Strengths and Challenges that Come with Neurodivergent Brains
So you think you might have a neurodivergent and/or mental health condition. But you have challenges associated with more than one.
The more I learn, the more I realize it’s one big cluster of challenges (or symptoms). So you can’t figure out what you have or what might work for you just by Googling. Instead, explore your challenges and feel empowered to advocate for your needs.
Here are some common challenge areas*, which you can learn more about in the Neurodivergent Conditions section:
Executive Functioning
Math
Reading and Handwriting
Visual-Spatial and Motor Skills
Verbal Reasoning and Communication
Nonverbal Learning and Communication
Mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility
Sensory Processing and Reactions
But definitions can still be good places to start…
Common Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Causes challenges with regulating attention and emotions, as well as with executive functioning. Individuals also often have excessive physical energy and/or thoughts and sometimes need to move more (hyperactivity). But they also tend to be very creative and fierce advocates for change.
Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD/NLD): As defined by the NVLD Project, individuals with NVLD often have verbal strengths but have academic, professional, social, and emotional challenges. There’s a lot of overlap between ASD and ADHD, but individuals with NVLD may express more desire for relationships than individuals with ASD. Receiving an NVLD diagnosis and appropriate interventions is often difficult.
Since NVLD is not listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5 TR), mental health and other medical professionals may not be familiar with the diagnosis or treatments.
People with NVLD struggle with:
Executive functioning
Nonverbal communication
Cognitive flexibility
Math
Reading comprehension
Sensory and visual-spatial processing
Motor skills
Specific Learning Disability (SLD): A group of developmental conditions that impact skills in reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), or math (dyscalculia). Lots of people with dyslexia are great at understanding complex visual information.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (includes Asperger’s Syndrome): Causes challenges with understanding and using language, as well as understanding and using nonverbal cues, which impacts social skills. Also causes challenges with cognitive flexibility and sensory processing. Tend to have amazing attention to detail.
Social Communication Disorder (SCD): Impacts verbal and nonverbal communication skills, resulting in social challenges.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): Impacts learning motor skills that require coordination, resulting in challenges using those skills in everyday activities.
Tourette Syndrome: A disorder that involves repetitive movements or sounds (tics) that you can’t easily control.
Being Neurodivergent Can Negatively Impact Your Mental Health
Struggling at work, school, and in relationships can negatively impact your mental health if you don’t know the cause of your challenges and you aren’t receiving support.
So, it makes sense that many people with developmental conditions have specific learning and mental health conditions.
Mental health conditions are brain-based, and how they affect someone and their treatment needs may change over time. Mental health conditions make it harder to use skills to appropriately respond to stress, sometimes in ways you can’t see.
There are several mental health conditions that people who are neurodivergent are more likely to experience.
Major Depressive Disorder: Feeling unhappy or feeling emotions less intensely for much longer than normal.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Causes someone to worry more than typical about situations, events, or activities in the past or future. It is often unlikely that what they worry about will come to pass.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Excessive fear of embarrassing yourself or others in social situations and others negatively judging you.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Causes an intense desire to avoid something negative with their thoughts or actions (obsession) and an inability to resist acting on that urge (compulsion).
Medical Conditions that Often Occur with Mental Health and Neurodivergent Conditions:
Turner Syndrome (TS)
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (JHS)
Chronic Pain Syndrome
Epilepsy
Down Syndrome
Sleep Disorders
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Sleep Disorders
Dental Issues
William Syndrome
Autoimmune Disorders
Food Allergies
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Anxiety Disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Mood Disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
BPS - British Psychological Society. (n.d.). Chapter 2: Focus on strengths: Supporting people who experience difficulties at work. In Psychology at Work: Improving wellbeing and productivity in the workplace. https://explore.bps.org.uk/content/report-guideline/bpsrep.2017.inf287/chapter/bpsrep.2017.inf287.6
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Developmental Disabilities. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/index.html
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. (2017, July 1). Autism’s Clinical Companions: Frequent Comorbidities with ASD. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. https://www.chop.edu/news/autism-s-clinical-companions-frequent-comorbidities-asd
Donaghy, B., Moore, D., & Green, J. (2023). Co-Occurring Physical Health Challenges in Neurodivergent Children and Young People: A Topical Review and Recommendation. Child Care in Practice, 29(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2022.2149471
Frolov, L., & Schaepper, M. A. (2021). What Is Specific Learning Disorder? American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/specific-learning-disorder/what-is-specific-learning-disorder#section_5
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Tourette syndrome. Diseases & Conditions. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tourette-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20350465
Reling, J. (n.d.). Autism and Common Chronic Physical Health Issues. James Reling - Neurodivergent Therapy & Assessments. https://www.oregonneuroception.com/blog/autism-and-chronic-physical-health-conditions
Resnick, A. (2023, November 2). What Does It Mean to Be Neurodivergent? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-neurodivergence-and-what-does-it-mean-to-be-neurodivergent-5196627
Sulkes, S. B. (2022a). Definition of Developmental Disorders. Merck Manual: Consumer Version. The https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/children-s-health-issues/learning-and-developmental-disorders/definition-of-developmental-disorders
Sulkes, S. B. (2022b). Learning Disorders. Merck Manual: Consumer Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/children-s-health-issues/learning-and-developmental-disorders/learning-disorders
The NVLD Project. What is Nonverbal Learning Disability? https://nvld.org/non-verbal-learning-disability/
The NVLD Project. For Clinicians and Scientists. https://nvld.org/for-clinicians-and-scientists/
The NVLD Project. Frequently Asked Questions. https://nvld.org/faqs/
Turner Syndrome of the United States (TSSUS). (2023). Learning and Behavior. About Turner Syndrome. https://www.turnersyndrome.org/l-b
*Note: I created most of this information with Turner Syndrome of the United States in consultation with Dr. Knickmeyer and Dr. Mooney. You can find it on the TSSUS website under Learning and Behavior. I expanded it to include symptoms of other conditions.