What does it mean to be neurodivergent?

What does it mean to be neurodivergent?

Recently, there has been a growing movement to better understand mental health as a culture and as an individual. With this comes a push to rethink patterns of thought and behavior that were previously considered atypical, “bad,” or “less than” in some way simply because they deviated from what was considered the norm. This is where the term neurodivergence (or neurodiversity, depending on the application) comes into play – a word that may sound familiar to you.

There's a lot to understand about neurodiversity, but understanding what the following terms mean can help you better understand how diverse mental health can be and why rethinking what's considered "normal" is a great thing. Here's what you need to know.

What is Neurodiversity?

Originally coined by sociologist Judy Singer in the late 1990s, neurodiversity is the recognition that there are a number of ways the human brain can function, explains David Mandell, Sc.D., a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and associate director of the Penn Center for Mental Health. Under neurodiversity, all types of thinking, behavior and processing are considered normal, says Mandell. 👏 And therefore there is no one “right” way to experience and interact with the world around you. 🙌

However, before the emergence of the neurodiversity movement in the 1990s, practitioners often viewed such differences in thinking and processing as abnormal or a “problem.” But as the push for equity and inclusion of “neurological minorities” gained traction, it enabled more neurodiversity research and training — both of which now play an important role in how clinicians view and treat certain neurological diseases and disabilities, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

“People tend to think of psychiatric disorders as dichotomous: you either meet the criteria for a disorder or you don’t,” says Mandell. “The neurodiversity movement [is driven by] the idea that this is not necessarily the most useful way of thinking about how people differ from normative functions.” (

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Today, neurodiversity is understood as a concept that considers individuals with differences in brain function and behavioral characteristics to be “part of the normal variation of the human population,” according to the Stanford Neurodiversity Project. In general, there are those who are neurodivergent and those who are neurotypical. Dive deeper into what it means to be neurotypical vs. neurodivergent below.

Neurotypical definition

According to Mandell, being neurotypical means that you think, process information, and behave in ways that are considered “normal” or “average” by the general population. People who are neurotypical don't necessarily think of themselves that way, but they typically recognize that everyday tasks and systems aren't something they struggle with, he explains.

Neurodivergent definition

Neurodivergent is simply the opposite of neurotypical: it describes someone who thinks, behaves, and learns differently than what is considered typical. Specifically, neurodivergence is a term for when a person's brain processes, learns, and/or behaves differently than what is considered "normal" or, in technical terms, "neurotypical," says Mandell. It can be used to describe a wide range of characteristics, from the different ways you and your partner approach a problem to specific neurological disorders or clinical mental health diagnoses. The goal of the term is to look at these neurological differences in an unbiased way, rather than seeing them as a "bad" thing or a "deficit," Mandell says.

It is important to note that neurodivergence is not an official medical diagnosis recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, the catalog of mental illnesses widely used by clinicians. (By the way, the same goes for high-functioning anxiety—you won't find it in the DSM either.) Rather, the neurodivergent meaning is more fluid, says Mandell. It is a loosely defined word used by mental health professionals and those affected by mental illness (e.g. anxiety, depression, to name just two).

Being neurodivergent can mean that things are a little harder for you to navigate from a cognitive standpoint, says David Caudel, Ph.D., director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt. “For those who are neurodivergent, differences are often enough [enough] to cause difficulties in communicating with the neuromajority [aka those whose way of thinking and perceiving the world is aligned with the majority of society], and systems designed for the masses sometimes do not work well,” explains Caudel, who also describes himself as called neurodivergent. “Some can even be harmful.”

For example, someone who is neurodivergent might be viewed as less productive than their peers because certain existing processes might present a major mental hurdle for them. Something like the need for regular face-to-face meetings or presentations can make a neurodivergent person feel incredibly uncomfortable. Or they may feel ashamed because they don't have the same emotional reactions to certain things as other people (e.g., knowing they need to laugh at important social moments or making eye contact during conversations).

“In short, those of us born neurodivergent find ourselves in a world that is not optimized for us, but for the masses.

David Mandell, Sc.D.

"There are many people who think, respond to stimuli or understand the world differently. We should recognize that these differences exist and try to make the world as pleasant as possible for everyone."

— David Mandell, Sc.D.

Types of neurodivergence

There are many neurodivergent examples or types of neurodivergence, but if you're particularly wondering "what is considered neurodivergent," these are some of the most common or well-known ways it manifests itself, according to Mandell.

autism: Also known as autism spectrum disorder, autism is a developmental disorder that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges for people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is a wide range of symptoms in autism, but patients may have problems with eye contact, dislike physical contact, and have difficulty expressing their needs, among other symptoms.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): ADHD is essentially an executive function disorder, meaning that people with mental illness may have difficulty thinking abstractly, solving problems, planning or organizing, and synthesizing information. They may also find attention, impulse control and sitting still challenging, according to the CDC. (

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dyslexia: This is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems recognizing speech sounds and learning their relationship to letters and words, according to the Mayo Clinic. Dyslexia, also known as reading disability, affects areas of the brain that process language and can cause problems with reading, spelling and memorizing.

Dyspraxia: Dyspraxia is essentially a condition that affects physical coordination and is a developmental disorder that causes a child to be "less proficient" at daily activities compared to others their age, according to Britain's National Health Service. Children with this condition often appear clumsy and have difficulty writing, drawing, and learning new skills.

Tourette syndrome: Tourette syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system that causes people to have tics, which are sudden jerks, movements or noises that are made repeatedly, according to the CDC.

Just remember that the term “neurodivergence” is broad and can be applied to more people and situations than you might initially think. Finally, other neurodivergent examples include (but are not limited to) synesthesia (a neurological condition that causes certain stimuli to trigger more than one sense, such as listening to music and seeing the sounds as colors), epilepsy, and chronic mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression. "If you look at a population, you can look at the average brain, and it's pretty rare to find someone who is at that exact point," Mandell says. "What we tend to see is people who are different in many different ways. We should see that as typical."

How to know if you are neurodivergent

Again, if you ask yourself, “Am I neurodivergent?” There are no clear criteria for what is considered neurodivergent. “Any person who has the feeling that their brain works differently than the rest can happily describe themselves as neurodivergent,” says Caudel. But people with clinical diagnoses such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome and ADHD clearly fall under this umbrella term of neurodivergence because their conditions affect the way their brain processes information, he explains: "By this definition, about a third of the population is neurodivergent."

However, many adults, particularly those with autism spectrum disorders, go undiagnosed and may not even realize they are neurodivergent, Caudel points out. “A good rule of thumb is that if you have difficulty relating to others, understanding other people, and/or find that others often misunderstand you, these are good signs that you may be neurodivergent.” Take Caudel, for example, who is neurodivergent: "I always knew I was weird, knew I struggled with things that others found so easy that they couldn't believe I was struggling, but it wasn't until my 30s that the question of my own autism arose," he says. (

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How to navigate neurodiversity respectfully

“Being neurodivergent doesn’t mean you have a disability,” says Mandell. "We tend to think about people in terms of what's 'wrong' with them, but people who are neurodivergent simply engage and interact with the world differently."

If someone says they're neurodivergent, it's usually okay to ask them if they'd be willing to talk about it, but you should never make assumptions about their mental health or use of the label, notes Caudel. "Once they've revealed their neurodivergence, ask them questions about their perspective and what it's like navigating life," he says. “You have a unique opportunity to look behind the mask and see the real person inside.” This can help you better understand how to communicate with them in the future. (See also: How to be an authentic and useful ally)

If you notice that someone you know is neurodivergent seems stressed or is having trouble understanding what you're trying to say, Mandell recommends offering your support. “It can be very helpful to ask, ‘What is the best way to get this information?’ or ‘What are the best circumstances for us to communicate?’” he explains.

And it's especially important to try to create a safe space for someone who is neurodivergent to be themselves. "You don't often show this person for fear of being rejected and excluded, but there are many wonderful, talented people out there who are excluded because they are 'weird' or 'different,'" says Caudel. “The better you understand someone, the better you can communicate.”