Defining Neurodiversity: What is Neurodiversity-Informed Healthcare?

Even though the concept of neurodiversity has steadily gained attention—especially across social media apps like TikTok and Instagram—it often fails to be recognized as a legitimate framework for informing mental health, disability, education, and accessibility in society at large.

What we need in mental and physical healthcare—and especially psychedelic therapy—is a thorough consideration and inclusion of these differences when building out any level of treatment or support systems. The first step toward change is being informed.

This issue becomes especially relevant as more individuals seek psychedelic therapy specifically for mental health support, because psychedelics are likely to affect people drastically and differently.

Without a neurodiversity-informed approach, many psychedelic care models risk overlooking or misinterpreting the unique needs of neurodivergent individuals, causing harm, or not fully addressing the unique challenges of the individual.

This is an important topic when it comes to “doing no harm,” as a portion of treatment involves first affirming one’s condition and then seeking forms of treatment specific to that condition. However, we first have to understand the basics.

Key Takeaways:

1. Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence Are Actually Not the Same: Neurodiversity signifies that neurological differences are natural variations of the human mind, not medical conditions to be “fixed.” Neurodivergence refers to a group of people which do not fit society’s standards of what is “normal.”

2. Psychedelics Affect Neurodivergent Individuals Differently: Psychedelic therapy is not a one-size-fits-all treatment, and without a neurodiversity-informed approach, we risk misinterpreting neurodivergent needs, potentially leading to harm rather than healing.

3. Neurodiversity-Informed Care Improves Psychedelic Therapy Outcomes: Implementing neurodiversity-informed practices—such as personalized preparation and integration, sensory accommodations, and empowerment-based approaches—can create safer and more effective mental health and psychedelic therapy experiences.

What Does Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence Mean?

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human brains and nervous systems. Coined by sociologist Judy Singer in the late 1990s, the term emphasizes that neurological differences are part of the normal brain spectrum of human diversity, and this diversity includes both “neurotypicals” and the “neurodivergent.”

Rather than viewing certain neurological differences as deficits or disorders, the Neurodiversity Paradigm recognizes them all as unique ways of thinking, learning, and experiencing the world, with unique skills and difficulties. 

This contrasts the Pathology Paradigm, which frames certain neurocognitive variations as medical problems that inherently need correcting.

Neurodivergence, then, is a term for those who think, behave, and feel differently than what is considered normal or typical according to society’s standards, while neurodiversity is a broad term that applies to everyone.

As Dr. Nick Walker states in her essay “Autism & the Pathology Paradigm,” pathologization of the neurodivergent is simply “a social construction rooted in cultural norms and social power inequalities, rather than a ‘scientifically objective’ description of reality.”

“The choice to frame the minds, bodies, and lives of autistic people (or any other neurological minority group) in terms of pathology does not represent an inevitable and objective scientific conclusion, but is merely a cultural value judgment,” she says.

Other examples of this phenomena are homosexuality being “classified as a mental disorder…well into the 1970s” and slaves in their “desire…to escape from slavery” being “diagnosed…as a medical ‘disorder’ called drapetomania.”

These instances were thinly blanketed bigotry masquerading under the guise of having “an aura of scientific legitimacy,” according to Walker, and as we consider neurodivergence, it’s important to keep in mind these cultural biases and assumptions and be open to a reevaluation of what is considered “normal.”

The Neurodivergent Brain: Reframing The List of Neurodivergent “Disorders”

It’s commonly stated that 15-20% of the human population is neurodivergent, however this number, which has seemingly circulated the internet with little to no proof or substantial evidence, will be disregarded here.

It’s disputed which disorders and conditions fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence, with original claims that it only included autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, and OCD. Today, a wider variety of diagnoses are included.

Individuals with neurodivergence are also likely to have comorbidities and difficulties with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and trauma due to the lack of necessary supportive social structures and inclusion. As Nick Walker notes, around 70% or more of LGBTQ+ individuals are neurodivergent.

While we don’t have an exact number for how many people are truly neurodivergent, the number is probably much larger than we originally thought. More research needs to be conducted before having a solid number, however.

When we take into account “masking,” a common behavior in autistic people used to blend in socially, as well as the growing list of conditions used to label “abnormalities” in mood regulation, thought, and behavior, a very different picture is painted.

To put it plainly, the nature of the human mind has radical variation across the board, and in our need to understand these variations, we develop labels. Labels can be helpful or harmful. It is the language used to either discredit the real disabilities and adversity of others or language used to cast stigma and shame that is harmful.

Similarly, the word “disorder” here needs to be discussed. While the term persists in spite of the implication that something is “out of order” or “disorderly,” other terms like condition, trait, or neurotype might be less harmful and more accurate when describing neurodivergence.

Here are some of the more common forms of neurodivergence:

Developmental & Cognitive Neurodivergence

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder - DCD)

• Dyslexia (challenges with reading, writing, and spelling)

Sensory & Processing Neurodivergence

• Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

• Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

• Visual Processing Disorder

• Irlen Syndrome (Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome)

Mental Health & Mood-Related Neurodivergences

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders

• Bipolar Disorder

• Schizophrenia & Schizoaffective Disorder

• Dissociative Disorders (Including DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder) & Depersonalization / Derealization Disorder (DPDR)

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) (While not always classified as neurodivergent, it can significantly affect cognition and perception)

Neurological & Brain-Based Conditions

• Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) & Post-Concussive Syndrome

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

• Cerebral Palsy (CP)

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (sometimes included due to cognitive and neurological effects)

• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) & Hypermobile Spectrum Disorders (HSD) (associated with neurodivergent traits)

This list is not exhaustive, as neurodivergence is an evolving concept that intersects with culture, medical perspectives, and self-identification. Some extra considerations are:

• Women, queer, and minority groups experience more frequent misdiagnosis, late diagnosis, or failure to be diagnosed (2024).

• Some neurodivergence diagnoses are not innate and are a result of environmental and life events rather than genetic or birth-related factors (resulting from psychedelic or drug use, meditation, and trauma).

• One’s brain structure and function can drastically change as a result of these life events and practices, which can result in a form of neurodivergence.

• Synesthesia, non-verbal communication, savant traits, shamanic neurotypes, and HSP traits are all associated with neurodivergence.

Why Does Neurodiversity-Informed Care Matter in Psychedelic Therapy?

When it comes to psychedelic therapy, it’s important to understand that, while psychedelics have massive therapeutic potential, these outcomes can look drastically different for neurodivergent people, and in many cases, can be harmful without the right tools.

It’s also important to recognize that for many people with neurodivergence and disabilities, these aren’t conditions to be “healed.” They are differences which need to be acknowledged, accommodated, and supported in society, including when it comes to psychedelic education and use.

The bottom line is that psychedelics can increase neurodivergent phenomena and can be destabilizing for folks with certain conditions. As the psychedelic industry grows, considering this as a part of harm-reduction is of the utmost importance.

Additional Reading: How Does the Effect of Placebo on Psychedelics Impact Therapy Outcomes?

The Risks of the Pathology Paradigm in Psychedelic Care

• Misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis due to misunderstanding neurodivergent traits (for example, autistic traits can be mistaken for bipolar disorder, or ADHD for anxiety)

• Harmful interventions focused on compliance rather than well-being (such as ABA therapy for autism)

• Increased mental health struggles due to stigma, lack of accommodations, and unmet needs

• Sensory overload & emotional dysregulation

• One-size-fits-all protocols that fail to consider neurodivergent needs

• Reinforcing farmful narratives about needing to “fix” or “cure” neurodivergence

The Benefits of the Neurodiversity Paradigm in Psychedelic Support

• Reduce shame and foster self-acceptance

• Create inclusive support systems that actually work for neurodivergent people

• Align care with individual needs and values, rather than enforcing arbitrary standards of normalcy

How Psychedelic Therapy Can Become More Neurodiversity-Informed

• Personalized preparation & integration instead of one-size-fits-all protocols

• Sensory accommodations (adjusting music, lighting, environment)

• Empowerment-based approaches rather than deficit framing

• Recognition that psychedelic experiences can reinforce, rather than “correct,” neurodivergence

Psychedelics are not a “cure” for neurodivergence, but they may help neurodivergent people understand themselves more deeply, develop regulation tools through self-directed neuroplasticity, and embrace their cognitive uniqueness.

On the flip side, they can exacerbate and even traumatize individuals if not done in the right contexts. 

Building a Better Future

Shifting from a pathology-based model to a neurodiversity paradigm requires systemic change. To create truly inclusive healthcare, we must:

• Train educators, therapists, and healthcare providers in neurodiversity-informed practices.

• Design workplaces and institutions that accommodate different cognitive styles.

• Create community spaces where neurodivergent individuals can thrive without being forced to mask or conform.

By embracing neurodiversity-informed care, we move toward a world where every brain is valued, every individual is supported, and every person has the opportunity to thrive.

The future of mental healthcare—including psychedelic therapy—must be as diverse and unique as the minds it seeks to support.

Personalized, Digital Health Tools & Neurodiversity-Informed Psychedelic Education for You

Thank you for exploring this topic with us! We hope the insights resonate with your goals for personal growth, healing, or professional development. To dive deeper into neuroplasticity, psychedelic therapy, and how neurodiversity intersects with these fields, visit our blog for cutting-edge articles, our practical tools for personalized support, and stay up to date on our latest releases!

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