Neurodivergent Minds
Neurodivergent Minds -The Adverse Impact of Blocking and Masking
Neurodiversity itself is not an ideology, it is an undeniable aspect of the rich tapestry of biodiversity which typifies the human species. Neurodivergent individuals are acutely aware of their differences energetically, physically, emotionally and mentally.
Blocking your emotions and masking (repression of emotion, suppressing your natural way of existing and camouflaging), may lead to burn out, disconnection and isolation. Perceived skill deficits, masking and repression (years of bottled up nervous energy) can lead to people believing that they have utilised all-of the responses in their coping repertoire, including seeking help, and develop maladaptive thinking about their plight. Whilst it is important to teach people about refraining (holding back), repression has a different energy in which you are afraid to express your emotions or feel the need to suppress your natural way of existing. To refrain is a healthy response, rather than a reaction, that is a choice rather than a requirement. It is important that clients feel safe enough to reach out for help, before they reach breaking point.
Many clients block their emotions and mask (camouflage) due to societal discrimination and a lack of accommodations designed to meet the neurocognitive needs of neurodivergent minds. An important first step to removing the mask is one of acceptance, before we can identify and embrace the many strengths and beauty of neurodivergent minds. When we can come to accept our whole selves, we can remove the mask that makes us feel hidden, rejected and disconnected.
In order to show up for Autistic adults and adults with ADHD, we need to create a safe space to speak of these five truths.
1. Promoting a Neuroception of Safety
Dr. Stephen Porges has coined the term neuroception, which describes how our neural circuits distinguish whether stimuli are safe or dangerous. Specific areas of the brain detect and evaluate features such as body and facial expressions and environmental triggers to evaluate an impression of safety or trustworthiness. In looking through the lens of polyvagal theory we can understand that although an environment may not appear to be threatening (e.g., a noisy, busy, brightly lit lecture theatre), the neuroceptive circuits of a neurodivergent individual may be triggered. A neuroception of safety is necessary before social engagement behaviors can occur.
Neurodivergent individuals are susceptible to emotional contagion (the tendency to absorb, catch, or be influenced by other people’s feelings) and can distinguish very subtle cues that others would not. Professor Tony Attwood described this as a sixth sense and likened this experience to the analogy of a negative tone of voice infecting a neurotypical person at the strength of a cold. In contrast, the neurodivergent individual is infected at the strength of the flu. This can be an overwhelming experience that cannot be easily bypassed. Emotional dismissal can be crippling.
A sense of safety (i.e., a visceral feeling of safety) requires both a reduction of cues of danger and the experience of cues of safety (Porges, 2009). Polyvagal theory provides us with a sophisticated understanding of why focused attunement with another person can shift us out of disorganized and fearful states (Porges, 2009). Demonstrating emotional attunement (a desire to understand and an ability to respect the person’s inner world) further promotes social and emotional development (self-regulation, attachment, and a sense of self).
2. Autonomic States and Co-Regulation
When the autonomic nervous system has moved into a dysregulated dorsal vagal state (shutdown, numbing, disconnection, or dissociation) or sympathetic state (mobilization of fight or flight, survival mode thinking), a quest for safety and connection can be realized by co-regulation (Dana, 2020). Co-regulation is defined as the way in which one person’s autonomic nervous system interacts with another person’s autonomic nervous system in a way that facilitates connection and safety. This involves a recognition of a shift in one’s autonomic state, which is met with a responsive, warm, calming presence and tone of voice. In order to facilitate co-regulation, you need to honor the person’s experience (i.e. you are not trying to resolve or escape from the emotion, rather you are emotionally attuned to meeting them where they are at). Co-regulation is dependent upon how the person is seen, heard, held and the ways they are offered safety and connection (Dana, 2020).
3. Accommodations that Look Beyond Behaviours
Dr. Bruce Perry states, “despite the well documented effects of anger, fear and anxiety on the ability to reason, unhelpful programs tend to ignore the need to engage the safety system of the brain and focus instead on recruiting the cognitive capacities of the mind” (Perry, 2021). Ployvagal theory has enabled us to become more conscious of combining top-down approaches (e.g., promoting new ways of thinking) with bottom-up methods. Bottom-up behaviours are instinctual and require understanding, compassion and actively helping the individual to feel safe (Delahooke, 2019).
It is important to acknowledge that accommodations need to look beyond behaviours. A client with ADHD who is having difficulty actioning a task will require a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses working with an interest-based nervous system, time blindness, executive functioning concerns, a failure life-trap etc., and thus strategies of time management will unlikely be successful.
Positive acceptance and understanding of neurodivergence contributes to continued growth, self-awareness, and finding a balance between continuing to work to overcome challenges, whilst also allowing space for a sense of acceptance and willingness to accept accommodations where appropriate. When you build a healthy self-concept, clients are eager to learn and are more likely to develop a self-compassionate mindset to acknowledge that support is vital and needed.
4. Cultivating Self-Compassion
As conceptualised in Buddhist philosophy, Neff (2003) defined the three components of self-compassion as self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness (Neff, 2003). The first component of having a self-compassionate stance requires that one is kind and understanding towards oneself when failure, inadequacy, or misfortune is experienced (Neff, 2005).
The second component of self-compassion, defined as ‘common humanity’, originates from the proposition that “healthy and constructive self-attitudes stem in part from de-emphasising the separate self, rather than merely building up and solidifying one’s separate and unique identity” (Neff, 2003; 96). The common humanity component of self-compassion allows for the recognition of the related experiences of the self and other, in which pain and imperfection are acknowledged as an inevitable part of the human experience, as opposed to isolated occurrences that only happen to one alone (Neff, 2005). By focusing on the interconnected aspects of experience an individual high in self-compassion acknowledges that all human beings fail and experience pain.
The third component of self-compassion, defined as ‘mindfulness’, requires taking a balanced approach to our negative emotions so that feelings are neither suppressed nor exaggerated (Neff, 2003). Mindfulness requires a willingness to observe one’s negative thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental receptive mind-state of openness and clarity, without trying to suppress or deny them.
5. Cultivating Authenticity
The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders offers standard criteria for the classification of disorders. This information is essential for providing a toolbox of coping skills to treat mental health concerns. Personalising treatment for precision goes beyond challenging thinking and treating avoidance behaviours to allow people to embrace their authentic self.
The discipline of psychology is evolving at a rapid pace, with a move away from the idea that people need to meet neuro-normative expectations in-order-to succeed in life. A great tragedy is going through life disconnected from our brilliant minds because we see the self as broken. The theory of a Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is grounded by the therapeutic benefits of embracing the authentic self, to promote a sense of purpose, in which clients feel empowered to embrace their unique strengths and abilities to contribute to society in ways that feel authentic and meaningful to them. You don’t grow out of the way your mind works, rather you grow into it.
References
Dana, D. (2020). Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 client-centered practices. New York: W.W Norton & Company.
Delahooke, M. (2019). Beyond Behaviours. Wisconsin: PESI Publishing.
Neff , K. (2003). Self-Compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Journal of Self and Identity, 2, 85–101.
Neff, K. D. (2005). Self-compassion: Moving beyond the pitfalls of a separate self-concept. Chapter to appear in: J. Bauer & HA Wayment (Eds.) Transcending Self-Interest Psychological Explorations of the Quiet Ego. Washington DC: APA Books.
Perry, M.D. & Winfrey, O. (2021). What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. New York: Flatiron Books.
Porges, S. (2009). Reciprocal influences between body and brain in the perception and expression of affect: A polyvagal perspective. In D. Fosha, D.j.Siegel, & M.G. Solomon (eds.), The power of emotion: Affective neurosicence, development, clinical practice. New York: Norton.
Porges, S.W.& Lewis, G.F. (2009). The polyvagal hypothesis: Common Mechanisms mediating autonomic regulation, vocalizations and listening. Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, 255-264.
The Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is not proposed to replace the important work of the dominant psychological therapeutic interventions. Schema therapy is a powerful therapeutic intervention that allows clients to identify psychological defences and self-defeating patterns that begin early in life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy educates clients on how to challenge problematic cognitions (thoughts and core beliefs) and behaviours that can amplify distress. Acceptance Commitment Therapy encourages people to be mindful of their emotions in a curious and non-judgmental manner, which allows them to change how they pay attention to an emotion and sets the framework for managing distress in a healthy way.
Please note DSM-V diagnosis, psychological and psychiatric (appropriate use of medication and psychiatric care) treatment provides the key to understanding, resources and support. The Functional Legacy Mindset – Five Mind Model™ should not be used to replace a face to face clinical interview to assess diagnosis of mental health concerns and material on this website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional difficulties, you should contact your GP to obtain a referral to see a qualified professional. The Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach was designed to address environmental factors that may be adversely impacting different minds.
When you build a healthy self-concept, clients are eager to learn and are more likely to develop a self-compassionate mindset that acknowledges that support is vital and needed. It further promotes a sense of purpose, in which clients feel empowered to embrace their unique strengths and abilities to contribute to society in ways that feel authentic and meaningful to them. Neurodivergent clients have an admirable level of psychological grit.
The Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach was designed by Dr Kerry Chillemi (Clinical Psychologist) to:
- Educate people on how different minds function (to embrace their strengths) and the legacy of such minds in terms of the benefits to society. The different minds that will be discussed includes; The Focused Mind, The Awe of the Autistic Mind, The Problem-Solving Mind, The Existential Mind, and The Entrepreneurial Mind.
- Acknowledge the contributions and richness (the unique constellations of strengths and challenges) of each of these minds and advocate for accommodations in schools and workplaces.
- Explain how the narratives that dominate these minds plays an important role in the mental health and wellbeing of our clients. The theory of a Functional Legacy Mindset™ approach is grounded by the therapeutic benefits of integrating a healthy sense of self (embracing the authentic self).
- Educate people that blocking your emotions and masking (repression of emotions and camouflaging) can lead to burn out. Diagnosis provides understanding, resources and support.
- Address environmental factors that may be adversely impacting different minds and propose that the way forward is to systematically process information obtained from the lived experience of neurodivergent clients to learn more about the adverse impact of blocking and masking.
