An interesting debate from a LinkedIn group I’m in. Apparently there’s a TikTok trend from people with Cluster B personality disorders to identify as neurodivergent. Some people in the recognised neurodivergent community, with lifelong neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, are not sure how to feel about it.
Here’s my personal view. Caveat – I’m not a neurologist, I only did Biology to A-level. I do consider myself neurodivergent due to C-PTSD as well as Autism and suspected ADHD.
There is no standard typical brain, but anybody whose neural pathways differ substantially from typical may be considered neurodivergent. Some were born neurodivergent. Some have acquired neurodivergence. This could be due to brain damage from an accident or a stroke. It could be due to thought processes treading new neural pathways over time, due to trauma responses or compulsions or something else.
In my opinion, anybody with mental health conditions may identify as neurodivergent, if that is helpful to them. Their brains are wired differently from typical.
It’s easier to understand if you pick one condition and research it. Anxiety disorder is one example.
Take this analogy: Sometimes a person may feel compelled to tread a different path from others through a muddy field because they perceive it to be safer than the main path. The path they compulsively tread becomes more like a major path the more often they tread it.
Neural pathways are similar. When the brain keeps making the same detour, it forges a neural pathway. Sometimes this is reversible, for example, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) may help redirect the negative automatic thoughts or catastrophising thoughts of the anxious mind. Anxiety is therefore acquired neurodivergence, but not necessarily lifelong?
But why gatekeep? Anxious people do not think in a typical way, and if they want to identify as neurodivergent why not? They may need reasonable adjustments, especially for job interviews and onboarding. They certainly need understanding and compassion.
The brain is a wonderfully diverse and unique thing. I’m all for promoting understanding and acceptance of differences in the brain, and see no reason for gatekeeping here. If someone identifies as neurodivergent, they know their own mind.
#Neurodiversity #MentalHealth #Anxiety
Ausome Charlie 😎
Ausome Charlie 