Zumbador

@dpnash

Very true. And definitely something late realised autistic people are often not aware of.

But I meant to ask a different question, which is why people in the first group (realising they’re autistic vs having been diagnosed by someone else ) sometimes have such different experiences.

@TechyDad @neamhsplach

@Foon Sorry I didn’t mean that *you* were gatekeeping, Foon! I’m sorry if it came across like that.

I meant that I think that people who have a strong opinion that TBI is not part of neurodivergence are gatekeeping.

It’s a difficult question to answer because most people (in my experience) don’t know what’s meant by neurodivergence. Or not in the offline world, anyway.

@Foon @Subito
There are definitely people who believe that the term neurodivergent only applies to people who are born with the neurological difference, but from what I’ve seen, a lot of people understand it to be much wider than that.

Traumatic brain injury is definitely an example of neurodivergency as far as I’m concerned.

I don’t see the point of this particular form of gatekeeping, especially since we don’t know whether a person might be born with a nervous system that makes them more vulnerable to certain conditions like eating disorders, depression, etc, which some people argue shouldn’t be included under neurodivergence.

I think all neurological differences are neurodivergent, including dementia, narcissist personality disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, epilepsy, eating disorders etc

There’s a recent episode on the Neurodivergent Woman about Traumatic Brain injury that touches on this.

@TechyDad

It’s profound, realising that you’re autistic .

I wonder why some of us find it so traumatic, and others so liberating?

Maybe it’s to do with how it happens. For me, I came to this self discovery after struggling with severe mental health problems that didn’t seem to have any explanation.

Realising I’m autistic was an incredible release from self blame.

I think there’s a unique journey for parents of autistic children, though. And not an easy one.

Be kind and patient with yourself.

@neamhsplach