ADD? ADHD? OCD? LMNOP?

Welcome to the alphabet soup!

We’ve all seen it before: Ignatius Stockdale, M.D., Lawrence Tuttleworth, Esq. or Mary Ellen Peabody, Ph.D.

Then, with a knowing wink you look at me and say, “It works a little different in our world, doesn’t it!”. In our world it goes a little bit more like this: “Hi, I’m Bob: ADD-I, OCD, ODD” or “Hello! I’m Susan: ADHD, LD”.

Those few letters are abbreviations, yet speak volumes. They are a code we share. They help us understand the challenges the other might be dealing with. Those letters paint a simple picture of what our daily lives might be like. A handfull of jumbled letters can create a sense of unity and membership in an otherwise lonely world. Those few letters are the beacons we hold out to each other in the online networks and rabbit holes we have found that seem to lead us closer to understanding and acceptance.

Maybe, a day will come when we proudly display those labels for all, as we reach acceptance of ourselves and find a pride in our unique personalities, warts and all.

Till then,

Peace