Empathy and Respect for the Neurodivergent Community

Daily writing prompt

What’s something most people don’t understand?

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Let’s be honest, there’s a lot that most people don’t understand. The list would go on forever. But if there’s one thing that stands out, it’s this: people with mental and emotional disabilities i.e. those of us in the neurodivergent community, deserve the same respect and recognition as anyone else. 

Mental health is often overlooked. Instead of listening, many people form their own assumptions about what it looks like. If we don’t “seem” depressed, anxious, or struggling, then we must be fine right? If we don’t have an obvious physical indicator of our disability, then surely, we’re exaggerating? Wrong. This mindset is extremely harmful. 

We put in a significant effort every single day just to blend in with others. What most people don’t realize is the extent of this effort. There’s this constant pressure to prove our worth. We feel the need to show that we’re capable. This is true even when our minds are working against us. The internal struggle is exhausting, and yet, from my experience, most people just simply don’t care. Compassion and empathy are lacking from a societal standpoint. Many people don’t acknowledge or understand our strengths. People are continually feeding the stigma instead of breaking it. 

The stigma makes it easy for others to dismiss us as, “crazy, weak, or broken.” It makes it harder for people to take our struggles seriously. But mental health challenges don’t look the same for everyone.  Some people function well despite the challenges and struggles inside. Others can’t. This doesn’t make our experience any less real or invalidating. 

One of the most frustrating things is the disbelief we face.  The, “if you don’t look it, you don’t have it” mentality that is incredibly damaging to our character. Mental health conditions don’t always have a visible sign, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. You wouldn’t tell someone with an invisible physical illness that they must be fine because they “don’t look sick.” So why do it those with mental health conditions?

We are here, and we are here to stay.  We’re growing in numbers, and we want and deserve to feel seen and heard.  We deserve to be treated equally in society.  Not just tolerated but genuinely accepted.  It’s time to break the stigma and change the conversation.