Looking at ADHD differently, part 2

button for patreon

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We’d love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. You can also say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

This is the 2nd post in my series for ADHD Awareness Month, where I look through the lens of my work to try and raise awareness about ADHD from a different perspective.

As mentioned before, only a fraction of folk with ADHD display external hyperactivity, yet the hyperactivity is in everyone with ADHD. It’s in our brains.

These uncontrollable thoughts cause us to be distracted, forgetful, lose stuff, be late or whatever other deficit we display when compared to a neurotypical standard. Our brains are literally abuzz with so many trains of thought, giving the ‘bees in my head’ meme uncanny accuracy.

Like many neurodevelopmental conditions or mental illnesses, ADHD is measured and diagnosed by deficits. Yet it’s an unhelpful way to view the condition because it’s so much more than what we can’t do. It is a disability, we do need accommodations, and I hope to explore those more in other posts. But ADHD comes with upsides that too few of us get to make the most of.

One thing this incessant stream of ideas rewards us with is creative thinking. You might be inclined to say that ADHD folk think outside of the box but it’d be more accurate to say that when it comes to ADHD thinking, there is no box.

ADHD gives us a unique perspective on the world; we experience it differently to non-ADHD folks which can cause a lot of pain and difficulty, yet it can also provide us with insightful solutions. We’re brilliant problem solvers, especially when we’re allowed to indulge our interests.

We’re relentless; we can’t help it and our lack of a stop button is often detrimental to our health. Yet if an idea doesn’t work there’s a million more to explore and we can change track before you’ve understood the previous plan.

I use techniques out of context in unexpected situations with surprisingly satisfying results. I see Hat construction differently; I don’t know how not to see it the way I do. I continually try new things to stave off boredom. This is all my ADHD; my ADHD and me are inseparable.

Having gone undiagnosed for so long my self-confidence was non-existent. But that’s slowly changing. For years I’ve been told to slow down, that there was an accepted way to do things; that no-one would be interested in my off-the-wall ideas. I’ve finally accepted that I’m not doing things wrong just because doing things differently is my default setting.

——————-

The Windward Hat is sideways knit in DK yarn and was designed and published in 2007, 14 years ago. It received so many positive comments about how off-the-wall and unconventional the style was. There were also people who tried to advise me not to explore this slouchy style because no-one would be interested in wearing them. And yet, how common is this style now?

Woolly Wormhead

Woolly Wormhead is an internationally reknowned knit designer, specialising in Hats, technique and construction. Their patterns and techniques have been used by thousands of knitters worldwide. Join The Woolly Hat Society to be the first to learn of their latest projects and special offers!

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *