
I applied with my suspected autism and fibromyalgia, and they paid for 100% of my formal autism assessment.
Once your disability is established they will give you career counseling to learn about your interests and skills, and depending on the plan you create with your caseworker they will then help with school or finding employment. They paid for 100% of my college tuition and books, and even provided a laptop for me to use.
You do not have to pay anything for this program. If you make above a certain income, you will have to contribute to educational costs but will still receive assistance.
They will also help with the cost of things like mental health counseling while you work towards your goals, clothing for interviews, etc.
They cannot discriminate based on your race, gender, or sexual orientation.
They won't make you do excessive meetings.
They will allow you to do meetings with your caseworker remotely.
They will not drug test you.
They want you to succeed.
I'm sure that individual experiences vary but my caseworker was exceptionally easy to work with and very kind.
Vocational Rehab is a phenomenal resource every disabled person should be aware of. Here is the list of offices in every state:
May I add, do the doors open automatically?
sure there’s a ramp, but is it steep? is there a curb at the top? is the ground uneven? do i need a key for the elevator? are the aisles and doorways wide enough? do i have room to turn? is there furniture and clutter in my way? is the carpet difficult to wheel on? can i open the doors myself?
accessibility to wheelchairs is more than just a ramp.
this is your gentle reminder to stop fighting against your adhd and instead structure your life around it
buy a pack of chapsticks and put one in the pocket of all of your coats and jackets because you always forget to bring one and chapped lips is sensory hell
leave important things where you can see them. if they go in a box or a drawer you will forget they exist
put any appointments or deadlines in your phone calendar As Soon As you get them. set a reminder for a week before, a day before, an hour before, as many as you need as often as you need them.
when that little voice in your head says "i dont need to write that down, ill remember it" that is the devil talking!!! write it down anyway!!
plan for down time. have a few hours at the end of every day to just do fun stuff like engage in your hyperfixations. even if you didnt get all of your work done that day, have the rest anyway. you probably spent the whole day beating yourself up for not doing what you Should be doing, so you still need the break.
if you never eat vegetables because its too much effort to chop and cook them, get the frozen or canned shit. it doesnt go off for ages and you just have to microwave it. theres no point buying fresh vegetables if they just keep going off and being left to rot in the bottom of your fridge
if you struggle to decide what to have for dinner every day, take the decision out of it. choose a set of meals and eat those on rotation until you get sick of them, then choose some new ones and do it again.
its not stupid if it works! our brains literally have a chemical deficiency. you are allowed to accommodate yourself. go forth and stop making your life more difficult than it has to be because "this shouldn't be this hard". it is hard, so make it easier.