Cultivating Self-Awareness in Neurodivergence

Self-awareness in the context of autism and ADHD involves a nuanced understanding of how these neurodivergent conditions influence an individual’s daily life. It’s about recognizing and understanding one’s internal experiences, including a broad range of cognitive and emotional processes.

For individuals with autism, self-awareness might mean:

• Identifying Triggers: Recognizing specific sensory inputs or social situations that may lead to discomfort or stress. For instance, realizing that crowded places cause being overwhelmed leads to seeking quieter environments.
• Understanding Social Interaction means becoming aware of one’s own difficulties with social cues or norms, such as taking things very literally or missing implied meanings, which can impact communication and relationships.
• Embracing Unique Perspectives: Recognizing that one sees the world differently, including intense interests or specific ways of thinking, which can be a source of strength and creativity.

In the case of individuals with ADHD, self-awareness often includes:

• Recognizing Attention Fluctuations: Being conscious of what captures their attention and what causes it to wane. For example, they might notice they can hyperfocus on interesting tasks while others are neglected.
• Impulse Control: Noticing the tendency to act on impulse, like interrupting others during conversation, and developing strategies to mitigate these impulses.
• Time Management: Being aware of the perception of time passing differently, often leading to issues with procrastination or underestimating how long tasks will take.

Daily self-awareness in autism and ADHD manifests through introspection and mindfulness of actions and reactions.

• Routine Reflection: Taking time at the end of the day to consider what situations led to feelings of success or anxiety, to better plan for future scenarios.
• Mindfulness Practices: Engaging in mindfulness or meditation to become more attuned to one’s emotional state and to manage sensory overload or distractibility.
• Journaling: Keeping a journal to track thoughts and behaviors over time, which can reveal patterns and help in making informed adjustments to routines or strategies.

Building self-awareness is an ongoing process, often supported by therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps individuals understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how to manage them effectively. For people with autism and ADHD, increased self-awareness is key to self-advocacy and establishing supportive environments that cater to their unique ways of processing the world.