Curate, connect, and discover
I’ve seen some debates about whether having a pretty word for a symptom actually makes any difference, and I’m here to say that it did for at least one person.
I recently learned that sensory overload is something adhd people can experience too, and learning a word for why I always felt “sick” and had to go to the nurse in middle school brought me so much peace. When I learn terminology for my experiences, I feel validated.
It’s like proof that I’m not just being dramatic or weak. Kind of like when I realized that the reason I’ve never been any good at sports was because I’ve had asthma all along. I thought I just tired out quickly.
It’s like having a name for my struggle gives me power over it.
So, TLDR: Terminology can help us feel validated in our experiences, and that can be a great encouragement.