What is Neurodivergence?

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent, and we are in nearly every work setting. The word neurodivergence was coined by Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist in 1998, and it just means that not every brain is standard issue or “neurotypical”. Neurodivergent people often have gifts, skills, and abilities, that neurodivergent people do not. We also have our own unique challenges as well.

Think of all the different cars on the road. A neurotypical brain is often similar to a minivan. It can store a lot of things, makes room for lots of people at once, but it might be a little slow to get to speed on the highway, make sharp turns, and it might not be great off road. The world needs a lot of minivans.

While neurodivergent brains come in all makes and models. Three of the most common types of neurodivergence are ADHD, Autism, or a combination of the two. These often are often your racecars. ADHD/Autism brains take turns quickly, recognize patterns, and exactly the brain type you want if you’re working in a high demand environment like a busy coffee shop, fighting a fire, or a trial attorney. They also can focus on in such an intense and beautiful way, that can push the neurodivergent to being an expert in their field quickly.

However, they often require very specific environments like a specific racetrack or they can crash quickly, and may need to be driven a little differently than a minivan. We often run out of fuel without even realizing it, and can get overwhelmed and shut down even in positive moments. Knowing how your brain works, can make all the difference.

Neuro-differences are recognized and appreciated as a social category similar to differences in ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or ability. To take away their specific form of neurodivergence would also remove a sense of self and advantages the neurodivergence provides.

Types of Neurodivergence