The Explosion of Neurodivergence
The collective knowledge of mental health is growing. People are realizing they're not alone in how their brains work. As a result, more people are shedding their masks and allowing themselves to be comfortable with being different. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent they aren't so different after all.
TikTok has been a major driver of creating awareness and relatability about neurodivergence and what it means.
neurodivergent
Adjective
Having or related to a type of brain that is often considered as different from what is usual, for example that of someone who has autism.
Opposite
Neurotypical
A person whose brain functions differently than what is considered "normal"; not typical...
The term includes not only people with autism but also many other groups. Neurodivergent disorders include, but are not limited to, OCD, complex trauma, Tourette's Syndrome, epilepsy, and ADHD. These disorders can sometimes overlap, which can create confusion.
I am a neurodivergent individual because I suffer from OCD and complex trauma. I share many of the same symptoms as those with autism. A LOT of what they have to say, their pictures, their art, the way their brain works, I can relate to! & because of this, I began to wonder if I was on the spectrum. The more I researched, the more I began to think I had autism. I even wondered if I should get tested. I realized, however, that I am already severely neurodivergent without the diagnosis of autism. My ACE score (adverse childhood experience) and my OCD take care of that. This alone could explain my connection. It doesn’t mean I am autistic…
This blog was inspired by that simple thought. TikTok and the mental health community are on fire! People are talking and being so brave and vulnerable about telling their stories, being who they are, and sharing how they see the world. We are shedding our camouflage and embracing our unique brains. Despite this, the mental health sector is so far behind, it is causing confusion. Did you know that the DSM-5, the latest edition of the standard classification for mental disorders used by clinicians in the United States, doesn't even have a diagnosis for complex trauma? I’m clinically diagnosed as having PTSD (x10000 LOL), but it’s not accurate. There is plenty of research, evidence, and experts in complex trauma who agree that it is a disorder and differs from regular PTSD in its symptoms and treatment. A person, especially a girl, who has complex trauma that dates back to in-utero or early childhood, can have very similar symptoms and responses to autism. We mask. We stim. We have various degrees of social interaction issues. We live inside our heads. We disconnect from others. We obsess and create attachments to hobbies and ideals. The DSM5 diagnosis criteria for autism doesn’t take complex trauma into account. It can’t when there isn’t a diagnosis to begin with. Please, catch up, American Psychiatric Association! From my place in the mental health world, I see many women feeling the same thing. I see how it is becoming a problem.
Diagnoses are important. They allow us to realize what's happening and how to better function in the world we live in. It helps us to make sense of why we feel so alienated when dealing with mental health issues. It helps us to understand that masking isn’t helpful and stimming is just a thing we do to help us think or focus or release the anxiety. We have started diagnosing ourselves. We hear Dr. Levine and Dr. van der Kolk when they talk about complex trauma. We listen to our peers and relate to their experiences to the point of a collective knowledge that is beginning to surpass the so-called standard. Autism in women is so much different than autism in men. Women are now being diagnosed with these new qualifications, but the DSM-5 still does not take complex trauma or other neurodivergent issues into consideration, only recently adding fine print for some instances that are more common for women. As a woman in rural America, getting an accurate autism test with a knowledgeable doctor is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Due to the influx of people taking their research into their own hands and the dragging feet of the APA, the diagnosis of autism and the line between autism and neurodivergence, especially among women, is becoming skewed. Where do we draw that line between neurodivergence and autism? What role does complex trauma play in autism, if any? They are often co-morbid. When it comes to complex trauma experienced in-utero or infancy, how can we tell what is autism and what is trauma at an early age? There are hypotheses, theories, and opinions, but right now, we simply don't know. Although people are preaching about complex trauma, and we know many of its effects on us, we don't know as much as we should about it, especially in young children. Wellness visits still do not check for adverse childhood experiences. There is a simple test to determine ACE scores. The problem is that they are difficult to get because your clients are minors who may be abused by those who care for and influence them. This is no easy task, but we have a way to test it. What we need is an action plan. ACES testing could be included in kid's wellness checks, and schools are excellent places to test students. Human services offices could all have someone trained in ACE testing. We need more information on complex trauma, instead of pretending it doesn’t exist.
Taking mental health seriously is an important step in the healing of humanity as a whole. There are many issues that can be linked to mental health issues and generational trauma. So becoming more aware of how our mental health can affect not only our physical bodies, but the way we exist within the world, is monumental! Whether or not the powers-that-be finally get their act together, learning from one another and trying to understand has shown to be a powerful movement that might just change the world! But having these tests in place, validating people’s complex trauma, and answering these questions about neurodivergence will make it happen a whole lot faster.
Obviously, this won't resolve all our problems and may spark additional questions, shedding light on other issues as well. Nevertheless, we have to start somewhere. The collective knowledge is making its own rules at this point. We need a clear, comprehensive strategy, beginning with a diagnosis of complex trauma.
Below I shared a similarly written article. In this article, she breaks down the DSM5 diagnosis criteria for autism, showing why it needs more work in differentiating between neurodivergence and autism.
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