Teresa Rozario
Research Writer
Your Transformations Team
Neurodiversity refers to the fact that individuals interact and experience the surrounding in different ways. The concept of neurodiversity explains that there is no single and right way of behaving, learning and thinking. The differences in the learning, adapting and thinking structure are not being seen as a deficit. According to the National Library of Medicine, the term ‘neurodiversity’ refers to the diversity of all individuals, but is used in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as well as several other developmental and neurological conditions. Neurodiversity honours every individual's experience and unique perspectives without judgment. Neurodivergent individuals process information in a way that is not typical for their age. The variation often includes diagnosed conditions, such as hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attention deficit disorder or autism. Dr Colby P. Wilery, P hD, Neuro psychologist at Northwestern Medicine, has stated that neurodiversity has several strengths. This includes unique problem-solving abilities, creativity, accuracy, a heightened degree of concentration and innovation.
Meditation helps neurodivergent individuals by promoting self-awareness, improving emotional regulation and addressing anxiety. There are several benefits of meditation for the neurotypical version, such as emotional regulation.
Emotional Regulation: Meditation and mindfulness help present individuals to observe their emotions without being judged. This is by creating a space for managing reactions and feelings that are intense.
Managing anxiety and stress: Meditation helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Practices such as focusing on the present promote a sense of calmness, which is beneficial for managing anxiety, especially among neurodivergent individuals.
Enhancing a sense of self-awareness: Meditation leads to increasing awareness regarding one's emotional and physical state. It also promotes self-compassion.
Improve attention: It is observed that neurodivergent individuals find it hard to focus and pay attention to a particular activity for a stipulated period of time. There are several meditation techniques, such as dual-anchor meditation, which is a combination of breath awareness and visual focus. This helps neurodivergent individuals train their attention span over time.
One of the primary challenges of meditation for neurodivergent individuals is sensory overload. Traditional meditation focuses on bodily sensation, which leads to this comfort, making the individual feel overwhelmed. Individuals find it difficult to practice meditation over an extended period.
There are several techniques, such as guided meditation, movement-based meditation, which focus on different sensory movements of individuals with ADHD. Beginning with shorter sessions helps to develop a consistent practice without being overweight. Customisation of the meditation techniques to suit the particular needs of an individual helps to integrate movement along with managing attention. Research has shown that meditation is an effective adjunct therapy for individuals with autism. It helps to manage depression and anxiety. Mindfulness-focused interventions help to improve neuro-psychiatric symptoms along with neurological disorders.
Teresa Rozario
Research Writer
Your Transformations Team
