You're Neurologically Simple. That's What We Should Call Them. 😂😂😂😂This Is @andrewrusso Is

Credit: Ashley McMinn

[Image description: four slides with black text on a light blue background that read as follows: 

Victim blaming by abusive parents looks like… “You’re disrespecting me by having boundaries that are inconvenient to me. Therefore, I’m entitled to hurt you.” “You know I get mad when you do this and you did it anyway, so it’s your fault I hit you/yelled at you/belittled you.” “You’re hurting my feelings by accusing me of being a bad parent.” “What have I done to deserve this?” (Usually as a reaction to you establishing boundaries). “You’re tearing this family apart (by fighting back against the abuse).” “You’re a bad child. Look at all the bad things YOU’VE done to ME.” (often, those things are trauma reactions, like avoiding their presence or acting behind their backs). (When you try to hold them accountable) “Oh, I forgot, you’re always right and I’m always wrong. Nobody cares about me or my feelings. I do everything for you and this is what I get in exchange.”

In reality… Every person is responsible for their actions. You didn’t make them abuse you—they CHOSE to abuse you. You have the right to be able to establish boundaries without fear of punishment. You have the right to have your needs met. Your trauma reactions are not something you’re doing to disrespect them—they’re something your body is doing to protect you from harm. End image description] 

These are just some examples of things abusers say to frame their abusive actions as the victim’s fault (taken from personal experience and the stories of people who have messaged me). Feel free to add your own examples if they’re not listed here and if you want to help spread awareness about what victim-blaming looks like!

And remember: abuse is never the victim’s fault.

What does guilt-tripping by abusive parents look like?

What does gaslighting by abusive parents look like?

Every person need to be taught disability history

Not the “oh Einstein was probably autistic” or the sanitized Helen Keller story. but this history disabled people have made and has been made for us.

Teach them about Carrie Buck, who was sterilized against her will, sued in 1927, and lost because “Three generations of imbeciles [were] enough.”

Teach them about Judith Heumann and her associates, who in 1977, held the longest sit in a government building for the enactment of 504 protection passed three years earlier.

Teach them about all the Baby Does, newborns in 1980s who were born disabled and who doctors left to die without treatment, who’s deaths lead to the passing of The Baby Doe amendment to the child abuse law in 1984.

Teach them about the deaf students at Gallaudet University, a liberal arts school for the deaf, who in 1988, protested the appointment of yet another hearing president and successfully elected I. King Jordan as their first deaf president.

Teach them about Jim Sinclair, who at the 1993 international Autism Conference stood and said “don’t mourn for us. We are alive. We are real. And we’re here waiting for you.”

Teach about the disability activists who laid down in front of buses for accessible transit in 1978, crawled up the steps of congress in 1990 for the ADA, and fight against police brutality, poverty, restricted access to medical care, and abuse today.

Teach about us.

Are you having a hard time keeping yourself and your brain stimulated? Can you even stimulate yourself at all? Maybe you should try making a Dopamenu!

I made a Dopamenu today by following How To ADHD’s guide.

How To Give Your Brain The Stimulation It Needs (Dopamenu Guide!)

I recommend watching the video and trying to make yourself a Dopamenu as well. I used OpenOffice to make my Dopamenu, it’s a free alternative to Word and it works pretty much the same!

LINK TO MY GOOGLE DRIVE SO YOU CAN GET THE FILE & FILL IN YOUR OWN DOPAMENU YOURSELF

i talk a lot of shit for someone who has to take 6 pills a day so they dont blow their brains out

im calling myself out on this one

Updated ADHD Pride Flag!

Dark brown - Rejection Sensitivity Yellow - Hyperactivity Orange - ADHD Awareness Red -  Hyperfixations/Hyperfocus Dark Red - Difficulty Focusing White - Procrastination

If anyone knows any ADHD Symbols please tell me so I can update this flag to be better!

friendly reminder that bipolar ii isnt the “easy,” “soft,” or “lesser” bipolar disorder. just because we dont experience full-on mania doesn’t mean our experiences are somehow invalid. 

hypomania has the power to ruin relationships. 

depression has the power to ruin lives. 

we end up hospitalized for depression. 

we’re more likely to rapid cycle and contrary to popular belief, our depression can cause psychosis 

our suffering is real and cant be discounted solely because we experience a lesser form of mania. 

From what I’ve read and observed, bipolar symptoms exist on a spectrum. Using these charts inspired by @levianta’s graphics about autism, you can visualize the extremity of every symptom you experience. As an example, here is a chart visualizing how i personally experience hypomania:

It’s the masterpost that no one actually asked for, but I really wanted to make. I’ve found a lot of resources, but they were never in one place. So instead of searching all over the place all the time, I decided to make this.

This also includes resources for schizoaffective disorder, which I’ve never seen a masterpost for! I didn’t include things like “Dealing with a bipolar loved one”, but I might make a separate post for friends/family.

Basic information:

About Bipolar Disorder (DBSA)

Bipolar Disorder (NIMH), Bipolar Disorder (Mayo Clinic)

Overview of Bipolar Disorder (pdf)

Bipolar I (WebMD)

Bipolar II (WebMD)

Cyclothymia (Mayo Clinic),  Cyclothymia (WebMD)

What is rapid cycling? (DBSA)

Schizoaffective Disorder (NAMI), Schizoaffective Disorder (Mayo Clinic)

Diagnosing bipolar disorder NOS (verywell)

The secret life of manic depression (pdf)

BPD vs BD (post by homojabi)

Mania and hypomania:

Mania symptoms (psych central)

What is mania and hypomania? (WebMD)

What is a manic episode? (healthy place)

Coping with mania (healthline)

Dealing with this manic episode (living manic depressive)

Behavioral strategies for preventing mania (pdf)

Cognitive strategies for preventing mania (pdf)

How to prevent a hypomanic episode (pdf)

Hypersexuality information post (OP deleted, so it’s on bipolarnet)

Depressive episodes:

Depression in bipolar disorder (black dog institute)

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about bipolar depression (bphope)

Cognitive strategies for preventing and managing depression (pdf)

Behavioral strategies for preventing and managing depression (pdf)

Depression laundry tips (depressionresource)

Mixed episodes:

Mixed episode symptoms (psych central)

How to treat mixed mood episodes (bipolar burble)

Bipolar episodes with mixed features (WebMD)

Schizoaffective disorder:

Living with schizoaffective disorder (psych central)

Living with schizoaffective disorder (brain blogger)

What is schizoaffective disorder?, self care, + treatments and support (mind.org)

Psychosis:

Talking to friends about psychosis ( @therapidcyclist )

Surviving halloween with psychosis ( @mentalhealthwarrior )

How to deal with paranoia when you’re alone ( post by skailu )

How to handle hallucinations (post by schizotiger)

Treatment and medication info:

crazymeds (mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics)

Bipolar medication guide (help guide)

Bipolar disorder - What medication is available? (mind.org)

Bipolar disorder - treatment (nhs)

What to do if your parents refuse to let you have access to mental healthcare (posted by abusedkidproblems)

Self care / executive dysfunction:

Dysfunctional’s guide to functioning ( therapidcyclist )

Grounding kits ( @depressionresource )

What to do when showering is too hard (depressionresource)

lowspoonsgourmet and no-more-ramen

articles on college and bipolar disorder (ibpf)

Fact sheet on recognizing and preventing future episodes

Bipolar self care post (unfortunately OP’s theme is nearly impossible to read, so it’s on bipolarnet)

Apps:

Bipol-app, Booster Buddy, Daily Feats, Daylio, Emoods, iMood journal, Mango Health MediSafe, MoodPanda, Pacifica

note: I’ve tried to make sure all of these apps are free!

This ended up being really long already, but feel free to add to this. If your post was featured here and you want me to remove it, let me know! Please let me know if any links are broken.