Neurodiversity is not a flaw in the design; it is a feature that adds depth and complexity to humanity.
I want to start this post off by saying Happy Neurodiversity Pride Day!!!
In this post, I want to share some of my own experiences with coming to terms with my Neurodiverse brain, as well as discuss just how beautiful it is to have a brain that’s different to others.
It’s really amazing and special to have a place where we can all feel comfortable, myself included, to share such personal and important aspects of our lives and our identities. I think this is a really beautiful and respectful space full of an amazing community with caring and supportive people, and I invite everyone to share their stories, experiences, and journeys of Neurodiversity under this post. 🙂
What does Neurodiversity mean to me:
Identifying as Neurodiverse is actually a really new thing for me and I think the process of creating this post has actually really helped me understand and question a lot of different aspects of my life so far. It's been a great way to grow, accept and ultimately has really helped me understand myself and my brain better.
For some background of my lived experience I was diagnosed with ADHD as well as other cognitive disabilities that affect my reading, writing, and processing at age 17. What ultimately led to me seeking these diagnoses was the HSC. I wanted to do the best of my abilities but didn't feel as though I would be able to do that in the normal HSC process. All throughout school I struggled with keeping up with other kids and looking back on this now has been a very nice period of reflection. Yes my abilities may have been below average but I never let it get me down or stop me from trying to keep up. While some aspects of my brain may not be up to standard with others, I now can see that other areas I excelled in such as determination and creativity.
For me i think the scariest part of Neurodiversity is knowing that yes you are different from others, but why does being different have to be a bad thing?
Being different is what makes us unique, it’s what makes us stand out from others. It allows us to shine and mold the world around us to something that works for us and create an environment where our own light can shine.
I don’t want to take away from the fact that yes Neurodiversity can be hard and challenging especially due to the fact that we live in a Neurotypical world. I don’t want this to discourage you, the only person in the whole world that knows your brain is you, use that, draw from that.
Yes we can go through hardships but let's use our beautiful brains to create a world that works for us and that appreciates us for how amazing and resilient we are!
The youth community has some really amazing stories of Neurodiversity and I encourage everyone to go and read these incredible stories of self-determination!
Some of these amazing post include:
