Neurodivergence may clash with social norms in several ways. According to therapist and anxiety specialist Danielle Wayne, such rules may feel “prescriptive, arbitrary, and pointless.”
In an article for her website, Millennial Therapy, Wayne used working a typical 9-to-5 day as an example. She mentioned some typical questions a neurodivergent individual may ask, like, “Why do workdays have to take up our entire lives?” or “Why is lunch so short?”
Wayne, who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, says a neurodivergent person may be considered “weird” for breaking up their workday into one or two three-hour chunks.
“Even if you feel happier and more productive with this type of schedule, your workplace likely won’t allow it,” she wrote.
There are many different types of neurodivergence, and explaining each one would warrant a separate article. But among those that people commonly know are ADHD, dyslexia, autism, Tourette’s, and Down syndrome.
Other types include synesthesia (ex, “tasting” music), dyspraxia (a coordination-based disorder, such as difficulties using a utensil), and dyscalculia (having problems with basic arithmetic and counting).
Neurodivergent people face numerous challenges in life. According to New York-based licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Amy Marschall, one way this happens is when others tell them that their needs are “wrong or invalid.” This results in difficulty setting boundaries or feeling like their boundaries are valid.
And through the challenges, Dr. Marschall shared one important piece of advice for neurodivergent people: be kind to yourself. As she stated in an article for Very Well Mind, “You are enough as yourself.”
“Neurodivergence can come with challenges, but it is not a moral failing or indication of lower personal worth,” she wrote.
