Social medias facade of neurodevelopment disorders
Why have neurodevelopment disorders become a trend?
Why are we now used for clout?
A sport of satire and comedy. Where they post numerous videos of these ‘quirky, cutesy’ parts of being neuro-spicy. While we have breakdowns over social interactions, foods, textures, fabrics, temperature changes, and at times just randomly melting down.
Influencers boasting about their diagnosis, talking about how enlightening it was and how everything makes sense now. While making their content and getting thousands of likes and followers from people out there desperate to feel a sense of belonging. Enabling these influencers to mass produce autism and ADHD. Creating videos focused on all the ‘charming, funny’ sides to the neuro-spicy world. Only a few videos I have seen, addresses the dark side to neurodevelopment disorders but still made from a comical perspective.
I agree neuro-spiciness should be open, honest, and inclusive, not hidden away like a creepy uncle.
However, a consequence of this, is an alarming increase of influencers. Your FYP plagues with autism and ADHD videos, satire, comedy, how to self-diagnose and how to pass the assessments (really against that one). People are not able to escape this horrendously overbearing push for the neurodevelopment. This then feeds into the claim of ‘everyone has autism or ADHD these days.’
I have personally been subject to this by a close family member. Insinuate it is part of a trend.
Feeling overwhelmed when I must use my level, my score, on the ASD testing to prove my point. To gain validation that I am not a trend, I am a person. With lifelong battles, begging for normalcy. Simply to be rebutted with ‘oh not you, I know yours is real’……
For us Aussies, we have a double-edged sword. Not only our personal support systems stating this, but we also have our governing bodies, those sworn to protect the Australian communities, making these claims. The man literally in charge of caring and funding some of the most vulnerable people, stating “We just want to move away from diagnosis writing you into the scheme because what happens is everyone gets the diagnosis then”. Thank you Minster Bill Shorten, Minster of the NDIS.
It makes you feel worthless, invalidated, like you’re just a trend, just a follower.
Additionally, this shows how disgustingly out of touch our minsters are, as an adult assessment will cost you easily upwards of $600. And that is rare, mine cost $1000. I didn’t know our economy was so wealthy that everyone can generate hundreds of dollars for assessments. That people have an abundance of time and money, to get on a scheme that provides horrendously incompetent assistance and wait times as long as the Great wall of China.
I digress… I could criticise about the government’s idiocy and hypocrisy for days.
The main point is encouraging the abundance of social media influencers, to stop using neurodevelopment as all their content. Stop pushing the “beautiful”, “Special powers”, of neuro-spicy, understanding that others are suffering miserably.
It just shows how out of touch you are from the real world, sitting in front of your camera, talking about your amazing special powers and how fun it is to have a neurodevelopment disorder.
Wish my best to all of us unable to complete normal activities of daily living without melt downs.
