What's your Neurodivergent Profile?

My Neurodivergent Profile

I was formally diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) in 2002. Long before that, I knew I needed complete quiet to learn or do complex thinking. In the pre–cell phone era, I relied on task lists, calendars, and sticky notes - my externalized brain. I taught myself to “count time backwards” and always added a margin of time to any task, for the unexpected or forgotten.

At the time, I was working full-time in early intervention — a role that balanced autonomy and accountability. I enjoyed autonomy while also using sick time, weekends, and late nights to complete the required paperwork. My new marriage revealed communication challenges; together, we were often late, which sometimes irritated others. I had begun noticing a few of my other quirky habits, such as frequently leaving cabinet doors open or talking too loud/too much for the situation; I was excellent at reading children's books with engaging intonation. Rather than being messy at home, I had swung to the opposite extreme, needing the house to always be picked up and clean.

A Lightbulb Moment

While completing an assignment toward my Master’s Degree in Reading Education, I read about associative thinking — a cognitive style where thoughts link together in a non-linear way. The book described it as “atypical,” yet common in autistic and ADHD adults.

For me, what I was reading didn’t seem atypical at all — it was simply how my brain worked. For me, associative thinking was typical.

From what I knew at the time, I concluded I was not autistic but decided to learn more about ADHD. That research brought enormous relief and helped me understand not just myself, but my family of origin. A psychologist later confirmed what I had discovered. I had an above-average IQ as well as ADHD. Intelligence is not correlated to either Autism or ADHD.

Overlapping Neurotypes

In the 30+ years since, I’ve learned that most neurodivergent people don’t fit neatly into a single category. As Dr. Stephen Shore says, “If you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism.” We could just as easily say: “If you know one neurodivergent person, you know one neurodivergent person.”

Research suggests:

·       40–60% of people with ADHD have autistic traits.

·       50–80% of autistic people also meet ADHD criteria.

·       About 14% of children with ADHD also have Autism

·       Mothers with ADHD are more likely to have a firstborn child with Autism.

These overlaps extend to other learning differences — dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, developmental coordination disorder — as well as certain physical conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, epilepsy, Dysautonomia (POTS), LIPIDEMA, mitral valve prolapse, chronic fatigue, mast cell disorders, and more. We also share higher risks for PTSD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, heightened physical/emotional sensitivity, etc.

Recognizing My Autistic Traits

When I began learning about how autism often presents differently in women, I started to see a few autistic traits like depth, warmth, literal, detailed thinking, and high fluid reasoning in myself. Around that time, I met author John Elder Robison. Upon meeting me, he asked, “When did you learn you were autistic?”

Surprised, I replied, “What makes you think that I am?” That conversation turned into an ongoing dialogue.

Eventually, John suggested, “Robin, how about you just call yourself neurodivergent? Sometimes we look more autistic, and sometimes we look more ADHD.”

Although I do not consider myself Autistic (for many literally reasons) I have grown to realize I am one of the 40-60 percent of people who have some Autistic traits.

A Profile, Not a Label

Professor Amanda Kirby’s work has reinforced this truth: most neurodivergent people have a unique blend of overlapping strengths and challenges. A single label rarely captures the whole picture.

As an example, here is part of my profile:

·       ADHD

·       Autistic traits

·       Dyslexia

·       Dyscalculia

·       Dyspraxia

·       Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

·       Mitral Valve Prolapse

·       LIPIDEMA

·       Dysautonomia (POTS)

·       Chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia

·       C-PTSD

On any given day, some traits show up more strongly than others. In knowing what our profile is comprised of, we can build awareness of our strengths and challenges. We can create a life that prevents burnout and uses our strengths to overcome our challenges.

My ADHD often feels most impactful, but my autistic traits may intensify it. Of course, my health and learning difference also impact each moment of each day. That’s why I believe — and research supports — that when someone presents with any neurodivergent related condition or neurotype, we should look for the others that may be present.

In short, neurodivergence is rarely a single label. It’s a "constellation," as Pastor Josh Davis stated when I told him about my "profile" during our recent talk on

his podcast "Neurodivergent Faith".

Now that you know my profile, how would you describe your Neurodivergent Profile?

What does your Constellation look like?

Remember, there's no right or wrong constellation—only your unique combination of strengths and challenges that make you who you are.

References:

Casanova EL, Baeza-Velasco C, Buchanan CB, Casanova MF. The Relationship between Autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes/Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders. J Pers Med. 2020 Dec 1;10(4):260. doi: 10.3390/jpm10040260. PMID: 33271870; PMCID: PMC7711487.

Hours C, Recasens C, Baleyte JM. ASD and ADHD Comorbidity: What Are We Talking About? Front Psychiatry. 2022 Feb 28;13:837424. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.837424. PMID: 35295773; PMCID: PMC8918663.

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