Thinking differently: Understanding the value of neurodivergence
- kirranicolle
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
BY ANTHONY CASTLE
We can all think differently. Everyone can have their own ideas and reactions, their own opinions about things like food or sports. While this may cause disagreement, these differences are important and express the diversity of our identities. Some of us can think differently for other reasons though, due to genetics or events. Rather than just a difference in opinion or background, some of us may have brains that are wired in less common ways. The term we use to describe these differences among people is neurodiversity.
Neurodiversity refers to the diversity of human brains and minds. Just as everyone’s bodies are different, there can be infinite variation in our minds too. While everyone is part of humanity’s neurodiversity, the term neurodivergent refers to those whose brains function in ways that diverge significantly from common expectations or societal norms.
“My entire life has been spent trying to make sense of things, of what people are saying, what they want, why they treat you the way they do. It felt like everyone else was given a rulebook for life I never saw. So much of my life has been spent anxious, afraid, and unsure of what to do.” - A contributor with autism
Range of differences
We can hear the term neurodivergence and maybe think of things like autism and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). Some may only hear those terms applied to children or school students, but neurodivergence includes a range of experiences shared by people of any age and any background. Neurodivergence can encompass any difference in someone’s neurocognitive function and mental health, such as general anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, dyslexia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mood disorders, conditions, and intellectual disabilities.
Someone can be born with a neurodivergent mind, like with autism or ADHD. Alternatively, it can be from circumstance, age, or event, like with PTSD, dementia, or acquired intellectual disability. About 15-20 per cent of the world's population shows signs of neurodivergence, with these differences much more common than many may realise.
“My neurodivergence is acquired due to PTSD rather than something that’s always been present. I’m sick of people telling me I have ADHD, for example, because there are lots of crossovers between ADHD and the way my PTSD has changed my brain and caused it to function. But I wasn’t like that as a child or young adult; it’s because of trauma, and when people assume to know more about it than I do, [it] is unhelpful.” - A contributor with PTSD
Low priority
Even though almost 2 in 10 people in the world may be neurodivergent, the world isn’t exactly designed for those who think differently from others. Schools, workplaces, faith communities and community groups are often designed for the most common and dominant ways of thinking. People who aren’t neurodivergent, whose minds work within the common expectations, are described as neurotypical, and much of the world is built with neurotypical people as the priority.
In fact, neurodivergence is rarely the priority when things are being designed. For some neurotypical people, the different traits and expressions of neurodivergence can make them uncomfortable. A difference in thinking, feeling, and acting can also be seen as a weakness or antisocial behaviour. This ignorance of how minds and brains can function results in neurodivergent people being excluded from the world as it is designed. Neurodivergent people have lower school participation and educational attainment, greater levels of unemployment and underemployment, and poorer physical health.
“I have borderline personality disorder. When a BPD person is splitting, they may distort how they see things. One moment, they feel good, and the next, they feel low. One moment, they feel loved, and the next, they feel unwanted or abandoned. It’s like, you start to recognise when your personality isn’t really yours anymore, and it takes antipsychotics to control the severe mood issues.” - A contributor with BPD
Inclusion benefits everyone
This ignorance results in a society that not only excludes neurodivergent people but ultimately disadvantages everyone. While some neurodivergent people may refer to their difference as a disadvantage or a disability, they may also describe it as a strength or a gift. For some, they may feel both things simultaneously. Regardless, many do not refer to their neurodivergence as a condition or a diagnosis but as an important part of their identity and part of how they connect with the world.
The ways that neurodivergent minds connect with the world have created so much of society’s technology, art, literature and music. Neurodivergent people are a part of humanity’s joy, spirituality and vulnerability. Rather than a weakness, these differences have value for everyone.
“Sometimes my ADHD is super helpful. I’m sure it’s got a lot to do with why I’ve been successful in my work, but there are a whole bunch of things connected to my neurodivergence that aren’t fun, or easy, or a ‘superpower’, and that very much get in the way of me doing things that I WANT to do.” - A contributor with ADHD
There is a different world possible, one with more knowledge and expression, more humour and kindness. As long as our world is built for neurotypical people alone, unless we change the expectations and norms in our society, the value of neurodivergent people won’t be fully shared. We can all think differently, but unless we start to grow wiser about inclusion, our world will remain a poorer place.
You can read The Salvation Army’s Inclusion Statement here.
