Reference
Common neurodivergent terms, explained in plain language.
Any adjustment to an environment, task, or expectation that helps a neurodivergent person function more comfortably and effectively. Examples include noise-canceling headphones, written instructions instead of verbal, flexible deadlines, or dimmable lighting. Accommodations aren't special treatment - they're leveling the playing field.
Difficulty identifying, describing, and processing emotions. A person with alexithymia may feel "something is wrong" but cannot name whether it's sadness, anger, anxiety, or hunger. Common in autistic people - not because emotions aren't felt, but because the brain doesn't automatically translate body states into emotional labels. Alexithymia is not coldness; it's a disconnection between experience and language.
A person who is not autistic. The term is preferred over "neurotypical" when referring specifically to non-autistic people, because someone can be allistic but still neurodivergent (e.g., a person with ADHD, dyslexia, or Tourette's).
The inability to feel pleasure or interest in activities you once enjoyed. Common in depression but can also appear during autistic burnout - though in burnout, the loss of interest is more about depletion than emotional numbness.
A state of persistent worry, fear, or apprehension about future events or uncertainty. Neurodivergent people experience anxiety at much higher rates than the general population - often from navigating a world not built for them, chronic masking, sensory overload, and social rejection. Anxiety in neurodivergence is frequently a rational response to an invalidating environment, not a chemical imbalance alone.
An eating disorder characterized by restricted food intake, intense fear of gaining weight, and distorted body image. In neurodivergent people, restrictive eating can have different roots - sensory aversions to food textures, rigid rules around what foods are "safe," interoceptive difficulties (not feeling hunger), or a need for control in an overwhelming world. Treatment approaches that work for neurotypical anorexia may not translate directly; sensory-informed and neurodiversity-affirming care is essential.
A personality disorder involving a persistent pattern of disregarding or violating the rights of others, lack of remorse, impulsivity, and difficulty maintaining relationships. Often misunderstood and stigmatized. ASPD exists on a spectrum, and many people with the diagnosis manage it without harming others. In neurodivergent populations, what looks like "antisocial" traits can sometimes be autistic social disconnection, alexithymia (not showing emotion doesn't mean not feeling it), or trauma-related detachment. Genuine ASPD can co-occur with neurodivergence, but the two should not be conflated.
An eating disorder driven by sensory sensitivities, fear of negative consequences (choking, vomiting), or a genuine lack of interest in eating - not body image concerns. Highly common in autistic people. ARFID is often dismissed as "picky eating" in childhood and goes untreated into adulthood. It can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies and requires sensory-informed support, not standard eating disorder protocols designed for body-image-driven conditions.
The co-occurrence of autism and ADHD. The term reflects that having both is not just "autism plus ADHD" - the two interact in complex ways. For example, autism craves routine while ADHD craves novelty, creating a constant internal push-pull. AuDHD is an unofficial but widely used community term.
A state of complete physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by sustained masking, sensory overload, and navigating a neurotypical world without adequate support. Unlike regular burnout, it often involves temporary loss of skills (speech, executive function, social abilities) and can take months or years to recover from.
The difficulty starting or stopping tasks due to differences in executive function. It's like a brain stuck in gear - you want to move, you know you need to move, but the initiation signal doesn't seem to reach your body. Related to executive dysfunction and commonly described as "I'm stuck."
A personality disorder characterized by extreme social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. People with AvPD desperately want connection but avoid it because they fear rejection so deeply. Easily confused with social anxiety disorder or autism-related social withdrawal. The difference: AvPD is driven by fear of being disliked/worthless; autistic withdrawal is driven by sensory/social exhaustion and different communication needs. Many people are misdiagnosed with AvPD when they're actually autistic, especially if they're late-diagnosed and have developed social avoidance as a trauma response.
A mood disorder characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania (elevated mood, high energy, reduced need for sleep, rapid thoughts) alternating with depressive episodes. Sometimes confused with ADHD or autism because of overlapping traits like emotional intensity, impulsivity, and sleep disruption. The key difference: bipolar mood changes are episodic (days to weeks), while ADHD/autism traits are more consistent over time.
A condition involving intense emotions, unstable relationships, fear of abandonment, identity disturbance, and difficulty regulating emotional responses. Frequently misdiagnosed in autistic and ADHD women - the emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, and identity struggles of neurodivergence can look very similar to BPD from the outside. Many people have both; many others are misdiagnosed BPD when they're actually autistic or AuDHD.
An eating disorder involving recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control, accompanied by shame and distress. In neurodivergent people, binge eating can be linked to sensory seeking (the texture/taste of certain foods provides regulation), executive dysfunction around meal planning (leading to extreme hunger then overeating), or as a form of stimming or emotional release. Not caused by lack of willpower - it's a complex interaction of neurology, executive function, and emotional regulation.
An eating disorder involving cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors (vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise). Like other eating disorders, bulimia in neurodivergent people may be less about body image and more about sensory dysregulation, interoceptive confusion, or using the binge-purge cycle as a way to release overwhelming emotions or sensory tension. The shame and secrecy can be intense. Recovery requires addressing both the eating behavior and the underlying sensory/emotional needs driving it.
A strategy where having another person present (physically or virtually) helps you complete tasks. The other person doesn't need to participate - their presence alone provides a gentle accountability anchor. Popular in ADHD communities. Apps like Focusmate and Dubbii facilitate virtual body doubling.
See Masking.
The presence of two or more conditions in the same person. In neurodivergence, comorbidities are the rule rather than the exception - autism commonly co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, among others.
A form of post-traumatic stress resulting from prolonged, repeated exposure to trauma - often childhood abuse, neglect, or invalidation. Differs from PTSD in that it affects identity, relationships, and emotional regulation more deeply. Many neurodivergent people, especially those diagnosed late, carry CPTSD from growing up in environments that punished their natural ways of being. The nervous system stays in survival mode long after the danger has passed.
A mood disorder involving persistent sadness, emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia), changes in sleep and appetite, low energy, and feelings of worthlessness. Easily confused with autistic burnout - both involve withdrawal, fatigue, and flat affect. The distinction: depression responds to activation and social connection; burnout responds to reduced demands and unmasking. Many neurodivergent people experience depression, sometimes as a separate condition and sometimes as a consequence of chronic burnout.
A disconnection from thoughts, feelings, body, or surroundings. Ranges from mild daydreaming to feeling like you're watching yourself from outside your body (derealization/depersonalization). Common in neurodivergent people, especially those with trauma histories. Can be a coping mechanism when the nervous system is overwhelmed - checking out because being present is too painful or overloading.
A learning difference that affects the ability to understand numbers, math concepts, and arithmetic. Like dyslexia for numbers. Common in neurodivergent people. It doesn't reflect intelligence - the brain simply processes numerical information differently.
A neurological condition that affects writing abilities - handwriting, spelling, and organizing thoughts on paper. Not about laziness or lack of practice. Often co-occurs with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.
A learning difference that primarily affects reading, spelling, and phonological processing. Words may appear to move, blur, or feel disconnected from their sounds. Many dyslexic people excel at spatial reasoning, storytelling, and big-picture thinking.
Affects motor coordination - both fine motor (handwriting, buttoning) and gross motor (balance, running, catching). Also impacts planning and sequencing movements. Commonly overlaps with autism and ADHD.
Difficulty with the brain's "management system" - tasks like planning, prioritizing, initiating, sustaining focus, inhibiting impulses, and shifting between tasks. Often mistaken for laziness, but it's a neurological difference, not a choice. Executive dysfunction means your brain struggles to execute what it knows it should do.
The repetition of words, phrases, or sounds heard from others, media, or past conversations. Common in autistic people. Can be immediate (repeating something just heard) or delayed (repeating a phrase from a movie days later). It serves many functions - communication, regulation, processing, or comfort.
A structured therapy approach designed to help process traumatic memories. The therapist guides you through recalling a distressing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation -- typically side-to-side eye movements, taps, or sounds. The theory is that this helps the brain "digest" stuck traumatic material, reducing its emotional charge. Highly effective for PTSD and increasingly used for CPTSD and other trauma-related conditions. EMDR doesn't require talking through every detail of trauma -- you don't have to describe what happened extensively -- which can make it more accessible for neurodivergent people who struggle to articulate overwhelming experiences. Some autistic people find the bilateral stimulation calming; others find the eye movements overstimulating. It's worth asking about a therapist's experience with neurodivergent clients before starting.
A procedure under general anesthesia where small electric currents pass through the brain to intentionally trigger a brief, controlled seizure. Highly effective for treatment-resistant depression, severe mania, and catatonia - especially when other treatments haven't worked or a rapid response is needed. Modern ECT is performed with muscle relaxants, anesthesia, and precise dosing; the most common side effect is short-term memory loss around the time of treatment. Not the frightening procedure often depicted in media - today it's a safe, well-regulated treatment that can be life-saving.
A personality disorder involving a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking. People with HPD may feel uncomfortable when not the center of attention, use physical appearance to draw notice, and have rapidly shifting emotions that appear shallow to others. Heavily stigmatized, especially in women. In neurodivergent contexts, what looks like histrionic behavior can be autistic or ADHD emotional dysregulation expressed outwardly, sensory-seeking behaviors misinterpreted as attention-seeking, or stimming that reads as "dramatic." The label should be applied cautiously - many people labeled "histrionic" are actually undiagnosed neurodivergent women whose natural expressiveness pathologized.
An intense, trance-like state of concentration on a single activity. Time disappears, basic needs (hunger, bathroom) go ignored, and interrupting a hyperfocus session can cause extreme irritation or distress. Common in both ADHD and autism, though the flavor differs - ADHD hyperfocus is often interest-driven and sporadic, while autistic hyperfocus can be more sustained and system-focused.
The ability to read far above what's expected for a person's age, often with advanced decoding skills but potential difficulty with reading comprehension. Common in some autistic children. A reader may decode complex words effortlessly but struggle to summarize or infer meaning.
Heightened sensitivity to sensory input - sounds are louder, lights feel brighter, textures are more intense, smells are stronger. A tag on a shirt can feel like sandpaper. The hum of a refrigerator can be deafening. Hypersensitivity is common in autism and can fluctuate with stress and burnout levels.
Reduced sensitivity to sensory input. A person may not feel pain as acutely, may seek intense sensory input (crashing, spinning, deep pressure), or may not notice temperature changes or hunger cues. Some neurodivergent people experience both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity in different senses.
Sharing a large amount of detailed information about a topic of interest, often enthusiastically and in depth. Common in autistic communication. It's usually a sign of comfort, trust, and excitement - not a social mistake. Info-dumping is love language for many neurodivergent people.
The sense that helps you perceive internal body states - hunger, thirst, needing the bathroom, heart rate, body temperature. Many neurodivergent people have reduced interoceptive awareness, which can make it hard to recognize when they're hungry, stressed, or about to have a meltdown.
A medical treatment using low doses of ketamine - or its FDA-approved derivative esketamine (Spravato) - to relieve severe depression that hasn't responded to other treatments. Unlike standard antidepressants that take weeks to work, ketamine can lift mood within hours to days. It is only administered under medical supervision - either as an IV infusion in a clinic or as a nasal spray (esketamine) with a mandatory monitoring period afterward. Not something to self-administer or pursue outside of proper medical care. Common side effects are temporary and monitored by the care team. Typically used in combination with ongoing therapy and antidepressants.
The conscious or unconscious suppression of autistic traits to appear neurotypical. This includes forcing eye contact, suppressing stims, rehearsing conversations, mimicking facial expressions, and hiding sensory discomfort. Masking is exhausting and is a primary driver of autistic burnout. It's also a survival strategy - many of us learned early that being visibly autistic was unsafe.
An intense, involuntary response to overwhelming sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload. Often mistaken for a tantrum, but fundamentally different - a meltdown is a neurological overload response, not a behavioral choice. It may involve crying, shouting, pacing, or total loss of control. Afterward, the person often feels drained, ashamed, or dissociated.
A cognitive theory of autism suggesting that autistic minds tend to focus intensely on a small number of interests at any given time, while everything else fades into the background. This explains both hyperfocus and the difficulty of shifting attention. It's not a deficit - it's a different attentional style.
The concept that neurological differences (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc.) are natural variations in the human genome, not disorders or deficits to be cured. Coined by Judy Singer in the 1990s. Neurodiversity is to the brain what biodiversity is to the ecosystem - difference is not weakness; it's resilience.
An individual whose brain functions differently from what's considered "typical." Includes autistic people, ADHDers, dyslexics, dyspraxics, tourettic people, and others. The term doesn't imply brokenness - it describes variation.
A person whose brain functions within societal expectations of "normal." Not better - just the standard that society was built for. Most neurotypical people have never had to question whether their brain works "right."
A personality disorder involving a long-term pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. Heavily stigmatized and widely misunderstood. NPD often develops as a protective response to early trauma or chronic invalidation - the psyche builds a grandiose self to survive unbearable worthlessness. In neurodivergent contexts, what looks like narcissism can sometimes be autistic bluntness (misread as arrogance), ADHD rejection sensitivity (misread as narcissistic injury), or a trauma-induced need for control. NPD and neurodivergence can co-occur, but the overlap is often misidentified.
A condition involving unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety. Differs from autism's need for routine or special interests - OCD compulsions are driven by fear and distress, not comfort or joy. Commonly co-occurs with autism and ADHD. Can be confused with autistic perseveration or rigid thinking, but the underlying motivation (anxiety relief vs. preference for predictability) is different.
A personality disorder involving a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, rules, and control - at the expense of flexibility and relationships. Often confused with OCD, but they are distinct conditions. OCPD is ego-syntonic (the person believes their way is correct); OCD is ego-dystonic (the person wants the intrusive thoughts to stop). OCPD is also frequently confused with autism - the rigid routines, need for things "done right," and difficulty with change look very similar from the outside. The difference: autistic rigidity comes from neurological need for predictability; OCPD rigidity comes from an anxious drive for control and perfection. Many autistic people are misdiagnosed with OCPD before receiving an autism assessment.
A sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes - racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, sense of impending doom, or feeling like you're losing control. Can be triggered by sensory overload, social stress, or cumulative overwhelm in neurodivergent people. Sometimes mistaken for an autistic meltdown; the difference is that panic attacks are driven by the fear response while meltdowns are driven by sensory/cognitive overload.
A personality disorder involving a pervasive distrust and suspicion of others, interpreting their motives as malevolent. People with PPD are hypervigilant for betrayal and may hold grudges persistently. In neurodivergent people, what looks like paranoia can be a rational response to a lifetime of being misunderstood, rejected, or mistreated - autistic hypervigilance from social trauma is not the same as a personality disorder. However, genuine PPD can co-occur, and the distinction matters for appropriate support.
A profile of autism characterized by an intense need to avoid everyday demands and expectations - not just requests, but things like "the phone is ringing" or "I should brush my teeth." The avoidance is driven by anxiety, not defiance. PDAers need high autonomy, low pressure, and collaborative approaches to support.
Getting stuck on a thought, topic, or behavior - repeating it over and over even when it's no longer productive. Related to executive dysfunction and difficulty with cognitive shifting. Different from a special interest (which is enjoyable); perseveration often feels involuntary and frustrating.
A severe, hormone-sensitive mood disorder that occurs in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms include extreme irritability, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and cognitive fog. Highly comorbid with autism and ADHD - neurodivergent people appear to be disproportionately affected, possibly due to differences in how the nervous system processes hormonal fluctuations. PMDD is not "bad PMS"; it's a disabling condition that requires medical recognition and support.
A state in which a person loses some contact with reality - experiencing hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there), delusions (fixed false beliefs), or disorganized thinking. Can occur in several conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, and sometimes in autistic people under extreme stress (sometimes called "autistic psychosis"). Always requires professional support. Not to be confused with autistic meltdowns, intense imagination, or ADHD racing thoughts.
Getting stuck on a thought, topic, or behavior - repeating it over and over even when it's no longer productive. Related to executive dysfunction and difficulty with cognitive shifting. Different from a special interest (which is enjoyable); perseveration often feels involuntary and frustrating.
An intense emotional response to perceived or actual rejection, criticism, or failure. Common in ADHD. The pain can feel physical and overwhelming - like the worst emotional wound imaginable. Even minor feedback can trigger it. RSD is not a formal diagnosis but is widely recognized in neurodivergent communities.
A chronic mental health condition combining symptoms of schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking) with a mood disorder (depression or bipolar disorder). Often misdiagnosed or confused with other conditions. In neurodivergent people, autistic psychosis, bipolar psychosis, or extreme stress-induced dissociation can look like schizoaffective disorder. Conversely, some people with schizoaffective disorder may also be autistic or ADHD - the sensory sensitivities, social difficulties, and cognitive patterns can overlap significantly. Accurate diagnosis requires a clinician who understands both serious mental illness and neurodivergence and can tell apart overlapping presentations.
A personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of detachment from social relationships, limited emotional expression, and a preference for solitary activities. Often confused with autism - both involve social disinterest, flat affect, and comfort in solitude. The distinction: autistic people often want connection but struggle with the mechanics; people with SzPD may genuinely feel little desire for relationships. However, many autistic people are misdiagnosed with SzPD, especially if they've been socially burned enough times to give up trying. The label should be applied cautiously in neurodivergent populations.
A personality disorder involving acute discomfort in relationships, cognitive or perceptual distortions (magical thinking, unusual beliefs), and eccentric behavior. Overlaps significantly with autism in presentation - social oddness, unusual communication patterns, intense internal worlds, and sensory sensitivities are common to both. STPD is sometimes considered part of the "autism spectrum adjacent" cluster. Many people with STPD traits may actually be autistic, especially if their unusual beliefs serve a functional role in making sense of an overwhelming world.
An anxiety disorder where a person who is capable of speech is unable to speak in certain situations or around certain people. Often confused with being "shy" or "stubborn." Common in autistic people, especially children. It's not a choice - the throat literally closes up. Selective mutism requires patience, pressure-free environments, and alternative communication methods (writing, typing, gesturing) to support rather than force speech.
The process of identifying as neurodivergent based on personal research, community connection, and deep resonance with shared experiences - without a formal clinical assessment. Widely accepted within neurodivergent communities as valid. Formal diagnosis can be expensive, inaccessible, biased, or even risky (some countries restrict rights based on diagnosis).
How the nervous system receives, organizes, and responds to sensory information (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, proprioception, vestibular, interoception). Neurodivergent people often process sensory information differently - some channels may be heightened (hypersensitive) while others are dampened (hyposensitive).
A less visible alternative to a meltdown. Instead of an outward explosion, a shutdown is an inward collapse - going silent, losing speech, becoming still or unresponsive. The brain hits a limit and essentially goes offline. Shutdowns are often quieter than meltdowns but just as exhausting.
An intense, passionate, and enduring focus on a specific topic. Special interests bring deep joy, comfort, and regulation. They're not just "hobbies" - they're central to autistic wellbeing. Common in autism, though ADHDers may experience similar intensity through hyperfixations (which tend to be shorter-lived and more rotational).
The concept that neurodivergent people don't have uniformly high or low abilities - they have "spikes" (areas of exceptional strength) alongside significant challenges. This explains why someone can be a brilliant engineer but unable to manage basic household tasks. The spiky profile is normal in neurodivergence, not a contradiction.
Thoughts about wanting to die or end one's life. Ranges from passive ("I wish I wouldn't wake up") to active (planning or intent). In neurodivergent people, suicidal ideation can arise from burnout, overwhelm, and the despair of living in a world that feels hostile to one's existence - not necessarily from depression. The desire is often not to die but to make the pain stop. If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) or Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741).
The concept that neurodivergent people don't have uniformly high or low abilities - they have "spikes" (areas of exceptional strength) alongside significant challenges. This explains why someone can be a brilliant engineer but unable to manage basic household tasks. The spiky profile is normal in neurodivergence, not a contradiction.
Repetitive movements, sounds, or sensations that provide sensory regulation, emotional grounding, or expression. Hand-flapping, rocking, humming, spinning, tapping, and rubbing textures are all common stims. Stimming helps regulate the nervous system - it's not "weird" or something to suppress. Suppressing stims is painful and draining.
A neurological condition where one sensory or cognitive pathway triggers another - for example, seeing colors when hearing music (chromesthesia), tasting shapes, or feeling textures when reading words. More common in neurodivergent people than the general population.
Difficulty perceiving the passage of time. Common in ADHD and autism. Five minutes can feel like an hour, or an hour can feel like five minutes. Time blindness isn't carelessness - it's a neurological difference in how the brain processes temporal information. External tools (timers, alarms, visual schedules) are essential supports, not crutches.
A noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in brain regions involved in mood regulation. FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression, OCD, and smoking cessation. Unlike ECT, TMS requires no anesthesia, doesn't cause seizures or memory loss, and patients can drive themselves home afterward. A typical course involves daily sessions (20-40 minutes each) for 4-6 weeks. Response rates for depression are around 50-70%, making it a well-established option when medications haven't worked.
A neurological condition characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics - sudden, repetitive movements or sounds. Tics can be simple (blinking, throat-clearing) or complex (jumping, repeating phrases). Tourette's is part of the neurodivergent umbrella and frequently co-occurs with autism, ADHD, and OCD. The tics are not "bad habits" or attention-seeking - they're neurological urges that build until expressed, similar to the urge to blink or scratch an itch. Many people with Tourette's also experience premonitory urges (a physical sensation before the tic), and tics often wax and wane with stress, excitement, and fatigue. Suppressing tics is possible for short periods but is mentally and physically exhausting.
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