Ive seen a lot of takes about the term neurodivergent lately, and who ‘counts’ as nd. And as an autistic person with adhd, dysgraphia and multiple anxiety disorders and Ive been in this system my whole life, I’ve got a lot of thoughts. (1/?)

neurodiversity is a movement that prioritizes accommodations over a cure. Its about not being broken despite everything you’ve been told about yourself.
Neurodivergence is about existing with a brain this world isnt meant for, and still wanting to love yourself. (2/?)

There is no good way of decided who is and who isnt, its an experience, not a diagnosis. I understand the urge to try to control who “gets” to call themselves it, for me this experience is one of so much pain and trauma and isolation- (3/?)

and I feel that need for that pain to “mean something”. But gatekeeping this pain doesn’t actually do any good. I was nd before I was diagnosed, and there will always be people who are one of us who might not have the “correct” documentation of this experience. (4/5)

Neurodivergent is a label you decide for yourself, and I ask people to not just give it to themselves for fun, but if you think its you, if you identify with the experience, you probably are. and I love you so much. (5/6)

being nd could mean autism, it could mean ocd, it could mean a panic disorder, it could mean dyslexia, or severe depression, or something that still hasnt been figured out. something that the doctors wont listen to you about. its about the life, not the diagnosis. (end of thread)