This article was co-authored by George Sachs, PsyD and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. George Sachs is a Licensed Psychologist and the Owner of Sachs Center based in New York, New York. With over ten years of experience, Dr. Sachs specializes in treating ADD/ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders in children, teens, and adults. He holds a BS in Psychology from Emory University. Dr. Sachs earned his Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago. He completed his clinical training in Chicago at Cook County Hospital, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and the Child Study Center. Dr. Sachs completed his internship and postdoctoral work at the Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, where he supervised and trained therapists in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT). He has been trained as a Gestalt Therapist and certified by the Gestalt Associates Training Program of Los Angeles. Dr. Sachs is the author of The Adult ADD Solution, Helping the Traumatized Child, and Helping Your Husband with Adult ADD. He has appeared on the Huffington Post, NBC Nightly News, CBS, and WPIX discussing his holistic approach to ADD/ADHD treatment.
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Has someone recently described themself as “neurodivergent” but you aren’t sure what they meant by it? Maybe it’s the first time you’ve heard the term, or maybe someone mentioned it in a social media post and you relate to it a lot. Either way, we're going to walk you through all the details below. We'll even include a list of common neurodivergent traits. Just remember: "neurodivergent" is an umbrella term that describes tons of different conditions, so it's unlikely that anyone will relate to every trait listed. Let's dive in.
Things You Should Know
- The term “neurodivergent” describes a person whose brain develops or works differently from most people's brains.
- Neurodivergent conditions include autism, ADHD, learning disabilities (such as dyslexia), Down syndrome, Tourettes, and more.
- There is no “cure” for being neurodivergent, but it doesn’t need one! The different ways people communicate and express themselves are what make them unique.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionI heard someone use the term neurodivergent as a joking insult. Should I have called them out?CheekyMonkeyCat2027Community AnswerYes. Using the term "neurodivergent" is not and should not be considered an insult, as the term merely describes a person with a mental disability. Tell a trusted adult next time this situation occurs, or stand up for yourself or the person who was called neurodivergent.
Tips
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Remember that no two neurodivergent people have the same experiences, even if they’ve been diagnosed with the same condition.[23]Thanks
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"Neurodivergent" is not a medical term, but a social one. For this reason, there is no such thing as "neurodivergent traits" as if depends on the specific condition. This also means that there is no universal neurodivergent experience.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about relationships, check out our in-depth interview with Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS.
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7611889/
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-neurodiversity-202111232645
- ↑ https://theeducationhub.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Neurodiversity-An-overview.pdf
- ↑ https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-neurodivergence-and-what-does-it-mean-to-be-neurodivergent-5196627
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/neurodiverse-age/202108/negotiating-the-neurodiversity-concept
- ↑ https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2006/01/autism
- ↑ https://theeducationhub.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Neurodiversity-An-overview.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6728747/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tics/
- ↑ https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/neurodiversity-at-work_2018_tcm18-37852.pdf
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/disorders/understanding-dyspraxia-and-sensory-processing-disorder-spd#what-is-dyspraxia
- ↑ https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-sensory-overload-5085110
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352928
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-emotional-intensity/202212/finding-your-way-through-neurodiversity
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2017/03/teams-solve-problems-faster-when-theyre-more-cognitively-diverse
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindsaykaplan/2024/01/30/unlocking-the-power-of-neurodiverse-teams/
- ↑ https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/mind/mental-health/neurodiversity-or-neurodivergence
- ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_deal_with_sensory_overload_as_a_sensitive_person
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/autism/autistic-burnout#helping-someone-you-loveM
- ↑ https://sethperler.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/HowtoAdvocateforNeurodivergentChildren.pdf
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-way-adhd/202112/how-cope-adhd-and-perfectionism
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-what-is-neurodivergent-thinking-and-is-it-a-disorder#block-088e2ffc-6b6c-4884-a13b-0abe8f5ccd3a
- ↑ https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/neurodiversity-at-work_2018_tcm18-37852.pdf