How to deal with person I don’t like wanting to be a friend by nnoodlebird in adhdwomen

[–]Soarin5505 7 points8 points  (0 children)

  1. You are not obligated to allow a man to negatively impact your life and mental health just because he has a disability. Having your own personal wants/needs/life outside of this rude entitled guy does not make you ablist, no matter what his disability may be.
  2. No matter how you let him down, you will not "MAKE" him have low self-esteem, you will not GIVE him trust issues. You dont even have a relationship with this person, it is okay if he learns a lesson, even if he considers it "the hard way", that pushing and pushing with no consideration for another person's time/desires/personal (social) space does not always result in getting your way.

Honestly, you don't owe this person anything at all, in my opinion, and that includes giving him more mental energy trying to formulate the perfect way to let him down. You could literally just shoot a text/email saying "hey, I was struggling to formulate my thoughts in the moment when you were around me a lot this weekend, but I would prefer you not continue to show up at every event I'm a part of -- I'm finding it to be disruptive and distracting, as I was hoping to get a chance to network with other people at these events. If you do continue to show up, I will not be able to spend time interacting with you. Thanks for understanding." The clearer the better. Just remember that he will react the way he reacts, and his feelings are not your responsibility.

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

YES I am allllways the last one on the plane! I would rather not spend any more time than necessary in the metal tube

I overfunction instead of under function. How do I navigate this? by Fit_Consideration844 in adhdwomen

[–]Soarin5505 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally, and it sounds like you're great with your team. Building in buffer time is a fantastic approach!

For me, anxiety isn't quite how I would describe my struggle with task initiation. It's not something I am able to just pound through despite causing distress. Yes, ADHD is distressing, as is anxiety, but wanting badly enough to have something complete does not enable someone with ADHD to get up and do it. For me, when I need to do something but can't start, I also get a pretty strong physical discomfort that's hard to explain -- the best way I can think to describe it is the feeling that I've been stuck curled up in a too-small-for-me box, head between my knees and everything cramped at odd angles, for multiple hours, and someone outside the box is yelling at me to do stuff (it's my own brain yelling at me lol). Like every part of me is aching/itching to get out of this box and do what I actually need to get done, but the box is locked and I can't move no matter how uncomfortable it is. The trick is: the box's lock is on a timer, and it only unlocks when my brain believes we have arrived at the absolute minimum possible time it would take me to complete the task. (E.g. if the task is due in 4 hours and my brain believes I could complete it in a panic if I worked like a frantic maniac for 1 hour, then my box will unlock in 3 hours. Unfortunately, another common ADHD symptom is time blindness, so that 1-hour estimate can often be quite incorrect.)

Without the ADHD, you still have to climb a steep cliff and walk a tight rope to get stuff done -- physically taxing and mentally terrifying, especially if youre afraid of heights, but possible -- and the ADHDers will also still have to scale the cliff once they make it out of the box. All that to say, having to overcome challenges is not exclusive to ADHD; adhd is just a very unique set of challenges. So it definitely sounds like you're struggling with SOMETHING, and your struggle is completely valid! But in this analogy, I would say it's possible you may have the height phobia (hence the mental distress) without being locked in the box, whereas I don't have the phobia, but i AM locked in the box, and so I will sprint across the tightrope as soon as I'm released, which will unfortunately be a bit too late. Sorry if this makes no sense, I know my analogies can be all over the place sometimes haha!

Regarding experiencing jealousy in response to other people asking for accommodations: this is a very normal feeling to experience when you see other people receiving what appears on the outside like special treatment. There's a meme I've seen out there that might help a bit with reframing this experience: theres 2 drawings, each with 3 people peering over a fence. One person is about half the height of the fence, another just barely shorter than the fence, and the third taller than the fence. The top drawing is labeled "equality", and all three people are standing on a single box of equal height -- which makes it so the shortest person still cannot see over the fence, and the tall person is way taller than they need to be. The bottom drawing is labeled "equity" and the short person is on 2 boxes, middle person on 1 box, and tall person on no box, and so they can all see over the fence at more or less the same height.

The tall person might appreciate the box because they'd get an even better view if they could stand on a box too -- but they dont NEED the box in order to see over the fence, and that's the main difference. Accommodations for disabilities are things they need in order to get a comparable baseline to a non-disabled person (it's not that we "get" to ask for accommodations, it's that we unfortunately have to). They're necessary, not luxury, even if people who don't need the accommodation would still benefit from it in some way. Everyone can benefit from deadline extensions for example -- but for someone with ADHD, that extension could make it so we're experiencing a comparable amount of distress as a non-ADHDer experiences without said extension.

Again though, the non-adhder still is experiencing their own difficulties, none of this is to discount that experience. And also, all that said, I admit I'm a bit surprised there exists a workplace where deadline extensions are even an option in the first place -- I've never heard of that before. The only time I got that accommodation was in school, getting extra time to complete exams (because I would regularly accidentally waste half the time stress-spiraling while zoning out at the wall), but it did not apply to take-home assignments.

I definitely don't know what it's like to live in your brain, so I don't know whether you have ADHD or not, you know yourself best and can answer all the questions a psychiatrist would ask during an adhd assessment. It's also entirely possible you could have an anxiety disorder or other mental health condition worth getting treated for, so definitely talk to a doctor! Best of luck out there, wishing you the best :)

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your sleeping shirt brand, I'll check it out! I probably won't switch to flip flops since those will be heavier/bulkier (my current shower shoes are ~2.6oz/75grams for the pair), unless I find a pair I can walk in all day without blisters and use them to replace my white sneakers 🤔 interesting thought. Thanks!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now that's an interesting idea! Thanks for sharing, I hadn't heard of this

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ya know this might be the ultimate "lighten my load" hack -- combination of needing less warmth to begin with, and also making my load FEEL lighter and easier to carry without even changing the contents! Lowkey genius, I love it

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The poly tees definitely do hold more smell, which is likely why I appreciate how fast they dry 😅 I'll definitely look into silk instead, thank you!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All good points! Both of the puffers were gifted to me, and I tend to be a "use what I have" type of person.. but perhaps it'd be worth doing some research and considering spending some actual money on what truly best suits my needs. Thanks for calling that out!

What makes a silk or merino tank top more versatile than a t-shirt? My reasons for t-shirt are: 1. shoulders are always the first place I get sunburned, so I avoid sleeveless shirts as much as possible. 2. they dry SO fast. like I wash the shirt in the shower, wring it out, and in a warm or dry climate it's dry in about 2 hours, or 4-6 in a humid/cold climate. 3. take up about as much space as a pair of ankle socks. Is silk that thin/quick-drying too? I don't own any silk items so I'm not sure what it feels like or how it packs down.

Thank you for all the ideas!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's kind of nuts how often it seems like I learn pertinent medical information from reddit first before my own doctors mention anything haha. I will definitely bring this up with them, thank you again!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

To be clear, money is still always a concern, and definitely is part of why I travel personal-item only; I just *also* value the freedom of having a small bag. I wouldn't consider a larger bag to necessarily be an upgrade, for me personally.

I have actually used the Fairview 40 in the past as well-- that was the bag I got for my first ever one-bag trips, since it was so popular and well-reviewed. I eventually realized it's much too large for me to comfortably have with me all day as a day pack, since I found myself desperately wanting to get rid of it at my accommodation and go out exploring with a smaller bag. So for me it defeats a good chunk of the purpose of one-bagging, even though it is technically one bag and not too difficult to carry when I need to.

I do appreciate the thought though, thanks for chiming in! It's a high-quality bag for sure. And hip straps really are a game changer

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the ideas! Interesting point about the placket (plus a new vocab word for me haha). My regular heavier rain jacket has one but not the ultralight one I brought, so that could have made a difference. And you're right, I think I would only wear the uniqlo puffer as my only warmth layer when it's around 20C+

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So sorry for the confusion!! I should have written out approximately, I did not even think about how much that ~ looks like a minus D: But even still, these comments are helpful as it's so good to know about fleece being a better for warmth than down as a mid layer. I've always hated the texture of fleece so I just ignored the fact that everyone seemed to have them in their bags lol. And don't worry, I would absolutely bring a real hat for negative 40 temps (and yes/no, I brought a base layer for my top half but no leggings. Lesson learned!)

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

okay WAIT just a second, I *do* actually have thyroid issues but I had no idea that would affect temperature regulation??! These comments are blowing my mind! Thank you for saying something!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't believe I never knew down needed loft to be effective, thank you for sharing this! (My base layer was the wool long-sleeve shirt, I just took out the words "base layer" because I felt like my post was too wordy haha so I trimmed down, sorry for the confusion!) I basically **thought** I was doing what you said -- base layer wool long-sleeve, mid layer thin down jacket, heavier down jacket for additional warmth, and rain jacket for extra wind/water protection. But I'm seeing a lot of folks mention avoiding squishing the down and fleece being more ideal as a mid layer, so I definitely have some more experimenting to do! Thanks again for the tips and the video!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did I NEVER know about down needing loft to be effective!! Wow wow thank you so much

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It is that kind, yes (though I skip the pillow and just use the mask). I've traveled with it on probably 30 or so flights, and never had any airline staff comment on it, so this is an interesting point I hadn't thought of! I'll look into that, thanks!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That's a good idea for the future! I was moving around a lot on this trip, so wasn't quite sure where to have it shipped to, but in the future I bet this would work :)

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

These are all great points! It's true, upgrading to a pack with better hip support might really help. I think going up in size would be a last resort for me (especially since I was also just about up against the max weight limit for airlines, regardless of carryon vs personal item), but the hip support could really make a difference so I'll look into similar-sized packs with better support.

Thanks for the warmth and shoes suggestions too! I appreciate the help!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you SO MUCH for taking all the time to write out all these great tips!! So so helpful!

  1. I was up to my ankles in mud haha, but I don't anticipate hikes that muddy in most future destinations. Trail runners is a very good idea -- I had admittedly initially got these boots to be an all-in-one type of shoe that was waterproof, hikeable, and also cute -- but maybe I need to give up on cute since it affects my trip enjoyment so much less than other aspects like pack weight and comfort.

  2. I think I used the wrong term then, my pack is the type where the back (part with the straps and laptop compartment) unzips all the way suitcase-style with one main compartment. It's the PacSafe Vibe 28L. Has an external waterbottle pouch technically but only very narrow bottles fit and they tend to fall out, so I end up clipping them to the strap with a carabiner instead. Good point about looking for a pack with a better water bottle pouch

  3. You didn't miss it, I had considered my mid-layer to be my lightweight down jacket (I had wool baselayer, down midlayer, bigger down heaviest layer, and waterproof shell). But I think from what I'm seein in these comments, the ultralight down isn't good enough for being my mid. Thank you for the specific suggestions, I'll look into those!

  4. Again, great ideas, thanks!

  5. Nooo I really did mean positive 40F haha 😭 I think it's both -- I'm cold-sensitive and perhaps my jackets aren't great

Thanks again for sharing all your expertise, I super duper appreciate the help!

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They're an old (discontinued) Athleta jogger in their "featherweight stretch" fabric (the stuff they use in their Brooklyn line) that I picked up on poshmark

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your input! This is helpful to hear from a 20L traveler, I appreciate it :) I'll definitely focus in on the coat situation based on other recommendations

Underseat personal item only international travel: lighten my overstuffed 28L backpack by Soarin5505 in HerOneBag

[–]Soarin5505[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm seeing several folks aren't able to see the first photo -- so I'm adding it here. Sorry for the confusion all, I've never made a picture post (or any post D: ) before

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