Are You Some Form of Neurodivergent?

[derpytia]

First off, what does neurodivergent mean?

A "neurodivergent" person refers to a person on the autism spectrum or, more generally, to someone whose brain processes information in a way that is not typical of most individuals.

The term "neurodivergent" describes people whose brain differences affect how their brain works. That means they have different strengths and challenges from people whose brains don't have those differences. The possible differences include medical disorders, learning disabilities and other conditions.

Neurodivergent is a non-medical umbrella term that describes people with variation in their mental functions, and can include conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other neurological or developmental conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

So it's all one big umbrella really.

I've also been wondering if there is a sort of link between tinnitus and neurodivergence (aside from the obvious ones where some people on the spectrum have sensory processing disorder or sound sensitivity)...

I'll go first. I was diagnosed with ADHD in middle school and I am almost POSITIVE my mother exhibits symptoms of it as well (but she would NEVER admit to it). My therapists and other friends are in agreement that I might also be on the Autism Spectrum and was never diagnosed because it presents differently in girls and society pressures girls to act a certain way and yadda yadda yadda. But also my great uncle likely was on the spectrum (and was routinely punished for it by his father; being born in the 1930s was rough for neurodivergent people).

I also have had depression and anxiety since childhood (may or may not be a result of a combination of life experiences and growing up literally different in ways I didn't yet understand) and possibly CPTSD.

I'm of the opinion that we aren't seeing an increase in neurodivergence. We are seeing more diagnosis because we have a better understanding of it. I think a lot of people, particularly those born and raised before the 1980s, may be neurodivergent and not know it (or refuse to consider it, like my mother) and/or have been raised to mask it to the point where they act and seem as "normal" or neurotypical as society would have them be.

 

[Utdmad89]

I was diagnosed with ADHD in primary school. Then as an adult I have been diagnosed with autism. I also have OCD. I've had bouts with agoraphobia and have always been anxious.

 

[Hardwell]

I was diagnosed with ADHD in primary school. Then as an adult I have been diagnosed with autism. I also have OCD. I've had bouts with agoraphobia and have always been anxious.

All of us United fans have to have some sort of mental disorder.

 

[Utdmad89]

All of us United fans have to have some sort of mental disorder.

Yeah, especially after the last decade lol. Hopefully we can stop City winning the Treble.

 

[PennyCat]

Not diagnosed but I have strongly suspected for a long time that I'm somewhere on the autism spectrum. I also have severe mental illness (general anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, and an eating disorder).

I believe both of these things (being neurodivergent and/or mentally ill) can influence tinnitus in some degree. Especially health anxiety or health OCD, or if you are a very sensory-sensitive person.

My anxiety presents in a very somatic way and always has. I'm willing to bet at least a portion of my current struggles are strongly reinforced by my poor mental health, if not being the entire cause (not saying this is the case for you or anyone else, just my experience).

 

[derpytia]

Not diagnosed but I have strongly suspected for a long time that I'm somewhere on the autism spectrum. I also have severe mental illness (general anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, and an eating disorder).

I believe both of these things (being neurodivergent and/or mentally ill) can influence tinnitus in some degree. Especially health anxiety or health OCD, or if you are a very sensory-sensitive person.

My anxiety presents in a very somatic way and always has. I'm willing to bet at least a portion of my current struggles are strongly reinforced by my poor mental health, if not being the entire cause (not saying this is the case for you or anyone else, just my experience).

Yeah. I feel like my other symptoms just make dealing with severe tinnitus worse. Funnily enough, I did some researching a while back and found that with Autism and ADHD, the potassium channels and such (kinda like the ones that are supposedly whacky for tinnitus) are also somewhat messed up.

The human brain is garbage lol.

 

[Strawberryblonde]

Not diagnosed but I have strongly suspected for a long time that I'm somewhere on the autism spectrum. I also have severe mental illness (general anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, and an eating disorder).

I believe both of these things (being neurodivergent and/or mentally ill) can influence tinnitus in some degree. Especially health anxiety or health OCD, or if you are a very sensory-sensitive person.

My anxiety presents in a very somatic way and always has. I'm willing to bet at least a portion of my current struggles are strongly reinforced by my poor mental health, if not being the entire cause (not saying this is the case for you or anyone else, just my experience).

Pretty much sums up everything I have and feel on a daily basis. Trying to get any sort of help for it has been a waste of time. Pills or CBT, pretty hard for anyone else, and trained no less, to figure out what's going on in your head when I don't even know myself. I do know that Google has helped me figure stuff out more than any mental health professional has. Maybe I've just had a run of bad luck.