I keep hearing words like ‘neurotype’ and ‘neurodivergent’, and everyone seems to have an opinion on them. But what do these terms even mean?!
We’re so glad you asked!
To put it simply, there are many different experiences of having a nervous system (the part of your body that puts together information from your senses and uses it to make decisions and manage your body movements from molecule to muscle). Some nervous system styles are with us from birth, and some experiences change over time, and all of this is neurodiversity. Two neurotypes that are being talked about much more frequently these days are “Autistic” and “ADHD.”
Let’s then use an analogy to describe what these innate neurotypes mean: brains are like cars. Some cars have gas engines, some have diesel engines, some are electric, and some are hybrids. No car is universally better or worse, they are just different. Typically, cars keep the type of engine they have, even if things happen to them or they are made over. The labels of “Autistic,” “ADHD,” and “Allistic” (sometimes called neurotypical), are also just different types of nervous systems, and they tend to stay the same, even if things happen to us or we grow over time.
Some cars are particularly well-suited to some situations, even though they may not be the most common car on a neighborhood street. Diesel trucks can do tasks that would seriously strain other vehicles, but may not be practical for driving your morning commute. Likewise, while a lot of emphasis in categorizing and diagnosing neurotypes has historically been based on difficulty doing daily tasks in neurotypical ways, ADHDers have an incredible capacity to take roads less traveled, and Autistic people consistently gift others with their passion and persistence.
Learning your neurotype is not about finding out what to change about yourself, but about understanding the way you work so that you can care for yourself well and find where you and your strengths can shine.
Thankfully, there are many tools available now to help you make sense of your experiences on your own and at your own pace. At the same time, you are not obligated to figure it out by yourself. Should you prefer some company, support, and tools as you go on this journey, we would be honored to be by your side with our Adult Autism Evaluations.
Ready to learn more about your own neurotype? Contact the Capital Crescent Collective today to schedule an Adult Autism Evaluation. We’re looking forward to helping you know and understand yourself.
This post was written by Anna White, an experienced independent therapist at Capital Crescent Collective in Bethesda, MD.