MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS SERIES

Neurodivergence and the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

30th day of May — the term ‘neurodivergent’ was coined by Judy Singer in the late 1990s and referred to the autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)

This month, as I’ve written many articles about mental health, I’ve benefited greatly from the research and time put into learning about neurodivergent and neurotypical people.

The term neurodiversity was first used in 1997 by autistic sociologist Judy Singer. The term was intended to be similar to the term “biodiversity,” suggesting that differences in neurological functioning can be strengths rather than weaknesses. Source: verywellhealth

It was a relief to learn that neurodivergent people, like me, aren’t ‘abnormal’ but simply that our brains are wired differently than what used to be called ‘normal’.

It was also good learning about the different types of neurodivergences that are out there. I don’t claim to know much about any of them, I’m just learning and processing information, sometimes from a personal perspective.

AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER

The month is coming to an end quickly. There is at least one neurodivergence that hasn’t been touched upon in my articles as of yet. I’d like to rectify that today and write about Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here are some key points from an article by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave.

Autism is known as a “spectrum” disorder because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience.

People with ASD have difficulty with social communication and interaction, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors.

There is much more to this article that I’m not going to get into, such as symptoms, causes, and treatments. But you’re just one click away from learning more about ASD with this excellent resource.

WHAT IS ON THE SPECTRUM?

There are five identified types that are classified as being part of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

There are five major types of autism which include Asperger’s syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Kanner’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder — not otherwise specified. Mar 9, 2021 Source: integrityinc.org

I’m not going to be describing the five autisms on the spectrum. If you want to research them further, the article listed above is a great start.

FINAL WORDS AND MENTIONS

Autism is a complex subject and is impossible to explain thoroughly in one short article. I’ve found a few outstanding writers on Medium that explain ASD so much better than I could ever hope to. Please read these articles if you’re interested in learning more about Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

David Perlmutter, a prolific writer on Medium, uses a redheaded character named Candace for this story about ‘Aspies’. Asperberger’s Syndrome, thought to be a sub-category of autism, is explained semi thoroughly in this short piece. You’ll love Candace!

Kirsty Kendall writes this humorous but not so funny article on what it’s like for her to go to a grocery store.

Lorrae - Loving My AUTISTRY wrote this short article about the word spectrum. It’s such a mysterious word, beautiful, really. Great article, hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

PUBLICATIONS ON MEDIUM ABOUT AUTISM

Thanks for reading today’s Mental Health Awareness article. Stay tuned for another one tomorrow. In the meantime, happy reading, and writing, and please strive to be all-around healthy!

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