My Brain.
What is a neurotype?
Your brain is unique, but there may be ways in which your brain works which are similar to other people, as well as specific ways in which your brain differs. These similarities allow us to see groups of experiences within the global population, and these groups often have a label.
Neurodivergence is known as an 'umbrella term', which simply means it is a catch all for SO many different experiences. Your neurodivergent experience might be something you've experienced since birth (genetic, for example blindness or Down's syndrome) or something that has developed during your lifetime (acquired, for example brain differences after an accident).
It’s natural for humans to categorise and group things -it’s one way of making sense of our world,
Throughout history humans have used many different labels for neurodivergent experiences. While the umbrella of neurodivergence brings awareness, specific labels such autism, ADHD, deafness or dyspraxia may be more helpful in understanding your own brain and personal experience.
The resources below offer an invitation to explore different neurodivergent experiences. It's important to remember, that even within these specific groups, there remains a huge amount of diversity - one person's experience is simply one person's experience, and while relatable, may be very different to your own at times.
This plethora of difference is something that makes our world, our experience of humanity, so beautiful. While we all have our own strengths and challenges, just imagine how boring our world would be if we all worked in the same way!
Something to ponder…
This section explores some of the most commonly used labels for neurodivergent experiences - you may find them useful in exploring your own experiences, you may not.
Labels can help us understand ourselves, bring communities together making it easier for people to find folks with similar experiences and ideas, and create space for healing. They can also cause division, drive stigma, and cause harm - especially if they are being created/used by folks who who are not sharing those experiences.
However you feel about them, I invite you to consider why we create labels, how useful they are, and how we use them.
IMAGE SPACE HOLDER - ND Categories
Videos. All that jaaaaaaazz.