Human beings are complex. We’re constantly changing, adapting, and responding to our environments emotionally, mentally, and physically. For neurodivergent people, this complexity is often heightened by a world that isn’t built with our brains in mind. Supporting neurodivergent people means embracing the unpredictability and the chaos that makes us human.
Chaos theory reminds us that a small change in initial conditions can lead to huge shifts in outcome. The usual example is of a butterfly flapping its wings and eventually causing a typhoon. Human minds, bodies, emotions work the same way. A single sensory overload, a miscommunication, or a missed diagnosis can ripple through someone’s life. So, aupport for neurodivergent people must account for that complexity and interconnectedness.
Co-occurring health and body differences
It’s common for people to experience more than one form of neurodivergence. Many of us also experience sleep difficulties, chronic pain, or gastrointestinal issjes. Neurodivergence rarely exists in isolation. It overlaps, interacts, and influences how we think, feel, and function every day.
ADHD (or Attention Hyperactivity, as I prefer to name my experience) brings unique differences in attention, regulation, and motivation. It’s not an attention deficit, but a difference in attention regulation, which is often an all-or-nothing approach. ADHDers can be naturally curious, creative, and innovative, as well as over-stimulated!
Until 2013, it wasn’t possible to be formally diagnosed with autism and ADHD (thanks outdated DSM criteria [sarcasm]). Today, some people use the term AuDHD to acknowledge this overlap. AuDHD folks can experience craving both routine and novelty, order and spontaneity (I’ve written about my experiences of being both here). We can experience a wild ride of predictability and novelty that is frankly exhausting.
Many neurodivergent people also experience Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) — an intense emotional reaction to perceived criticism or rejection. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, overthinking, and people-pleasing.
Beyond neurological intersections, many neurodivergent people also live with physical conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, hypermobility, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue. These experiences can affect mobility, pain, and sensory perception. Recognising these interconnections allows us to approach therapy holistically — not just through a cognitive or behavioural lens, but through the body, too.
Embracing complexity
Supporting neurodivergent people means letting go of simplicity. By appreciating humans as ecosystems in motion and honouring their complexity, we make space for every neurodivergent person to thrive. We create spaces and practice that allow people to show up as themselves.