Ten toes, ten fingers, two eyes, one nose, one mouth.

On the surface, humans seem to be roughly made from the same mould. But look a bit closer and every single one of us is unique in many ways. Our face, fingerprints, teeth and eye irises are so distinctive that they can help identify us with certainty. And that’s the bit that we can see on the outside.

On the inside, it’s the same principle. We might all have a brain, heart, stomach and other organs, but each will have their very own particularities. And because how we ‘work’ is all about the wiring of our brain and how it interacts with all the other parts of our body, this makes a massive difference not only to the way we are physically, but also to the way we think, feel and react.

Sometimes people are born with a missing toe or an extra finger – it can be seen as a genetic anomaly, but we would not even think it can stop them from living a perfectly normal life. But all of us are ultimately born with so many differences in our body and brain that make us absolutely unique. Having a unique and different brain is not an anomaly, it’s what nature intended.

Try to imagine a world where everyone looks and thinks absolutely the same. It’s a place where nothing new happens. The truth is, we would soon die out. In fact, developing differences is one of nature’s cleverest ways to ensure the survival of the species – and is at the heart of evolution. We evolve differences so we can cope with our changing environment. Change is at the heart of life.

What’s neurodiversity

When we talk about diversity in culture, race, religion, it’s to recognise that we can all be human and different. It’s not about whether it’s better to be one thing and worse to be another. We all have a place regardless of how we look, where we are born, what culture we follow, what gender we identify with. There is no right and wrong. There is just a wide range of humans with their own qualities, needs and feelings.

Neurodiversity is the term used to describe how our brain functions to process information and emotions, how it interacts with our body and our senses. It’s important to recognise because most of us don’t react the same way to the same thing. Again, there is no right or wrong, it’s just how it feels to every single person.

Neurons are the cells that carry information between the brain and the body. When we are born, our brand new baby brain has about 100 billion neurons. That’s all the connections that it could ever need, and more. Neuroscientists are still working out why this happens, but a possible explanation is that our brain is wired from the start to cope with anything it might encounter throughout our lives, be it to adapt to our environment, culture, circumstances, which are all as unique as we are.

As we grow up, our brain becomes more selective and gets rid of the neurons that it doesn’t need. That’s called neuronal pruning. It means the brain becomes more efficient at using some neuronal pathways, and gets streamlined.

Wired differently

But this is where people who are neurodivergent differ. Be it with ADHD, autism, dyslexia or other brain wiring, scientists observe that there is less neuronal pruning happening.

What that means is that a neurodivergent brain will continue to process more information than neurotypical brains at any given time. This is not a brain that does less, on the contrary, it’s a brain that deals with more. On one hand, that means the brain is able to process more information, and on the other, it can also find it hard to shut down the world around it.

We all have a limit to how much information we can process at any given time. For people with more receptors into the world, we can process more, but it’s also much easier to get to the limit faster. And this is when overwhelm happens.

Some people have MORE pruning than others, and this can affect their abilities, executive functioning, memory issues – this is often associated with brain trauma, alzheimer, etc.

Why it matters

Being neurodivergent means having a brain that functions outside of the expected norms in society. The trick here is that there is no really any normal.

We all need support to carry out our lives. It’s not that people who are considered ‘neurotypical’ are more able, but the kind of support they need is ‘baked in’ our kind of society.

Our world is built on a set of rules that are agreed in lots of different ways. Governments play a big part in telling us what is right or wrong, legal or not, but there are many other ideas and rules that are more to do with how people behave in society, and that there are no official rule book for – and these change depending on where and when we are born, what language we speak, who are family and community is.

Take the example of money: in itself, money is a piece of paper, plastic or metal, and we agree that it’s worth a certain amount. It is a really useful invention, because in the past, when people needed something, they would need to make it themselves, or swap it for something else.

And imagine if you had to know how to make your own trainers, your own phone, your own furniture. It takes a lot of skill that we don’t always have, so it makes sense to share our knowledge. Money is a way to reward people for their service or expertise – and this is how our world has become as sophisticated as it has, as people are able to exchange, grow and not have to learn every skill they need to survive, but also do things to thrive.

And there are so many examples of how we are expecting to behave, in big and tiny ways, that are just the accepted rules of behaviour and of thinking.

But what happens when the rules don’t make sense or when they seem unfair? That can be a real issue for neurodivergent brains.

Born with it?

There is still much to learn about why some people are neurodivergent, but genetics and inherited traits seem to play a significant role. Often, when individuals recognise their own neurodivergence, they also notice similar traits in close family members. Parents, for example, may have an “aha” moment when their child is diagnosed and realise they too share characteristics of neurodivergent wiring.

While some people are born neurodivergent, such as those with autism or ADHD, neurodivergence can also develop later in life. Traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and mental health conditions like PTSD or anxiety can alter brain function, leading to neurodivergence. Even chronic stress or prolonged exposure to toxic environments can change how a person thinks and reacts, blurring the line between “typical” and “divergent” brain functioning. This illustrates that neurodivergence is part of the natural variation in how human brains operate.

Neurodivergence can also develop in ways that enhance mental abilities. For example, long-term meditation has been shown to rewire the brain, improving focus, emotional regulation, and self-awareness, leading to a different way of processing emotions and thoughts that can be highly beneficial. Other positive changes can result from learning new skills or engaging in stimulating activities, such as mastering multiple languages or playing musical instruments, which boost cognitive flexibility and creativity.

Being neurodivergent is not inherently negative—it often brings unique strengths. People with neurodivergent traits frequently excel in areas like problem-solving, creativity, and thinking outside the box. For instance, some individuals with ADHD have an exceptional ability to hyperfocus on tasks they are passionate about, leading to breakthroughs or innovative ideas. Neurodivergence challenges conventional notions of intelligence and ability, highlighting the value of different perspectives both personally and societally.

As we age, it’s natural for our brains to change, making many of us neurodivergent in some way. Life experiences, learning, and the ageing process can all influence how we think, remember, and process information. Older adults, for example, often experience shifts in memory, attention, and processing speed, creating differences in brain function compared to earlier stages of life.

This is why understanding and supporting neurodivergence is crucial, as it affects everyone at some point. Whether through ageing, life experiences, or intentional practices that shape the brain, we all experience changes in how we think and process the world. By fostering environments that accommodate diverse ways of thinking, learning, and interacting, we create opportunities for everyone to thrive. Embracing neurodivergence acknowledges the inherent diversity of human brains, and supporting this diversity benefits society as a whole. Making space for varied cognitive styles and needs not only helps those who are already neurodivergent but also prepares us to navigate future changes in ourselves and our loved ones.