The neurodivergence glossary

Alexithymia: This is the difficulty of identifying and naming your own emotions. You can feel that something is off without being able to put a word on it. It does not stop you loving or feeling: it is just harder to translate.
Comorbidity: This is having several conditions at the same time in one person, for example ADHD and anxiety. It is very common among neurodivergent people, and it helps to better understand how you work.
Double empathy: This is the idea that misunderstanding between autistic and non-autistic people is mutual, not a deficit on one side only. Each finds the other hard to read: the difficulty plays out between two people, in the meeting, not in one head. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Echolalia: This is repeating words or phrases you have heard, right away or later. It can help to process language, to soothe yourself or to communicate in another way. It is a natural way to express yourself, not a sign of not listening. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Emotional dysregulation: This is the difficulty of dialling the intensity of your emotions up or down: they rise fast, strong, and come back down slowly. It is not being dramatic for the sake of it: it is amplified feeling that needs gentle anchors to settle. Learn more : Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) →
Executive functions: These are the brain functions used to plan, organise, start a task, hold back an impulse and manage time. When they struggle, it is not a lack of willpower: the engine can be there and the starter somewhere else. Learn more : ADHD →
Hyperfocus: This is an intense, absorbing focus on something you love, so deep you can lose track of time or everything else. It is a real strength, even if it can make it hard to pull away at the right moment. Learn more : ADHD →
Inertia: This is the difficulty of starting, stopping or switching activity, even when you want to. Moving from one task to another takes real energy: it is not laziness, more a brain that needs momentum to switch.
Interoception: This is sensing your body's internal signals: hunger, thirst, tiredness, needing the toilet, emotions. When it is atypical, these signals come late or blurry, and you learn to spot them another way.
Late diagnosis: This is being diagnosed as an adult, sometimes after years of not understanding yourself. It is very common and completely valid: finally putting a word on your experience often brings real relief. Learn more : ADHD →
Masking: This is hiding your neurodivergent traits to blend in, by copying the social codes people expect. It can help you go unnoticed, but it is often exhausting and wears you down over time. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Meltdown: This is an intense overflow that happens under overload, when everything that has built up finally comes out. It is not a tantrum or bad will: it is a reaction the person cannot control, and it calls for kindness. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Neurodivergence: It means having a brain that works differently from the statistical norm. It is not an illness or a flaw: just another way of perceiving, thinking and feeling the world.
Neurotypical: This is a person whose brain works in the way society expects. The word is just a reference point, not a judgement: neurotypical is neither better nor worse.
Proprioception: This is sensing where your body is in space, without having to look. When this sense is atypical, you may bump into things more often or need pressure and movement to feel well grounded.
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD): This is intense emotional pain set off by rejection, criticism or failure, whether real or only perceived. A small sign can hurt a lot, and just knowing it has a name already helps you feel less alone. Learn more : ADHD →
Self-identification: This is recognising yourself in a neurodivergent way of working without an official diagnosis. Getting a diagnosis is long, costly or out of reach for many, and this experience is welcomed here with respect.
Sensory overload: This is too much stimulation: noise, light, crowds, smells, textures. The brain takes in more than it can sort, which quickly becomes overwhelming and tiring. A quiet space helps a lot to recover. Learn more : Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) →
Shutdown: This is a withdrawal or standby that happens under overload. The person shuts off, speaks less or not at all, and needs quiet and time to come back, not pressure. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Special interests: These are deep, intense and precise passions for a topic, a real source of knowledge and joy. Far from being a problem, they feed expertise and create lovely bonds when someone shares the same interest. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Spectrum: This is the idea that autism does not sit on a line from less to more, but covers a continuum of very varied profiles. Every autistic person is unique: two people on the spectrum can have very different needs and strengths. Learn more : ASD / Autism →
Stimming: These are repetitive movements or sounds that help with self-regulation: rocking, tapping, humming, playing with an object. It is soothing and perfectly healthy, a way to manage your emotions or your energy. Learn more : ASD / Autism →

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