Neurodivergence is the state of neurodivergence and can be genetic and innate (such as autism) or caused by experiences (such as trauma). Trauma occurs in response to events in which we feel unsafe, threatened, or distressed. People often associate extreme events, such as witnessing death, serious injuries, war, or natural disasters, as common sources of trauma, and they're right. Cases like these can leave a lasting impression on our nervous system.
This phrase refers to Jen White-Johnson's statement: “To be in favor of neurodiversity is to be anti-racist”. But we focus a lot on building trust, because once again, statistically, neurodivergent children are not likely to live that long, we are at greater risk of committing suicide, we are at greater risk of self-harm and, basically, of having all kinds of negative outcomes. Because, as we have said in previous episodes of this podcast, on my blog and on all these sites, communication is different. Here you have a good atmosphere, a quiet environment, but you can't enjoy it because your mind is there, your heart is there.
So, you know, the way we think about mental health, and especially about neurodiversity, didn't exist yet, right? Autism didn't exist unless you were severely disabled. This can also lead to people hiding their neurodiversity in an effort to adapt, further exacerbating the feeling that they cannot embrace their true self. It is also important to understand that PTSD itself tends to coexist among neurodivergent people, partly because disability can be extremely traumatizing3 and also because, as this article seeks to emphasize, neurodivergent people are oppressed people with identities that intersect everywhere. Neurodiversity refers to differences between human brains that affect sociability, learning, mood, attention, and other mental functions.
