Wizard Dever

HOMEWORK 259 1 Read the text and think of different ways to complete the sentences Im a woman with ADHD here are all the reasons why Im proud of it Thanks to a flourishing ADHD positivity movement women like me who once hid their neurodivergence are finding ways to celebrate it On any given day I will spend a considerable amount of time tensing my muscles as if to the rhythm of the national anthem I might be driving in a meeting or writing to a deadline Other times I breathe in sync with the sound of traffic going past bite my nails or pinch myself when Im trying to complete a task so that if my brain decides to abandon its instructions the sensation will serve as a reminder of them Still I am luckier than most women with ADHD I received a diagnosis at the age of seven after a school referral But many women come to be diagnosed later after decades of being called scatty or disorganized plagued by guilt and anxiety With diagnostic standards set by studies of boys and men who tend to show symptoms such as hyperactivity as opposed to the introverted and inattentive presentations more common in women and girls we are often forgotten That is changing thanks in part to a growing ADHD positivity community online One of them is run by Jess Joy and Charlotte Mia two young professional women with ADHD and autism who founded the account and its wider members platform because they wanted to create a space where people could get to know themselves and find a community who are trying to do the same Users share advice on strategies to help them thrive and how to find treatment routes They run online bodydoubling sessions where you can log on and complete a frustrating task alongside others with ADHD In contrast to the young women I see online now I tried to conceal my ADHD for years My sisters were sworn to secrecy at school and I have spent much of my life in conflict with my brain forcing myself into 9to5 productivity rhythms and chastising myself when my brain doesnt comply I did freelance jobs to avoid difficult office environments The heart of the ADHD positivity movement is about creating a shift away from seeing neurodivergence as a problem that needs curing to seeing it as an asset Adapted from httpswwwtheguardiancomcommentisfree2022 apr11womanadhdproudpositivityneurodivergence Accessed on September 14 2022 a The woman says she often spends some time tensing her muscles b ADHD is often diagnosed in women after many years of c The account and platform were founded by two women with ADHD and autism aiming to d The heart of the ADHD positivity movement is about NAME DATE 27