Although many strengths come with being neurodivergent, throughout their lives, autistic and neurodivergent people are likely to face many challenges and barriers. These could be caused by co-occurring health conditions, environmental factors or difficulties that come with being a neurodivergent person in a world built for neurotypicals.
Every neurodivergent person is different, just like every neurotypical person.
Below are some of the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals:
Negative attitudes from non-autistic people
Lack of understanding from neurotypical people and society can make life difficult for
neurodivergent people. This can affect their whole life, including careers, social lives
and interactions with health professionals.
Mental health challenges
Neurodivergent people are more likely to experience mental health difficulties than
neurotypical individuals. It is thought around 8 in 10 neurodivergent people will
experience mental health issues in their lifetime. This can include anxiety, depression, eating disorders or psychosis.
Barriers to employment
Sadly, just 3 in 10 autistic people are in meaningful employment in the UK. This number could be increased with the proper support and education for employers, and many more workforces could have neurodivergent employees.
Sensory differences
Sensory differences that neurodivergent individuals face can mean many aspects of a person’s life can be overwhelming and not inclusive for autistic people. Those with sensory differences can struggle to access the community and participate in meaningful activities.
Alexithymia
About half of autistic individuals struggle with naming their feelings; this is known as
alexithymia. Alexithymia can make it challenging for a person to understand what they are feeling, and they often struggle to communicate how they are feeling to others. Frequently, this can cause the individual to feel isolated, overwhelmed and can lead to autistic burnout
Interoception
Some autistic and neurodivergent individuals have difficulties with interoception; this means noticing internal body signals and cues. Therefore, individuals can often have issues with hunger, thirst, and anger management, among other things. For more information, see the What is interoception page
Masking
Many neurodivergent people ‘mask’ or ‘camouflage’ their autistic traits to better fit in
with society. Examples of masking include practising and learning cues for social situations and forcing eye contact. Masking can result in some people not receiving a diagnosis of autism until later in life. Masking is exhausting for neurodivergent individuals and this can often result in poor mental health and burnout.
Executive functioning
Executive functioning enables individuals to plan and execute goals, organise themselves or control unwanted impulses. Executive functioning difficulties can impact individual’s performance at home, work and school. Executive function deficits can also make self-care tasks much more complex, such as washing or completing housework.
Co-occurring conditions
Autistic people experience higher rates of mental and physical health challenges compared to the general population. It’s thought around 50%-70% of autistic people have ADHD in the UK and are more commonly diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia, problems sleeping (insomnia) and joint problems.
Interested in how Occupational Therapy can help you for Adult Services in Kent? Contact us today!
