by Erica Ishmael, LPC—Open Access Therapist
Words Matter!
There is a lot of verbiage in the Neurodiversity movement. Previous newsletter articles focused on some of these terms: Identity First vs. Person First language, masking, Alexithymia, and many others. Being able to coin terms helps promote understanding of the Neurodivergent Experience. This, in return, promotes compassion and empathy for understanding ourselves and others.
Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one “right” way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits
Harvard Health Publishing
Social vs. Medical Model of Disability
The Social Model sees disability as a person’s inability to meet the demands of society or community. The more barriers a society has, the more disabled a person may be. The more accommodating and understanding a society/community is, the less disabled the person may be. The neurodiversity movement promotes the social model! Societal expectations may work for the majority, but not the minority. Like Albert Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”The Medical Model refers to disability as a deficit that a person has with their mind or body. Disability is based in pathology or disorder: that people with disabilities need to be “fixed” or treated for them to better meet societal expectations. The medical model also assumes that people without a medical diagnosis should be able to meet the expectations of society, and if they cannot, it is a personal failure. It is important to recognize that obtaining an official diagnosis is a privilege, as not everyone has access to the necessary resources. Nonetheless, accurate diagnoses, appropriate language, and labels are significant. When individuals are unaware of the reasons behind their struggles, it can lead to feelings of shame, depression, confusion, or resentment. Unfortunately, many people who seek assistance for their challenges often encounter ableism, where they are unfairly judged based on their abilities. For instance, they may be told, “Everyone
Citations
https://reframingautism.org.au/about-autism/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-neurodiversity-202111232645