Every brain is unique, and that’s something to celebrate. Neurodiverse people experience challenges, yet bring strengths, creativity, and unique perspectives.
Rogers Behavioral Health’s Dr. Amanda Heins, PsyD, supervising psychologist for OCD and Anxiety Center residential care for adolescents, explains how understanding neurodiversity and mental health can help individuals and families find the right support and thrive.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people think, learn, process information, and engage in the world. No two brains work exactly the same way. And that’s not a bad thing. Many people who are neurodiverse are highly successful and incredibly creative.
What are common examples of neurodiversity?
When people talk about neurodiversity, they’re often referring to:
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Learning differences
What is the connection between neurodiversity and mental health?
Neurodivergent people engage in the world as best they can, given the differences in how they take in and process information. Being neurodivergent doesn’t automatically mean someone will struggle with their mental health. Individuals can experience challenges due to navigating environments and spaces that are made for more neurotypical minds.
That can look like:
• A child with autism may feel overwhelmed in loud, busy settings.
• A teen with ADHD may receive frequent negative feedback for being distracted or impulsive.
• An adult may struggle to interpret social cues and not understand why someone didn’t respond to them as expected.
Over time, this could lead to:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Avoidance
• Other mental health concerns
What are common challenges neurodivergent individuals may face?
It’s important to remember neurodiversity exists on a continuum. Not every person will experience challenges or face them to the same degree. There are many variables, and the more supports that are in place early on can certainly make a difference.
Some difficulties neurodiverse individuals could experience include:
Expressive communication
• Thoughts moving faster than words
• Trouble clearly communicating
Socializing with others
• Difficulty reading facial expressions or tone
• Challenges determining whether it’s the right time, place, or people to do or say the “thing” they would like in a social setting
• Hesitation to engage socially after repeated confusion or misunderstandings
Sensory sensitivities
• Overstimulation from noises, lights, crowds
• Avoidance of certain environments due to noise or other factors, such as displeasing smells
Executive functioning challenges
• Difficulty with planning, organizing, remembering, and/or completing tasks
How can I support someone who is neurodivergent?
This is a very important question and I have several recommendations:
1. Be curious: Whether you’re a teacher, manager, or mental health clinician, start by getting to know the person. We need to learn how to work with each other. Our goal should be helping each individual become the best version of themselves. Ask yourself: How do they learn best? What are their strengths, and how can I maximize them while looking for ways to support areas where they face challenges?
2. Be flexible: Identify areas where you can adapt and foster a sense of confidence and competence in their work. If you’re providing accommodations, ask yourself: Are they appropriate? Are they realistic? Are they sustainable, not just for right now but down the road?
3. Be open: Put yourself in their shoes. Understand someone could be hesitant to share their neurodiversity out of fear of judgment. They may wonder how the information might be used and whether you’ll look at them differently and as less capable. Do your best to ensure you’re keeping the doors of communication open.
4. Be an advocate: Parents, if you notice your child is struggling to learn at school, it could be a sign to ask for more support. That could look like asking for an evaluation which could lead to formal accommodations through a 504 plan, or specialized instruction and services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
How can neurodivergent people support their mental health?
People with neurodiversity can support themselves by taking the time to learn the areas where they excel and feel the most confident, as well as areas where they can grow. With the help of their support system, they can create SMART goals:
S – Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve.
M – Measurable: Decide how you’ll know when you’ve met your goal.
A – Appealing: Choose a goal that genuinely interests you.
R – Realistic: Make sure the goal is achievable.
T – Time-bound: Set a reasonable timeline to complete your goal.
Additionally, they can have a growth mindset by embracing learning moments and investing in areas they enjoy and feel confident, whether that’s art, sports, or another activity. Meeting other people who are like-minded has a lot of benefits and it’s a place to work on social skills.
How does Rogers work with people who are neurodiverse and experiencing mental health challenges?
One of the things I really appreciate about Rogers is that we’re very intentional in taking the time to get to know each person. We approach them non-judgmentally, understanding that they’re here for support. We want to know the many layers of what brought them here and how they take in new information best, which is also known as their learning style.
Residential care has several additional benefits. Our daily schedules create a consistent routine, allowing people in our care to build confidence within structure while also learning when and how to take breaks if they feel overwhelmed. Because individuals are living on our grounds during treatment, we can help pinpoint tasks throughout their day that they excel in, as well as struggle with. Knowing this will help our team collaboratively create resources and practice with that individual to progressively build more confidence and capability that these acquired skills can be used at home when they leave our care.
We also provide experiential therapy, which is hands-on, neurodiverse friendly, and a great way to integrate skills learned in therapy in the natural environment. Our goal is to equip every person with skills that are going to be helpful at school, home, and work.
One final thought to keep in mind is that everyone, whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, is constantly learning how to navigate the world. With understanding and support, all individuals can thrive. Be curious and seek to understand. You just might be surprised with how much you grow as a person while helping someone else.
Rogers offers mental health treatment
Everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed and feel capable in the world around them. Whether you or a loved one needs support, we’ll meet you where you are and support you in moving forward.
Call 833-308-5887 for a free, confidential screening.
