Because there are many ways a person’s brain and nervous system can diverge from average, what each NeuroDivergent Person needs to succeed can often vary greatly, depending on the individual you ask.
Continue reading What NeuroDivergent People Need to Be Successful in the World
The workplace problem (struggling to find suitable equitable employment that pays a living wage) is one of the most significant obstacles many NeuroDivergent adults face.
Too many of us are stuck in workplaces that burn us out, leaving us in survival mode. Continue reading NeuroDivergent Employment is Just ONE Problem We Need to Correct to Make a More Neuro-Inclusive World
Many NeuroDivergent People live in a world where the environment is perpetually neglecting our needs, which adds increased daily stress to our lives. This is further complicated by the fact that the people around us are often inflexible and impatient with us when we struggle to assimilate easily into the spaces around us. Continue reading A World Designed to Cater to “the NeuroTypical Average”
I tried to “tell an adult” about my bullies. However, my teacher was no help. Apparently, (according to my teacher) if I wanted the other kids to leave me alone, I should simply “act normal” (something I didn’t know how to do). My teacher said that if I changed my behavior, the other kids would leave me alone. Continue reading Other People’s Assumptions, Biases, & Stigma Leading to the Othering and Dehumanization of Neuro-Minorities
Neurodivergent Burnout (not a medical term, but, unfortunately, a common experience among NeuroDivergent People) is a state of intense physical and mental exhaustion NeuroDivergent People may experience (usually lasting for three months or more). It’s a result of prolonged exposure to heightened stress, a consequence of living in a world designed for Neuro-Average people that often overlooks our unique needs. Without adequate support, the chronic mismatch of expectations and capabilities leads to this unique type of burnout.
When a NeuroDivergent Person is burned out, we may experience a decrease in our ability to carry out skills needed to cope with daily life or other tasks and functions that are usually much easier for us. We may also struggle to have energy for (or find joy in) activities that once gave our lives pleasure and meaning. Continue reading NeuroDivergent Burnout the Silent Killer
NeuroDivergent Camouflaging is a survival mechanism used to endure a world that is often dangerous and unkind to those of us who stand out. It is important to note that this camouflaging is done in self-defense and is not intended to be manipulative or deceptive. This Masking can be conscious or subconscious. We may not even realize we’re doing it. Continue reading NeuroDivergent Camouflaging & Pressure to Conform – Book Preview
One key concept of the NeuroDiversity paradigm is the recognition of the diverse ways in which individuals experience and interact with the world around them. NeuroDiversity also claims that no singular ‘correct way’ of engaging with the world exists, and “no normal brain” exists, which poses the question, “If no normal brain exists”… “do NeuroTypical People exist?”
I firmly believe that the term ‘NeuroTypical’ does not represent humanity’s default state but rather a median or average that our society has been structured to accommodate (at the expense of those of us who are outliers). Continue reading Do NeuroTypical People REALLY Exist? – Preview from My Upcoming Book
