Core Concepts ​

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• Co-occurring or 'Co-morbid'

Conditions that appear together.

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• Looping

Repetitive thought patterns common in neurodivergent experience.

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• Neurodivergent (ND) and/or 'Neurospicy'

A person whose brain works differently from the dominant societal norm (e.g., autistic, ADHD, dyslexic). It isn’t a medical label, but a social and identity-based term that celebrates the natural diversity of human minds. Neurodevelopmental differences — like autism and ADHD — simply mean the brain is wired differently, not wrongly — one of many ways to be human.​

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• Neurodiversity

The natural variation in human brains and minds; includes everyone, ND and neurotypical.

 

• Neurodiverse (group term only)

A mixed group containing people with different neurotypes.

 

• Neurodivergence

The specific type of difference a person has (e.g., autism, ADHD).

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• Neurokin

Individuals who share the same neurotype, meaning they have similar neurological wiring, often used within the neurodiversity movement for people with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or dyspraxia, fostering a sense of belonging and 'speaking the same language'.

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• Neurominority

Collective term for neurodivergent groups.

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• Neurotypical (NT)

Someone whose brain functions in ways considered ‘typical’ by society.​​

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• Social Blindness

Difficulty intuitively reading social cues.​

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• Spiky Profile

Uneven mix of high strengths and high support needs across skill areas. This is common among autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people, and contrasts with the relatively 'flat' profile often seen in neurotypical development.

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• Theory of Mind

Understanding others’ perspectives; key to many ND discussions.

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​ Communication & Interaction ​​​

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• Double Empathy Problem

Communication breakdowns between ND and NT people are mutual misunderstandings, not just ND deficits.

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•  Echolalia

Repetition of words, phrases, or sounds, used for communication, processing, or regulation.

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• Info-Dumping

Sharing a lot of information about a special interest as a form of connection.

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• Parallel Play

Spending time alongside someone doing separate tasks, without direct interaction.

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• Scripting

Using memorised/rehearsed lines from media or past conversations in social interactions, and planning responses prior to social interactions, in order to feel competent and reduce anxiety.

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• Social Scripts

Social scripts are deliberately created tools (visual guides) used by therapists and families to teach neurodivergent individuals expected social behaviours, serving to reduce anxiety, improve understanding of social conventions, and to better navigate a neurotypical world.

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• Social Stories

Evidence-based intervention tool using simple language and pictures to describe a particular situation, skill, concept, or upcoming event. Formats for social stories include photobooks, printed written booklets, and videos.

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 Sensory Processing ​

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• Chromesthesia

Seeing colours in response to sounds.

 

• Grapheme–Colour Synesthesia

Seeing specific letters/numbers as specific colours.

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• Interoception

Awareness of internal bodily sensations (e.g., hunger, thirst, needing the toilet).

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• Proprioception

Sense of body position and movement in space.​​​​​

 

• Sensory Processing Differences (SPD)

Over- or under-responsiveness to sensory input (light, sound, textures).

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• Stimming

Repetitive movements or sounds used to self-regulate (e.g., rocking, tapping, picking).

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• Synesthesia

Cross-wiring of senses, e.g., seeing colours when hearing music or reading words.

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• Vestibular Sense

Sense of balance and spatial orientation.

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​ Emotional & Self-Regulation 

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• Alexithymia

Difficulty recognising or describing one’s own emotions.

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• Analysis Paralysis

Difficulty initiating or deciding due to overwhelm.

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• Autistic Burnout

Exhaustion from prolonged masking, stress, and unmet needs.

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• Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

Sleep timing difference common in neurodivergent people.

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• Energy Accounting / 'Spoons Theory'

Framework for understanding energy depletion.

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• Emotional Dysregulation

Difficulty managing strong emotions.​​

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• Masking

Hiding or suppressing natural ND traits to fit in.

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• Meltdown

Intense involuntary emotional/physical response to overwhelm.

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• Phase-delayed Cortisol Rhythm

Hormonal pattern linked to stress and alertness.​​

 

• Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)

Extreme emotional sensitivity to perceived rejection or criticism.

 

• Shutdown

Withdrawal or non-responsiveness due to overwhelm.

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• Spoons Theory

A metaphor for limited energy reserves.​​​​

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• Unmasking

Reducing or stopping masking behaviours.

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 Thinking & Learning ​

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• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

An eating disorder characterised by restriction of the quantity and/or variety of foods an individual consumes, caused by multiple underlying factors including sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and differences in how internal body signals like fullness are perceived.

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• Executive Dysfunction

Difficulty starting, planning, or completing tasks.

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• Hyperfocus

A state of intense concentration where someone becomes completely absorbed in a task, activity, or interest, often to the exclusion of everything else around them.​

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• Savant Syndrome

Uneven cognitive skill profile; exceptional ability in specific areas. It is estimated that between 10% and 28.5% of autistic people have some form of savant ability.

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• Special Interest (SPIN)

Deep, joyful focus on a topic or activity.

 

• Task Switching Fatigue

Mental drain caused by frequent changes in tasks.

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• Therapy Types That Can Work Well for ND Folk​

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — a type of psychotherapy that helps people manage mental and physical health problems by changing how they think and behave.

  • Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) — a 'third-wave' therapy that teaches self-compassion and kindness, especially if you struggle with self-criticism and trauma, by using techniques from neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and mindfulness to cultivate a more soothing, balanced emotional state.

  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) — a type of CBT that helps people manage intense emotions and harmful behaviors by teaching skills in four main areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

  • ​Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) — a psychotherapy technique that helps people heal from trauma by processing disturbing memories through bilateral stimulation, often side-to-side eye movements.

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• Time Blindness

Difficulty sensing the passage of time.

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 Metaphors & Cultural Terms ​​​

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• Body Doubling

Doing tasks alongside someone else for motivation.

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• Disability Support Pension (DSP)

Australian financial support for people with disability who are significantly impacted on a day-to-day basis and cannot work more than 15 hours per week.

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• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Australian disability support system managed by the NDIA.

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• Penguin Pebbling

Sharing small tokens, info, or gestures as a sign of care. See: Neurodivergent Love Languages.

 

• Reasonable Adjustments

This is a legal term in the UK and Australia for modifications that help a person with a disability perform a job, often known as 'workplace accommodations' in the US. These adjustments can include changes to the work environment, such as physical modifications, flexible working arrangements like adjusted hours, changes to duties, or providing assistive technology. The goal is to remove barriers and ensure a person with a disability is not at a disadvantage compared to other employees. See here for more information about your rights in Australia.

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• Spiky Profile

Uneven mix of high strengths and high support needs across skill areas. This is common among autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people, and contrasts with the relatively 'flat' profile often seen in neurotypical development.​​​​

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 Advocacy & Affirming Language ​

 

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• Ableism

A form of discrimination, prejudice, or social bias against people with disabilities. It assumes that being able-bodied or neurotypical is 'normal' or superior, and treats anything else as inferior, undesirable, fake, or a problem to be fixed.

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• Identity-First Language

Puts the neurodivergence first, e.g., ‘autistic person.’ Preferred by many autistic people because it affirms neurodivergence as part of identity, not something separate.

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• Internalised Ableism

Absorbing and believing negative societal views about ND traits.

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• Neuro-affirming

Approaches that validate ND identity and adapt environments, not people.

 

• Nothing About Us Without Us

Principle that ND people must be involved in decisions affecting them.

 

• Person-First Language

Puts the person before the condition, e.g., ‘person with autism.’ Still used in some professional or medical settings, though less favoured by many lived-experience communities.

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• Support Needs-Based Language

Describing needs directly instead of using ‘high/low functioning’ labels, which are outdated and problematic.

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 Conditions / Diagnoses 

 

Summary of widely recognised neurodivergent and ND-associated conditions and profiles. Reference: *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

 

For a more exhaustive list, see here or click the button below.

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*The DSM is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association used worldwide by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders. It provides a standard language and classification system with descriptions, symptoms, and diagnostic criteria for a wide range of conditions. Access current version here.

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• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

Neurodevelopmental condition characterised by difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

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• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A spectrum of neurodevelopmental differences affecting social communication, sensory processing, and behaviour.

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• Bipolar Disorder (Neurodivergent Expression)

While primarily a mood disorder, some neurodivergent communities identify certain bipolar traits (e.g., divergent cognition and emotional intensity) as part of neurodivergent experience.

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• Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

A circadian rhythm disorder where a person's sleep-wake cycle is shifted two or more hours later than conventional times.

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• Dyscalculia

Difficulty with understanding numbers, math concepts, and calculations despite normal intelligence.

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• Dysgraphia

Challenges with writing, spelling, and expressing thoughts on paper.

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• Dyslexia

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and decoding written language, often paired with strong oral skills.

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• Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)

Impaired motor coordination, affecting movement, balance, and sometimes speech.

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• Intellectual Disability 

Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour, affecting learning and daily life.​

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• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD, in some contexts)

Neurodivergent expression includes intense repetitive thoughts and behaviours, which can overlap with executive functioning differences.

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• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Often co-occurring with ADHD; involves defiant, oppositional, and irritable behaviour.

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• Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

A profile on the autism spectrum characterised by extreme anxiety-driven resistance to everyday demands and expectations, often involving social strategies to avoid them.

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• Schizoaffective Disorder

Combination of mood disorder and schizophrenia-like symptoms; sometimes included in broader neurodivergent discussions.

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• Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

Difficulty responding appropriately to sensory input, leading to over- or under-sensitivity.

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• Tourette Syndrome / Tic Disorders

Involuntary motor or vocal tics that vary in frequency and severity.

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• Trichotillomania

Compulsive hair-pulling disorder, considered part of neurodivergent obsessive-compulsive spectrum in some frameworks.​​​​

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