Neurodivergence refers to brain variation outside what society considers the norm. Examples of neurodivergence include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, dyslexia, and Tourette syndrome.
Bipolar disorder is a disease that affects the nervous system. It causes depression and excitement episodes, and cases of insomnia are usual as well. During these episodes, called mania, changes occur in the patients' brain and body.
The term neurodivergent was coined to include bipolar disorder. Neurodivergent is anyone who has a different functioning to their nervous system than neurotypical people. The term also includes people with epilepsy and chronic pain and depression. Neurodivergent is NOT a scientific, medical or psychological term.
Classical definitions of neurodivergence include diagnoses of autism, ADHD and dyslexia. However, embracing neurodiversity means going beyond medical definitions by recognizing the whole person. Neurodivergence is not the same as disability or mental illness, but it can be associated with them.
You absolutely are neurodivergent if you have been diagnosed with a developmental or learning disorder, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or Tourette's syndrome. You may decide to consider yourself neurodivergent if you have no diagnosis but think, behave, or interact in ways that are outside the norm.
BD and neurodivergence
BD may be a type of neurodivergence since differences in brain functioning and structure may be a potential cause of the condition. As a result, a person with bipolar could identify as neurodivergent.
Is bipolar disorder on the autism spectrum? No. Bipolar disorder is not part of the autism spectrum, though an unusually large number of people with bipolar disorder are also autistic (and vice versa).
Yes, bipolar disorder is a disability according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Whether you have bipolar I, bipolar II, or cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder), it can qualify if it leaves you unable to work.
Bipolar disorder is a category that includes three different condition--bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder. Bipolar and related disorders are given a chapter of their own in the DSM-5, between depressive disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Experts believe that bipolar disorder is associated with the smaller size of certain regions of the brain and with changes in the brain's chemicals. It can also cause changes in thinking and hallucinations. In some cases, it is unknown whether changes to the brain cause bipolar disorder or result from the condition.
Cross-sectional neuroimaging studies show that bipolar disorder is associated with structural brain abnormalities, predominantly observed in prefrontal and temporal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and subcortical regions [1,2,3,4], and less consistently in insula and visual cortex [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8].
Among adults, dyslexia is the most common type of neurodivergent condition. Approximately 10% of adults are diagnosed with dyslexia. Around 4-5% of the population has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A further 1-2% of people has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Neurodivergence includes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Tourette Syndrome, as well as some long-term mental health conditions, such as depression and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
“With this definition, anxiety can be considered a form of neurodivergence, although it may not be as commonly recognized as ADHD, autism, or trauma,” she says. Many people utilize self-identification to categorize themselves as being neurodivergent, explains Claney.
The Bipolar Spectrum concept can be approached from two different ways: Manic – Depressive Spectrum: Continuum between Bipolar and Unipolar. Bipolar Spectrum: Restricted to BD with continuum between Full blown illness (BD I) to Milder illness to Temperament traits (Cyclothymia ……).
No two people with bipolar disorder share the same thoughts or experiences, but there are some common thought patterns among most folks who have it. This includes cyclical thinking, manic and/or depressive episodes, suicidal ideation, and psychosis.
The big difference between Asperger's and bipolar is the manic stage. Individuals with Asperger's will always want to talk about their topic. They may not have that aggravation or anxiety associated with it, whereas someone in the manic stage might."
While misdiagnosis indeed occurs (and there is evidence to suggest ADHD children may be misdiagnosed with bipolar at elevated rates), what may happen even more is having one diagnosis missed (when a person has both). Living with both is complex and needs close monitoring.
Many of the symptoms of a manic bipolar episode and ADHD may be similar, such as distractibility, restlessness, or impulsivity. So ADHD may go undiagnosed in a person with bipolar disorder, if a doctor mistakes ADHD symptoms for a manic episode.
So are we all just a little bit autistic? No – many people have some autistic traits but just as you can't be a little bit pregnant, to be autistic you need to have differences in: social and communication. flexibility, logic and cognition.
“Neurodivergence is a social theory, not a diagnosis,” explains Dr. Boxley. “You can choose to identify yourself as neurodivergent, but you should not unilaterally assign other people the label of neurodivergent.
People whose brain works differently often experience sounds, including music, in unique ways. As a neurodivergent person, I experience sound differently than other people. I was born with hyperacusis. Sounds that are at a normal volume to most people sometimes seem extremely loud and distorted to me.