“I see videos of people describing neurodivergent experiences, and some of them seem pretty normal to me. I also remember hearing that Autism and ADHD are spectrums. So does that mean everyone is a little ADHD?”
Nope! But great question!
The information all around us these days sure can be confusing to navigate. Some stories and examples you may hear from content creators can be vague, relatable, or even untrue (misinformation happens). When we talk about having a neurotype, rather than focusing on one example, it helps to look at the whole pattern.
Let’s head back to our car analogy. We said that particular neurotypes are like car engines that take different fuels. Each engine prefers a certain kind of fuel to run well and last a longer time. Technically, no one can stop you from putting diesel fuel in a gas car, but it would be a really bad idea to do it. And even though it would run for a short time, the engine would be damaged in the process (please don’t do that).
One of the differences between ADHD, Autism, and Allism is the type of fuel that motivates or organizes our behavior. ADHDers often run on novelty, urgency, interest, and challenge. Autistic people frequently organize around routine, passion, and sensation. Allistic people are typically motivated by social reciprocity, priority, and obligation. While everyone may occasionally use all of these types of fuel, these neurotypes are about which fuels are most sustainable to use with regularity. For example, while someone with ADHD might thrive and excel in a career filled with intense and exciting situations, such as professional sports or being a CEO, others might not be able to keep up with that pace of life and prefer to have this level of excitement only occasionally.
A common reason that Autistic people and people with ADHD come to therapy is because they’ve spent a lifetime trying to “use fuels” that are not a good match for their nervous system, leading to burnout and vulnerability to many kinds of emotional distress. If this sounds like you, you are not alone. Neurodiversity-affirming therapy can create space to learn about yourself and try out different fuels so that you can feel like yourself again and do things that bring you joy.
Want to learn more about neurodiversity-affirming therapy? Contact Capital Crescent Collective today to schedule a consultation.
This post was written by Anna White, an experienced independent therapist at Capital Crescent Collective in Bethesda, MD.