ADHD in girls

It's that time of the week again, Mighties!
Thankful Thursday is here 😃
Tell us 3 things in the comments below that you're thankful for. 👇
#Addiction #AnorexiaNervosa #Agoraphobia #Anxiety #AutismSpectrumDisorder #ADHDInGirls #ADHD #Anxiety #BipolarDisorder #CeliacDisease #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #Cancers #Depression #Epilepsy #Dysautonomia #KidneyDisease #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Lupus #FamilialHemiplegicMigraine #POTS #PTSD #Hemophilia #SjogrensSyndrome #Endometriosis #InterstitialCystitis #EatingDisorder #HearingLoss #Deafness #Selfcare #SuicidalThoughts #IrritableBowelSyndromeIBS #jointhypermobility

What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had?

There’s a part of me that most people don’t see right away. It’s quiet, observant, and always noticing what’s happening around me. If I had to name a secret skill I have, it would probably be reading people really well.

I’ve always been super observant. I notice body language, facial expressions, glances, behaviors—all of it. Most of the time, I can tell how someone is feeling just by looking at them. I pick up on things easily. For example, I can tell when a friend is forcing a smile, even if they say they’re fine. I can sense tension in a room before anyone speaks, or know when someone is holding back something they really want to say. Honestly, I think that’s a gift.

It helps me see people for who they really are. I’m usually able to tell when someone is genuine and when they’re not. In a lot of ways, that ability has always protected me. It’s helped me keep my distance when I need to and guard my heart. But it’s also made me really sensitive to other people.

I can usually tell when someone is upset, overwhelmed, or hurting, even if they’re trying hard not to show it. Maybe that’s because I know what it feels like to hide what’s going on inside. So, when I notice that in someone else, I want to comfort them and make them feel seen. Sometimes it’s as small as listening quietly while they talk, or noticing when someone needs space before they ask for it.

If there’s one skill I wish I had, though, it would be better communication.

For someone who notices so much, I’m terrible at getting my own thoughts out. I stumble over my words constantly. Sometimes I have something I want to say, and it just disappears before I can get it out. Other times, I mutter a response no one can hear because I’m too afraid to say it aloud or worry it’ll be judged. Most of the time, I have an important point I want to make in a group conversation, but by the time I try to speak, the moment has passed. As a result, there are countless opportunities I miss to share my voice at all.

I’m a nervous person, and meeting new people has always been hard for me. I can do small talk, even though I hate it, but after that, I never know what to say. My mind just goes blank. I overthink everything. Even when I do have something thoughtful to say, I usually keep it to myself because I’m scared it’ll come out wrong or sound stupid. So, I stay quiet.

My ability to read people and my struggles with communication have shaped my relationships. I’ve been able to support friends when they needed it most, but I’ve also missed chances to speak up for myself. It’s a constant balancing act, learning to notice and understand others while also finding my own voice.

There’s so much in my head—so many thoughts and feelings—but I don’t always know how to let them out. I may not be the most talkative person in the room, but I notice everything. I feel everything. And maybe that says more about me than words ever could

Even if I don’t always say the right thing, I hope my presence, my attention, and my care can speak for me.

What’s a strength you have that people may not always notice right away—and what’s one skill you wish came more naturally to you?

“I may be quiet, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there. Sometimes the deepest people are the ones still searching for the words.”

#MentalHealth #Neurodiversity #ADHD #ADHDInGirls #Autism #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Anxiety #Loneliness

From personal experience, I know that hope isn’t always easy to hold onto—especially during seasons when life feels heavy, uncertain, or overwhelming. We often pressure ourselves to “stay positive,” but real hope isn’t about pretending everything is okay. It’s about grounding yourself, finding direction, and taking gentle, meaningful steps forward even when the path ahead feels blurry.

That’s why I created this worksheet: to offer a compassionate way to check in with yourself. It’s meant to help you reconnect with hope in a way that feels realistic rather than forced. You can use it whenever you need to catch your breath, reset, or simply remind yourself that progress—even slow, quiet progress—is still progress.

Why This Matters
Fostering hope doesn’t mean ignoring your challenges. It means creating space for possibility. It means staying connected to what’s real while also allowing yourself to imagine something better. When you approach hope with compassion instead of pressure, you build a healthier, more sustainable mindset for the long term.
If you’re needing a moment of grounding today, I hope this resource supports you.

#ADHD #ADHDInGirls #Neurodiversity #Anxiety #Depression #Addiction #SubstanceRelatedDisorders #MentalHealth

I experienced a heavy wave of rejection last night.

I noticed that my close friends had gathered together for what I can only assume was a New Year’s celebration. The thing is—I didn’t get an invite. The day before, I had spoken to one of them and we’d made plans to hang out. When the evening came and I hadn’t heard anything, I reached out. No response.

Fifteen minutes later, I saw a friend post an Instagram story of them all together, laughing and having a great time.

I texted again, asking about the get-together. Still nothing.

I felt incredibly hurt—overlooked, unseen, invisible. In my body, the pain was joined by rage. My immediate reaction was to cut them off entirely. That you don’t care, so I don’t care instinct kicked in hard. I wanted to go for the jugular and make them feel as hurt as I did.

But I’ve lived with RSD long enough to know how this usually goes.

It always gets turned back on me. I become the bad guy for having feelings at all.

Rejection sensitivity dysphoria doesn’t just show up in dramatic moments. It lives quietly inside everyday social dynamics. Missed invitations. Unanswered texts. A shift in tone. For many people, these moments sting and pass. But for those of us with RSD, they can feel catastrophic, as if our sense of safety, belonging, and worth is suddenly on trial. It’s not about wanting special treatment. It’s about how our nervous systems interpret perceived rejection as something deeply threatening.

I vented to other friends. I know they were trying to help, but nothing they said landed.

“Tell them how you feel.”

“They love you—they didn’t do it on purpose.”

“They probably just wanted to keep it small.”

To me, it all felt like phony bologna. If they cared, wouldn’t they have invited me?

Instead, I felt like an afterthought—or worse, not a thought at all. Like they secretly don’t like me, or maybe even loathe me. I’ve known these people for over twenty years. You’d think I’d cross their minds.

I know adulthood creates distance. Life happens. People move away. Some stay. I stayed too. But this group was once incredibly close. And now, the friends I still have here don’t seem to want to see me very often. My truest friends live out of state.

So, I’m lonely here. I’m alone. And when you’re lonely, everything feels sharper. Louder. More painful.

I know how this probably sounds to some people.

Why can’t she just get over it?

Why can’t she see it wasn’t intentional?

Believe me—I hear those thoughts too. And every time, they come back to bite me. I end up feeling foolish. Too emotional. Too reactive. The one who jumps to conclusions too fast.

Rejection sensitivity follows me everywhere. It leaves a lasting imprint. Today, I still feel hurt—and I know I’ll think about this for years. I’ve already laid there numb and crying, replaying every possible scenario. Every why. Every what if.

Now, I feel guilty. Guilty for venting. Ashamed for calling a few of them out and saying they all suck. Once again, my RSD has painted me as the villain.

I wish people understood how consuming and painful rejection sensitivity dysphoria can be. It’s real. It’s not something you can simply control or logic your way out of. My reactions are instinctual—and often turn inward in self-destructive ways before I even realize what’s happening.

RSD shows up when you least expect it. But it’s also always there, waiting—ready to crack and shatter you into a million pieces.

RSD is closely tied to ADHD and autism. I have both. So, for me, it’s ever-present. A given. I just want more control over it. and I want to think clearly without being clouded by intrusive thoughts. I want space between the trigger and the spiral.

It’s hard to live this way—especially when people don’t understand you.

Have you ever reacted strongly to feeling excluded or overlooked—and later wondered if rejection sensitivity played a role in how deeply it affected you?

“Rejection sensitivity doesn’t mean I am too much. It means my nervous system has learned to brace for loss.” – Unknown

#MentalHealth #Neurodiversity #ADHD #ADHDInGirls #Anxiety #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Autism

Making healthy changes isn’t about pretending the past version of you didn’t exist. It’s about acknowledging who you were, honoring what you survived, and meeting yourself exactly where you are right now.

Real change doesn’t start with shame or pressure. It starts with honesty. With noticing what worked, what didn’t, and why you coped the way you did at the time. Those choices made sense then—even if they don’t serve you now.

Growth is less about forcing yourself into a “better” version and more about building a bridge from where you are to where you want to be. One small shift. One kinder thought. One realistic step at a time.

You don’t have to rush, erase your past, or have it all figured out. Progress happens when self-compassion leads the way. Be patient with yourself—you’re learning, not failing. #MentalHealth #ADHD #ADHDInGirls #Anxiety #SubstanceRelatedDisorders #BipolarDisorder #Neurodiversity #Addiction