The awake project
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Friday 16 May 2025 18:43:43 GMT
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ash :
What are the sources of the evidence for good sleep hygiene for neurodivergent people being opposite to the common advice? I'd love to look at that in more detail.
2025-07-07 01:49:56
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Eclesoterica :
A weird comfort/coping thing for me is just hand copying non-fiction books and articles on history. I don't know why, but I find it so soothing, and it makes me sleepy after about 30 minutes so it's great for calming before bed.
2025-05-16 18:54:07
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leaftoes :
Mindfulness can also be harmful imo. Not all of us are meant to be mindful at all hours of the day especially when I’m overstimulated 90% of the time.
2025-06-13 18:43:46
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user4247922050493 :
What always amazes me is when they tell you to “gently push away any thoughts that come through” as if it is one single thought floating on a cloud and not an army of ten million people with weapons. I be exhausted fighting a losing battle. I don’t go to therapy anymore, I think it’s for people with single thoughts on clouds
2025-07-13 17:10:03
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Steve Larson900 :
We are AUDHD w/ complex trauma, also decades of meditation. Unfortunately, many people, esp. therapists, seem to equate it with “quieting” the mind. That’s harmful whether you are ND or not. The real goal is simply to observe and learn how your mind works, not stop anything or have a particular experience.
2025-05-18 00:32:57
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Seb :
Yeah no quieting the mind is like an agression to me. But mindful meditation, the kind that’s about acceptance and feeling everything there is, including thoughts, that helps because it’s the fighting that’s exhausting. And sometimes when I think too much it’s also because there is something I don’t want to feel, so actually feeling it helps bring the thinking to a more reasonable level. Western meditation has gotten so far from its roots it’s insane.
2025-06-04 06:14:15
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AuDHD Teacher :
💯 Aphantasiac so no mental imagery… and my inner monologue never ceases. Even if I focus on my breath or imagine music, I still have nonverbal ‘echoes’ of thoughts. Hypnosis is also a fail, but guided progressive muscle relaxation works.
2025-05-17 04:03:40
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Absolutely :
Walking my dogs outside is very meditative. Also, I walk at my area botanic garden. It seems movement and nature are my thing.
2025-05-16 19:19:21
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KTmakesstuff :
Thank you so much for this. You hit on a lot of things that resonated for me and I have felt gaslit about while in my MSW and working with therapists.
2025-06-19 22:58:15
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David Andersen :
I believe many people struggle with meditation ND or NT. Meditation is a practice it takes time and discipline. Out of most people I know I’d say most don’t meditate because it’s difficult. Meditation isn’t shutting your brain off, it’s addressing what’s is coming up.
2025-05-16 23:20:51
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Shelby Morris53 :
I have to fall asleep with the Tv on. it has to be something a bit boring but interesting enough my brain can focus on it. Re runs are my go to… currently back to watching Bones.
2025-05-21 19:36:25
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carlo.2222 :
Thanks, Dr. waters. I have ADHD, c-ptsd and a “mood” disorder and “thought” disorder. Not sure about Autism, guessing no. I do find that hyper focusing can help, but since my cognitive health is in the toilet, that really is not an option. I do listen to music and scroll and that helps. Looking forward to experiencing more of your content. Thanks again
2025-06-17 20:51:23
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lidachuu :
Audhd-er here: the kind of meditation therapists teach is BS. I’ve been doing martial arts for 30 years, and so much traditional meditation is in movement. It works so well for me - I hyper focus on the movement.
2025-05-17 23:32:20
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cherokeys :
You mean I'm not just failing at it? 🎉🎉
2025-05-16 19:24:47
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MargoCo :
So love this content and the comments! As an ND and an ND therapist, mindfulness (the kind that doesn’t cause distress!!!) can be very important to help us with interoception and to exercise the EF “muscle” to practice bringing the attention back to what we want to focus on. This is often a brain “workout,” which is great AND we also need the type of “mindfulness” that is like a stim - those seem like 2 different goals. I liken the 2nd one like a cool cloth to my aching, chattering, tired brain.
2025-06-24 14:36:58
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Lover of the Bees :
Is this why I get depressed on weekends when I don’t have things for my brain to work on?
2025-06-24 13:04:21
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HalfBakedScubaGirl :
I've had a good experience when I use guided meditation. Finding the right ones that give me something to focus on instead of just sitting and breathing.
2025-05-16 18:55:40
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slaitch :
I absolutely cannot meditate. I will end up thinking about the sensations of my body, or every noise I hear, or just the fact that I can't stop thinking. It is so frustrating. I also cannot turn off my brain when I go to bed--the only way I can fall asleep is listening to an audiobook that I have heard many times before
2025-05-18 18:53:43
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morethanimeanttosay :
I think this is misunderstanding how to meditate. If the mediation is simply being present, letting thoughts flow past without attaching to them, without valuing them good or bad, it is not anti-ADHD.
2025-05-18 01:32:16
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JayneDoh57 :
Oddly, I can meditate, sometimes, and it can be very relaxing. Other times (esp when I try to ‘force it’) I am WAY MORE agitated afterward than I started out. I’ve learned to abandon the effort if it doesn’t come rather naturally, and not ‘beat myself up’ for ‘failing’. Rather, it just wasn’t the right time. 🤷♀️
2025-05-17 18:38:23
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Shirley Marie :
meditative practices are not typically about quieting your mind though? calm/safe place exercises can be really distressing(i typically avoid them with clients) but there are other types of practices that can be helpful (i'm a psychologist who works mostly with cptsd and have a lot of neurodivergent folks too).
2025-05-21 12:38:05
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Tomorrow (Amy’s Version) :
Not only meditation, but guided imagery and journaling. None is effective for me and many clients….options and alternatives! I always try to psycho-educate about the purpose or goal of the exercise and then we brainstorm how to achieve that together.
2025-05-18 12:08:08
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lma :
i have a flat glass disc filled with sand in a liquid. tipping it causes the sand to pour. i set my timer for 20 min and focus on it. sometimes i reset timer 3 or more times. as long as i need or as much time as i have. watching each grain of sand pile up quiets my mind most times.
2025-05-18 03:30:23
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IyaLGE :
When I use meditation I use an app to help guide me & yes it took practice- lots of it to get there - it is possible… w just have to practice it daily. Cuz it is a “practice.” ND brains are sooooooo maliable - that’s what we’re not focusing on… we need to adjust our angles just a degree or two 📐📐📐
2025-05-18 11:51:22
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punkerelli :
Meditation sucks! I found that following along with Tai Chi YT videos, crocheting, and paint by numbers, and bilateral music work the best to quiet my mind. And always use comfort movies to fall asleep. cPTSD for me, just got a no for ADHD, struggling to get autism testing.
2025-05-17 21:36:52
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