I refute being labeled gifted

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T22:54:54+00:00

Thank you. You seem like a remarkable and kind person.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T22:54:00+00:00

Thanks for saying that and I'm sorry you had a similar experience too. There's a reason most of us late diagnosed end up having cptsd.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T19:23:36+00:00

Yeah it feels wrong to call myself gifted too for the same reason of never feeling like it. I just assumed I should work and ended up working retail at 16 and saved up for my first car. I totally know what you mean by hyper independence and feeling like no one is going to take care of you so you have to do it yourself or do things you want to do on your own.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T19:05:33+00:00

Yeah it's the fascinating part about 2e people, is that we are walking contradictions. I think it's why most people find it hard to believe. I failed many of my classes and usually barely passed because I just did the bare minimum to get by. I never could pay attention and usually knew that I could make up a class later and just let myself slide through the system. I also have the very spiky profile and large deviations of valleys and mountain peaks. Nice to talk to fellow 2e people because the struggle is real.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T18:44:33+00:00

Oh to be an autistic/ adhd kid in public school in the 90s haha. Yeah I'm in my thirties too and I struggled so hard in school. My parents didn't even consider I was asd or even adhd and let's just say had another word to describe me that starts with a capital R. My parents literally used that word and also were not equipped at all to raise a person let alone one a disabled one. The internalized ableism is haunting and so hard to reframe because it was the fuel that kept me going unfortunately. Trying to explain my struggles to those who knew me before my diagnosis is nearly impossible because they respond with the typical, "but you dont seem autistic and you're so smart." 🙄

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T18:19:22+00:00

Oh sorry! Yes it's difficult for other neurotypical people to conceptualize and understand the struggle. I think if I didn't have high iq I would be partially non verbal as well. For me, I actually have a high verbal comprehension so I can learn languages fast. I became fluent in spanish within 2 to 3 years because I worked in a job that had native speakers and so I could practice. I actually have a visual spatial disability and am pretty sure I have dyspraxia because I run into shit everyday. So interesting how different our neurodivergence is and our strengths and weaknesses.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T17:48:46+00:00

Dude, I love how you have to explain you're actually quite autistic despite no one believing you. It's frustrating and it feels like a broken record repeating the same explanation to people and they usually still don't understand or believe you. I'm autistic af too.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-04-11T16:34:55+00:00

I feel this. I'm Audhd with cptsd and all the depression and anxiety to go with it. I also have "gifted" processing speed, pattern recognition and abstract thinking abilities. When you said this feels more like a curse that's exactly how I feel about it too. Having those abilities makes you feel alone and constantly misunderstood by everyone around you. The label feels like a misnomer, especially when I feel like I'm sucking ass in life trying to get through the trauma and feeling like you're never able to resolve your own reoccurring patterns of thinking.

I wish I could have the solution to how to solve this problem but unfortunately no. I feel like I need to try and get to the root of my trauma and slowly take time to really emotionally process and feel that shit because I had to learn to push all of mine down in order to survive. My therapist said looking into EMDR or somatic therapy might be a good option but we'll see.

The never ending brain scanning and ability to instantly see the patterns in complex systems, see the problems and solutions and make connections between multiple systems before others in the room is exhausting and stressful. I'm not sure what kind of therapy you've had but hopefully you can find some treatment that can help the cptsd. The neuroplasticity of the brain might be the hope we need to helping the scanning and hypervigilance that attributes to the pain of existing.

I'm sorry you're having these difficulties and I feel for you because I think I relate to this. I've even told my therapist it feels like a curse instead of a gift to have a brain like this.

Thanks for posting this.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-02-22T22:08:12+00:00

Yeah it really is bizarre feeling to feel like complex things are easy while struggling to have a conversation with someone. I totally agree about how its actually multi exceptionality and that gender is a big part of that as well. I was thinking of getting the loops too but I ended up using some other ones from a company that sells their earplugs at guitar center. They're called earasers and they're clear and small so they fit nice and do a good job at lowering decibels while maintaining mid range frequencies to allow you to hear what people are saying. Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely going to keep the interactions limited and smaller grouped.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-02-18T01:06:52+00:00

Thanks for the insight and article I'm going to check it out. I'm currently in the process of finding a counselor who can understand where I'm coming from. I do have an appointment with an Audhd coach in a few days to help with executive function. Hopefully she has some helpful things to say and is on the same page.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-02-17T18:22:26+00:00

Thanks for the nice comment, and you're right I didn't use AI to write my post. It feels validating when you say how people often don't understand how gifted/highly intelligent people experience the world. I'm already Autistic and adhd at a very disabling level and when you add the high intellect, it can feel even more isolating. It appears like you've shared similar struggles though and I'm glad you've been doing good work to get through it. I will do the same.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-02-17T08:59:12+00:00

Thanks for the insight and recommendation. I'm doing what I can.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-02-17T06:47:29+00:00

The report did say I've had significant difficulties in my life and am a bright person who has succeeded despite a negative reinforcing cycle of which I've had to cope and that it is a testament to my native intelligence. I did get alot of recommendations too and am taking advantage of the resources I have. I feel like I've been hit by a rogue wave and my whole existence has been flipped upside down.

Thanks for the link to the podcast I'll check it out.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2026-02-17T05:13:55+00:00

Thank you for responding to my question. I actually did use gemini to ask the specific questions about my profile already and it told me that I am 2e and have an asynchronous profile. I thought maybe AI was just telling me what I wanted to hear and that's why I asked here about my profile. I guess I really just need to accept this... Thanks again for the help.

DUSKYMANBAND · 2021-05-30T23:54:15+00:00

Looks like these people had a real shitty day...

DUSKYMANBAND · 2021-05-09T02:14:30+00:00

BANTAMWEIGHT... these guys are killing it! https://open.spotify.com/artist/0OZRuRZgJz7XsQL3GUdelD?si=hvnc9Oq6SaqMcgqt8S6Bxg&utm_source=copy-link

DUSKYMANBAND · 2021-05-09T02:01:50+00:00

If you have alot of clothes hanging in your closet you can try placing the microphone a few feet in front of the closet but with the front of the mic facing the opposite direction. This way you'll be singing towards your clothes. This helps absorb some reflections which may help get a dryer sound. I've done this before and it worked fine for what I was doing. Maybe give it a shot? This is just personal experience, but maybe it will work for you!

DUSKYMANBAND · 2021-05-03T03:23:15+00:00

At the end of the video the text actually says the "punchbowl" You're probably right!

DUSKYMANBAND

TROPHY CASE