The Neurodivergent Glossary

Glossary of Neurodivergent Terms

1. ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) – A neurodevelopmental condition that affects focus, impulse control, and energy regulation.
2. ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) – A condition that influences social communication, sensory processing, and behavior in unique ways.
3. Executive Dysfunction – Difficulty with planning, organizing, and completing tasks due to impaired executive function.
4. Hyperfocus – Becoming intensely absorbed in an activity or task while losing awareness of surroundings and time.
5. Sensory Overload – Feeling overwhelmed by excessive sensory input, such as bright lights or loud noises.
6. Masking – Hiding or suppressing natural neurodivergent behaviors to fit in with social expectations.
7. Stimming – Repetitive actions like hand-flapping or tapping that help regulate emotions or sensory input.
8. RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria) – Intense emotional pain in response to perceived rejection or criticism.
9. Divergent Thinking – A creative problem-solving approach that explores multiple possible solutions.
10. Time Blindness – Difficulty tracking and managing time effectively, often leading to lateness or missed deadlines.
11. NT (Neurotypical) – A term used to describe individuals whose brains function in ways considered typical by societal standards.
12. Hyperfixation – A deep and prolonged focus on a specific interest or activity, sometimes at the expense of other responsibilities.
13. Cognitive Load – The total amount of mental effort being used at once, which can lead to overwhelm if too high.
14. APD (Auditory Processing Disorder) – A condition where the brain struggles to interpret and process sounds accurately.
15. Sensory Seeking – The tendency to actively seek intense sensory experiences for stimulation and comfort.
16. Dysregulation – Difficulty managing emotions, behaviors, or sensory input in a balanced way.
17. Spoon Theory – A metaphor used to explain energy limitations in individuals with chronic illness or neurodivergence.
18. Monotropism – A tendency to focus deeply on one interest while filtering out unrelated information.
19. Emotional Dysregulation – Experiencing emotions with extreme intensity and having difficulty controlling responses.
20. Body Doubling – Boosting focus and motivation by having another person present while working on tasks.
21. Executive Function Paralysis – Feeling mentally frozen and unable to start or complete tasks due to overwhelm.
22. Burnout – A state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and demands.
23. Overwhelm – A feeling of being completely overloaded by tasks, sensory input, or emotions.
24. Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) – An intense need to resist demands and maintain a sense of control, often linked to anxiety.
25. Object Permanence (in ADHD) – Difficulty remembering tasks, objects, or people when they are out of sight.
26. Tactile Sensitivity – Experiencing discomfort or distress from certain textures, fabrics, or physical touch.
27. Working Memory Deficits – Struggling to retain and manipulate information in short-term memory.
28. Parallel Play – Engaging in an activity alongside others without direct interaction, common in neurodivergent individuals.
29. Low Frustration Tolerance – Becoming easily upset or discouraged when facing challenges or setbacks.
30. Processing Speed – The pace at which someone takes in, understands, and responds to information.
31. Context Switching – Struggling to transition between tasks or environments efficiently.
32. Task Initiation – Difficulty in starting tasks, even those that are important or interesting.
33. Sensory Diet – Personalized activities that help regulate sensory input for better focus and comfort.
34. Alexithymia – Difficulty in identifying and expressing emotions.
35. Mind-Wandering – The tendency for thoughts to drift away from the current task or conversation.
36. Doom Piles – Accumulations of clutter caused by executive dysfunction and avoidance.
37. Compensatory Strategies – Techniques neurodivergent individuals develop to cope with daily challenges.
38. Info-Dumping – Sharing large amounts of detailed information about an interest or topic.
39. Interoception – Awareness of internal body signals, like hunger or thirst, which may be impaired.
40. Proprioception – The body's sense of its position and movement in space, often affected in neurodivergence.
41. Parallel Processing – The ability (or struggle) to handle multiple streams of information at once.
42. Monotasking – Focusing on one task at a time as a coping mechanism for overwhelm.
43. Sensory-Friendly Environment – An adapted space designed to minimize sensory overload.
44. ADHD Tax – The financial, emotional, or time-based cost of managing ADHD-related challenges.
45. Looping Thoughts – Repetitive, intrusive thoughts that are hard to break free from.
46. Task Switching Fatigue – Mental exhaustion from frequently shifting between different activities.
47. Social Hangover – The exhaustion felt after socializing, even in enjoyable situations.
48. Emotional Contagion – Easily absorbing the emotions of others, often leading to dysregulation.
49. Clutter Blindness – The tendency to not notice or register clutter, leading to disorganization.
50. Sensory Gating – The brain's ability (or difficulty) in filtering out irrelevant sensory information.
51. Echolalia – Repeating words, phrases, or sounds, often as a form of communication or self-soothing.
52. Time Agnosia – A complete lack of awareness of time passing, common in ADHD and autism.
53. Perseveration – Repeatedly focusing on or returning to a thought, topic, or action.
54. Cognitive Fatigue – Mental exhaustion resulting from sustained effort or sensory overload.
55. Dopamine Seeking – The ADHD brain's drive to chase stimulating, high-reward activities.
56. Hyperverbalism – Talking excessively or rapidly, often driven by excitement or anxiety.
57. Sensory Meltdown – An overwhelming reaction to sensory input that results in emotional or physical outbursts.
58. Black-and-White Thinking – Struggling with nuance, often seeing things in extremes.
59. Task Avoidance – Procrastination driven by emotional discomfort or fear of failure.
60. Cognitive Rigidity – Difficulty adapting to changes in plans, ideas, or perspectives.
61. Sensory Anchors – Objects or actions used to regulate sensory input and create a sense of calm.
62. Mental Clutter – A constant influx of thoughts that make it hard to focus or prioritize.
63. Double Empathy Problem – The idea that neurotypicals and neurodivergent people struggle to understand each other’s perspectives.
64. Executive Overload – A shutdown or freeze response when managing too many tasks or stimuli.
65. Nonverbal Episodes – Temporary loss of speech or communication ability during stress or overwhelm.
66. Microtasking – Breaking tasks into extremely small, manageable steps to combat overwhelm.
67. Interest-Based Nervous System – The ADHD tendency to focus only on tasks that spark interest.
68. Energy Budgeting – Managing personal energy levels to prevent burnout and overload.
69. Information Processing Lag – A delay in processing spoken or written information.
70. Repetitive Behaviors (RBBs) – Actions repeated for self-regulation or comfort.
71. Autistic Burnout – Chronic exhaustion and loss of function due to prolonged masking or sensory demands.
72. Working Memory Bottleneck – When short-term memory struggles to keep up with tasks.
73. Unmasking – The process of shedding learned neurotypical behaviors to embrace authenticity.
74. Hyperawareness – A heightened sensitivity to details, sounds, or environments that others may not notice.