Understanding neurodiversity

What is neurodiversity?

• A word to describe how our brains work in unique ways

• It describes conditions like ADHD or autism as differences not disorders

Brains are complicated. Understatement. It’s pretty difficult to know how someone else’s works, and the way we think varies from person to person. We all have different strengths or struggles. These differences can be more noticeable or clear for neurodivergent people.

Our brains fall into two categories - neurotypical or neurodivergent. To be neurodivergent means having a brain that works in less common ways. This might mean someone finds it easier to hear information instead of reading it, while someone with another neurodiversity might find things like lots of noise or certain lighting overwhelming.

Neurodiversity describes lots of ways our brains can function. That includes ADHD, Dyspraxia, OCD, Dyslexia and more.

How can being neurodivergent affect mental health?

• Being neurodivergent can have a huge impact on your mental health

• There may have been big parts of your life where you’ve struggled to meet academic or societal expectations, which can lead to mental health problems like anxiety or depression

Lots of things can impact our mental health, including our background and experience of the world. Living in a world not set up for you can be really tough to deal with and you may struggle to meet academic or societal expectations. This can really take its toll on how you feel.

There’s still a lot of stigma around neurodiversity, which can lead to some really tricky feelings like low self-worth, social isolation, anxiety, depression and stress. Discrimination isn’t just upsetting, it can hold you back too. All of these things can add up and impact your mental health. If you’re struggling with your mental wellbeing, it's important to get help. You can find tailored support for what you're going through here.

If you're struggling to move forward or are feeling suicidal because of issues you're facing you can speak to CALM in confidence. Find out more about CALM's helpline here.

How does being neurodivergent feel?

Because the world tends to operate in a neurotypical way, this can make it really challenging to navigate things if you are neurodivergent. Lessons at school might be taught in a way that not everyone finds easy to understand, or workplaces might not be designed with neurodiversity in mind.

These challenges can mean someone who’s neurodivergent might feel less supported, struggle to fit in, or find it hard to learn or communicate in neurotypical ways. This can lead to some difficult feelings like low self-esteem, depression or anxiety.

People with neurodiversities experience them in their own ways and it’s important not to make assumptions or listen to stereotypes. For example, it’s commonly assumed that people with dyslexia only struggle with reading and writing, or people with OCD are worried about cleanliness, however it can actually show up in a whole host of other ways.

Things you might notice if you’re neurodivergent:

• Social communication difficulties, like difficulty reading facial expressions or understanding sarcasm

• Speech and language challenges like missing parts of conversation or struggling to process information

• Difficulties with focusing, reading, calculation etc

• Sensitivity or insensitivity to environment, such as light, sound, or other stimuli

• Physical behaviours such as tics

What are the most common neurodiversities?

• ADHD

• Autism

• Dyslexia

• Dyspraxia

• OCD

• Tourettes

What’s the difference between neurotypical and neurodivergent?

Neurodivergent means someone whose brain works in less ‘typical’ ways. Neurodivergent people are usually made aware that their brains work differently - for example things might have come about at school, as a result of struggling to learn in conventional ways.

In the past these ways of thinking might have been seen as something to treat or prevent, but there’s now more awareness about neurodiversity. While it can be challenging to be neurodivergent, there are loads of strengths that can come with it. These differ from person to person but can include things like:

• Innovation and creativity

• Problem solving

• Lateral thinking

• Empathy

• Thinking and learning in a visual way

• Attention to detail

• Curiosity

Neurotypical means someone whose brain functions in what is considered more typical by society. Places like schools and workplaces tend to be designed to accommodate people who fit into neurotypical ways of thinking.

Where can I find help?

• Find more places to get help with mental health issues related to neurodivergence here.

• If you're feeling suicidal or have thoughts of harming yourself, talk to CALM. Our helpline is open from 5pm to midnight every day. Find out more here.

• Outside of these hours, call the Samaritans on 116 123

• Contact your GP for an appointment (which might be done over the phone or by video - during covid19)

• National Autism Society

• British Dyslexia Association

• The ADHD Foundation

Talking about neurodiversity

Conversation starters to help you chat about stuff

• “I want to chat to you about some of the stuff I'm coming up against because of how my brain works.”
• “I’m telling you about my neurodivergence because I want you to understand why I might approach things differently.”
• “I feel like I need professional help. Can I get your support to do this?”