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When Life Gets (More) Crazy

When life gets (more) crazy, you have to be ready to roll with the changes. The book, Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD by James Ochoa, is one that is often referred to in adult ADHD circles as one of the best emotional support resources out there. I completely agree.

The ideas of having an Emotional Safe Place (ESP) and Mental Support Group (MSG), both to help manage what he calls the “Emotional Distress Syndrome (EDS),” can be quite helpful to adult ADHDers.

I hope it will help some of you reading this blog, regardless of if you identify as being ADHD, autistic, AuDHD, or struggling with other mental health challenges like debilitating anxiety, OCD, or depression.

This blog offers educational content; not medical advice. Please, consult a healthcare professional for personal mental health concerns.

With many neurodivergent brains, there is an extremely delicate balance of needing structure while also craving freedom. There is a need for routine but also the ability to go off the map and improvise creatively in the moment.

Do you feel best when you go to sleep and get up at the same time? And yet it's so hard to get into bed. People know these things but can't seem to do them.

It is not just adulting for the neurotypical population, and it can be extremely demoralizing.

Round White Ceramic Saucer And Coffee Cup, neurodivergent teachers accommodations
Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist

So when life gets (more) crazy, and throws NEW curve balls, or tsunami-style tidal waves of change, as happened to every teacher during COVID, you have to practice accepting how extremely difficult this interruption is.

Routines get squashed and meals are missed, bedtimes become meaningless and workout routines go undone, all of which makes everything function less effectively. It can take a long time to get back into a rhythm, and when it finally does, things are often not the same as they were.

It is the dreaded New Normal. Ew.

So, for the days when you are really stuck and having a terrible go of it, consider reaching for Mr. Ochoa's book and setting up your own ESP and MSG, to help. There is much more to say about this, but that is all for now. Keep on truckin'!

For more tips on neurodivergent teacher accommodations, read the “Top 10 Essential Neurodivergent Teachers Accommodations” round-up!

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