Neurodiversity is a word we hear increasingly – on social media, in the news, and conversationally – but often without its full definition. The term refers officially to the fact that all people think differently and that no two people think alike. In this sense, we are diverse neurologically!
However, the term neurodivergent has been adopted especially in the context of neurological and developmental conditions, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as a way of better articulating the experiences of individuals who live with these conditions. One of the benefits of this is that it helps highlight the positive aspects of ASD, ADHD, and many other neurological and developmental conditions that are frequently portrayed and understood as negative in the media and popular discourse.
Neurodiversity means thinking and being in the world differently. Being unique in these ways does have disadvantages, but it also has major strengths. Here are some of the unique strengths that are presented by the various types of neurodivergence which affect a great many individuals the world over. Considering the particular ways in which these differences make our lives better is a crucial part of removing the stigma around living with ASD, ADHD, and other neurodiversities.
Hyperfocus: A helpful state of flow
Particularly when it comes to ADHD, many people associate neurodiversity with issues of attention. The inability to focus or pay attention is frequently perceived as the primary feature of both ADHD and ASD – studies have shown that among young people especially, a negative lack of control over attention and focus is the main concern around potential diagnoses of ADHD.[1] The same goes for ASD, which is frequently perceived negatively as causing periods of intense and anti-social focus on the wrong thing at inopportune times.[2]
While both ADHD and ASD are indeed characterised by differences in attention, these are not generalisable experiences and they are certainly not always bad. Indeed, both ASD and ADHD are characterised by periods of what is known as hyperfocus: although this can be hard to define, an article published in Psychological Research in 2021 defines it based on four features:
- Induced by task management;
- Involves an intense state of sustained or selective attention;
- Diminishes perception of non-task relevant stimuli;
- Marked by a major improvement in task performance.[3]
Contrary to the general perceptions of ADHD and ASD, the state of hyperfocus is therefore often an extremely productive one for individuals who are neurodiverse in this way. Being in a hyper-focused state – sometimes referred to as a state of ‘flow’ – allows for a unique attention to detail and vigor for completing the task at hand. Rather than a detraction, this can be a major benefit both personally and professionally for those who experience it.
Creativity from Difference
There are often marked differences in the way neurodivergent people approach situations; this can make itself known most obviously in social situations, where it seems as if they are saying the wrong thing at the wrong time or else missing the point of things. And while they may not be engaging with the same features of social life as others, this is often because they are thinking differently about the situation as a whole. For example, during a conversation about a relationship ending where the story is about the former couple getting in a fight about who will take the car, someone who is neurodivergent might become fixated on details about the car: what make and model, what year it was made, what features it had, etc.
This difference in thinking may seem strange, but it does have many benefits; in the above example, the details about the car feel irrelevant, but in other instances, this ‘unusual’ point of focus can be important and even vital. For example, in fields of research such as technology and engineering, there is a significant benefit to being able to recognise unusual patterns, which often requires paying attention to things others might miss. These fields often require the type of meticulous fixation on detail which often sets those who are neurodivergent apart in social settings because it feels as though they are missing the flow of conversation. This matters less in professional research and development, where it can be vital to the success of a project that those working on it do not become distracted.[4] Indeed, some research has argued that the variations in cognitive processing seen across those who are neurodivergent are actually an evolutionary survival strategy, since they enhance group selection by promoting diverse skill sets and facilitate specialised roles, so that labour can be divided in ways which make sense and suit a larger community harmony.
As our social focus on neurodivergence grows, the neurodiversity movement is an important force in ensuring that all ways of thinking and being are understood and valued. In cases of diagnosed conditions such as ASD and ADHD, and in general cases of neurodivergence, it’s important to remember that our differences are what makes us strong as a community.
Sources:
[1] Botha, W., & Westhuizen, D. van der. (2023). Illness-perception in adolescent attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: A qualitative study. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 29(1), Article 1. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajpsyc/article/view/264102
[2] Dupuis, A., Mudiyanselage, P., Burton, C. L., Arnold, P. D., Crosbie, J., & Schachar, R. J. (2022). Hyperfocus or flow? Attentional strengths in autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 886692. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.886692
[3] Ashinoff, B. K., & Abu-Akel, A. (2021). Hyperfocus: the forgotten frontier of attention. Psychological research, 85(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-019-01245-8
[4] Baron-Cohen, S., Ashwin, E., Ashwin, C., Tavassoli, T., & Chakrabarti, B. (2009). Talent in autism: Hyper-systemizing, hyper-attention to detail and hypo-imagination. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1522), 1377-1383.
[5] Burrows, R. M. (2005). The cultural evolution of autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Evolutionary Studies in Human Behavior, 26(3), 223-340.
