Thread by @theadhdmanual

So you know how several years ago everyone decided #CandyCrush wasn’t cool anymore and stopped playing it? Ok well I missed the memo so I’ve been in a spirited renaissance of Candy Crushin and it has inspired me to write this thread on #NeurodivergentLife 1/12

For those of you who have a life: Candy Crush labels some levels as more difficult - “hard,” “super hard,” nightmarishly hard,” etc. and that means you have less moves or the goal is more ambitious than other levels. 2/12

Well I keep encountering levels that are not labeled as hard but still hold me up for days, and it pisses me off to no end. 3/12

I’m frustrated with the level itself for being obnoxious, I’m frustrated with Candy Crush for not giving me enough time/resources to pass it AND gaslighting me by not acknowledging it’s hard, and I’m frustrated w/myself b/c WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE EASY 4/12

So I end up just fuming and refusing to use any boosters on a level that’s not supposed to be hard, because I want to save them for “real” hard levels. 5/12

Anyway I realized I get so mad because THIS IS MY WHOLE LIFE. Getting stuck on things that aren’t universally recognized as hard! Feeling foolish for spending more time than I’m “supposed to” on something “simple”! Not seeking help b/c there are other “real” hardships ahead! 6/12

I talk myself down by reminding myself it’s all about luck. Some tries are easier b/c the candies just have more matches available. It’s a roll of the dice, and you can’t be “good” at rolling dice. It’s just random. 7/12

And it’s the same for Life Levels. The same tasks or life stages can be easier for a neurotypical than a neurodivergent and it’s not because NTs have more advanced Life Skills. It’s because, by chance, they were given more matching candies. 8/12

My point(s) here, besides that Candy Crush is a nonsense game taking too much of my time:
A) Don’t let anyone rate the difficulty of your Levels. Only you know which are Nightmarishly Hard. Your easy will be someone’s tough; it’s just the way the candy crumbles (I know 🤦🏼‍♀️) 9/12

B) There’s no correlation between the difficulty of the Life Level you’re on and your talent, capability, or skill. Just b/c the candies didn’t fall in your favor doesn’t mean you suck. And someone passing the same level on the first try isn’t necessarily better than you. 10/12

C) Just use your damn boosters! I.e. Use any resources available and don’t feel shame about it. There is no moral value attached to what you do and don’t need help with. Anyone who mocks you for requesting help deserves to be swallowed by the multiplying chocolate squares. 11/12

D) You can have a bad Level and still be a great player. Sounds obvious but if you know how it feels to be unsure when your exec func/energy will show up, you need to hear it. The best Candy Crusher gets shitty candies sometimes. Struggling =/= you’re doing something wrong. 12/12