Cite
Nerenberg, Jenara. Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You. First edition. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2020.
Jeremy
Synth
Contribution::
Related::
Md
FirstAuthor:: Nerenberg, Jenara
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Title:: Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You
Year:: 2020
Citekey:: nerenbergDivergentMindThriving2020
itemType:: book
Publisher:: HarperOne
Location:: New York, NY
ISBN:: 978-0-06-287679-9 978-0-06-287680-5
LINK
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Abstract
“A paradigm-shifting study of neurodivergent women-those with ADHD, autism, and other sensory processing differences-exploring why these traits are overlooked in women and how society benefits from allowing their unique strengths to flourish As a successful, Harvard- and Berkeley-educated writer, entrepreneur, and devoted mother, Jenara Nerenberg was shocked to discover that her “symptoms” that were only ever labeled as anxiety were considered autistic and ADHD. Being a journalist, she dove into the research and uncovered neurodiversity-a framework that moves away from pathologizing “abnormal” versus “normal” brains and instead recognizes the vast diversity of our mental makeups. Divergent Mind is a long-overdue, much-needed answer for women who have a deep sense that they are “different.” Sharing real stories from women with ADHD, autism, synesthesia, misophonia, and more, Nerenberg explores how these brain variances present differently in women and dispels widely held misconceptions. She also offers a path forward, describing practical changes in how we can communicate, design our surroundings, and better support divergent minds. When we allow our wide variety of brain makeups to flourish, we create a better tomorrow for us all”— .
Notes
Jeremy’s Review
This book helps to disassociate the dysfunction from the medicine. In other words, Nerenberg attemps to remove the pathologization of the brain in terms of divergence from the typical. She relies heavily on interviews in this book and does a better job of exposing many viewpoints as opposed to giving a lot of new discoveries of her own. This book also highlights the importance of elevating women’s voices in the study of psychology as throughout most of history they have been excluded. The most controversial take from this book is that the DSM is no more than a collection of current traits and thought processes that go against what is considered typical today.
# Highlights and Notes
Intro
“Masking refers to an unconscious or conscious effort to hide and cover one’s own self from the world, as an attempt to accommodate others and coexist. Research and anecdotal evidence show that an extensive amount of masking and “passing” is going on among women and girls, primarily because of the way women are socialized.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 3)
- Women are conditioned to mask by society
“What I see as fundamentally missing from the conversation is a rallying point around diversity in how individuals process sensory input —and specifically, recognizing a broad occurrence of heightened sensitivity.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 6)
- Diversity is sensing the world differently
“An entire demographic of women is now being referred to as a “lost generation,” because an extensive amount of depression and anxiety surface as a result of internal experiences that don’t match up with what the world expects or how the world views such women —since they appear to function “normally” on the outside.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 7)
- So many women in past generations have not been treated correctly for their mental health
“From my research, I discovered that the trait of sensitivity seems almost synonymous with developmental neurodivergences in adult women.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 9)
- High sensitivity seems to be higher in women.
“Once we understand sensitivity, and its connection to neurodiversity, sensitive women no longer have to walk around with a hidden secret about what they know they feel and experience every day—taking in vast amounts of information about one’s environment, including the people in it, and somatically processing all of that input. The science has finally caught up with our real, lived experience, and we no longer need to hide in a closet for fear of being deemed “crazy,” overemotional, or not academic enough.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 10)
- “Overly” sensitive women are more often than not neurodivergent, not hysterical.
“If neurodiversity is the umbrella term —a fact of the human species—then neurodivergent is the term to be applied to individuals. If a person has been labeled or identifies as ADHD, autistic, bipolar, dyslexic, or another “diagnosis,” that person is said to be neurodivergent. Within a neurodiversity framework, any person possessing or identifying with a “mental illness” or “developmental disorder” may be considered neurodivergent (Often, people have no label or diagnosis but strongly sense there is something different about them.)
A neurodivergent person possesses what is called a neurodivergence-the cluster of behaviors or signs that led to that person’s label or diagnosis. For example, you may identify as HSP or as a synesthete, so you would refer to those as your neurodivergences. This shift in language and narrative is empowering and less pathologizing.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 15)
- Language matters. See the definitions above
“As we begin to shift away from previously held conceptions about gender roles, identity, sexual expression, race, and ethnicity, we are also beginning to be free from definitions and expectations about how to think and act in the world.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 17)
- New thinking is born out of old things being overcome. Once the big fish are gone, all that is left is the little fish.
Chapter 1: The Female Mind Throughout History
“Only as the study of medicine became accepted and entrenched in the scientific fields did its prestige rise. So to begin to discuss human behavior, abnormalities, and so-called disorders within a medical framework was a bit like colonists arriving on new land to make their mark—and a hefty profit. Academics, scientists, government officials, and business professionals got involved to essentially grab a piece of the market share.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 29)
- Brain science is early and influenced. Selfish pursuits taint noble pursuits.
“The DSM is more like a catalogue of current social ailments than scientific hardwired “diseases."" (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 30)
- The DSM is a list of observations and then diagnosing tool for what is dysfunctional about a person. However the DSM changes and what was once considered a dysfunction is no longer (homosexuality for example). What can we do though? Shouldn’t we at least have a list of something to measure against?
Chapter 2: Reframing Sensitivity
“The defining characteristic of HSP is a depth of processing—taking time to perceive and process external and internal input, be it sound, light, feelings, or new information and explanations.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 36)
- the Highly Sensitive Person is defined here.
“The very real problem, though, is that entire theories and diagnoses therefore are based on nongeneralizable sample populations because women have been left out of the picture. And because they have been left out of the picture, says Pauline Maki, director of Women’s Mental Health Research and associate director of the Center for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Chicago, “oftentimes what women see as normal in the range of emotional experience has been pathologized."" (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 41)
- What is “typical” is based off of men studying men. That is missing half the population.
Chapter 3: Autism, Synesthesia, and ADHD
“A person with so-called classic autism is what many doctors and laypeople describe as “socially awkward,” “in their own world,” and lacking empathy and “normal” or “appropriate” social inter-action. This pathologizing language describes a person in terms of individual norms and expectations; we don’t often stop to think about what is happening in society on a larger scale that would generate such a description or make such a person sound so “bad.” Only when we step back and examine the behaviors from a nonstigmatized perspective can we realize that people described this way aren’t bad; they are merely different when measured with an established (and some might say arbitrary) barometer.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 55)
- What is the standard for typical? Is different necessarily atypical? To what degree?
“The function of the DSM is to give a name when someone is not doing well, meaning they’re having trouble functioning with their occupation or socially— basically they’re in distress in one way or another. And it’s the patient relating that they are in distress, not a family member who is in distress over the other person’s behavior."" (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 72)
- The DSM is very helpful to give language to distressed people. Knowing something can often times be healing.
“With ADHD the sensitivity shows up differently. High stimulation is both exciting and confusing for people with ADHD, because they can get overwhelmed and overstimulated easily without realizing they are approaching that point.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 74)
- ADHD causes overload quickly and by sneaking up on someone.
“Remember, despite what the words “attention deficit” imply, ADHD is not a deficit of attention, but rather a challenge of regulating it at will or on demand. People with ADHD often have too much attention —just not at the “socially acceptable” times or situations found in our highly regimented and structured societies.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 75)
- ADHD = too much unregulated attention
“Sensitivity among people with ADHD is fascinating, important, and markedly different from that seen in HSP or autism. I think of sensitivity within ADHD as having two parts. First, there is a deep curiosity about and sensitivity to new information and stimuli, an experience not too different from that of a bee driven to discover all available pollen. Second, there is the sensitivity that results from being ADHD, especially if it’s been unknown, where people become sensitive to criticism and being judged. It’s hard to do well at some times and then at other times feel like a total failure—for being late, missing an appointment, missing a deadline, getting dates or times confused, or other results of having a challenged prefrontal cortex and struggling executive functioning. There is also a sensitivity to ourselves-our own emotions, regulating those emotions, and not being so hard on ourselves.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 76)
- ADHD loves to learn new things and are highly sensitive to criticism
“Many women I interviewed with ADHD feel incredibly fragile and “overly sensitive” to the highly regimented structures of their lives and report a sense of shame at not being able to comply with expectations. They can do quantum physics, write PhD dissertations, or travel the world as stand-up comedians, but when it comes to what is expected as “the basic duties” of being a “functional adult,” they are left feeling deeply incapable.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 78-79)
- Doing things that do not involve surviving can be extremely difficult for those with ADHD. That’s in contrast to pursuing projects and passions, which can also lead to not care for oneself due to hyper-focus.
Chapter 4: Sensory Processing “Disorder”
“Although it is not yet included in the DSM, SPD has been taken up by psychologists, researchers, parents, occupational therapists, and numerous community advocates.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 87)
- Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is not officially recognized in the DSM yet (fluctuating nature), but it is being studied extensively. One of the leaders in this research is the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder, founded by Lucy Jane Miller, PhD.
“There is a sense that a particular neurodivergence does not make people inherently disabled, but they feel disabled because of the generally overstimulating environments of dominant neurotypical culture and settings.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 89)
- Labeling something as a dysfunction allows accommodations to be made, which opens the door for greater acceptance.
“This is a common story-women interfacing with doctors and therapists who have outdated notions of behavioral presentations that unknowingly mask hidden sensory challenges. With little education, training, or awareness of these issues among medical professionals and with stigma and stereotypes surrounding women and their “hysterical” experiences, women often have to be their own advocates and cycle through several doctors or therapists.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 91)
- I certainly feel for women and the under diagnosis problem, but this quote seems to indicate that it has only been a struggle for women.
“Gender socialization, gender norms, media stereotypes, and cultural attitudes have greatly affected the way that women and men seek out support for or deal with sensory experiences. In the case of women, many internal layers often build up in the form of anxiety and depression. In the case of men, however, coping mechanisms such as alcohol dependence are more common,” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 105)
- Society and social norms have large impacts in how we navigate the world, the masks we must wear, and the treatment we receive.
Chapter 5: Well-Being
“I ask Malonai about “best practices” because so few practitioners focus on high sensitivity and neurodiversity. One that she practices is this: When people come to her after seeing a dozen other therapists, she reassures them that the subtleties they may observe from her in their sessions, such as a tired face, is simply that—she is tired.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 122)
- Making things clear that someone doesn’t have to guess your subtleties is putting people who are always consciously processing that information at ease.
“There is also the term asynchronous development, which refers to exceptional growth and talent in some areas of life or study but delay in others. For some, this may be more along the lines of what’s called “twice exceptional,” where a person experiences both giftedness and autism, ADHD, or dyslexia, for example.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 123)
- Define asynchronous development
“diagnosis is just a list of symptoms, and if you meet those symptoms for a certain duration of time, then you qualify for the diagnosis. So that’s the first thing people need to understand: i’s an appraisal of symptoms.” He then discusses the utility of a diagnosis and points out that it’s only as effective as the treatment it helps provide. One of the reasons to have a diagnosis is to know what kind of treatment to give, he says. This information helps people orient to what is actually happening. “My job as an advocate for helping people to think about this through a neurodiversity lens is to ask the person to consider which symptoms are a problem. That restores agency. Symptoms like agitation or irritability are often named. And then figure out steps toward basic harm reduction and improving quality of life."" (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 135-136)
- The DSM helps to inform people of the collection of symptoms they are experiencing. Then it is up to yourself and a team of people how best to navigate the world after.
Chatper 6: Home
“For some people, the design and layout of their house, and their street and neighborhood, play an important role in regulating a sensitive nervous system and soothing an anxious disposition.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 148)
- How your spaces are arranged can effect your brain space.
“Accommodating these differences has allowed unique and varied individuals to flourish and finally feel at peace in their homes.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 151)
- Allow and respect differences and everyone can benefit.
“The challenge is that many people don’t recognize the triggers and stressors as they happen, and so they pile up and can lead to a meltdown.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 160)
- Knowing triggers helps mitigate meltdowns.
Chapter 7: Work
“Embracing neurodiversity at work also allows for a narrative shift to happen, because colleagues find themselves surprised by the mismatch between what they think a neurodivergence might look like and how it actually shows up in a person. It is essential that all workplaces —companies, organizations, nonprofits, government offices—open up this “Pandora’s box” so that the buried treasures and gifts that neurodivergent folks possess can emerge and help entire teams. Senior executives, managers, bosses, board members, and others have a significant role to play in creating work cultures and spaces that allow for the language of neurodiversity.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 169)
- People think they know what neurodiversity is until they meet the people who have been living with it “undetected” in their midst.
Conclusion
“Nebraska-based firm Forte Building Science published a report titled “Why Buildings for Autistic People Are Better for Everyone,” detailing compartmentalization, lighting, moods, comfort factors, and more. Shrub Oak International School in New York, for example, was designed and built entirely according to autistic sensibilities from the lighting and colors to size and compartmentalization of each room, prioritizing uncluttered open space and avoiding fluorescent lighting.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 192)
- Look up this paper and school
“It would be wise for parents, teachers, spouses, colleagues, police officers, therapists, doctors, and others to learn this information and make adjustments so that sensitive neurodivergents can thrive. It shouldn’t be about coercing or “retraining” neurodivergent folks to be different from who they are, but rather about all of us-neurodivergent and neurotypical-making room for everyone. As we know by now, the lifelong effects of masking can be dangerously draining and hazardous to emotional, physical, and spiritual health.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 199)
- Education about neurodiversity benefits everyone
“She wants to open doors and push forward a new way of thinking, while at the same time not denying the various experiences of sensitive neurodivergent people. As we’ve already seen, neurodivergent individuals can still embrace medications and therapies while also taking pride in their identity.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 201)
- The she in the quote is Marianna Garcia, a therapist in Mexico. There doesn’t have to be extremes to accommodate. Just listen to the people who need them.
“With acceptance comes accommodation, understanding, and a sense of spaciousness from others and society at large that allows neurodivergent individuals to develop and grow in their own way and ultimately identify how to plug their strengths in to neurotypical settings that once felt uncomfortable. Acceptance is at the core of what then enables people who feel marginalized to take risks, expand their sense of belonging, apply themselves in work and relationships, and thrive.” (Nerenberg, 2020, p. 211)
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Acceptance allows for freedom to be who you are.
Important Resources and People Referenced
Elaine Aron
- The Highly Sensitive Person
Debra Muzikar
American Occupational Therapy Association
Monica Cassini
Marco Iacoboni
B.P. Acevedo et. al
- The Highly Sensitive Brain: An fMRI Study of Sensory Processing Sensititivy and Response to Others’ Emotions.
STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder
Seth Adams
Daniel Kish
Shannon McNamara
Rachel Metz
- The Smartphone App That Can Tell You’re Depressed Before You Know It Yourself
Alexandra Sacks
Louise Scott
- Sensory Backpacks to Help People with Autisim at Fringe
Marianna Garcia
Jeremy’s Review
This book helps to disassociate the dysfunction from the medicine. In other words, Nerenberg attemps to remove the pathologization of the brain in terms of divergence from the typical. She relies heavily on interviews in this book and does a better job of exposing many viewpoints as opposed to giving a lot of new discoveries of her own. This book also highlights the importance of elevating women’s voices in the study of psychology as throughout most of history they have been excluded. The most controversial take from this book is that the DSM is no more than a collection of current traits and thought processes that go against what is considered typical today.