I've been observing something in our community that's got me thinking, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
We've become incredibly sophisticated at discussing diagnoses, but what if we're missing the actual conversation our bodies are trying to have with us?
I see detailed debates about self-diagnosis validity, discussions about ADHD vs PTSD symptoms, searches for the "correct" medication combinations, and conversations about which professionals can give us the "right" label.
All of this focus on external categorisation, but very little curiosity about internal communication.
What I'm Noticing ~ instead of asking:
- "What is my body trying to tell me right now?"
- "What makes my nervous system feel safe vs. activated?"
- "What does this restlessness actually need?"
- "How does my breathing change in different situations?"
We're asking:
- "Do I have ADHD or is it just PTSD?"
- "Should I trust my self-diagnosis?"
- "What's the correct medication for my symptoms?"
- "Which professional can validate what I'm experiencing?"
Some Examples I've Seen Recently
One veteran mentioned "yapping too much" led to an ADHD diagnosis - but there was no curiosity about why their nervous system was in that activated, hyperverbal state or what it was trying to communicate.
Someone else rejected ancient wisdom about impermanence because it didn't validate their "chronic illness story" - more invested in being understood as someone with their condition than exploring what their system might actually need.
Another person was debating the politics of self-diagnosis while admitting "a diagnosis itself does not give any treatment" - yet still completely absorbed in the labeling process rather than listening to what's happening internally.
The Question That's Burning in Me ~ what if instead of debating diagnostic validity, we got curious about what our systems are actually communicating?.....
What if the real intelligence isn't in the label but in learning to listen?
You spent years in life reading environments, trusting gut instincts, using your body as an intelligence system.....
Instead of: "The medication isn't working right"
What if: "What activities, environments, or practices actually help my nervous system settle? What does my body respond to?"
I'm Not Saying...
- Ignore professional help (please get support when you need it)
- Diagnoses are useless (they can be incredibly helpful tools)
- Medication doesn't work (it can be life-changing for many)
I Am Saying...
What if we approached all of this as a collaboration between external expertise and your own internal wisdom?
Your body has been sending you signals all along. The restlessness, the way certain environments affect you, what makes tension ease, how different activities impact your sleep, which relationships leave you energised vs. drained.
These aren't just symptoms to be categorised. They're intelligence. Information. Your system trying to communicate.
My Questions for This Community ♡
1. When was the last time you asked your body what it needed, rather than asking a professional what's wrong with it?
2. What have you noticed about your own system that no diagnosis quite captures?
3. What environments, activities, or practices actually help you feel more regulated - regardless of any label?
4. How might we honour both external expertise AND internal wisdom?
5. What is your nervous system trying to tell you right now?
Let's start a different kind of conversation ~ What are you noticing about your own system today?
