It's PMDD, bitch

A blog about PMDD by an autistic trans guy, FML

[explorationsinlove]

If you take out one of the outer weighted circles on your fidget spinner you can use it with one hand.

Slightly see-saw it back and forth and let gravity do the work, as demonstrated here (ft. Gracie):

[itspmddbitch]

I feel like I'm slightly bad at this

[woo-inattentive]

"there are people who have it worse than you" is honestly just not a helpful thing to say to somebody who is struggling

[itspmddbitch]

If your therapist says this, you unironically need to think about getting a different one. It's invalidating, it minimizes what you're going through, it's just...not good therapy. It's not good human, even. And why would thinking about people who have it worse make me feel better? It's quite the opposite, in fact. Thinking about people who have it worse makes me feel like shit. Because the fact that other people suffer is, quite frankly, sad.

[itspmddbitch]

App recommendations for executive dysfunction

1) Habitica

It's an app that gamifies your to-do list and your habits in the form of an RPG. It rewards you with various pets, advancing levels, items, etc. You can also do quests, join guilds (there is an ADHD one and an autism one), form a party to play with friends, and more. And there is an active subreddit and a wiki, and overall a very active community!

2) Routinery

An app that helps you build routines. Routines are super helpful for people with impaired executive function (watch this video for a great explanation of why that is). What I like about this particular app, and what sets it apart from other routine apps is that the routines are very flexible. If you start the routine late, the entire routine moves forward. I'm not entirely sure how to describe it but you'll get it when you try it out. You tap "start" on your routine, and the app notifies you with a chime when the time comes to move on to the next task in your routine. I would advise starting with a simple routine of a few steps, and adding more steps over time.

3) Bearable

By far the best symptom-tracking app I have tried. You can use it to track your symptoms, mood and energy levels. You can also keep track of your medication, of when you've taken it, of the dosage, etc. as well as set reminders for it. The app can also track other factors, such as how much sleep you're getting, what hobbies and chores you've been doing, your exercise levels, food and water intake, blood pressure, heart rate, step count, and pretty much anything you can think of.

4) Time Timer

This app is great for those who have a bad sense of time. It's a visual timer. Many people with ADHD find this app to be very helpful. There isn't that much more to say about it, it only does one thing and it does it well.

[itspmddbitch]

[itspmddbitch]

Source: https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/are-you-dying-or-is-it-the-same-period-youve-had-every-month-since-you-were-a-teenager-20210223205572

[itspmddbitch]

Executive dysfunction hacks

1) For doing the dishes

Use dishwashing gloves. Get yourself a pair of nice ones that are made of thick latex and soft on the inside if you can. This will minimize the bad sensory experience of touching gross wet food, and you'll be able to use the hottest water possible, which makes cleaning easier.

If you are sensitive to smells, use unscented dish soap, or a dish soap that has a smell you like.

Instead of filling up the entire sink with water, only fill up individual dishes with water. For example, fill up a mug with hot water, and put the cutlery inside to soak. Fill up bowls with hot water and stack them on top of each other. You get the benefits of soaking without the incredible inconvenience of turning your kitchen sink into a filthy pond of gross, stagnant water.

2) For the bathroom

Get yourself a sponge with a handle on it, one of those that come with a reservoir for soap. Fill it up with dish soap and keep it in your bathtub or shower. That way, whenever you're showering, you can use that opportunity to give your bathtub or shower a quick scrub.

3) General hacks

Set your timer for 20 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, whatever you can handle. Then do the thing (you know, that thing you don't feel like doing) for the duration of this self-alloted time. And once the time has passed, you reward yourself, because you fucking deserve it. Example rewards: watching an episode of your favourite TV show, reading a good novel, etc. It helps to also set a timer for the reward. I often alternate 20 minutes of watching an episode of a TV show, with 20 minutes of doing a chore. This is an adaptation of the 20/10 idea from Unfuck Your Habitat.

If you can't handle taking out the garbage until later (for whatever reason), double-bag it so that it doesn't stink up your apartment and leak garbage juice. Yeah yeah, it's wasteful, you're using two garbage bags...look, who cares. Better to use twice as many garbage bags than live in an apartment that smells like garbage.

Use an app that gamifies your to-do list, such as Habitica (I might make a separate post with app recommendations).

[itspmddbitch]

My life for two weeks out of every month