A question I get often around here is, “Does having ADHD make you neurodivergent?”, so today, I want to get into that.
But before we dive right in, let’s go over what we’ll actually be covering today.
Summary
In today’s post, we’ll be going over:
- What neurodiversity actually is
- What ADHD actually is
- Answering the question, “Does having ADHD make you neurodivergent?”
- And all the other disorders that are neurodivergent
So you can start to connect all the pieces of neurodivergence together for yourself and your own understanding of neurodiversity at large.
What Is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is a non-medical term that groups together anybody with a brain that functions differently than “normal.” (I put “normal” in quotes here, because, while creating a baseline for normality is important in medicine, it can be pretty harmful to the everyday person.)
Those that fall under the neurodivergent umbrella—more on exactly who those people are later—have an obvious struggle with everyday tasks due to the differences in their brain, so neurodiversity isn’t just some quirk or personality trait.
It’s important to note that neurodiversity affects every neurodivergent person differently, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all list of what neurodivergent actually is.
If you want to deep dive into what neurodiversity includes, read this.
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how the brain regulates attention, impulses, and activity levels.
Just like any other neurodivergence, every ADHD person is different, but here’s an overview of what ADHDers may struggle with:
- Attention, like being able to focus long enough to read or maintain a working memory to recall information they just learned
- Managing and organizing time, like paying bills on time or being late to places
- Emotional regulation, like having intense feelings or an inability to deal with negative emotions
- Sensory sensitivities, like not being able to deal with loud noises or bright, florescent lights
- Social settings, like making or maintaining friendships
Three kinds of ADHD
Yes, there are more than one kind of ADHD!
ADHD is commonly broken up into three different kinds of ADHD:
- Inattention: This is the ADHDer that has trouble sustaining focus, staying organized, remembering details, and finishing tasks.
- Hyperactivity: This is the ADHDer that battles restlessness, fidgeting, feeling “driven by a motor,” and difficulty sitting still.
- Impulsivity: This is the ADHDer that commonly acts quickly without thinking, interrupts others, has difficulty waiting their turn, or often makes risky decisions.
Beyond the struggles
But ADHD isn’t all just a bunch of struggles; there are many bright sides to ADHD that a “neurodevelopmental disorder” doesn’t lean much into, such as:
- ADHDers are highly creative and innovative.
- ADHDers are able to hyperfocus on things they love.
- ADHDers can be energetic, enthusiastic, and out-of-the-box thinkers.
And, most importantly, ADHDers can be successful, no matter their development. In fact, there’s even a proven link between ADHD and entrepreneurship.
Is ADHD Neurodivergent?
So with all that in mind, what do you think? Is ADHD neurodivergent?
Of course it is!
Because ADHDers struggle with a brain that functions differently, they absolutely fall under the neurodivergent umbrella.
What Other Disorders Are Neurodivergent?
While I wrote a whole blog post about this, here’s a list of every other neurodivergent disorder:
- Antisocial personality disorder
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [link]
- Avoidant personality disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Cerebral palsy
- Dependent personality disorder
- DiGeorge syndrome
- Down syndrome
- Dyscalculia
- Dysgraphia
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
- Fragile X syndrome
- Histrionic personality disorder
- Narcissistic personality disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Paranoid personality disorder
- Phenylketonuria (PKU)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Schizophrenia
- Sensory processing disorder
- Social anxiety
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Williams syndrome
Conclusion
When people think of “neurodivergence,” they often think only of ADHD and autism, but that just isn’t the case.
Yes, if you are ADHD, you are neurodivergent.
But if you’re dyslexic, have a personality disorder, or even simple PTSD, you are also neurodivergent.