Because if one more person asks what “AuDHD” means, we might start throwing pens.
What Neurodivergence Actually Is (and Isn’t)
Let’s clear something up, being neurodivergent doesn’t mean you’re broken, dangerous, or “not trying hard enough.” It means your brain operates differently from the so-called “neurotypical” norm. You’re not wired wrong, you’re just wired wonderfully otherwise.
The term neurodivergent (ND) was coined to honour natural brain diversity, just as biodiversity celebrates different plants and creatures. Like any ecosystem, when you lose diversity, everything starts to crumble.
While autism and ADHD are the most recognised conditions, the ND umbrella covers much more: learning differences, coordination issues, processing styles, even some chronic mental health conditions and acquired differences like brain injury or epilepsy.
Some are genetic. Some develop later. Many overlap like Venn diagrams at a rave. And for some people, a diagnosis comes late, often after years of masking, burnout, and wondering why “just do it” never seemed to work.
What About Hormones, Menopause and Brain Fog?
Menopause, perimenopause and PMDD aren’t technically neurodivergent conditions, but oh, they can mimic them like a hormonal impressionist.
Brain fog, memory lapses, sensory overwhelm, and mood crashes? Sound familiar? These experiences often echo ADHD traits or emotional dysregulation. In fact, many people assigned female at birth (AFAB) aren’t diagnosed until menopause magnifies the cognitive quirks they’ve been hiding for decades.
So while we’re not calling menopause “neurodivergent”, we are saying it deserves a respectful seat at the table when talking about brain changes and misunderstood behaviours. You’re not losing your mind, you might just be losing your oestrogen.
Why You’ll See So Many Acronyms
Because the clinical world loves a shortened label. And because ND folk often use shorthand online out of sheer energy conservation. This page covers them all in one place, so you can stop pretending you knew what “PDA” meant (it’s not kissing in public).
Under the Umbrella: Conditions, Differences and Debated Entries
Because ND isn’t just autism and ADHD. It’s a colourful, chaotic constellation of brainy brilliance, awkward coordination, and highly specific snack preferences.
This section breaks down the known (and lesser-known) stars under the neurodivergent umbrella. Each category includes classic conditions, quirky companions, and those still hotly debated in the back alleys of academic Twitter.
Core Neurodevelopmental Conditions
These are the big hitters – usually present from early childhood and deeply rooted in how the brain processes information, interacts socially, and regulates itself.
Autism + ADHD Combo Pack – (AuDHD)
The chaos cocktail. A beautiful, baffling blend of two very different, but often overlapping neurotypes. Imagine trying to plan your day (ADHD executive dysfunction says “nope”) while needing everything to feel just right (hello autism sensory sensitivity). One half forgets what time it is, the other insists your socks are wrong.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
A neurodevelopmental condition marked by differences in communication, social interaction, and repetitive or sensory behaviours. It’s a spectrum, not a single experience, some folks flap, some script, some are spreadsheet wizards with a thing for penguins.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Not an attention deficit, but an attention dysregulation. Includes impulsivity, distractibility, hyperfocus, and the strong desire to reorganise your entire life at 3am.
Dyslexia
Affects reading, writing and spelling. Not a measure of intelligence, some of the sharpest minds think in pictures, not paragraphs.
Dyscalculia
Numbers are confusing, abstract or just don’t seem to “click.” Can cause anxiety in maths-heavy situations, bank apps included.
Dysgraphia
Writing is the enemy. Your thoughts make sense in your head but vanish on the page. Can affect handwriting, spelling, and organising ideas.
Dyspraxia (DCD)
Clumsy, awkward, and motor-challenged – think “elegant giraffe with a wine glass.” Can impact coordination, planning, and movement.
Tourette Syndrome
Characterised by vocal and motor tics, often misunderstood, wildly misrepresented in media, and rarely just about swearing.
Learning & Processing Differences (SpLDs and More)
These influence how someone receives, interprets, and responds to sensory, verbal, or written input. Often mistaken for laziness or bad attitude. Spoiler: they’re not.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
You can hear, but your brain scrambles the message. Especially difficult in noisy environments, classrooms, or awkward Zoom meetings.
Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD)
Strong verbal skills – but spatial reasoning, social cues, and body language? Not so much.
Irlen Syndrome
Visual processing sensitivity. Fluorescent lights or busy patterns can cause headaches, eye strain, or the overwhelming need to punch a wallpaper sample.
Hyperlexia
Reading early – like, weirdly early – but struggling with comprehension or social connection. Commonly overlaps with autism.
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
Trouble using or understanding spoken language. Can affect vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure.
Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SCD)
Struggles with conversational rules and reading the social room. Not autism per se – but cousins, perhaps.
Motor, Sensory & Physical Integration Conditions
The ND version of “I just can’t with this today” – but with more flapping, tripping, and texture-based wardrobe trauma.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
(Also known as dyspraxia.) Affecting fine and gross motor skills, from buttoning a coat to catching a ball or navigating IKEA without tears.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
The world is loud, itchy, bright, and too much. Sensory input doesn’t always register normally, can lead to overload, meltdowns, or avoidance.
Tic Disorders
Not just Tourette’s. Includes vocal or physical tics, which can come and go, wax and wane, or get worse with stress and excitement.
Acquired or Neurological Differences
Conditions that aren’t present from birth but impact cognitive processing, memory, regulation, or emotional response later in life.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
From concussions to more severe head injuries – cognitive, behavioural and sensory changes often follow.
Stroke-related Cognitive Changes
Memory gaps, confusion, language issues or fatigue. Recovery varies but many people never return to their previous “neurotypical” baseline.
Long COVID Cognitive Effects
Also known as neuro-COVID. Includes persistent brain fog, memory issues, and fatigue. Often mimics ADHD-like patterns.
Epilepsy
Seizures that affect how the brain functions. Often misunderstood, especially the postictal phase (the period of recovery after a seizure, starting when the seizure ends and lasting until the individual returns to their normal state), which can bring ND-like traits.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Cognitive Effects
Beyond mobility: MS can impact processing speed, memory and decision-making.
Parkinson’s Disease
Usually known for tremors, but often involves significant cognitive changes and executive dysfunction.
Genetic & Chromosomal Conditions
Present from birth and typically diagnosable early in life. Affect multiple aspects of development.
Down Syndrome
Caused by an extra chromosome 21. Affects intellectual and physical development, often with strong visual memory and empathy.
Fragile X Syndrome
A genetic condition that can include intellectual disability, hyperarousal, and autistic traits.
Williams Syndrome
Characterised by high sociability, musical ability, and cardiovascular issues. Often described as “too friendly” – as if that’s a flaw.
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Involves learning difficulties, low muscle tone, and compulsive eating behaviours.
DiGeorge Syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome)
Affects immune system, heart, learning and social function. Sometimes linked to ADHD or autistic traits.
Mental Health & Psychiatric Crossovers
These are often debated. But many ND advocates argue they belong here, not just in the DSM’s dungeon of doom (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Not “just being neat.” Can share traits with autism or anxiety.
Bipolar Disorder
Intense mood swings from euphoric highs to crushing lows. Often misdiagnosed or ignored in ND women.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Emotional regulation and relationship struggles that often echo rejection sensitivity and trauma.
Depression
Persistent low mood, fatigue, and disconnection. Often co-occurs with other ND conditions or as a result of burnout.
Anxiety Disorders
Overactive worry circuits. Can be lifelong or trauma-linked, and often coexist with ADHD or autism.
PTSD / CPTSD
Chronic trauma responses including hypervigilance, flashbacks, emotional shutdowns. CPTSD is the long-haul version.
Schizophrenia
Complex, rare, and often misrepresented. Affects perception, thought and social interaction—deserves compassion, not clichés.
Lesser-Known & Debated Conditions
The fringe dwellers, some not officially accepted (yet), but widely recognised in ND communities.
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
Not picky eating – more like “I’ll gag if I even see that food.” Often tied to sensory sensitivities.
Encopresis
Involuntary pooping after age 4. More common in ND kids due to sensory or communication issues.
PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
A profile of autism where demands trigger anxiety. The more you ask, the more I won’t. It’s not disobedience, it’s survival.
Premature Thelarche
Early breast development without other puberty signs. Not neurodivergent, but can occur alongside ND profiles.
Misophonia
Hatred of specific sounds (e.g. chewing, slurping). Cue irrational rage. Not “just being sensitive.”
Prosopagnosia (Face Blindness)
Trouble recognising faces, even people you know well. Can be congenital or acquired.
Synesthesia
When senses cross wires, e.g. “seeing” sounds or “tasting” colours. Sounds trippy, but very real.
Giftedness
High IQ with uneven development. Can look “eccentric” or intense, sometimes overlaps with autism, ADHD or anxiety.
Hormonal & Lifecycle Factors
Not always ND, but they definitely mess with your executive function.
Menopause
Brain fog, memory fail, emotional dysregulation. Sound familiar? Many late ADHD or autism diagnoses happen at this stage.
PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)
PMS turned up to 11. Hormone-triggered rage, despair, brain fog and sometimes sensory overwhelm.
Perimenopause
The chaos before menopause. Fluctuating hormones can affect attention, speech, social tolerance, and mood.
Glossary of Neurodivergent Acronyms and Everyday ND Terms
Translation table for decoding acronyms, sass and baffling diagnosis reports.
You’ll spot these abbreviations scattered across articles, reports, social media rants and online forums. This glossary keeps everything readable, linkable, and just a little bit cheeky.
A
AuDHD – Autism + ADHD Combo Pack
The chaos cocktail. A beautiful, baffling blend of two very different, but often overlapping neurotypes.
ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Focus? Optional. Ideas? Infinite. Brain runs like 37 browser tabs, half of them playing music you can’t find.
AFAB – Assigned Female At Birth
Used when discussing how sex-based traits (like hormones) can affect diagnosis, especially in late-diagnosed women and girls.
APD – Auditory Processing Disorder
Ears work fine. Brain? Struggles with background noise, fast talkers, or anyone mumbling near a kettle.
B
BPD – Borderline Personality Disorder
Not a personality flaw—more like emotional dysregulation on a trampoline. Often overlaps with CPTSD.
C
CPTSD – Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The trauma hangover that won’t quit. Linked to long-term stress, neglect or chronic invalidation.
CAPD – Central Auditory Processing Disorder
Another name for APD. More clinical. Less helpful if you’re trying to hear your own thoughts in a crowded room.
D
DCD – Developmental Coordination Disorder
Also known as dyspraxia. Buttoning a shirt is a full-body workout. Think motor planning meets organised chaos.
DLD – Developmental Language Disorder
Trouble with speaking, understanding, or both—without a known cause. Language just doesn’t stick the way it should.
DSM-5 – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition)
The clinical bible. Loved by psychiatrists, feared by ND folk with complex symptoms that don’t fit the checklist.
E
EF – Executive Function
The brain’s CEO. Plans, remembers, starts stuff. Often out for lunch in ADHD brains.
F
FASD – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Prenatal alcohol exposure leads to a wide range of learning and behavioural differences.
G
Giftedness
No, it doesn’t mean easy. High IQ, low tolerance for boredom, and often asynchronous development (clever but can’t find your socks).
H
Hyperfocus
The god-tier productivity mode you can’t summon at will. Usually happens at 2am on the wrong task.
Hypersensitivity / Hyposensitivity
Sensory systems set to “Max Volume” or “Can’t Feel a Thing.” Common in autism and sensory processing conditions.
I
Irlen Syndrome
Reading hurts. Bright lights? A crime. Often managed with coloured overlays or tinted glasses.
Intellectual Disability
Formerly called “mental retardation” (shudder). Significant limitations in intellectual and adaptive functioning.
M
Masking
Pretending to be neurotypical. Social smiling, copying scripts, hiding stims. Tiring. Often unconscious.
Misophonia
Rage triggered by chewing, slurping or clicky pens. Not “just sensitive” – genuinely distressing.
Menopause Fog
Not official. But very real. Cognitive changes during menopause mimic ADHD traits. Can be mistaken for early dementia or burnout.
N
ND – Neurodivergent
Your brain doesn’t fit the standard mould, and that’s a good thing.
NT – Neurotypical
People who colour inside the lines. Often baffled by ND behaviour.
NVLD – Nonverbal Learning Disorder
Talks a lot. Misses the point. Struggles with visual-spatial tasks, subtle cues, and social navigation.
O
OCD – Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Not about neatness. About intrusive thoughts and compulsions to neutralise them. Misunderstood by the masses.
P
PDA – Pathological Demand Avoidance
You want me to do something? Instant nope. Not about control, about anxiety and autonomy.
PDS – Pervasive Drive for Symmetry
The need for balance, order, or sameness. Not OCD, but can look similar. Common in some autistic profiles.
PMDD – Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Hormonal apocalypse. Emotional, cognitive, and sensory chaos before a period. Not “just PMS.”
Prosopagnosia
Face blindness. Even your own family can look unfamiliar. Can be congenital or acquired.
PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Trauma response. Triggers, flashbacks, hypervigilance. Can mimic ND symptoms or co-occur with them.
R
RSD – Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Your emotional immune system is allergic to disapproval. Not drama. Not weakness. A real and brutal part of ADHD.
S
SPD – Sensory Processing Disorder
The world is either too much or not enough. Tags itch, lights scream, and smells can feel like a punch.
SpLDs – Specific Learning Difficulties
Includes dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Not about intelligence, just different learning routes.
T
TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury
When your brain gets physically rattled and never quite works the same. Changes can mimic ADHD or emotional dysregulation.
Tourette’s / TS – Tourette Syndrome
Involuntary tics. Not always swearing. Usually co-occurs with ADHD, OCD or anxiety.