InDepth Research on Understanding of Neurodiverse Conditions
I will be concentrating on just three categories of neurodiverse disorders for the duration of this study.
ADHD
Autism
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
Adults who suffer from both autism and ADHD share several overlapping problems, which further complicates their lives.
They want both novelty and routine in their daily lives, which makes even simple activities difficult for them to accomplish.
Sensory Processing Disorder is not a stand-alone disorder. It isn't a recognised medical diagnosis at this time and co-exists with other conditions.
What is ADHD ?
Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition characterised by a mix of enduring issues, including trouble focusing, hyperactivity, and impulsive conduct. It is brought on by the interaction of several hereditary and environmental risk factors.
How it can affect an Individual?
One's life may be significantly impacted by going undetected. It can result in poor life quality, social impairment, underachievement in the workplace, and risky behaviours like substance abuse, accidents, and early mortality.
Working memory, which is your brain's limited storage mechanism that momentarily retains information, and long-term memory are both impacted by ADHD. Someone with ADHD may have trouble remembering specifics. They might overlook crucial dates, fail to attend gatherings, events, or festivities, and misplace things like paperwork or keys.
Because ADHD impairs a person's capacity to store and manipulate information, it can also make learning more difficult.
Effects of being undiagnosed!
Relationship Hurdles
Relationship problems may be exacerbated by untreated ADHD symptoms:
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Having trouble completing home duties and jobs
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Unintentionally blurting out hurtful statements -
Zoning out during conversations -
Forgetting important events -
Interrupting other people -
Emotional outbursts
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Forgetting important details
Poor Physical Health
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Riskier habits like substance abuse, smoking, binge eating, and unsafe sexual relations have all been connected to ADHD.
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Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may also be more difficult for people with ADHD. Developing an exercise regimen and eating a balanced, ADHD-friendly diet, for example, may take planning, organisation, and motivation—all of which can be impacted by ADHD.
Depression and Anxiety
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Individuals diagnosed with ADHD are prone to hyper-focusing on the smallest details of negative thoughts, and they may find it difficult to talk themselves out of them unless someone they trust or something they find inspiring encourages them to focus on their positive traits and take action.
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Compared to the general population, adults with ADHD are 2.7 times more likely to suffer from depression.
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Substance Abuse
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Adults with ADHD who want to self-medicate and escape their problems might turn to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
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According to some studies, the prevalence of substance abuse and addiction is roughly twice as high in individuals with ADHD as it is in those without the disorder.
Highly impulsive and poor decision making
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Extremely impulsive, which can be dangerous and make it difficult to regulate their feelings and moods.
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An ADHD sufferer may have issues with judgment, decision-making, and impulse control.
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The risks or negative effects of their behavior on themselves or people around them may be more difficult for people with ADHD to comprehend.
Low self perception
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An individual diagnosed with ADHD may become excessively critical of themselves and mistrust their talents in response to challenges at work, school, or home.
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They experience extreme overwhelmed one day and confidence the next. These mood swings have the potential to be emotionally taxing and demoralizing.
Current forms of treatment
Medication: Stimulant medications help regulate brain activity and are often the first treatment choice for most people.
Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy is a goal-oriented form of psychotherapy that helps replace unhealthy habits and thought patterns with beneficial and productive ones.
ADHD coaching: An ADHD coach can provide tools and advice to help you carry out your daily duties and responsibilities in an organized and timely manner.
Support groups: ADHD support groups are a safe space for you to share your experiences and learn from people who are also navigating the journey of ADHD.
However, unless people understand their own condition, their own behaviour and actions, and what is creating problems in their lives, they lack knowledge and access to it.
What part of the brain does it affect?
Studies have found that ADHD is associated with weaker function and structure of prefrontal cortex (PFC) circuits, especially in the right hemisphere. The prefrontal association cortex plays a crucial role in regulating attention, behavior, and emotion, with the right hemisphere specialized for behavioral inhibition.
The neuropathology of ADHD is not rooted in a single anatomical area, but in multiple parallel and intersecting pathways, which have demonstrated impaired functional connectivity in ADHD brains. Dysfunction in executive function, reward processing, attention networks and default networks play major roles in the neuropathology of this condition. Biological findings vary between individuals, with some showing greater dysfunction at cortical levels and others at subcortical levels, which is in keeping with its clinical heterogeneity
What causes ADHD?
ADHD has a multifactorial etiology, in which genetic and environmental factors are involved in its development
The total heritability of ADHD has been estimated at 70–80%. These estimates seem stable throughout childhood and adolescence and similar for both males and females.
Genomic studies revealed an extensive genetic overlap of ADHD with a wide range of phenotypes, including psychiatric, cognitive, behavioral, and metabolic domains, suggesting that the clinically observed association of ADHD with these phenotypes can be explained, at least in part, by shared genetic factors
What is Autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a brain-based disorder that is characterized by developmental delays, communication problems, abnormal social skills, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems—all ranging from mild to severe.
How it can affect an Individual?
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They find it difficult to understand what others are thinking or feeling
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They have severe anxiety in social settings.
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They have trouble making friends and would rather be left alone.
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Without intending to, they come out as brusque, direct, or uninterested in other people.
ASD symptoms
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​Poor eye contact
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Delayed speech
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Unresponsiveness
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Having an intense focus on something
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Trouble understanding social cues
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Difficult reading facial expressions
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Repetitive movements (such as rocking back and forth and hand flapping)
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Repeating words or phrases
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Having difficulty dealing with changes in routines
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Self-harmful behaviors (such as head-banging)
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Having difficulty playing with other children
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Social withdrawal
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Having difficulty carrying on a conversation
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Having a flat or sing-song tone of voice
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Increased or decreased sensitivity to sensory input (clothing, lights, noise, temperature)