Colourful people pretending to be normal

Sybille Lindner - Her story ismeant to spark your curiosity,stretch your mind and invite youalong on a thought experimentthat proposes that maybe, justmaybe, people with autism orattention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD) are not disabled,but rather represent aninteresting and unique way thathuman brains naturally exist.I have always been captivated bythe more complex interactionsbetween the mind and the bodyand relentlessly researching, I’vestumbled upon the undeniablefact that the mind and bodycannot be separated.My research led me on an epicside quest discovering the worldof fascia – the connective tissuethat structures the innerframework of the body and theentire reason there are physicalreactions to mental-emotionalprocesses in the body.Over time, I developed my ownway of working with my patientsthat was a little more sensitiveand a little more layered incomplexity than my originalmethods. I now teach thisapproach as FasciaWork, as itdoesn't aggravate pain in the mostsensitive of people.This development in my workhappened parallel to my ownpersonal discoveries about howmy nervous system works, and Inow understand that I amneurodivergent – autistic and withADHD, a combination often calledAuDHD among the neurodivergentcommunity. The limited resourcesavailable and the misconceptionsthat exist about these topics arerampant, greatly confusing andrestricting people’s access tosupport and practices that wouldhelp them live better lives.There are so many neurodivergentpeople out there hiding theirtruth, pretending to be whatthey’re not and can never live upto. Living with daily struggles assevere as chronic depression andrepeated suicidal episodes, andmany of them don’t even knowthat having a brain that worksdifferently can be a natural part ofthemselves, rather thansomething wrong with them.Neurodiversity can be defined asthe natural diversity or variationof cognitive function in all people.A ‘neurotypical’ person isdescribed as possessing thepresentation of brain functionthat is most common in thepopulation, and a‘neurodivergent’ person is onewhose brain function is mostdifferent from the most commonpresentation. Examples ofneurodivergent states are: Autismspectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD,dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia,dysgraphia and other variations inhow brains work.The common images of ASD andADHD we have as naughty ordisabled children who can’t sit stillor are flapping their hands as theyscream in the corner are verymisguided, and only represent atiny proportion of theneurodivergent population. Also,many behaviours we accept asautistic or ADHD are actuallycoping mechanisms and traumaresponses, and have nothing to dowith the natural differences in thebrain.Because we are born withneurodivergent brains, and knowfrom a very young age that we aredifferent, we develop ways tosurvive this society that is notalways kind to those who aredifferent.When brain functions vary somuch that they differ hugely fromthe way most people’s brainsfunction, this is described asneurodivergence. Eachneurodivergent person is alsounique unto themselves, evenwithin categories themselves.Many neurodivergent statesoverlap in function or occurtogether, with many preferring tocall themselves simply‘neurodivergent’. Misdiagnosis isespecially a problem in women,because historically mostneurodivergent research has beendone on boys and men, andneuroscience is only now startingto realise the vast differencesbetween male and female brainsand the consequences ofmisunderstanding that.Our sensory systemsAll neurodivergents have highlysensitive nervous systems. Issueslike chronic pain, muscle spasms,joint problems, anxiety,depression, eating disorders anddigestive issues like irritable bowelsyndrome are common amonghighly sensitive people. Thesephysical challenges also reducemental health function, becauseof complex body-mindinteractions like the gut-brain axisand other chemical factors. Thefeedback loop this creates – themind creating body problems, thebody problems perpetuating themind problems – can keep peoplestuck in disease and ill health formany years.The larger part of the populationhas low to medium sensitivitylevels, while the highest end ofthe sensitivity spectrum isoccupied by neurodivergents.There is another category inbetween these two – officiallycalled ‘highly sensitive people’, orHSP, who are more sensitive thanmost, but not quite as sensitive asneurodivergents. Not all HSPs areneurodivergent, although theycertainly may be.Highly sensitive nervous systemsA person with a highly sensitivenervous system (HSP orneurodivergent) will have anincreased capacity to sense,locate, describe and express thedetail of all inner and outersensations they experience. Theyusually also have a much higherability to discern the differencesbetween subtle details andchanges in their sensation.Our bodies also have internalsenses – those that help usidentify what is going on insideour bodies at all times.We also have social senses – thosethat help us function in society bycommunicating and interactingwith people. We also haveprotective senses, for exampleneuroception, which is ourcapacity to sense danger or safetyin our environment at any time.When you are highly sensitive,your connection to all thesesenses determines how youfunction in the world. This feelslike we absorb everything fromour environment and we noticeeverything going on inside us aswell, meaning our brains processsensory information differently.Sensory strugglesMany of the struggles thatneurodivergents face daily arebecause of these sensory issues.Why is it that those who arehighly sensitive often end upstruggling to identify theirsensations, almost like they areless able to feel them?1. TraumaBeing born highly sensitive istraumatising. Children are notborn with the capacity to regulatetheir own emotions and stressresponses; they have to learn thisfrom their parents over time.Trauma responses start beingingrained early on while the brainis still developing, and this hashuge consequences later in life.2. High self-awarenessMany neurodivergents are alsohighly intelligent, have much moreself-awareness, and mentallyperceive the world in a muchdeeper way than neurotypicals.The mental space is where youfeel powerful and in control, butthe physical, sensory andemotional world is where you feeloverwhelmed and out of control –of course you’ll mentally cut thatoff to survive.3. Overstimulating worldA highly sensitive brain takes ineverything, and so has a muchlarger load of information it mustprocess. Processing time usuallymeans “time away from people”,since humans are the mostoverstimulating things in theworld.Learning ways to regulate ournervous systems to bring us out ofstress responses is essential for allneurodivergents and highlysensitives, and will be a valuableskill for the rest of their lives. Thisis a necessary step in healingtrauma, and finding our way backto our own selves.Neurodivergent Life: Simple Toolsand Resources to Guide You Downthe Rabbit Hole; Facebook: FlowForm Rehab & Physiotherapy; info@flowformrehab.com; 264 81 790 1160

Colourful people pretending to be normal

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