Dani Bowman Shares What She's Been Up to Since 'Love on the Spectrum'

“Are you sure you’re asexual? Maybe it’s just trauma…”

Before I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), my life was already hell. I was raised in an unstable and violent home. A white collar broken Victorian. I too, was a wide-eyed and lively child in the beginning, but after our family home suspiciously burned down things really went off the rails. Nothing was for certain and everything was on fire. I started glitching. My position as the family scapegoat hardened which would set into motion my eventual early estrangement. I fell behind in school and in every way imaginable. Sometimes I was depressed, with dark bags under my eyes. Other times, I became maniacally hyperactive with the temper of a UFC fighter. Rules and authority were difficult for me. Teamwork was a challenge. The word “no” aroused a dogmatic defiance. I was masterfully reckless and hair-trigger impulsive. I once dove headfirst off a bridge into a shallow river (I didn’t even think about it) to show off. I hit a pipe and cracked my head.

We hear from our readers often that they’d like to share ADDitude with their kids’ teachers, school districts, family members, doctors, and patients. Now is your chance! Enter this sweepstakes and you could win a box of ADDitude magazine issues to share freely with anyone who could benefit from greater ADHD understanding.To win a box of ADDitude magazines shipped to you free of charge (a $6.95 value for each issue), use the Comments section below to tell us: What do you wish your community — at school, at work, with family and friends, and beyond — understood about people with ADHD?Friday, September 30, 2022, at 11:59 pm EST.One entry per household.

The acceptance and discussion of mental health has improved in recent years compared to decades ago. However, there is still room for improvement, and it’s crucial that we continue to strive towards having open and honest discussions about mental health. Here are some of the reasons it is so important.

We all belong to a community. Whether that community consists of neighbors you see at a cookout, students you sit with in class, or colleagues you see daily, we are all a part of a greater system. You might have heard the phrase “it takes a village,” which usually translates to raising a child or reaching success. Either way, we know we don’t achieve our goals alone. 

Going back to school when you have a family can be a challenge, so having a good support system in place is critical. It will help you balance work, personal obligations, and academics. While it is not always easy to balance your priorities, getting a degree can help you advance your career forward.

Now more than ever before, mental health is a topic of conversation around the world. There are international efforts to boost mental health and teach people of all ages how to recognize and manage their feelings, moods and impulses in a healthy and sustainable way. 

these signs can help determine if you’ve found the person for you.External influences won’t affect your bond in a healthy, loving relationship. Your relationship also shouldn’t depend on outside forces to keep you together. ADVERTISEMENT Whether the external influence can be harmful or beneficial, you won’t need them either way.

I’ve written before about some of the struggles I encounter having natural hair and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The biggest challenge is all the steps and processes that I have to go through in order to just wash and prep my hair. It doesn’t matter what your hair type is. When you don’t take care of your hair, it can matte and become harder to take care of. That being said, having natural hair means that those tight fragile kinky coils need some extra tender love and care, or else they will form dreadlocks, get tangled in your sheets, or worse.

There’s a term in psychology you may have heard of: nature versus nurture. It places our genetic inheritance and biological factors — our nature — against our learned responses due to our experiences in life — our nurture — and asks where our behaviors come from.

“Never make the mistake of thinking you are alone—or inconsequential.” ~ Rebecca McKinsey

Health Research Funding, around twenty percent of married couples must deal with an emotionally unfaithful partner. Though some folks like to classify men as cheaters, women are just as likely to look elsewhere to meet their needs. In fact, this study found that 45 percent of men and 35 percent of women experience emotional affairs.

When it comes to travel, I consider myself somewhat of an expert (humble brag). I’m that girl on the plane with the highly-organized carry-on, filled with every possible essential you could need. I have a go-to travel outfit (sweatsuit and sneakers), packing squares are my best friend, and I am always looking for the best travel deals.

I have only one memory of the first five years of my childhood.  It was a sunny day, and I was in the park with my parents and maternal grandparents. I was playing, and my mum seemed sad and withdrawn. She was in a blue dressing gown and slippers.

Like many of those diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, my symptoms started at a very young age. It was not until my late 20s that I received my diagnosis of hEDS. This diagnosis was more than validating. It provided me with clarity on how to care for my body and gave me direction on how to pursue my passion for working with the body and mind.

Disempowerment.

Something no one tells you when you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness is that you will be lonely. Lonely in your pain, in your thoughts, in your emotions; everything.

this mindset allows you to make life-changing ideas that improve the world around you.You can live a fulfilling, meaningful life if you know your time is right now. Remember that now is your time to shine will help you get through hard times. Things won’t always go as you’d hoped but shining your light will help you overcome.Waiting for the perfect time won’t work because it’ll seemingly never come.

What does it mean to limit ourselves? What does it mean to place them upon ourselves?

The experience of living as both Autistic and as someone with ADHD is a unique one. The two conditions, both types of neurodivergence, are often considered opposites in a lot of ways. All the while, they have many shared features too.

“Autistic burnouts for me feel like the puzzle pieces in Tetris falling so fast you don’t have enough time to line them up before they reach the top and the videogame is over, burnouts leave me feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.” –Ron Sandison

There’s a speech in William Shakespeare’s comedy, “As You Like It,” known as the “Seven Ages of Man” speech. You may know it better, though, by its famous opening lines:

ADVERTISEMENT People with a high level of emotional literacy usually have a strong sense of empathy. Unlike narcissistic personalities, they aren’t so self-absorbed that they ignore the needs of others. The more they care about how you feel, the more you become interested in them.You may also notice if partner uses emotional intelligence discern and discuss emotional issues.

Meditation is about finding peace within yourself and taking a journey to your innermost self to develop a connection with it. Focusing on your thoughts while remaining entirely still helps to release the pent-up stress which gradually builds up in everyday life.

Not available September 8? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Positive reinforcement inspires more consistent motivation and better learning outcomes for children with ADHD, who are more sensitive to rewards and punishments than are their neurotypical peers.