Internalized Ableism and ADHD
Disclaimer: We want to affirm our commitment to neurodiversity and inclusive language practices. We utilize identity-first language, acknowledging the preferences of the community we serve. Therefore, you may notice us referring to individuals as "adhd people" rather than "people with adhd." This choice reflects our dedication to respecting the autonomy and identity of each individual. Studies have indicated that many within the autistic community prefer the term "autistic person," emphasizing the importance of recognizing and honoring diverse perspectives. Thank you for joining us on this journey of understanding and acceptance.
Hey friends! We’re back with another installment of our internalized ableism series, this week focusing on ADHD and the ways in which internalized ableism shapes our perceptions of ourselves. In particular, we are going to be looking at examples of how internalized ableism can manifest in our ADHD-er friends, and why it is important to embrace ourselves as we are!
To begin…
Ableism refers to the beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with disabilities, assuming that they need to be “fixed” or adapt to their environments, instead of their environments supporting them. Ableism is deeply rooted in our society and informs many able-bodied people on how to treat individuals with disabilities. Ableism also highlights how much value is placed on “normally” functioning individuals within society.
As a result of ableism, the internalization of such beliefs can lead to internalized ableism- which can be quite harmful to the individual and their own perceptions of themselves, as well as others with disabilities.
How to recognize signs of internalized ableism as an ADHD-er:
Some examples of ways in which internalized ableism can manifest might include:
Thinking you’re lazy— It can be hard to keep up with the demands of daily life, whether that be cleaning, paying bills, cooking, or other household tasks. However, internalized ableism might have you thinking that you are lazy for not being able to complete such tasks. You might frequently feel tired and/or anxious about daily tasks that you wanted to get done but couldn’t. It would be easier to say you are lazy, as opposed to understanding and accepting that your brain functioning challenges are common for ADHD individuals.
Not accepting an ADHD diagnosis— It can be hard to accept any new diagnosis. For example, some people may have difficulty accepting they are an ADHDer. You might have internalized beliefs (e.g. that you are lazy) and may have been told your challenges are their fault. Though, it is important to understand ADHD and both the strengths and challenges associated with this form of neurodivergence.
Thinking you are “too much”— Is it overwhelming and anxiety-invoking for you when meeting new people? Do you often criticize yourself for talking a lot or for having “too much” emotion? An ableist belief can have you thinking that you are “too much” and are outside of the “norm,” though the right group of people will accept you and your personality! Trying to hide parts of yourself to “fit in” can be exhausting and can lead to burnout.
Not wanting to ask for accommodations— There are a variety of accommodations that ADHDers can request (per the American with Disabilities Act and Individualized Education Programs) in school or work settings including more time on tests, a quiet office, deadline flexibility, use of fidget toys, flexible seating, among others. However, instead of asking for changes to your environment you might think you should be able to do work without them. It is incredibly important to work with your support needs to create a more comfortable environment, where differences in needs are being met.
Taking on the burden instead of asking for help— You might feel the need to take on the burden of putting the accommodations requested in place yourself. However, this process should be a collaborative effort between you and the school or your employer. It is important to understand that you are not being difficult by requesting accommodations, you need them because the environment is inaccessible for an ADHD person to begin with and you are fully within your rights to make such requests.
Thinking you can cure ADHD— You might view ADHD as something that needs to be “cured” or “fixed,” as opposed to it being how your brain works impacting various forms of functioning with its own strengths and challenges. You might hear negative aspects of ADHD being discussed around you and let that discussion inform your own beliefs. It can be important however that you learn to accept being an ADHDer and consider the positive aspects associated with it.
Not seeing the positives associated with ADHD— There are positives associated with ADHD, not only challenges. Many ADHD-ers are creative, curious, and can see patterns where others can’t. Some ADHD people can also use their ability to hyperfocus in order to be productive and focus on a given topic.
Overall—
Internalized ableism can be extremely harmful and can damage your self-worth and perception of yourself. Internalized ableism occurs from adopting the beliefs of our ableist society, namely that able-bodied individuals are “normal” and those who differ are somehow “less than” or need to be “fixed.” It is important to recognize ableist views within society and ourselves, in order to work to break down these perceptions of individuals with disabilities/differences. To this end, it is important we unlearn ableist beliefs and begin to understand how to live as our true, differently-abled selves.
If you think you are an ADHD-er, we would love to speak to you about ADHD Evaluations! Contact us today.
Sources
[1]https://laconciergepsychologist.com/blog/internalized-ableism-adhd/
