The Great Outdoors, the out-of-doors, the open air – whatever you call it – they’re all phrases we use for getting out into nature. As many disabled people know, it’s not so easy to even get out the house. Now, I’m not what you would call ‘outdoorsy’ – I’m basically the human version of Melman (please let me know if you know the reference!), and if you gave me choice, I’d definitely stay indoors!

I’m an anxious, disabled AuDHDer – so leaving my home is difficult enough as it is! I’ve come up with my own list of pros and cons.

Pros

• Natural Vitamin D (which, annoyingly, is a huge benefit to my low levels)
• Dogs (forever thinking of the dog I met that jumped up my wheelchair because his owner was also in a wheelchair 🥹)
• listening to my favourite songs (currently: K-pop Demon Hunters soundtrack)
• A little treat at the end of it (seriously, this is a big reason why I go out)
• Dopamine! (Fuming that I feel a lot better and ready to tackle my tasks when I get back – this is also helped along by all the above!)
• It’s good for my mental and physical health (is finally realising this called growth, or just becoming an adult?)
While it may seem a bit odd, these pros get me out of the house. Having something to aim for, and incentives can be the difference between going for the walk I’ve been putting off, or not going out at all.

Cons:

• People (this is probably one of the biggest reasons why it’s so difficult to go out)
• Stares (I’ve never been able to decide if people stare because they’re jealous of my mobility aids, or it’s just rudeness…)
• Inaccessibility (this is in joint first place for why it’s hard to go out) (also bin day is my enemy)
• ‘Nature’ everywhere (But jokes aside, the sensory side of being outside – such as weather, noise, people – is something that I really struggle with and is a massive put-off)
• Feelings of frustration and guilt that I can’t ‘do the thing’ (turns out, it’s not my fault! We will come back to the reason why this is shortly!)
Unfortunately, these barriers are not uncommon for disabled (and neurodivergent) people to experience. These cons make leaving the house a lot more difficult; so, why do I keep struggling to do something that I know is good for me? Well…

It’s all about dopamine!

Dopamine is known as the ‘feel-good’ chemical for a reason! It plays a role in motivation, focus, mood, and our brains reward system. Adopting your own reward system isn’t childish, or weird – everyone has at some point done this! It’s especially useful for ADHDers who really struggle with sticking to things 🙋‍♂️.
For those of you with importance-based systems (typically neurotypical people), tasks are arranged and completed based on their level of importance, and are able to initiate the task when needed and hold focus until the task is finished.
For those of us with conditions such as ADHD and Autism, we have a very interest-based system – we thrive on interest and novelty, so tasks are difficult to initiate in the same way as neurotypical people – which is why it can be so much more difficult for those of us to find that motivation and focus for less enjoyable tasks.

For me, going out for a walk everyday is very important; but as you can see, it doesn’t matter how important a task is, if it’s not enjoyable or very difficult, I need to work a lot harder to complete the task. It’s not laziness or lack of discipline – it’s just how our brains work!

To conclude…

So, next time you feel shame for not being able to ‘just do it’, know that it’s not your fault; your brain is working so hard, constantly processing the world (and tasks) in front of it, it’s just the way your brain is wired, and you can work with it, instead of against it.

L.

Product of the month: get dopa

This is a very fitting product for this months’ blog! I personally haven’t tried this yet, but I thought this might be useful for some of you out there. get dopa is a science and expert-backed food supplement that was specifically designed with neurodivergent people in mind. Its blend of vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, probiotics and amino acids aims to support your busy brain by giving it the nutrients to perform at its best.