Published on 12, July, 2020
Neurosplaining...By analogy with 'mansplaining', I guess; the act of telling a neurodivergent person how they experience their neurodivergence.
A new word for my vocabulary today, but wondered whether anyone else had heard it before.
I can't claim any credit for inventing this new lexical item here, but I like it and yes it does nicely sum up some rubbish we hear from others (sadly, often professionals as frequently as friends and family). I just came across it in a post on LinkedIn from a psychologist and neuroinclusion specialist. It's made my day. So, I thought I'd share.
My doctor neurosplains me every time he tells me I "suffer with autism". Or tells me he regrets that "he cannot cure my autism".
Has anyone neurosplained you recently?
How about other examples of neurosplaining other than the doctor one?
For instance..."Oh, you're autistic, you'll be good at IT then"?
Any one think of other such irritations?
‘Oh so you don’t feel emotions..’
I hate that comment that is made by neurosplainers! I certainly feel emotions on a much more intense level than non autistic people. If I am really happy, I stim really loudly.
How do you experience emotions?
Do you mean alexithymia is the new word?
I like that comparison.
It would be like being a firework with no gunpowder in it.
Lol. Well, new word on our lexicon, huh? Might catch on.
By the way, in case you hadn’t already realised your discussion has nearly 100 replies.
Glad to hear it (not literally)!
I will
Enjoy your research deep dive, I hope you achieve a monotropic flow state!
More for me to research :-)
Pegg said: I wouldn't want to be different though, I wouldn't give up my emotional intensity.
I understand what you mean, our worlds would be dull without it!
Yes, my world would be colourless...a perfect way to express it.
Ausomely Autistic said:What if I feel it in such an extreme, primal and indescribable way that spoken language fails to encompass it?
This makes sense to me... in my life it hasn't been understood by the people around me at all and that's difficult. I wouldn't want to be different though, I wouldn't give up my emotional intensity.
I can't conceive of how colourless the world would be without it...
Dawn said: I love that my autistic emotions are 'full on'. I know I'm breathing when I feel and feel for others.
I love that my autistic emotions are 'full on'. I know I'm breathing when I feel and feel for others.
So do I, I love the autistic intensity with which I feel the world!
I found this brilliant description of autistic emotions online, I think you will relate to it:
Brilliant description of Alexithymia
Alexithymia ’I have a theory about this term. What if it’s not that I don’t know what I’m feeling, it’s that I don’t know how to tell you. What if I feel it in such an extreme, primal and indescribable way that spoken language fails to encompass it? And instead of allowing to feel deeply you have pathologised my unique emotional experience?’
https://community.autism.org.uk/f/adults-on-the-autistic-spectrum/32333/alexithymia
DeSpereaux said:I have trouble conveying emotion and being emotionally-conveyed to, doesn’t mean I don’t feel the full range of emotion
Exactly!
You know, I remember seeing a documentary on autism in the 80s. It said autistic people did not experience emotion.
My emotions are so visceral and intense even if I can't always find a word for them, I burst into tears at the thought that any human could be deprived of the such intensity of emotion that you know you are truly alive.
How little I knew that documentary was mis-describing me from the outside.