In my last post, I talked about the reactions I’ve had because of my ADHD. Even today, almost twenty years after I first found out I have ADHD, I still face similar issues. My own family used to treat me like I was mentally ill. My half-brother and my cousin, who I almost never had contact with, deliberately reached out to people I knew to tell them about 'my illness' and supposed drug use. I was pushed away, both socially and by my own relatives. That was about ten years ago. It wasn’t that they directly said, 'We don’t want you anymore!,' but they treated me with so little respect and decency that I felt I had to distance myself to protect my self-worth. That was the smartest decision of my life, and I encourage anyone in a similar toxic situation to consider doing the same. I find my happiness and contentment within myself, in nature, and with all the kind people who give me hope.

Not only was that extremely hurtful, but it also caused lasting damage to my reputation, because it obviously carries weight when people who are supposedly close to me make such claims. Even today, I can still counter such allegations. That's why it's important to be careful with such claims.

ADHD often comes with a lot of positive traits, like thinking in unconventional and flexible ways, and yes, I can even use my impulsiveness in a good way. While I might not be able to go to bars or other crowded places with too much sensory input, you can have a wonderful time with me in nature or enjoy some creative fun. I might not be able to do every job, but what I can do, I do really well. My self-worth has never depended on what others think of me, and that’s exactly why I’ve often clashed with people. Even in school, people tried to make me believe I had low self-esteem because I didn’t follow the crowd. But by not doing so, I actually showed the opposite of what they tried to project onto me. Life is too beautiful to waste it on feeling ashamed for others. If you meet me in the tall grass, get ready to be tackled! 🌾👀🌿

Hi there! 🙃 Today I want to tell you something about what the society around me means in relation to my ADHD. First of all, reactions to my condition can be categorized into three basic types:

1) Understanding individuals

2) People who deny the existence of ADHD or attribute it to everyone (it doesn't exist, everyone has it)

3) People who either cannot or will not realize the difference between ADHD and mental illness

It must first be clarified:
ADHD exists, and no, not everyone has it. There are many different manifestations, so those affected should be taken seriously when they talk about the difficulties they face, as well as their abilities.

ADHD is not a mental illness. A person with ADHD does not have a defective cog in their gear, as some (sometimes intentionally) misunderstand. ADHD is a neurological developmental disorder that is quite complex but has nothing at all to do with mental illnesses.

I am glad that there are some people who belong to the first group. As a social being, I, like everyone else, rely on understanding and acceptance. 🥰

However, the other two groups represent a burden:

When people deny the existence of such a disorder, everything falls into the category of character/personality. Symptoms that are difficult or impossible to control are used to paint a negative picture of the personality. The affected person receives no support and cannot change it themselves or not sufficiently. This often leads to depression or even suicide due to isolation and failure.

By equating ADHD with a mental illness, the affected person is practically denied everything. One no longer needs to take seriously what the affected person does or says. The affected person tries their best to address issues but is only laughed at, and behind their back, it's said that they are ill and - at best - to avoid hurting their feelings, people pretend to take them seriously. This essentially has the same consequences as the previous point about denying the existence of ADHD, but adds a more insidious layer.

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Saying goodbye to my friends for my summer break! It's the perfect time. It's far too hot to do anything.

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Walks in the woods sound like a good idea to me.

Instagram's algorithms will let you all see this:
An excerpt from Intuition 🌿 (2023), color-enhanced.

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That's how wrinkles form. And I think it's beautiful. ✨️ The special effect of my smile is that it is always a little crooked.😁 My upper teeth are super straight and close together, but my upper jaw is not straight like most people's.

That's because I had braces as a teenager, but not until the end of the procedure. My orthodontist told me that everyone would laugh at me because of it. But actually, I have only received positive reactions to my smile my entire life.🌞

🧒🔍 I think wrinkles are very beautiful - also on women. Some people only smile with their mouths because they want to avoid wrinkles. I think a smiling face that also includes the eyes looks more natural and friendly. It strengthens the facial muscles and contributes to a healthy and lively expression.

Wrinkles are a part of life and often tell a story of joy and lived moments. An authentic smile that reaches the eyes can increase well-being and promote positive interactions.

😊🍀 Instead of worrying about wrinkles, it might be better to focus on a happy and fulfilled life, which is reflected in a genuine and warm smile.

Dakota, nine years ago today. Dakota was almost 3 and I was 29. Dakota hasn't changed much, but I'm different now. I find that time can be really confusing. Nine years isn't really a lot, but somehow it is.

Sometimes it just rains all summer long 🤷‍♂️

Catching fireflies in a maize field 🌌✨️

🙃💭 At the intersection between 'Peace Linden' and 'Wall Street'. A wall serves as a fortification and protection. It is a means of fulfilling the need for peace. But if everyone isolates themselves, there can be no exchange and mutual understanding. The needs of one party can change, and those who do not identify with others could feel justified in using their strengths to their advantage.

🌤🌱😎 I think that what I am doing on Instagram and other social media is very important. People's connection to nature has diminished greatly over the course of industrialization and urbanization. This is also reflected in the media landscape, where nature has become increasingly less important over the last 200 years. While people are losing this connection, we are losing more and more species, and with the loss of this diversity we are putting our livelihoods at great risk. I impart knowledge and perspectives, and give nature an emotional closeness.🍀🐞

You can find more information on my website (link in profile). There you will also find more data on the species presented and my artwork. Since I do everything myself, there is a lot of work involved. I appreciate your moral support. 💚💛🧡

I am a great ape! 🐵🍌

Even in my childhood I was interested in the systematic classification of living things. I was given a set of a few thousand information cards. There was a picture on the front and information on the back. There was also a large index card box. I sorted all living things according to their relationship. Humans and their ancestors were listed in a separate family, which was next to the great apes. However, this made no sense to me. The fact that chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than to orangutans told me that they must at least be in the same family, or each should have their own family.

When I was at school, humans were not considered great apes. The idea that humans are just apes is still met with a lot of rejection today. But not in science, where, based on genetic research, humans are listed in a common family, the great apes (Hominidae), together with the orangutan, gorilla and chimpanzee species.

Many people, even those who are inclined towards scientific explanations of evolution, have a problem with this because they see it as a threat to the uniqueness and specialness of humans.

I often argued with my mother that humans are animals. She - who studied biology - was strictly against this. She said that humans have unique characteristics and abilities and that the mind is something that separates us from animals. A widely held view - still today. I do not share this. Humans are animals and, like every animal species, humans have special abilities. The mental abilities that were once only attributed to humans have long been observed in other animal species - albeit in different ways: self-knowledge, logic, language, culture, grief and more. But the idea that animals are similar to us in their perception and thinking is a tough pill for humanity to swallow.