Neurodiversity

Overview

This pathway provides a starting point for understanding neurodivergence more broadly, without focussing specific conditions.

It is intended for people who are:

  • looking to learn more about neurodiversity in general
  • exploring whether they may be neurodivergent
  • supporting someone who is neurodivergent
  • looking for general principles that apply across different neurotypes

What do Neurodivergent, Neurodiverse and Neurodiversity mean?

Neurodivergent describes someone whose neurocognitive functioning broadly diverges from what is generally considered typical ways of thinking, processing and experiencing things.

Neurodivergent and neurodivergence are socio-political terms, aligned with the neurodiversity paradigm, coined around the year 2000 by Kassiane A. Asasumasu, a biracial, multiply neurodivergent neurodiversity activist.

  • In medicine and biology, neuro refers to the nervous system of the whole body, including the mind, spinal cord and nerves.
  • divergent refers to the divergence (of neurology in ways of thinking, processing and experiencing things) from dominant cultural standards of neurocognitive functioning.
  • diverse and diversity describe the variation within a group of people, in a similar way that biodiversity describes the variety of living organisms within an ecosystem.
    • Although this means that it doesn’t make sense to refer to an individual as being neurodiverse, in practice, the term ‘neurodiverse’ is increasingly being used (typically by organisations) to refer to neurodivergent individuals.
    • This also means that it wouldn’t make sense to refer to a group of autistic people as being neurodiverse. However, adding a neurotypical person to that group would increase that group’s neurodiversity.

As they’re not clinical or medical terms, people can identify as being neurodivergent without having a diagnosed medical condition.

There’s no formal agreement on what is included under the neurodiversity umbrella. This is a reason why figures quoted vary for its prevalence. For example, it’s often stated that 1 in 5 or 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent.

It is generally accepted that neurodiversity includes neurodevelopmental conditions. Less often, consideration is given to acquired conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). Kassiane intended it as a more inclusive term, to include mental illnesses as well.
Sonny Jane Wise, The Lived Experience Educator illustrates this in their Neurodivergent Umbrella graphic, and further discusses this in their LinkedIn article Neurodivergent Umbrella.

What does Neurotypical mean?

Neurotypical describes someone whose neurocognitive functioning broadly aligns with what is generally considered typical ways of thinking, processing and experiencing things.

The term is often informally used by autistic people when referring to non-autistics, instead of allistic (meaning not autistic). However, not all non-autistic people will be neurotypical, as they may be neurodivergent in other ways.

Recommended Influencers

The following are recommended social media influencers for following on social media platforms.

Neurodivergent Insights

Website: Neurodivergent Insights
Instagram: @neurodivergent_insights
Facebook profile: /neurodivergentinsights

Home of Dr. Neff, Neurodivergent Insights contains neuro-affirming resources, workbooks and training for autistic and ADHD adults, clinicians and workplaces. Dr. Neff is a neurodivergent psychologist, parent and educator who creates mental health and wellness resources with the neurodivergent person in mind.

Neurodivergent Insights is also active across various social media platforms. Their content is very informative and well presented.

Lived Experience Educator

Website: Lived Experience Educator
Instagram profile: @livedexperienceeducator
Facebook profile: /livedexperienceeducator

Sonny Jane Wise is an incredibly passionate multiply neurodivergent author and advocate who is the creator of the original Neurodivergent Umbrella graphic and author of:

  • We’re All Neurodiverse
  • The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills

Their website contains useful downloadable resources, and they’re active across various social media platforms, sharing well presented, informative and researched informed content.

Neurowild

Website: Neurowild
Instagram: @neurowild_
Facebook profile: Neurowild

Em is an autistic ADHDer speech pathologist, artist and illustrator, and is a parent of neurodivergent children. Em has a passion for neurodiversity-affirming practice. She is active across social media platforms and shares beautifully illustrated and informative posts, and resources.

Blue Sky Learning

Website: Blue Sky Learning
Instagram: @blueskylearningto
Facebook profile: /blueskylearningtoronto

Blue Sky Learning is led by neurodivergent-identified and allied therapists who specialise in neurodiversity-affirming coaching, counselling and consulting.

They are active across social media platforms, regularly sharing neuro-affirming, well-presented and informative content.

References