Navigating Neurodivergence  When Masking Fades

Exploring the unexpected hurdles of ADHD, autism, and sensory processing that emerge in young adulthood after years of getting by.

By: Jacob Stellick

When childhood coping strategies fall short

During adolescence, high intelligence, external structure, and intense masking often hide the signs of neurodivergence. Success in school can make struggles invisible, creating the illusion that everything is under control. When young adulthood brings unstructured routines, career demands, and independent living, those early coping mechanisms often collapse.

In this blog we examine how unidentified, or undiagnosed, neurodivergences can negatively affect young adults who were successful in school growing up. We examine biological, neurological, physiological, systemic and environmental factors that are relevant to neurotypical people. Finally, we will take a look at frameworks under consideration that assist in understanding the differing abilities of neurodivergent people. We hope to inform young adults who are skeptical of if they are neurotypical. As well as parents who believe their successful child or adolescent may have an undiagnosed neurodivergence. 

You are not failing, your environment just changed

Struggling in early adulthood does not mean you have lost your potential. It simply means the demands have outgrown your previous masking strategies. This is what happened to me. I was always very gifted in school which caused my mom, my teachers, and even me to overlook the very obvious signs that I have ADHD. I finally got tested and diagnosed late into my freshman year of college as I was struggling academically for the first time. I had never struggled that much just to get a good grade and get work done; it was obvious that something was going on. The line I always use is, "my ADHD finally caught up with my education level." Looking back, it is so clear that I was a neurodivergent kid. I could never sit still, and I was never paying attention in class. However, I didn't need to do those things in order to get good grades. That's how I slipped through the cracks. If you let yourself, or you child, slip through the cracks as well, there could be a rude awakening in store. 

Factors relevant to those with neurodivergences

Biological

Neurodivergences, specifically ADHD and autism, show strong genetic influence in research. This does not mean that if your child has ADHD or autism, you do too. This also does not mean that if you have ADHD or autism, your child automatically will too. What it reveals is that neurodivergent traits often appear in family clusters. The Genetic Ripple Effect says that one diagnosis can be a window into the whole family's wiring. If ADHD is present in your child, it is very common to find ADHD traits in one or both parents - diagnosed or not. Autism is very similar and has a higher heritability percentage. ADHD is said to have approximately a 70% heritability rate, while autism has a 64-91% heritability rate depending on study design. This is not a density statistic, but rather a population-level statistic. What these percentages mean is that 70% of people diagnosed with ADHD, and 64-91% of people diagnosed with autism, received the traits that lead to a diagnosis from their parents. 

Neurological

& Physiological

Those with neurodivergence, without question, see many differences in neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize and adapt in response to experience, environment, or learning. Individuals with autism consistently show atypical or altered neuroplasticity in areas such as social cognition, sensory processing, motor learning, and information integration. However, there is a reason it is called autism spectrum disorder. These atypical tendencies appear on a spectrum and can affect each individual with ASD differently. Someone with ASD may be very gifted in academics while their social cognition falls very short, allowing them to go undiagnosed for a long period of time. Individuals with ADHD can display hyper neuroplasticity which suggests that they have heightened neural responsiveness that could manifest as cognitive intensity, emotional reactivity, rapid learning in specific areas, sensory amplification, and increased vulnerability to overstimulation. Similar to ASD, these concepts can affect those with ADHD in different ways and at different magnitudes.

Systemic

& Enviornmental

There are many systemic and environmental factors that affect those with neurodivergences. Today we are going to focus on ADHD and the stigma that surrounds the community as a whole. Unfortunately, there is large stigma surrounding children, adolescents, and even adults with ADHD. "Externalizing and norm-violating behaviors in individuals with ADHD have been shown to be potential sources of stigma that manifest themselves in stereotypes, discrimination, isolation and social rejection." To take that one step further, while the behaviors associated with ADHD can cause these things, "the mere label of ADHD may trigger automatic preconceptions and a tendency for social distance." "Martin and colleagues found that adults are less willing to have social contact with children and adolescences with ADHD. Their respondents assumed that ADHD is caused by an ‘incapacity of discipline’ and by a ‘bad character’ which are significant correlates of social distance." This doesn't just stop at adults either. Even other children believe that children with ADHD are to be blamed for their condition because of low effort. 

How to better understand and support neurodivergent people

Coming soon!