When I was diagnosed with ADHD I started to do an in depth research about it. I was determined to learn everything there was to know so I could do my best to fix the problems ADHD was causing me. And then I came across the concept of Neurodiversity, and I was submerged. I got into hyperfocus mode, for I don’t know how long, and I found all these other concepts that I have never heard of. I was understanding okay, until I got to the Neurodiversity Paradigm and Movement concepts, that’s where my brain got stuck.
I have always been keen on doing things the right way, following rules, recipes, manuals… You could say I have a methodical brain. So when it comes to social sciences and humanities, where there’s plenty of theories and points of view, but never an exact right or wrong, I’m lost.
But let’s get done with the intro, I’ll let you get through the concepts and catch with you at the end.
HEALTH
Defined by the Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO), as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.
MENTAL HEALTH
Defined by the WHO as a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH
Positive mental health, a notion started by psychologists in the 1980’s, refers to feeling happy, interested and satisfied with life (emotional well-being), but also doing well in terms of having a sense of belonging and contributing to society (social well-being), and pursuing personal growth through self-acceptance, positive relations, and having a sense of purpose (psychological well-being).
MENTAL DISORDER / ILLNESS
According to the WHO, mental disorders are characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) refers to mental illnesses as health conditions that involve changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these); and are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.
Mental illness is considered a medical, treatable condition that can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, geography, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspect of cultural identity.
Mental illnesses take many forms, some are mild and only interfere in limited ways with daily life. Other mental health conditions are so severe that they interfere with one or more major life activities, resulting in serious functional impairment, in some cases to the point of needing hospital care.
NEURODIVERSITY
Neurodiversity refers to the diversity of human brains and minds – the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species.
Neurodiversity is a biological fact. It is not a perspective, an approach, a belief, a political position, a paradigm, or a social activist movement. Neurodiversity is not a trait possessed by an individual, but a trait possessed by a group.
The term was coined by autistic sociologist Judy Singer in 1998.
NEURODIVERGENT
Neurodivergent (ND) refers to an individual whose brain functions in ways that diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of “normal.”
NEURODIVERGENCE
Neurodivergence refers to the state of being neurodivergent. It can be largely or entirely genetic and innate, largely or entirely produced by a brain-altering experience or injury (acquired), or it can be a combination of the two.
The innate forms have intrinsic and pervasive factors in an individual’s psyche, personality, and fundamental way of relating to the world.
The acquired forms could be removed without erasing fundamental aspects of the individual’s selfhood, and in many cases the individual would be happy to be rid of such forms of neurodivergence.
Thus, neurodivergence is not intrinsically positive or negative. The terms neurodivergent and neurodivergence were coined by Kassiane Asasumasu, a neurodivergent and neurodiversity activist.
Accept • Support • Celebrate
NEUROMINORITY
Neurominority refers to a population of neurodivergents. These people should all share a similar form of neurodivergence, that is largely innate and inseparable from who they are, and is one to which the neurotypical majority tends to respond with some degree of prejudice, misunderstanding, discrimination, and/or oppression. Often facilitated by classifying that form of neurodivergence as a medical pathology.
NEUROTYPICAL
Neurotypical (NT) refers to an individual who has a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of “normal.” It can be used as either an adjective (“He’s neurotypical”) or a noun (“He’s a neurotypical”).
Neurotypical is the opposite of neurodivergent. Neurotypicality is the condition from which neurodivergent people diverge.
NEURODIVERSE
Refers to a group of people in which multiple neurocognitive styles are represented. One or more members of the group differ substantially from other members, in terms of their neurocognitive functioning.
NEURODIVERSITY PARADIGM
The Neurodiversity Paradigm is a specific perspective on neurodiversity, an approach that boils down to these fundamental principles:
1. Neurodiversity is a natural and valuable form of human diversity.
2. The idea that there is one “normal” or “healthy” type of brain or mind, or one “right” style of neurocognitive functioning, is a culturally constructed fiction, no more valid than the idea that there is one “normal” or “right” ethnicity, gender, or culture.
3. The social dynamics that manifest in regard to neurodiversity are similar to the social dynamics that manifest in regard to other forms of human diversity, like social power inequalities.
The neurodiversity paradigm does not use pathologizing terms like ‘disorder’ to describe minority neurological variants.
NEURODIVERSITY MOVEMENT
The Neurodiversity Movement is a social justice movement that seeks civil rights, equality, respect, and full societal inclusion for the neurodivergent.
It is not a single group or organization, nor is it run by any single group or organization, and it has no leader. Like most civil rights movements, it is made up of many individuals, some of them organized into groups.
These individuals and groups are quite diverse in their viewpoints, goals, concerns, political positions, affiliations, methods of activism, and interpretations of the Neurodiversity Paradigm.
The Neurodiversity Paradigm rejects the pathologizing of innate forms of neurodivergence, and the Neurodiversity Movement opposes attempts to get rid of them. As for the acquired forms, the Neurodiversity Paradigm does not reject their pathologizing, and the Neurodiversity Movement does not object to consensual attempts to cure them, but still objects to discrimination against people who have them.
WHERE DO I STAND?
As a physician, having sworn by the Hippocratic oath and being taught to always strive for health as defined by the WHO, it is hard for me to completely agree with both the Neurodiversity Paradigm and Movement.
Medical school teaches illnesses and disorders, along with what causes them, what are the symptoms and how they’re treated. For physicians it’s hard to think of an individual with a certain condition and not ask ourselves: What’s the diagnosis and how will I treat it?
DIAGNOSIS
I understand labeling and not wanting to be looked at a certain way, but for doctors the diagnosis is purely categorical, a way of quickly knowing what your problem is, and the symptoms you have. For everyone else’s perspective, that’s where stigma comes in.
TREATMENT
As for the decision to get treatment or not, it should always be made by the patient, and it can’t be forced upon nor denied.
I will say though, everyone should always strive to achieve Positive Mental Health.
EMPOWERING NEURODIVERSITY
Neurodivergents have various strengths and can offer particular skill sets that add significantly to the world. Some of the strengths are attention to detail, deep focus, long term memory, creativity, passion, energy, honesty, intuition, empathy, visual spatial ability, distinctive imagination, innovative thinking, as well as unique perspectives and approaches to problem solving.
As a neurodivergent, with innate and acquired conditions, I want to learn to take care of myself, to accept and love myself, learn to cope with my difficulties to live a happier life, and learn how to take advantage of my strengths to contribute to society in the best way I can. And that’s what I want to share with you.
References:
“Positive Mental Health refers to achieving emotional, social and psychological well-being.”
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“Medical school teaches illnesses and disorders, along with what causes them, what are the symptoms and how they’re treated. For physicians it’s hard to think of an individual with a certain condition and not ask ourselves: What’s the diagnosis and how will I treat it?
“I understand labeling and not wanting to be looked at a certain way, but for doctors the diagnosis is purely categorical, a way of quickly knowing what your problem is, and the symptoms you have. For everyone else’s perspective, that’s where stigma comes in.”
Reading this, I remembered Sarah K Reece discusses in “I don’t believe in mental illness (or, rewriting the DSM)” that
“Having words for experiences can be profound, the difference between mute suffering and solidarity and strength in the face of adversity. Our diagnostic manuals (the DSM and the ICD) were developed initially as a way of communicating between shrinks. A shorthand for what a patient was struggling with. It was important to define the terms because shrinks working independently, separated by continents, were starting to use the same words to describe vastly different experiences.”
For all their shortcomings that Sarah K Reece talks about later in the article, the diagnostic manuals were filling important needs and were partly created initially to facilitate help and care.
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I’ll look for that text, I’ve never read it
I agree, diagnosis shouldn’t be considered a bad connotation.
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