Why is the concept of neurodiversity important?

There are words that, despite the fact that they have a complex meaning and that it is not easy to cover in a conversation, open up a necessary debate. An example of this is the word "neurodiversity", a word that, even if it raises doubts, is fulfilling its function: leading us to wonder if it is. What we thought we knew about the mind and human behavior corresponds to reality and objectively reflects the variety that exists in she.

Taking this into account, Let's see why the concept of neurodiversity is important and what it contributes. But first, let's stop at a brief definition.

How did the concept of neurodiversity arise?

Initially, the word neurodiversity was used to emphasize the diversity of experiences and forms of behavior present in what is now known as Autism Spectrum Disorders, and to see this phenomenon from a point of view removed from the study of psychopathologies, since this was considered by many people as limiting or even stigmatizing.

However, over time, people began to talk about neurodiversity when dealing with other neuropsychological disorders, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, etc. The goal was

break down the social barriers that many times come up against those who have received a diagnosis of this type, and that they are difficulties not arising from their way of thinking or behaving, but from ignorance, prejudices around how these people live.

Why is the concept of neurodiversity valuable?

These are the different reasons why when talking about neurodiversity we are opening a public debate that provides resources and useful questions in our society.

1. Helps see human variability outside of disease frameworks

As I have anticipated, the concept of neurodiversity focuses on the fact that nature is diverse, and what today we consider to be part of the field of mental health problems, does not have to be.

In practically all physical and psychological traits there is a wide variety; This is what biological evolution is based on, for example, on not repeating the same model of living beings over and over again for centuries or millennia. We should only consider that it is useful to interpret something as a health problem if there are very good reasons for it, and there are times when that the simple fact of "fitting" into some diagnostic criteria is not a sufficient reason, depending on the context and the characteristics of each one.

• Related article: "The stigmatization of people with psychiatric diagnoses"

2. It serves to question dynamics of stigmatization

For a long time, it has been common for psychopathologies to be seen through stigma, and not only through a purely scientific lens. Therefore, when talking about neurodiversity, the person who stigmatizes is put in a position where they have to justify their behavior much more hostile or controlling of the ways of people with certain diagnoses.

3. Helps consider cultural differences in neurodiverse people

The fact that cultural barriers can appear that produce misunderstandings in the interactions between people with autism or dyslexia, for example, and the rest of the people. For example, if someone diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder does not meet the eyes of the person who is talking to him or her, this It can be interpreted as a lack of respect or interest, despite the fact that this way of seeing things does not really fit with the reality; however, another person with an autism diagnosis may be more understanding in this regard because she understands that reality better. In addition, this type of misunderstanding can even contaminate the scientific studies carried out on the subject, causing a lot of money, time and efforts to be invested in scientific articles with a serious error of base.

• You may be interested in: "The 16 types of discrimination"

4. Defines a concept that helps to organize collectively

Finally, the concept of neurodiversity is useful because it generates an open conversation in which it is easy for people with certain diagnoses to organize and decide to collectively defend their rights, compensating for the fact of being a minority through involvement in activism tasks and making their problems visible.

Now, that does not mean that all the people who are involved in this type of claim defend the use of the word neurodiversity; It is true that this has been criticized for, among other things, giving too much importance to the role of the brain as the foundation of human behavior, and there are many other elements to consider. In any case, it is one more resource to break the framework of what is taken for granted and go beyond the limits of disease treatment.

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