Understanding Neurodivergence: An Overview of a Complicated Mind

If you’ve ever felt like your brain works differently from everyone else’s, you’re not alone.  

Headlines are everywhere: “rising tide of neurodivergence”; “a ‘pandemic’ of Autism and ADHD”; “exploding numbers of ‘late diagnosed or late identified’ Autistic and ADHD adults”. It’s hard to escape the fearmongering and hostility that seems to sprout from this subject. 

According to the most recent research (circa 2024), an estimated 15-20% of the world’s population is some flavor of “neurospicy” – meaning about every 1 in 5 people (adults AND children) are recognized as being neurodivergent. 

But what does “neurodivergent” even cover? What does the term, and the movement behind it, mean for you personally or the world at large? 

Take a walk with me as I explain, through the lens of lived experience, what the science and data means. 

Unlike media and medical institutions want you to believe, realizing you’re neurodivergent doesn’t have to be scary. It’s not a death sentence, social or otherwise. It is simply another fascinating way the human mind has evolved to work. 

What Does ‘Neurodivergent’ Actually Mean? 

So, we see this term being slung around a lot now, but what does it actually mean?  

Being neurodivergent is a little more complicated than just being wired differently. It also inherently affects how a person moves through and views the world and society. It affects every level of interaction. 

Let’s Break Down the Terminology 

The term “neurodivergent” has become the go-to nonmedical term to describe someone “whose brain develops or works differently for some reason.” (Johns Hopkins – Neurodivergence at a Glance). 

At its core, neurodivergence is two words – “neuro”, meaning “brain” and “divergent”, meaning “different”. Simple, yet profound. 

Because the ways in which a neurodivergent brain are different from a neurotypical brain are still being discovered. And really, did we even know what a “typical” brain looked or functioned like in the first place? 

The term also encompasses more than just Autism and ADHD. First coined by Kassiane Asasumasu in 2000, the term “neurodiverse” refers to the spectrum of ways humans can “think differently” from each other, including OCD, schizophrenia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and many others. It takes the power from the pathologizing medical terminology and makes it something more relatable for many who are neurodivergent. (Emergent Divergence). 

Different thinking does not mean we have a disability or something that needs to be “fixed”. It merely means we see the world through a different, necessary lens. 

Neurotypical vs. Neurodivergent  

Realistically there isn’t much difference between being neurotypical and neurodivergent, or there shouldn’t be. One is simply more “socially accepted” over the other. 

Neurotypical thinkers are considered to be more “normal” in that they have little to no difficulty with social interactions, social hierarchy, and nuance. They also perform better in most corporate roles because of a more “top-down” way of thinking – meaning they see the big picture first, then notice details. 

Neurodivergents, on the other hand, do not perform well in most levels of society and have problems conforming to the arbitrary rules present in most corporate workplaces. They see the world through detailed, bottom-up thinking; meaning it can take a while for them to understand all the puzzle pieces and put them together to make the big picture. 

They struggle in most social interactions because they never received the social “playbook” everyone else seems to have. The one that teaches you when and how to interject into conversations, how to react to situations, and how to understand hidden meanings and nuance. 

Neurodivergents also tend to “stim” a lot. Stimming is a form of regulatory behavior and can be anything from making sounds to “overly enthusiastic” body movements that others can find disruptive or even threatening. 

The disparate ways of thinking have led to a growing interest in living authentically, unmasking, and finding others who are also neurodivergent in order to, finally, have people that “get you”. 

The Neurodiversity Movement 

While not a global “movement” in most senses, the neurodiversity movement refers to the growing understanding worldwide of this segment of the population and learning how to better support different thinkers. 

Most governments still consider Autism and ADHD to be pathological conditions and disabilities. And for some that is certainly true. 

But what about the millions of others who have had to mask and hide themselves? Who have been able to “function”, some to a high level, despite their differences in thinking and moving through society? 

The neurodiversity movement has allowed these people to have a voice. Not disabled enough for benefits, but weird enough that we don’t “fit in”, we’ve found a voice and community in each other. 

The Most Common Types of Neurodivergence 

It can be easy to think of neurodivergence as being just ADHDers or Autists “coming out of the woodwork”.  

But there are a ton of other types of divergent thinkers out there. 

People that have trouble reading or writing words or numbers. People that hallucinate voices, thoughts, or even realities around them. Even just people that have weird tics or struggle to communicate clearly and normally. 

Mainstream medicine will have you believe these people have disorders that need to be “fixed”. But do they really? Or are these just quirks of the brain that have always hidden in the human genetic code and we’re just now seeing them for what they are? 

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) 

Considered one of the most common types of neurodivergence, ADHD is the typical “class disruptor” type – can’t sit still or stop talking, hard to keep focused on task, and always with a million tabs open in their brain. 

Long considered a “childhood disease”, we are now seeing a huge number of adults, primarily women and those of color or differing sexual preferences, either identifying as or being formally diagnosed as ADHD. 

This “surge” comes as language becomes more inclusive and we understand more how ADHD presents in people other than the initial test groups. What before was a pathological idea of a disorder that needed to be “cured” is now seen as a wholly different way of thinking and experiencing the world. This naturally presents differently in women, people of color, and those that see themselves as outside of standard gender norms. 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 

Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, or simply Autism – everyone knows or has heard a story of someone “on the spectrum”; but what does that really mean? 

Autism is a complex collection of behaviors and neurological differences that culminates in individuals who see and experience the world much different from their neurotypical peers. 

At its core, Autism is a neurological “disorder”, though that narrative is being rewritten as more adults are diagnosed and share their stories. It is not a disorder in the sense that there is something wrong with the individuals or that there is something to “cure”. It is a literal different wiring of the brain, showcased by visible neurological and structural differences and even genetic markers. 

Autism as a spectrum is a confusing concept, especially with the prevalence of showcasing it as a color spectrum. What is meant by the term “on the spectrum” is that the individual is showcasing some or all the different behaviors and ways of thinking typical of autists/autistics. 

Some of the key area autistics show their neurological differences are: 

• Social communication – many autistics don’t understand social cues in conversations, and therefore have a difficult time talking with neurotypicals without seeming rude or brusque 

• Sensory processing issues – autistics see, feel, hear, smell, and taste things much differently than neurotypicals, because their brains interpret the incoming information differently. Many of them have severe reactions to seemingly minor environmental changes that to neurotypicals seem over the top or unnecessarily extreme 

• Repetitive behaviors – also known as “stimming”, repetitive behaviors are any visible physical behaviors a person does to help regulate themselves. This can be hand flapping, rocking side-to-side, humming, or repeating words or phrases (echolalia). Many of these behaviors have traditionally been wrongfully repressed in autistics because they are considered “disruptive” 

There are new discoveries being made every day as to what Autism is and isn’t. While we aren’t sure what causes it (if anything truly does, and it isn’t a natural evolutionary trait of humanity), we are becoming more aware of the differences in some people and working to learn how to bets support them in this modern world. 

AuDHD (Autism + ADHD Co-occurrence) 

The medical community has only recently (since about 2012) decided that certain conditions can be “co-occurring”, meaning you can now, according to the DSM-V, be diagnosed as both Autistic and ADHD. 

Living with both conditions can be intense. ADHD thrives on novelty and intense, deeply felt experiences. It likes chaos and quick thinking, is impulsive, and can cause you to be flighty and scatter-brained. Autism is mostly the opposite; it likes predictability, a slow lead up into new situations, and controlled systems. 

As more people discover or realize that they have been living with both conditions, we learn better why some people seem so “bipolar” or like they have “multiple personalities” (both disorders AuDHDers have been labeled, instead of their proper diagnosis). 

For an AuDHDer the greatest thing is believing their lived experience, because it doesn’t fit into the mold of just Autism or just ADHD. And with an estimated 50-70% of autistic individuals also having ADHD, the prevalence of this co-occurrence is higher than anyone imagines 

Other Forms of Neurodivergence 

If you go by the absolute definition of “neurodivergence” – “different brain”, then anyone that shows an “abnormal” way of thinking is considered to be neurodivergent. Put simply, if you don’t think in a “typical” way to everyone else then you’re the odd one out. 

This covers more than just Autism and ADHD, though. And encompasses many conditions once thought to be pathological that we are now finding other ways to support, minimize, or cure. 

Some of these other types of neurodivergence include: 

• Tourette’s syndrome 

• Anxiety disorders 

• Depression 

• Schizophrenia 

• Dyslexia 

• Dyscalculia 

• Dysgraphia 

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 

• Parkinson’s disease 

• Alzheimer’s disease 

• Stroke related injury 

• Bipolar disorder 

• Borderline personality disorder 

Many of these disorders have been studied for decades in order to find treatments and cures, but we are only now realizing that, in some cases, there is no “cure”. There is no fixing a brain that was wired to be a specific way.  

You can support that brain and the person it is attached to, but you may not ever fully “cure” them and “make them normal” again. But with the right support and understanding, they can still live full, fulfilling lives. 

Just because someone thinks or acts a little differently to you doesn’t make them less human. It simply highlights the wonder that is humanity – the weird quirks and incredible brains our minds work and interact with the world. 

How Do Neurodivergent Brains Actually Work? 

There are several ways in which neurodivergent brains differ from more “typical” thinkers. Most of them involve processing of information. 

Unlike neurotypical brains, neurodivergent brains rarely “shut off”. You can learn to ignore background sensations and input, but the brain is always chewing through the input it received. Many times, the background information causes enough “static” that it becomes overwhelming. 

This overwhelm is commonly called a “meltdown”, that is a time when the neurodivergent brain has become bombarded with so much sensation that it effectively shuts down or causes sensation and information overload. In children this is seen as having a “temper tantrum”; in adults in can be full-on shutdown and loss of function. 

Executive Function Differences 

Executive functioning is the automatic processes your brain should go through to perform tasks. 

In a neurodivergent brain, these processes come with effort. And the amount of effort can differ both for each individual and for each individual, by week, day, and even hour. 

Imagine waking up one morning and being able to effortlessly get ready for work: slide out of bed, hit the bathroom, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, head out the door. 

Now – instead of that happening mindlessly, as easily as you breathe, imagine having to remember each precise step in excruciating detail. 

This is executive dysfunction; when your brain randomly forgets information or skills it needs to perform standard tasks or daily chores. Most neurodivergents have a “spiky profile” meaning they may perform very well in some areas and poorly in others. Their profile of skills can also shift throughout the day depending on their energy levels and focus. 

It makes for some very interesting, frustrating times when you need to remind yourself over and over again the steps to a task you’ve performed hundreds of times. 

Sensory Processing Variations 

Just like with executive functioning, many neurodivergents experience various sensory processing issues. This is due to the neurodivergent brain grabbing onto any and every sensation it can and trying to process it all at once. 

It can lead to light sensitivity, smell sensitivity, and food issues. It can mean a neurodivergent person has a hard time wearing “appropriate” clothes and shoes for a particular job they want or need. It can also lead to a harder time socializing or being in crowded spaces. 

When your brain picks up on every little thing and shoves it at you all at once, focusing enough on the person in front of you for a conversation becomes difficult, at best.  

Information Processing Styles 

This doesn’t mean that the neurodivergent is less or stupid, though. It simply means they have different information processing needs. 

Information processing is how your brain takes outside signals, like sight and sounds or conversations, and presents them for thought. 

Sometimes this is easy. When you’re focused and calm, it is easier to hear the conversation you are having and respond quickly and with detail. But when you get upset, isn’t it harder to think about what the person you’re talking to is saying and respond appropriately? You probably hem and haw, stumble over your words. 

Now imagine doing that for every interaction, because your brain is cataloguing everything going on around you plus the conversation. This is why many neurodivergents are considered to be “slow”, “rude”, or “spacey”. 

It’s not that they want to be scatter-brained, it’s simply their brain latching onto everything happening around them and not being able to properly filter. 

Can You Recognize the Neurodivergents Around You? 

Can you point to anyone you know and say, without a shadow of doubt, that they are neurodivergent just based on looks? What about actions, turns of phrase, or other behaviors? 

Humans are weird; we just are, even so-called neurotypicals. But there are definite signs when someone doesn’t think “normally” that can help you to better understand where a neurodivergent is coming from. 

Common Signs Across Age Groups 

Typically, neurodivergence will be noticed and “managed” in childhood. Currently most studies focus on children, specifically white boys between the ages of about 5-18. Most of the cornerstone studies were conducted decades ago though the medical industry is finally catching up. 

Signs of neurodivergence in children can be: spaciness (zoning out, staring into space, extreme forgetfulness); rigid thinking; extreme creativity; physical hyperactivity; and a tendency to ignore social norms and cues in interactions. 

Adults are harder to diagnose correctly because most of us have learned how to mask, to fit in. We understand that there is something about us that is “wrong” that needs to be hidden and we know ways around answering questions that means we often get misdiagnosed or dismissed by medical professionals for years before we are believed. 

Some signs of neurodivergence in adults can be: social isolation; hyper fixations in conversations or as hobbies; fawning behaviors; and to many neurotypicals, just a feeling of “otherness”. Often, it is nothing a neurodivergent says or does that makes people judge them. It’s simply a “vibe” people feel around them. 

When You Need a Medical Diagnosis 

Depending on your ability to “blend in” and manage yourself, you might want to skip a medical diagnosis altogether. 

There are many hurdles to overcome to get a medical diagnosis, the first of which is getting seen in the first place. Currently, wait times in the UK (one of the most accepting places for neurodivergents) are up to 10 years. This is for school accommodations, work accommodations, and living help. 

The US isn’t much better. While there are more doctors that work with private health insurance, your health insurance can decide that the diagnosis isn’t “necessary” and deny your claim, leaving you owing thousands of dollars for that diagnosis. 

And a formal diagnosis is something that will follow you throughout life. Your employer can find this information out and use it as an excuse to scapegoat you; it can affect other medical procedures or services that you also need; and it can be a “problem” if you are ever arrested, whether you committed a crime or not. 

Formal medical diagnosis is necessary in some cases, however. If you need accommodations and the only way to get them is through government assistance, you will need a formal diagnosis. 

Just be aware of the downsides to any formal report by a medical professional and seek a second opinion if they try to tell you that you have something “else”. 

Self-Identity: It’s Valid, Accepted, and Maybe Right for You 

There is a growing acceptance in the mainstream population for self-identity or self-diagnosis. But the neurodivergent community has little problem accepting those that self-identify. 

A quick search through Facebook and LinkedIn will come up with hundreds of advocacy and community groups for neurodivergents. Many focus on the “Big 2”, Autism and ADHD, but are welcoming of anyone who comes in with the intent to learn. By sharing information we hope to fight the stigma of being different and peel back the “mystery” of what it means to be neurodivergent. 

You can also search for “neurodivergent”, “autism”, and “ADHD” on sites like Amazon to find hundreds of books. These are published both by researchers or research groups and by individuals with lived experience. Both are valuable; one for knowing what current research shows and the other for connecting you to community and support. You are not alone. 

And finally, you can find free or cheap versions of the most commonly used diagnostic tests throughout the internet. Taking one or more of those can help you narrow down your specific brand of spicy and figure out where to go. 

No matter how you come to the conclusion that you are neurodivergent, there is a path forward and community waiting to help you realize your best self. 

Living Life Differently – Accepting Neurodivergence at Home, the Workplace, Everywhere 

So what can we do to support this “growing” section of the population? 

First – by realizing that neurodivergence has always been a part of the human experience. There is growing evidence that neurodivergents have been part of the human population for millennia. New research shows that it might have been an evolutionary hack that allowed these individuals to be better hunter-gatherers, more adept at finding food and avoiding injury. 

Researchers are also looking into how these traits helped early villages and nomadic tribes. Because of heightened awareness of their surroundings, neurodivergents were most likely set as scouts and guards, especially at night (when our brains are more active). 

Creativity and innovation, too, are hallmarks of neurodivergence. Just look at what we know of Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein. History tells us these masterminds were most likely some flavor of neurodivergent – and yet they created and invented marvels. 

Accommodation vs. Adaptation 

Supporting neurodivergent individuals isn’t difficult or shouldn’t be. Because treating them as “human” is the least you should do. 

It’s simple: ensure the person you are speaking with is comfortable, that they can sit and focus on your words. That might mean lowering the lights, shutting off conflicting inputs like radios or TVs, and ensuring that every meeting or talk is followed up with written instructions or a transcript. 

It means being empathetic when someone around you is experiencing a meltdown because their brain is dumping too much input into them. Help them find a quiet, dark place to calm down. Be present, but don’t try to interject yourself too much into the situation. Be responsive to their needs without overwhelming them further. 

And it means learning how to treat each other, other humans, in a manner that you, too, would want to be treated. 

Building Support Systems 

Support systems for neurodivergents can be as varied as the neurodivergents themselves. And if you’re ever not sure how to help, simply ask or just hold space. Knowing that there is someone available that is willing to understand can make a world of difference. 

In the workplace, this can look like having a dedicated quiet room to decompress, access to softer lighting, and meeting notes sent ahead of time so the neurodivergent person can prepare. A few small tweaks that make life easier for every employee can be all it takes. 

At home or at school, this can be some of the same: a dedicated quiet space, weighted blankets or stuffies to hold, and a safe place to decompress with safe people present. 

Even out in public it can be easy to hold space. Just let the distressed neurodivergent know that you are there to help, to keep them safe, and help them to perform the actions that will regulate them and help them come back to baseline.  

Empathy is truly the only human superpower and it is time we relearn how to use it. 

Self-Advocacy: What You Need to Know 

Being a self-advocate doesn’t mean taking up arms and trying to change the world. It’s also in the quiet things, the small ways we say “I am neurodivergent, but I am human and this is what I need”. 

The first step is educating yourself on what you need to find equilibrium. This can mean intense deep dives, alone or guided by a counselor or therapist, on what you find unbalancing. It can mean looking back at your past to see where your current behaviors started, in order to unravel unhealthy ones and learn better coping strategies. 

It also means standing up for yourself, in conversations and life. But you don’t have to do it alone. 

There are communities and advocate groups out there to help. You can also enlist a friend, relative, or partner to help you advocate for yourself. This person can act as a stand in when you need someone to help with a conversation (talking to doctors, etc.), help you through meltdowns and shutdowns, or they can simply help to remind you to do the self-care things you need to do to feel balanced and whole. 

Self-advocacy sounds scary – until you realize you’ve been doing it your whole life. Now, you know better. Now, you can do it intentionally and in a way that better supports your brain. 

Common Myths of Neurodivergence…And Why They’re Wrong 

Once you “come out” as neurodivergent, everyone suddenly has an opinion on why you aren’t. 

Some of the opinions will be well-meaning. Because of the stigma attached to neurodivergence, many friends and family members will try to “talk you out of” being neurodivergent, not understanding this is something you can’t change about yourself. 

Others will do it to be cruel. This can also be because of the vast amount of misinformation out there, but can also be because of the neurotypical way of “casting out” anything considered “other”. It was likely a way that our ancestors kept the tribe safe. By driving off the “weird”, they ensured continued survival of their little kingdom. 

Here are some responses to the most common “well-meaning” phrases people like to throw out: 

“Everyone’s a Little ADHD/Autistic” 

No, they aren’t. And if you think that, there’s a little diagnostic test I want you to take. 

Many times this is said by close relatives or friends, people that you’ve known for years. It can be a way to blow you off, but also a deflection. 

One thing many late-identified adult neurodivergents realized is that many of the major people in their lives – friends, relatives, parents – are themselves neurodivergents. There is a strong genetic correlation in families; if one person is diagnosed as Autistic or ADHD, chances are the rest of the family is, too. 

Like finds like and hangs out with it. 

“You Don’t Look Neurodivergent” 

Thank you for saying I don’t look “alien”, “wrong”, or “other”, but that other people do.  

This can be a little insulting, like every disability needs to be worn as a patch on your shoulder. However, there are a ton of reasons people won’t look “disabled” to others – lupus, immune disorders, and certain other internal physical disorders won’t show on the outside. 

Why would a neurological difference be visible? Unless you can see a brain scan, everyone presents as “normal”. Learn to go with the flow. 

“It’s Just an Excuse” 

An excuse for what? To be perpetually bombarded with sensations and stimuli that leads to overwhelm and shutdowns? 

I guarantee that whatever reason you think needs to be “excused”, the neurodivergent you’re speaking about is trying very, very hard to avoid. We don’t like being the center of attention; all it has ever gotten us is abuse and ridicule. 

So the next time someone says this to you, just walk away. There’s no sense in arguing or continuing to attempt reaching someone that is close-minded. Save your energy for someone who genuinely wants to learn and seems interested, 

Next Steps: So You Think You Might be Neurodivergent 

What now? 

Are you still questioning, still trying to figure out if any of the above is relatable? 

Or are you sitting there, ruminating about everything you’ve learned and figured out, having an existential crisis because you finally found the answers as to why you’re so “different” to everyone else? 

The good thing is you aren’t alone. There are hundreds of thousands of others out there in the same boat. And more people coming to the realization of who they are every day. 

Find them. Even if all you do is lurk online, learning and listening. Or just keep the interactions to safe areas and topics.  

But find them. Learn yourself. And relearn what it means to be whole, to trust yourself, and to be confident that you do know who you are and can succeed in life. 

A Note on Resources 

So, I’m leaving a list below of places I reviewed to write this article. But, as this is more of a portfolio piece than deep research, I will not be getting very in depth with listing out numerous resources. 

Check for groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Search for hastags involvined #Neurodivergence #NeurodivergentSupport #Autism #ADHD #AuDHD and coaching, counseling, and advocacy. 

There are many places out there to find information, community, and life support. Follow a few, find who you resonate with, and then make connections. There are many wonderful people like you out in the world. 

You’re Not Alone 

Despite what it may seem like, you aren’t. 

I’m here. Others are out there, waiting to talk to you about your experiences. To help you understand that you aren’t broken, unwanted, or wrong. That you aren’t a mistake for existing. 

The political climate is scary. Misinformation, from officials and science, is rampant. But there is a growing murmur of voices with real, lived experience as neurodivergents that are taking a stand. 

They are educating. They are advocating. They are showing the world that we are human, too, and deserve to be treated the same as everyone else. 

Because we are; we just think a little differently sometimes. And that’s ok. 

Resources: 

Northwestern Medicine – Understanding Neurodiversity, April 2024 

Emergent Divergence – Neurodiversity: The Basics; David Gray-Hammond 

YouGov – Neurodiversity in the US 

Johns Hopkins University – Neurodivergence at a Glance 

American Psychiatric Association – What is ADHD? – note that this is a very clinical, pathologizing view of ADHD and is not fully supported in most neuroinclusive circles, though the information on presentation of “symptoms” is accurate 

ADDitude – The Heavy, Honest Lived Experiences of ADHD Adults; ADDitude Editors, May 9, 2025 

American Psychiatric Association – What is Autism? – same as the ADHD – take this with a grain of salt, but it is a place to start 

National Autistic Society (UK) – Stories from the Spectrum – one of many places to find stories of people living with Autism, whether formally diagnosed, self-identified, having known since childhood, or having just realized late in life 

Prosper Health – Understanding AuDHD; Anna Kroncke, December 5, 2024 

MedVidi – Types of Neurodiversity and Neurodivergent Examples; Dorianne Green, March 31, 2025