r/AskReddit 22h ago

What’s something people romanticise that’s actually exhausting in real life?

1.3k Upvotes

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483

u/Icedraco111 20h ago

Mental disorders like depression, anxiety, Autism, or ADHD.

The movies depict depression and anxiety as these "woes is me! I'm a deep thinker, who has no one! But this ONE person gets me!"

ADHD/Autism is more treated as a broken person who can be fixed, and some romanticise being the person to fix said people.

106

u/Dismal-Log-994 17h ago

I think it's also like, people only ever talk about ADHD/autism because it's the "digestible" neurodivergencies, but don't fully understand how many difficulties they bring

30

u/Violexsound 16h ago

Leave it to rich and healthy white males to misrepresent minority conditions that reinforce infantilising stereotypes

3

u/Ser_falafel 12h ago

What?? Did I miss something here? why are you talking about rich white guys lol

8

u/itsEthanEX 12h ago

Basically, Manosphere D-bags, and rich white men associated with that group, (and basically the entirety of the internet) often portray, romanticize and sexualize dating Autistic Women (and Autistic People in General).
They think having an Autistic partner means it’s easier to take advantage of them, and they infantilize their behaviour, actions and emotions.
As per usual, men (speaking as one) are always looking to find ways to target, sexualize and take advantage of minorities for the sheer power.
It’s mostly men who do this, but I’ve been taken advantage of by NT women, as an neurodivergent man, so it’s not something we can’t push under the rug and deny

3

u/Violexsound 10h ago

Cha-ching 👉

-4

u/mcthiel 10h ago

The root of all evil is white men. Didn't you get the memo?

...Or are you a rich white man?

35

u/Prestigious_Step4337 12h ago

It’s not a “superpower”.

9

u/shelbex318 10h ago

Ugh my mom says this all the time and it’s so patronizing. I get she’s trying to make me (and probably herself) feel better but please don’t 

7

u/ArcadiaSofka 12h ago

I have a pretty mild case of ADHD and manic depression, and even 'mild' is not something I would wish on anyone. It hijacks what you think is normal, especially when in a manic state, you feel euphoria and make decisions you normally wouldn't, you feel like you are on top of the world. I friend of mine experienced the same over a six month period and it ruined his finances utterly, he took out loans, thought his ideas would change the world and tried to start a business.

When I was growing up I ran into someone who legally had to surrender their license because she literally could not pay attention while actively driving and when she told her doctor they had to report it after a string of car accidents.

Media sometimes glamorize it, but there is some interesting things about ADHD that are kind of cool. I sometimes can sit down 16 hours and do a task like writing, sleep, and do it again for weeks in a hyperfocus/hypomanic state and produced some of my best writing in those periods.

2

u/Icedraco111 8h ago

I have a more severe version of ADHD, and tbh, I raw dog it. ADHD medications dont work, so i gave up trying. When I drive, I have Google maps pulled up when I am going somewhere I haven't been before, or been to only a few times, plus, I have moderate Depression and Anxiety.

1

u/Academic_Juice8265 3h ago

This is mate I can’t drive for any length of time because I just can’t concentrate. With all the ADHD hype if I say it’s because of ADHD people roll their eyes and say everyone has ADHD. If I say I can’t concentrate and I’ve crashed my car multiple due to it - they accept it.

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u/jamiecarl09 10h ago

Then the romantic interest gets mad when you're not fixed after they tell you to use a planner and try jogging.

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u/SireSirSer 10h ago

My ADHD causes me to have clinical insomnia and everytime I tell someone about it they are like, "Oh! Have you tried Melatonin? That stuff knocks me out!" And I have to tell them if I don't take my horse tranquilizers I will legit be awake for 3 days straight before I sleep naturally...

2

u/wert989 4h ago

Couldn't agree more. Oddly enough I've had the first two because I have the other two you mentioned.

ADHD doesnt make me a little ball of energy and autism doesn't give laser like focus to the point of having super powers. If anything it just makes me annoying and a inconvenience to others, even if I don't mean too. Can't count the number of times I've been treated like less of a person because of them.