Category: Coworkers

Children & Families, Coworkers, Dyspraxia, Masking / Passing, Relationships / Bullies / Friendships, Substack
Image of a jail cell with two bunkbeds inside.

If School Felt Like a Prison, You Might Be Neurodivergent – The Hidden Curriculum That Punishes Neurodivergent Kids

Lyric Holmans

Growing up, school was one of the worst experiences of my life, for many reasons.
Unfortunately, though some Neurodivergent young people love and enjoy their school years, for many of us who are Neurodivergent, school can be very difficult because it is often the first system we’re pushed into that is not designed in a way that supports our needs (pressuring us to conform to neuro-normative ideals and norms that may be out of reach for us, especially if we don’t have our basic needs met).

That’s why struggling in school, for many of us, can be one of the first signs that we might be Neurodivergent. Continue reading If School Felt Like a Prison, You Might Be Neurodivergent – The Hidden Curriculum That Punishes Neurodivergent Kids

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Photo of Lyric, with a freshly shaved head, and the long middle part pulled back. They are posing for the camera, giving a shoulder and a closed-mouth smirk. They’re also wearing a black tank top and posing in their RV.

The Mystery Sickness That Almost Killed My Career (Before I Knew I Was Autistic): The 6-Year Burnout – What Corporate America Did to My AuDHD Brain

Lyric Holmans

To cope with my differences before AD (before Autism Diagnosis), I managed my life by leaning heavily into my skills, strengths, and abilities, while avoiding my weaknesses like they were a deadly sickness (because I would often become physically unwell whenever I put myself under too much stress). Continue reading The Mystery Sickness That Almost Killed My Career (Before I Knew I Was Autistic): The 6-Year Burnout – What Corporate America Did to My AuDHD Brain

Coworkers, Family, Masking / Passing, Relationships / Bullies / Friendships, Substack2 Comments
A person wearing a box on their head that has a frown drawn on it.

Shutdowns and Unspoken Pain: The Weight of Repressed Emotions and Unmet Needs

Lyric Holmans

Isolated. Hurting… Ashamed. I’ve spoken about the reasons I feel that Autistic overloads are not that different from overloads in non-autistics in the past (on multiple occasions). Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much more I’ve been asked to “put away” … Continue reading Shutdowns and Unspoken Pain: The Weight of Repressed Emotions and Unmet Needs

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Baby Lyric is obsessed with the buttons on the phone. They want to know HOW the phone works because it seems magical.

Autism and “Social Difficulties” – How Sensory and Motor Control Differences Can Make Socializing Difficult for Me as an Autistic Person

Lyric Holmans

Sensory obstacles are one of the biggest hindrances to my ability to communicate and socialize with others. There are a few reasons for this.

One way sensory things create an obstacle for me is that most social events are sensory nightmares by design.

Put a bunch of people in one indoor space, and it is almost always going to be more than my brain can handle (or if I survive it, I will then be exhausted and hung over – without touching alcohol).

If I turn down an invitation, people often take it personally, thinking I don’t want to spend time with them. Continue reading Autism and “Social Difficulties” – How Sensory and Motor Control Differences Can Make Socializing Difficult for Me as an Autistic Person

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Photo of Lyric in a grey blazer, black undershirt, and red pants. They have their medium-length hair down and are smiling to the side in front of a bold orange and teal sunset. On the image is the text that reads: I AM Autistic and Proud - Lyric Rivera, NeuroDivergent Rebel.

Embracing my Autistic Identity: Do you ever get the feeling you are finally becoming who you were meant to be?

Lyric Holmans

I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on who I used to be when I did not yet know I was Autistic, as well as who I am now (that I’ve known the truth about my mind for over seven years).

Continue reading Embracing my Autistic Identity: Do you ever get the feeling you are finally becoming who you were meant to be?