By Gregory Wright  
Center for Autism Advocacy: Research, Education, and Supports (CAARES) 
https://sunyempire.edu/autism-research-education-services-center/ 

 
In recent years, many aspects of the human brain and psychology have come to the forefront of modern life. Among these are neurodivergence (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc.) and increases in mental health concerns. In many ways the two are linked. It is not uncommon to have both depression or anxiety and autism. In isolation, these can seem rather daunting at times, and when combined it can seem even more challenging. This can impact the social, professional, and academic parts of life. However, with modern research and supports, mental health challenges in neurodivergent individuals can be improved. 

These are some of ways in which supports are shifting mental health in the neurodivergent community:  

First, diagnosing potential neurodivergence as early as possible is a great way for individuals to properly get the assistance they need. Despite the ever-growing acceptance and willingness to adapt to and accommodate people of all neurological backgrounds, there are still plenty of stressors present in the modern world that can lead to neurodivergent individuals being unable to cope with neurotypical settings (Mandy, 2022). As such, it is important to have resources present for both people who are diagnosed or those who have gone undiagnosed.  

Second, social supports can be found in many places. Many individuals in the autistic community have been shown to have increased likelihood of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression (Mandy, 2022). This can impact an individual’s work, job prospects, and overall lifestyle. The benefit of living in the modern world is that more people are accepting of autism and other neurodivergent individuals than ever before. Finding social supports from coworkers, peers, family members, mentors, or professors is a great way to establish a support system. The professional world also presents options for support through clinically trained counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and applied behavioral analysts. A commonly noted challenge to fulfilling these social supports is the cited discomfort that autistic individuals have when accessing professional help (Babb, et al., 2021). This could be for a multitude of reasons including accessibility, social comfort, and insufficient understanding on the clinician’s part. Of course, there needs to be more professional clinicians who understand neurodivergence. With the large roster of professionals in the U.S. today there will be some that can accommodate for this need.  

Third, many people use clinical language to talk about autism and other neurodivergence. The implementation of more casual language when discussing autism, ADHD, etc. could be more beneficial and less alienating when talking to people about how these neurological traits have affected their lives. Casual language can be anything outside of the clinical realm that focuses on the individual’s identity and feelings regarding their life challenges. Listening to the individual's struggles with an empathetic and open mind can be extremely helpful and could be the difference between building a bridge of friendship with someone in the neurodivergent community and alienating them. 

Fourth, outreach is an important way to help neurodivergent individuals develop a sense of community and camaraderie in various parts of their lives. Having inclusive centers for neurodivergent support helps to further research, educate the public, and offer community outreach through things like conferences and mentor programs. Some of the most common ways for people to develop mental health issues is by feeling misunderstood or alone (Cox, et al., 2020). Making sure that there are supports for neurodivergent individuals is crucial in helping to bring people together with common similar backgrounds.  

Early diagnosis, finding social supports, building interpersonal communication, and systematic outreach are the most important ways to help neurodivergent individuals feel more accepted and less stigmatized in vocational, academic, and social circles. Of course, the supports go beyond just these four. Like many things in life, mental health is a very complex and multi-faceted issue that requires more than just a single article to help. Despite this, there are plenty of resources and people out there willing to listen and help.  
 

References:  

Babb, C., Brede, J., Jones, C. R., Elliott, M., Zanker, C., Tchanturia, K., Serpell, L., Mandy, W., & Fox, J. R. (2021). ‘it’s not that they don’t want to access the support it’s the impact of the autism’: The experience of eating disorder services from the perspective of autistic women, parents and healthcare professionals. Autism, 136236132199125. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361321991257  
 

Cox, D. W., Ogrodniczuk, J. S., Oliffe, J. L., Kealy, D., Rice, S. M., & Kahn, J. H. (2020). Distress concealment and depression symptoms in a national sample of Canadian men. Journal of Nervous; Mental Disease, 208(6), 510–513. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmd.0000000000001153  
 

Mandy, W. (2022). Six ideas about how to address the Autism Mental Health Crisis. Autism, 26(2), 289–292. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211067928