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Autism and neurodiversity

‘Neurodiversity’ is a way of saying everyone’s brain is different. A neurodiversity approach views autism and other forms of ‘neurodivergence’ as natural variations in people. Autistic self-advocates have been central to our understanding of neurodiversity.

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is a way of saying that human brains are different to each other. This is a biological fact. No two brains (or nervous systems) are the same. 

Neurodiversity includes every single human being. Like biodiversity describes all life on Earth, neurodiversity describes the diversity of all human brains. 

There is no single or ‘official’ definition of neurodiversity. To understand the word, it can be broken into two parts:
 

Neuro: refers to the nervous system, i.e. the brain, spinal cord and nerves 

Diversity: refers to variations or differences within a group.


For simplicity, on this page we use ‘brain’ as shorthand to refer to the working of the entire nervous system.

What does the nervous system do? 

The nervous system is what sends messages between our brain and our body. It is how we notice and react to things in our environment and inside our bodies. 

The nervous system carries information from our senses to our brain – including the five main senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing) and other senses for balance, movement, spatial awareness and awareness of internal states (such as hunger and temperature). 

It also carries instructions from our brain to our body. For example, if a sound is too loud, we may cover our ears; if a light is very bright, our pupils shrink, and we may squint our eyes. 

Different experiences and reactions 

Because humans are neurodiverse, we experience and react to things differently from each other. This is true for everyone, but some groups of people have significant shared differences in their experience and reactions compared to most people. 

When these significant differences are ‘neurocognitive’ (to do with how information from the senses is processed by the brain), the group is described as ‘neurodivergent’. 

Where did the idea of neurodiversity come from? 

Neurodiversity and neurodivergence were first described in the mid-90s by autistic-self advocates in early internet forums. They discussed their experiences as autistic people and how they felt society misunderstood them, leading to unhelpful ‘support’, stigma and discrimination. 

For more information about the origin and history of these ideas, visit our page The neurodiversity movement.  
 

What is neurodivergence?

Neurodivergence means having a ‘neurocognitive’ experience (to do with how information is processed by the brain) that ‘diverges’ from (is different to) what is considered typical. Neurodivergent people experience and react to the world differently to 'neurotypical’ people.

Who is neurodivergent? 

There is no agreed or ‘official’ list of who is considered neurodivergent. People have different views about which groups of people should be included. 

The neurodivergences most often talked about are: 

  • autism
  • ADHD. 

Some descriptions of neurodivergence also include: 

  • learning disabilities
  • learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia)
  • Tourette’s syndrome
  • epilepsy
  • mental health problems (e.g. anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar, schizophrenia, eating disorders)
  • developmental conditions (e.g. developmental language disorder)
  • brain injury. 

‘Co-occurring’ or multiple neurodivergences 

Many neurodivergent people are diagnosed (or self-identify) with more than one ‘co-occurring’ neurodivergence. For example, a person may be autistic and ADHD; this is quite common and is sometimes referred to as ‘AuDHD’. Another neurodivergent person may be dyslexic and epileptic.

Defining neurodivergence 

Some researchers say having a set list of the groups included in neurodivergence would help bring clarity to research on this topic. However, many neurodivergent advocates want the concept to be as inclusive as possible, to avoid excluding people who could benefit from the community and advocacy of the neurodiversity movement and the principles of the neurodiversity paradigm.

"Neurodivergent just means a brain that diverges. ... That is all it means. It is not another damn tool of exclusion. It is specifically a tool of inclusion."
– Kassiane Asasumasu, PSA from the actual coiner of ‘neurodivergent’

Neurodivergent and neurotypical people 

A person who is ‘neurodivergent’ has a brain that ‘diverges’ from (is different to) the ‘typical’ brain. Someone who is not neurodivergent is often referred to as ‘neurotypical’. 

Because of the diversity of all human brains, there is debate about whether a ‘typical’ brain really exists. Neurodivergent people are defined by having experiences and reactions that differ from what is generally considered typical. They are grouped because of their similarities to each other. 

For example, autistic people share specific differences from non-autistic people. These specific differences are what we call ‘autism’. But even though autistic people share differences from non-autistic people, they can still be very different from each other.

Benefits of identifying as neurodivergent 

Evidence suggest that identifying as neurodivergent, or aligning yourself with the neurodiversity movement, is associated with improved wellbeing for autistic or otherwise neurodivergent people, including: 

  • a positive sense of identity
  • validation from your experiences being understood by others
  • prevention of poor self-esteem and distress associated with medical model perspective (which suggests neurodivergence is ‘disorder’ – see Neurodiversity, the medical model and the social model below)
  • having a way to connect with other neurodivergent people and sense of community
  • hope that neurodivergent differences may be becoming more understood and accepted in society. 

"Advocacy is my life, and the message I try to spread is one of acceptance, inclusion, and neurodiversity. … I am in the same situation as many Autistic adults – I am unlearning self-hate and relearning how to be my true self."
– Myth, The celebration of autism

What is the neurodiversity paradigm?

The ‘neurodiversity paradigm’ is a perspective, approach or a set of ideas based on the fact of neurodiversity. It is the philosophical underpinning of the neurodiversity movement. 

To understand the neurodiversity paradigm, it may help to first understand what a paradigm is. 

What is a paradigm? 

A ‘paradigm’ is a pattern or model. It can mean a set of ideas. Scientific knowledge is often based on shared sets of ideas about the world, including basic assumptions – things we believe we already know. However, sometimes assumptions can be wrong or inaccurate. 

For example, a lot of early science about space assumed that Earth was at the centre of the universe and that all the other planets and the Sun and stars orbited around it. Although this looked true from Earth, because objects travel across the night sky, it turned out to be wrong. 

Understanding that the Sun is the centre of our solar system (and Earth orbits around it) was a ‘paradigm shift’. It meant we could understand how the solar system really worked. 

The neurodiversity paradigm 

The neurodiversity paradigm is a set of ideas based on the principles that: 

  • every person should be valued and respected
  • no brain (or mind) is more ‘normal’ than any other. 

Key ideas from this perspective include: 

  • Neurodiversity is natural. It is a form of human diversity and, like other forms of diversity it brings benefits and should be valued.
  • The idea that one kind of brain is ‘normal’ or ‘ideal’ is just an idea or an opinion that is common in our society. It is no more valid than ideas that suggest there is one ‘normal’ or ‘ideal’ race, gender or culture – ideas that most people reject (as they are the basis for racism, sexism and cultural intolerance.)
  • The way society thinks about neurodiversity, and responds to neurodivergent people, is very similar to how it thinks and reacts to other types of human diversity, including race, gender and culture. Often the majority group is considered ‘normal’ or ‘ideal’ and minority groups are treated as though they are abnormal and undesirable – even though human diversity is a fact of nature. 

Supporters of the neurodiversity paradigm, including many autistic people, want there to be a ‘paradigm shift’ in how society understands autism and other neurodivergence. 

The shift is away from seeing neurodivergence in a negative way (as a ‘disorder’), to a neutral view of neurodivergence as a difference – a difference that is seen in a positive way as part of the rich diversity of humanity and the benefits this can bring. 

This approach to autism and neurodivergence is very different to the traditional approach of medical science, known as the ‘medical model’.

"The neurodiversity paradigm is a specific perspective on neurodiversity… [it] provides a philosophical foundation for the activism of the Neurodiversity Movement" 
– Nick Walker, Neurodiversity: some basic terms and definitions

Neurodiversity, the medical model and the social model

A neurodiversity perspective views neurodivergence as a natural variation in people. It sees neurodivergent people as different to neurotypical people, but it views that difference as neutral – neither good nor bad. 

From a neurodiversity perspective: 

  • neurodivergence is inevitable and neurodiversity is valuable
  • autism is a difference, or ‘neurodivergence’
  • autistic characteristics are differences compared to non-autistic people
  • autistic people face barriers in a society designed to suit neurotypical people; barriers that can be broken down through understanding, acceptance, support and inclusion
  • support for autistic people should be neuro-affirmative – it shouldn’t try to stop them being autistic (because this is not possible, and attempts can cause harm), but should support them to live a life they want on their own terms. 

The medical model 

In contrast, medical science traditionally assumes there is a typical or ‘normal’ way that a person should be. It views any divergence (or difference) from that as ‘disorder’ and ‘pathology’ (a medical problem) that should ideally be ‘cured’. This approach is known as the ‘medical model’.

From the perspective of the medical model: 

  • human brains should all work in about the same way; people with brains that work differently have a medical problem – a ‘disorder’
  • autism is a ‘neurodevelopmental disorder’
  • autistic characteristics are ‘deficits’ that ‘cause’ significant ‘impairment’
  • ‘disorder’ should ideally be cured; if a cure isn’t available, interventions should aim to fix ‘deficits’ to reduce ‘impairment’. 

The criteria for an autism diagnosis is described from the perspective of the medical model, using the words ‘disorder’, ‘impairment’ and ‘deficit’.

The social model 

The social model of disability, often shortened to the ‘social model’, is another alternative perspective to the medical model. The social model is often mentioned when people discuss the neurodiversity paradigm and the barriers neurodivergent people face in society. 

The social model is a set of ideas developed by disability rights activists in the 1960s and 1970s. Inspired by other civil rights movements at the time, disabled people began to question the discrimination and inequality they experienced in society. 

Unlike the medical model, the social model distinguishes between ‘impairment’ and ‘disability’, so that: 

  • impairment refers to a person’s functional differences and limitations (e.g. visual impairment, limited mobility, experiencing pain or fatigue, etc)
  • disability is something a person experiences as a result of the interaction between their impairment and their environment. 

The social model rejects the idea that having an impairment is inherently disabling (that disability is ‘caused’ by the impairment alone) and also that tackling disability is the responsibility of disabled people alone. 

For example, if a person has an impairment that means they cannot walk up stairs, they experience disability when this is the only way to access a building. 

If the person has access to a wheelchair and the building can be accessed by ramp, the disabling interaction between their impairment and stairs is no longer at play and they are able to access the building by using the wheelchair and the ramp. 

The person still has the impairment that means they cannot walk up stairs, but the experience of being disabled is removed from the situation by accessibility aids – the wheelchair and ramp. 

The social model argues that changes to the environment can tackle disability, even if they cannot remove impairment. These changes could be physical changes like a ramp, changes to support communication, or changes to public attitudes that exclude disabled people from society.

What do autistic people think? 

Most autistic people: 

  • see autism as a difference, not a disorder
  • agree more with a neurodiversity perspective than with the approach of the medical model
  • disagree with attempts to find a ‘cure’ for autism (they see being autistic as central to who they are and not something they could or would want to be ‘cured’ of)
  • disagree with interventions (or ‘therapies’) designed to make autistic people 'less autistic’ (read more about this in the next section on neuro-affirmative support)
  • agree with interventions to support mental health and develop life skills that promote independence and/or autonomy (making your own decisions)
  • feel burdened by stigma and discrimination in society, including the pressure to mask their autistic characteristics in order to be accepted. 

In line with both the neurodiversity perspective and the social model of disability, many autistic people believe they are disabled by the barriers they face in society, not by being autistic.
 

Neuro-affirmative support

In alignment with the principles of the neurodiversity paradigm (see above), ‘neuro-affirmative’ support is support that acknowledges and does not try to ‘remove’ the differences that make someone neurodivergent. 

Neuro-affirmative support aims to: 

  • identify and address the barriers a neurodivergent person may be facing in their environment and in the attitudes of other people towards them and their differences 
  • recognise each person as an individual; identify their strengths and support them to pursue their personal goals and interests
  • support them to develop skills that promote independence (the ability to do things on their own) and autonomy (the ability to make their own decisions). 

‘Neuro-affirmative’ practice does not mean that autistic or otherwise neurodivergent people do not face challenges or barriers in their life, that they or their families do not need or want support, or that every neurodivergent person can or should live independently. 

It also doesn’t mean that people with different neurodivergences will all benefit from the same kind of support. Autistic people need support that is autism-specific, tailored to their individual needs and delivered by professionals who have a good understanding of autism. 

Example: stimming 

Many autistic people use repeated movements, such as flapping their hands, to calm themselves or express joy. This is known as ‘stimming’. 

In the past, people didn’t understand the purpose of stimming; they just thought it was an unusual thing autistic people did, and that it would be better if they didn’t do it, so they could appear non-autistic (which people assumed to be ‘normal’). 

By listening to autistic people about their experience and why they stim, we now understand stimming better and know that it has several useful purposes and is usually harmless. But most people in society still don’t understand this and autistic people can face stigma for their natural reactions. 

A neuro-affirmative, autism-specific support approach: 

  • Stimming is normal for autistic people; it has a purpose and is usually harmless – autistic people stim to help them keep calm and express joy. 
  • If a person is stimming because they are stressed, support should address the cause of stress to help the person feel calm.
  • If the way a person is stimming is causing them harm (for example, repeated picking of skin or nails, or pulling hair out), support should address the cause of stress and encourage the person to stim in a different way that is harmless (for example, with a stimming toy – sometimes known as a ‘fidget’ or ‘fiddle’ toy). 

A non-affirmative ‘support’ approach: 

  • stimming isn’t ‘normal’, it’s a sign of ‘disorder’
  • autistic people should stop doing it, so they can be/seem ‘normal’ 
  • if they stop doing it, this ‘disordered’ behaviour has been ‘treated’. 

Traditionally, support for autistic people followed this approach. 

This approach might make the person seem more like a non-autistic person. But if they were stimming to express joy, that expression – and maybe even the joy – has been suppressed for no good reason. 

And if they were stimming to cope with stress, the approach hasn’t done anything to address the cause of stress and has put the person under additional pressure to avoid their natural coping mechanism. They may now be having a worse experience than before they got the ‘support’. 

Many autistic people have likened this kind of ‘support’ to enforced masking, which can have significant negative impacts. Some autistic people report that they were traumatised by ‘therapies’ that forced them to suppress their natural reactions and coping mechanisms; some believe it is a form of abuse.

Links, resources and article source

Related content
 

The neurodiversity movement

A description of the neurodiversity movement and its aims, its origin in autistic self-advocate groups and the history of neurodiversity concepts and terms.

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What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. There are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.

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