What does neurodivergent mean, and is ADHD, OCD, or bipolar neurodivergent?

What the word neurodivergent describes and where it came from

Neurodivergent describes a person whose brain develops or works differently from what is considered typical. It is an umbrella word for several conditions and differences. Behind the word is the idea of brains that function and process in ways that significantly diverge from dominant societal standards of “normal” or “typical,” according to a 2024 scoping review.

The idea of neurodiversity has long been attributed to Judy Singer. A 2024 letter in the journal Autism, an overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity, traces the phrase “neurological diversity” to a 1996 discussion on InLv. The letter also notes that journalist Harvey Blume first printed “neurological diversity” and “neurodiversity” in 1997 and 1998. Its authors conclude that neurodivergent people developed the concept collectively. The related word “neurodivergence” was coined around 2000 by autistic activist Kassiane Asasumasu, according the 2024 review.

Is neurodivergent a medical term?

Neurodivergent is not a medical term. DSM-5-TR, the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual, has no chapter or diagnosis by that name, and Cleveland Clinic describes neurodivergent as a nonmedical term. The word is a descriptor that gathers several diagnosable conditions under one everyday label, and a clinician diagnoses a specific condition.

Neurodivergent vs autism: is it the same thing?

Neurodivergent and autism are not the same thing. Autism is one condition under the neurodivergent umbrella, so autistic people are neurodivergent. The 2024 review lists autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette’s syndrome as forms of neurodivergence, and the table further down this page groups the other conditions the word covers.

Clinicians diagnose autism itself by looking at social communication, sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests, per NIMH. Our page on autism in adults covers the condition in depth.

Neurodivergence and the related words

Neurodivergence is the state of having a brain that diverges from the typical pattern. It is the noun form of neurodivergent: a person is neurodivergent, and the way that person’s brain differs is their neurodivergence. The 2024 review calls neurodivergence an “inclusive term.”

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is the fact that diverse minds and brains exist, the way biodiversity describes the variety of living things, according to the 2022 neurodiversity approaches paper in the journal Human Development. The related word neurodiverse is built from “diversity,” which describes a mix, so a group of people with different kinds of brains is neurodiverse.

People also use neurodiverse for a single person, and we don’t correct anyone who says it that way in the exam room.

Neurodivergent vs neurotypical, and what separates the two

The difference between neurodivergent and neurotypical is whether a person’s brain develops or works differently from what is considered typical. Neurodivergent describes people whose brains do, and neurotypical describes people whose “strengths and challenges aren’t affected by any kind of difference that changes how their brains work,” in Cleveland Clinic’s wording.

Neurotypical people are the larger group. A 2020 paper by Doyle in the British Medical Bulletin describes neurominorities, Doyle’s umbrella term for neurodivergent groups, as “a significant minority,” and the FAQ below gives the estimate. For autism, the CDC on autism diagnosis notes there is no medical test, such as a blood test, and that doctors look at developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis.

How definitions decide whether ADHD, OCD, and bipolar disorder count as neurodivergent

No official list of neurodivergent conditions exists. Researchers still debate how far the idea stretches, as a 2022 paper on the neurodiversity approaches lays out. Two definitions are in use.

The narrow definition covers neurodevelopmental conditions. The American Psychiatric Association describes these as a group of disorders that begin in childhood and affect the development and function of the brain. In DSM-5-TR, Neurodevelopmental Disorders is the first chapter, and that chapter is the closest thing to an official list. The broad definition takes in other lasting differences in how the brain works, including mental health conditions, and the same 2022 paper describes one author applying the neurodiversity approach to depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.

Is ADHD neurodivergent?

ADHD is neurodivergent under both the narrow and the broad definition. NIMH on ADHD describes it as a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity, and the American Psychiatric Association groups ADHD with the neurodevelopmental disorders, the first chapter of DSM-5-TR. According to NIMH, ADHD symptoms begin in childhood and usually continue into the teen years and adulthood.

The 2024 review also names ADHD among the forms of neurodivergence. For a teen or adult wondering about ADHD, the open question is whether the diagnosis fits them. An evaluation answers that. Symptoms and treatment are covered on our ADHD page.

Is OCD neurodivergent?

Whether OCD is neurodivergent depends on the definition. The American Psychiatric Association does not include OCD in its neurodevelopmental grouping, and DSM-5-TR has a separate obsessive-compulsive and related disorders chapter, so the narrow definition leaves OCD out while broad definitions include it. Cleveland Clinic lists obsessive-compulsive disorder among the conditions that people who identify as neurodivergent can have.

NIMH on OCD says OCD symptoms can begin any time. Per NIMH, they usually start between late childhood and young adulthood. Our OCD page covers the condition itself.

Is bipolar neurodivergent?

Whether bipolar disorder counts as neurodivergent depends on the definition: broad definitions include it, and bipolar disorder appears on Cleveland Clinic’s list of conditions that people who identify as neurodivergent can have. DSM-5-TR has a separate bipolar and related disorders chapter; for the narrow definition, bipolar disorder sits outside the conditions the American Psychiatric Association groups as neurodevelopmental.

NIMH on bipolar disorder says it often runs in families, that research suggests this is mostly explained by heredity, and that brain structure and function may differ in people who have it. Per NIMH, bipolar symptoms start in late adolescence or early adulthood most of the time, and they may come and go. Our bipolar disorder page goes further into the condition.

For all three conditions, being called neurodivergent does not change diagnosis or treatment. NIMH lists medication and psychosocial interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy as standard ADHD treatments, and available OCD treatments can help people manage symptoms. Bipolar disorder usually requires lifelong treatment, and treatment helps many people, even those with the most severe forms, according to NIMH.

Neurodivergent disorders and conditions, grouped by definition

Neurodivergent disorders and conditions have no fixed number. Lists of the types of neurodivergence vary in length. The narrow definition stops at neurodevelopmental conditions, and broad definitions add mental health conditions, a scope researchers still debate (the neurodiversity approaches). The table below groups conditions by the definition that includes them.

These conditions co-occur, meaning two or more show up in the same person. In a 2019 meta-analysis in The Lancet Psychiatry, 28% of autistic people also had ADHD. NIMH on ADHD says ADHD often co-occurs with other conditions such as learning disorders, sleep problems, anxiety, or depression. Our post on autism and ADHD together (AuDHD) covers that pairing, and our post on autism vs ADHD compares the two conditions side by side.

Neurodivergent symptoms and the traits behind them

Neurodivergent symptoms don’t exist as a single checklist that applies to everyone the word describes. When people talk about signs of neurodivergence, they mean groups of traits that belong to the conditions under the umbrella. Each group below is tied to a specific condition.

Anxiety and depression can come with these traits, and NIMH on ADHD names both among conditions that often co-occur with ADHD. For autistic people, the 2019 meta-analysis found co-occurring mental health conditions at rates mostly higher than in the general population.

Masking and burnout also come up when people talk about being neurodivergent. Our post on ADHD masking covers the ADHD side, and our posts on autism masking and autistic burnout cover the autism side. If several of these traits sound like you, the evaluation section below explains where a diagnosis gets made.

What does neurodivergent look like in adults?

In adults, neurodivergent conditions may have gone unrecognized in childhood. In a CDC survey of US adults, 6.0% had a current ADHD diagnosis in late 2023, and 55.9% of them were diagnosed at 18 or older. The CDC on autism diagnosis notes some autistic people are not diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood.

NIMH on ADHD in adults says ADHD symptoms in girls and women are especially likely to have been missed in childhood, and that some people with a milder form manage their symptoms until adulthood brings more stress and demands. For autism, NIMH says diagnosing adults is often more difficult than diagnosing children, and that in adults some autism symptoms can overlap with anxiety disorders or ADHD. When an adult asks us about this, we start with what school and home life were like growing up. Evaluations for both conditions look at that history.

How evaluation works for ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent conditions

A neurodivergent diagnosis is not something a clinician gives; evaluation is for a specific condition, such as ADHD, autism, a learning disorder, OCD, or a tic disorder. For adult ADHD, NIMH on ADHD in adults says an evaluation may include clinical interviews and behavior rating scales or symptom checklists, along with a review of mood and medical history.

The same NIMH guidance says the mood and medical review helps rule out other diagnoses. It adds tests of thinking skills such as memory and planning, and the clinician may talk with people who know you or look at school records. Per NIMH, autism evaluations can be done by a neuropsychologist, psychologist, or psychiatrist (or psychiatric PA) with autism experience and may include family members who can speak to early development.

A formal diagnosis points to the treatments that apply, such as medication for ADHD (NIMH on ADHD). It can also matter at work. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations, 29 CFR Part 1630, disability means an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. Whether a specific condition qualifies is an individual question, and this page offers general information only.

Recognizing a pattern in yourself is a legitimate place to start. The next step is a conversation with a clinician about the specific pattern you notice, whether that is trouble with attention or a sensory difference. Zellig Psychiatry offers ADHD evaluations and adult autism evaluations, with in-person care and secure video visits statewide across Pennsylvania. Current in-person options are on our locations page.