What does it mean when a person is neurodivergent?
The term “neurodivergent” describes people whose brain differences affect how their brain works. That means they have different strengths and challenges from people whose brains don’t have those differences. The possible differences include medical disorders, learning disabilities and other conditions. The possible strengths include better memory, being able to mentally picture three-dimensional (3D) objects easily, the ability to solve complex mathematical calculations in their head, and many more.
Neurodivergent isn’t a medical term. Instead, it’s a way to describe people using words other than “normal” and “abnormal.” That’s important because there’s no single definition of “normal” for how the human brain works.
The word for people who aren’t neurodivergent is “neurotypical.” That means their strengths and challenges aren’t affected by any kind of difference that changes how their brains work.
Why does this term exist?
The term “neurodivergent” came from the related term “neurodiversity.” Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist, coined the word “neurodiversity” in 1998 to recognize that everyone’s brain develops in a unique way.
Like a person’s fingerprints, no two brains — not even those of identical twins — are exactly the same. Because of that, there’s no definition of “normal” capabilities for the human brain.
For most areas of modern medicine, defining what’s normal is critical. In many circumstances, healthcare providers determine a person’s health based on the yes-or-no question, “Is this normal?” Depending on the answer, a person is either sick or well based on symptoms they do or don’t have or things they can or can’t do.
An example of this in everyday life would be comparing the following two people with a special talent for drawing.
- Person #1: A 12-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who struggles in social situations. The child’s main ASD-related issues are social problems, unusually high interest in drawing and being strictly dependent on a daily routine. The child is naturally better at drawing without taking classes or accumulating experience.
- Person #2: A 40-year-old neurotypical adult. The adult learned to draw at the age of 17, and their talent took hard work and time to develop. They’re very social and make friends easily.
No one would consider the adult abnormal or defective because they can’t paint as well as the child. Likewise, autism spectrum disorder is a condition that can take many different forms, many of which happen in people who don’t have ASD.
Describing the child as neurodivergent acknowledges that they’re “differently abled.” Neurodiversity means it’s natural for both the adult and the child to develop differently and have their own abilities and struggles.
Is being neurodivergent a disability?
Some neurodivergent people struggle because of systems or processes that don’t give them a chance to show off their strengths or that create new or more intense challenges for them.
- Example #1: Many people who are neurodivergent struggle in social situations, which can make it hard to find work because they struggle during job interviews. However, they can still get the job if the hiring process emphasizes their abilities, such as screening potential hires with a skills test. Once on the job, their attention to detail means they’re an outstanding accountant or record-keeper because they can easily process data that others might find more tedious.
- Example #2: Some who are neurodivergent struggle in noisy environments or situations. That means a busy office can feel overwhelming to them. However, a pair of noise-canceling headphones might give them the quiet they need to make them the most productive person on their team because one of their strengths is the ability to focus on their work intensely.
In both examples, accommodations helped the person overcome their particular struggle. For someone with a disability, an accommodation is a way to accept that they’re different or have challenges, and then give them a tool or a way to succeed. For the people who are neurodivergent in the examples above, the accommodations were the hiring process and the headphones.
Accommodations for people with disabilities isn’t a new idea. Some examples include:
- Physical disabilities: Ramps and entrances with automatic doors for those in wheelchairs.
- Sensory disabilities: Crosswalks with a loud tone for those who have vision problems to let them know it’s safe to cross the street.
Why use the term neurodivergent to describe people?
Some people oppose the idea of neurodiversity as being about differences instead of deficits. Many who take that stance say they’re against it because some who are neurodivergent have true medical conditions that need treatment.
However, research shows that knowing about the idea of neurodiversity doesn’t mean people who are neurodivergent ignore or deny that they have struggles. Instead, the research shows people who know about the idea of being neurodivergent use that knowledge to adapt and help them succeed.
Experts’ research also shows words and language related to neurodiversity make a difference in how people live. People who are neurodivergent and learn that it means they’re different — not sick or defective — are more likely to be happier and aim higher in their careers.
An example of this is someone who has dyslexia. People with that condition struggle to read because their brain doesn’t process written language like the brain of someone without dyslexia. However, people with dyslexia usually have brains that are better at processing or mentally picturing 3D objects. That makes them much faster at identifying optical illusions, and they have a natural talent for jobs like graphic design and arts, engineering and more.