Welcome to Spoony Stories ❤️🥄 Sharing stories is a powerful reminder that we're not alone. Each week, we share stories from our vibrant community to hear all about their experiences being neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled, and to get to know some of the voices that make our Spoony community so wonderful. This week, we chat with Lyn from the United States!
Welcome to Spoony Stories ❤️🥄 We're forever and always blown away by the kindness and generosity of our community on Spoony! No wonder the best part of our week is getting to know some of the people who make Spoony such a lovely space, and learning more about their experiences with neurodivergence, chronic illness and disability.
This week, we've been chatting with Lyn from United States. She shares what it's like navigating life while being neurodivergent, chronically ill, and disabled, the challenges she's faced with friendships, and so much more! ♥️
Are you neurodivergent, chronically ill, and/or disabled?
Neurodivergent, chronically ill, and disabled.
What health conditions do you have?
Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, hEDS, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, POTS, and Endometriosis.
How do you explain your health conditions to other people?
It depends on the condition! I usually say that my brain works a little differently, and my body decided it just didn't want to work good which means pain and annoyance for me.
What impact do your health conditions have on your daily life?
I cannot work a full time job and have had to given up on some of my dreams because of how severe my conditions can be. I'm in pain all the time and sometimes I can't get out of bed. But despite all of that, my conditions and the experiences I've had with them have made me who I am. They've taught me patience and empathy. How to stand up for myself and how to comply maliciously. I don't know that I'd trade that for having had a life without them.
What barriers have you experienced in making friends and connecting with people?
I find befriending people challenging because of my Autism and ADHD. Sometimes it feels like I'm tuned into AM radio when everyone else is FM, sometimes I miss cues and misunderstand things.
It's also hard to make friends when you know that you could have a flare-up at any moment. Cancelling plans isn't just something that happens every once in a while when you're chronically ill, and there are people out there who don't want to try and understand that. The people that do, though? They're worth the struggle.
What's been your experience on Spoony so far?
I've felt a lot less alone on Spoony. It's really special getting to see that I'm not the only one who's navigating the world with these conditions.
Each week, we share stories from the incredible Spoony community in our newsletter, podcast, and on social media. Share your story with us.