Table of Contents
What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity refers to the natural neurological variety of human brains. Each of us thinks differently, thrives in different situations, and has our own strengths and approaches. In that sense, neurodiversity applies to everyone. The term is linked to the idea of different neurotypes. (Source: Harvard Health Blog)
Neurodiversity in simple terms
At its core, neurodiversity is about how and when people learn and develop their cognitive functions. Most of us find a way to manage life’s essentials. If you’ve ever thought, “Why does she make things so complicated?” you’ve probably encountered someone with a different neurotype to yours.
Neurotypical describes what society calls “the norm”. I like to think of it as the standard template. No one is truly normal, but we all have an idea of what that would look like. If you don’t need to adjust much to fit that standard template, you’re considered neurotypical.
A larger divergence from that neurotypical baseline is described as neurodivergent. This umbrella term includes, among others, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), learning differences such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia or dysgraphia, as well as high sensitivity, giftedness, and high intelligence.
Examples of Neurodivergence: ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia & More
Here are some of the most common examples – with brief explanations.
Autism (ASD)
“Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.” (Source)
Another great source talks about “What is autism?”
Autism presents in many different ways, but only rarely like the stereotypes we see in films or on TV. In adults it often appears more subtly than in children. That’s partly because autistic people process significantly more sensory input (up to +40%) and first need to learn to manage it. What often remains is a heightened ability of observation and a very literal use and interpretation of language.
Find my personal take on autism here.
ADHD
“ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a condition that affects how your brain works. Despite its name, ADHD doesn’t mean that you lack attention. It means that it’s harder for you to control your attention or direct it to certain tasks.” (Source)
By the way, the term “ADD” (Attention Deficit Disorder) has fallen out of use.
ADHD is often associated with spontaneity and hyperfocus. The challenge is that individuals can’t always choose what to hyperfocus on. It would certainly be more convenient if it was chemistry revision instead of a computer game … although even gaming can now lead to successful careers! Still, the difficulty of directing one’s attention with the same tools as neurotypical people remains a daily hurdle. Often with not enough role models present to learn from.
Learning Differences: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia & Dysgraphia
“Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which primarily affects reading and writing skills. However, it does not only affect these skills. Dyslexia is actually about information processing. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills.” (Source)
“Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics.” (Source)
This page puts Dyscalculia additionally into perspective.
Dyspraxia: “Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known, in the UK, as dyspraxia, is a common but serious disorder affecting movement and coordination in children, young people and adults, with symptoms present since childhood.” (Source)
“Dysgraphia is the condition of impaired letter writing by hand, that is, disabled handwriting. Impaired handwriting can interfere with learning to spell words in writing and speed of writing text.” (Source)
It is important to remember the positives to thinking differently. Many people with learning difficulty show strengths in areas such as reasoning, creativity or visual thinking.
Personally, I find it helpful to think of learning differences in terms of how people process information. Imagine someone who thinks in pictures rather than dialogue. If your brain can easily flip letters around, then b and d are essentially the same just from a different angle.
Simply writing a letter 100 times won’t help, but teaching specific strategies to “hold the letters in place” can make all the difference. (Note: this analogy won’t apply to everyone, it’s only to illustrate the principle.)
High Sensitivity (HSP)
“A highly sensitive person (HSP) is an individual who perceives and processes sensory information intensely, exhibits profound emotional responses, demonstrates heightened empathy, requires periods of seclusion for relief, and typically avoids distressing situations.” (Source) This source also sheds light on the signs and characteristics of a highly sensitive person.
Food for thought: Although, being “too sensitive or emotional” is negatively conotated, we all love our new mobile phone for its better sensors.
Neurodiversity Self-Diagnosis: Helpful or Harmful?
Neurodivergences seem to have quite a bit of potential overlap, right? Freely interpreting “one neurodivergence seldomly comes alone”, multiple diagnoses occur in 50–80% of cases. For example, recent studies suggest that 60% of people with ADHD also meet criteria for autism.
Official diagnoses, however, are still much more common in children than adults. That’s partly because no one can see how your brain works from the outside (though brain scan research is making progress). Asking “Do you think differently from others?” isn’t reliable either when none of us has ever thought from within someone else’s head. With age also come socialisation and life experience into play, helping us blend in better, even without external support.
Are Online ADHD/Autism Tests Reliable?
Diagnostic questionnaires are available online (for example here). They can provide insight if you want to explore for yourself or gain a first overview.
But beware: you need to be both very honest with yourself and understand how the questions are meant. For instance, if you’re asked, “Are you very structured?”, you might answer “Medium”, only because for you it’s a big thing to break your routine three times a week. The difference is that you not only have a clear routine and notice every detail of when and how it happens to break (which it might even bother you).
The best tip I’ve heard to far: “Don’t take the test alone.” Have a trusted person read the questions to you, and answer in full sentences and with examples. Let them score the results for you. If you’re worried that might skew things on the way, try using a programme like ChatGPT to walk you through the questions step by step, and then let it suggest the score for you (you can even ask for explanations). Most importantly is a foundation of trust with whoever is assessing you.
Online tools can never replace an official diagnosis by a qualified specialist. But if what you’re looking for is self-understanding or peace of mind, they can help.
Spoiler: neurotypical people usually don’t spend months or years obsessing over neurodivergence. And they rarely end up with impostor syndrome as a result.
Neurodiversity Myths: Is it Just a Trend?
How Many People are Neurodivergent? Statistics & Prevalence
Research suggests that around 10–20% of the population may be neurodivergent in some form. (Source)
In the UK, estimates put the figure at 15–20% of the working population. (Source)
Simply put: there are more neurodivergent people than left-handers.
This makes sense when you think of neurotypes as different ways of processing information. Ever heard someone say, “Look here” versus “Listen carefully”? Chances are, those statements come from different neurotypes.
Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Inclusion & Communication
Step one: Awareness. Simple, but totally underrated. Understanding the basics helps us create space for difference.
Step two: Communication. Make an effort to communicate as clearly as possible in ways that are understandable across neurotypes. That goes for neurotypical as well as neurodivergent people. There’s no “better” or “worse” way of thinking, and neither group has it inherently easier or harder.
What makes an inclusive workplace? Acceptance, awareness, and psychological safety. A simple test: Are there multiple options available to contribute one’s own opinions or ideas (verbal, written, spontaneous, structured, …)? Do these options actually get used? Do voiced ideas and opinions often sound similar or even the same?
Benefits of Neurodiversity at Work: Productivity, Retention & Innovation
The greatest advantage of mixed neurotypes is how they complement each other. From everyday collaboration to innovative sessions, the more varied the thinking, the more colourful the bouquet of ideas and possible outcomes.
Some hard numbers to back this up: studies suggest up to 40% higher productivity, 15% greater employee retention, and 25% higher job satisfaction. Some results even report figures as high as 78%, 30% and 85%. (Source with meta-analysis)