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submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by isaaclyman@lemmy.world to c/adhd@lemmy.world

Regular reminder that being an asshole is not a symptom of any form of neurodivergence. (You can replace “neurodivergent” with depressed, anxious, bipolar, etc. and the diagram works equally well)

ETA: social faux pas, awkwardness, and genuine symptoms of neurodivergence don’t make you an asshole. I shouldn’t have to say this? An “asshole” is someone who enacts a pattern of abusive, controlling, harassing, and/or harmful behavior with no remorse or concern for how other people are affected.

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[-] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

The thing about the neuros is most of the time they don't know they're being assholes. The actual assholes do, and don't care. If you explain to a neuro they are being asshole they will almost always try to change

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Some neuros are assholes but choice. It takes a lot of effort not to be an asshole sometimes.

[-] atrielienz@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

A business is not obligated to tear out every stairway to make a ramp because some of its users require a wheel chair. In the same vein, not every social interaction where a person who is neurodivergent (diagnosed or not) hurts the feelings of another person is necessarily them being an asshole. Another commenter said something about how intent matters. They're right. It does.

However it matters for both parties. It's situational and it's important to remember that a lot of social interactions involve misunderstandings because there is a lack of communication from both sides and a set of different expectations on both sides.

I don't necessarily think it's fair to view every social interaction through the light of who is the injured party. We don't do that to people with physical conditions. You wouldn't accuse a person in a wheel chair of being an asshole for having an expectation of accessibility. But that's because society as a whole has come to an understanding (by force) that accessibility for these physical conditions is important.

I don't think society has come to that realization about ND people, nor do I think that the average person looks at ND behaviors and adapts to them in a meaningful way.

So when people have an expectation based on Neurotypical behavior and a ND person doesn't meet that expectation, do they recalibrate at all to temper the expectations?

One of the commenters here gave an example about working with a ND person and the response the rest of their co-workers had to another person calling them out for it in a fit of anger. The thing is, it should not have gotten to that point. And it's not just because others should have been setting good boundaries in a healthy way about that behavior. It's also because they should have been tempering their expectations and not overcompensating for that ND person in an unhealthy way.

Part of the problems we're seeing between NT's and ND's have a lot to do with communication and an inability to compromise or at the very least try to find resolution in healthy ways.

[-] BitchPeas@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago
[-] Emmie@lemm.ee 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Also You will always be a bad person in someone’s eyes, it’s unavoidable. Trick is to make this number small enough to still be accepted in social groups so you can attain the holy triad of Family, House, Health.

In other words - Get rid of witnesses

[-] Dkarma@lemmy.world 0 points 4 days ago

Easier to not be a shithead but u do u

[-] Emmie@lemm.ee 0 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

the point is there is always someone who will call you a shithead. It’s unavoidable fact of life

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[-] douglasg14b@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago

One of the largest problems for a neurodivergent people is neurotypicals misunderstanding how they communicate and assuming that they are being an asshole simply based on how neurotypical people communicate or miscommunicate with each other.

Not understanding or playing into the neurotypical communication method of constantly lying by way of direction and expecting others to read between the lines often comes off as being an asshole or worse if they assume that you have unmentioned motives.

[-] enbyecho@lemmy.world -1 points 4 days ago

Oh please. Get over yourself.

[-] metaStatic@kbin.earth 2 points 4 days ago

Jokes on you I don't have to be friends with anyone

[-] stevedice@sh.itjust.works 0 points 3 days ago

I'm pretty sure it is a symptom of BPD.

[-] ThotIWasSomebody@lemmy.world -3 points 4 days ago

Neurodivergent people: Trying their best to fit into society

You: Fuck those assholes.

As someone who is neurodivergent and operates at an engineering level, when I'm under pressure I can sometimes be an asshole unintentionally. I try my best to recognize when I do this and apologize when I can. It's not something I can help. It's impulsive which means it's hard to control.

Here you are telling everyone that I am not deserving of compassion or understanding and should be written off as an asshole.

Do you know what it's like being neurodivergent? How people treat you when they find out? I now have to be on my best behavior at all times or I could get labeled an asshole and therefore deserve nothing according to you.

Sometimes mental illness is like having a stab wound in your gut and you have to act like everything is fine. It's not always possible in all situations.

To say this post lacks awareness is an understatement.

[-] OmegaLemmy@discuss.online 3 points 4 days ago

Man I got NPD and even I would find it weird for people to like me just because they know I have NPD like you don't gonna deal with the shit, if they can't help being assholes then step it up

[-] ThotIWasSomebody@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Sorry but I don't understand what you are saying with your first point. Is your second point literally "you need to step up your mental illness game?"

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago

Neurodivergence is not metal illness. You can not "cure" what is not broken. Trying to do so is what causes serious childhood trama. Neurodivergence is tied to communication differences and a differences in how the brain works.

For more information look up the double empathy problem.

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this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2025
679 points (96.2% liked)

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