Personality traits

[Robert]

I have a child who is neurodivergent, a sibling, an uncle, cousins and several close friends. It does NOT mean autistic. Someone with ADHD or ADD is considered neurodivergent. Personally I hate labels, but they can help us to understand one another at times, especially when we are not relating face to face in real life. I work in health care and have for years so this is not something I am hazy about. People who are neurodivergent are highly intelligent (my uncle hold 5 degrees). They see life through a different perspective than many of us, and that is valuable.

I have multiple traits. I have ADHD, Dyslexia, and I think I am on the spectrum of Autism. I think I am barely on it, but I do see some traits. Some new research suggests anyone with ADD is on the Autism Spectrum.

Some of my "traits" are from the lightning strike. Some I had before that. I have come to terms with my traits. I can see where some may be upset if they are asked. I am not. It is just me and the way my brain works. God shaped me and my life to be who I am. If I think there is something "wrong" with me, then I am judging God. I have had to accept me for the way I am.

I think I gain so much from my traits. I do not see them as disorders. I think that is left brained boxes that can not accept someone that thinks and functions differently.

I have never heard the term neurodivergent. I am curious about it and would like to know where it comes from and what it means.

[steve-in-kville]

I think I gain so much from my traits. I do not see them as disorders. I think that is left brained boxes that can not accept someone that thinks and functions differently.

Type 2 bipolar is an interesting one. Known for hypergraphia (the compulsion to write) and at times to appear to be clairvoyant, which gets interesting as well. Personally, I no longer label myself as having an illness, but a condition or a trait.

Now PTSD and its companion cPTSD, nothing good come comes out of that, other than being hypervigilant.

[Martin]

I have also never heard the term "neurodivergent". This was mentioned in another thread and another poster stated that individuals with autism are not "highly intelligent". I didn't realize this and have found the autistic people in my life to be brilliant and they usually have a special niche. One of my friends teaches a job estimation class at a local college, but he cannot make eye contact. Temple Grandin is also on the autism spectrum and is an interesting speaker. She spoke in Baltimore several years ago and I've read her books. She developed superior cattle handling equipment.

[Soloist]

I have also never heard the term "neurodivergent". This was mentioned in another thread and another poster stated that individuals with autism are not "highly intelligent". I didn't realize this and have found the autistic people in my life to be brilliant and they usually have a special niche. One of my friends teaches a job estimation class at a local college, but he cannot make eye contact. Temple Grandin is also on the autism spectrum and is an interesting speaker. She spoke in Baltimore several years ago and I've read her books. She developed superior cattle handling equipment.

Kind of applicable bell curve that fits with my experience.


I’ve had an autistic son, worked with a severely disabled adult, had several job offers with autistic clients, the majority of autistic individuals you don’t notice and those who are unusually smart you tend to remember.

[Josh]

I have also never heard the term "neurodivergent". This was mentioned in another thread and another poster stated that individuals with autism are not "highly intelligent". I didn't realize this and have found the autistic people in my life to be brilliant and they usually have a special niche. One of my friends teaches a job estimation class at a local college, but he cannot make eye contact. Temple Grandin is also on the autism spectrum and is an interesting speaker. She spoke in Baltimore several years ago and I've read her books. She developed superior cattle handling equipment.

I did not say no autistic people can be intelligent. I will clarify what I said:

Autistic people can be intelligent, unintelligent, or average. Overall, there isn’t a correlation with being autistic and being “highly intelligent”.

I disagree with Verity’s assertion that autistic people are necessarily “highly intelligent”, and can give you examples of autistic people who clinically mentally retarded. That’s the opposite of highly intelligent. One of them was a boy I used to do basic physical therapy with because he needed volunteers to do it with him several times a week, and that’s how it was done back then.

I have found it toxic and harmful when the “autism” label gets applied to someone with no clinical diagnosis, and then is an excuse for someone not to develop normal social skills or caring properly about others. I have spent a lot of time working with someone to overcome this. One of the challenges is someone who was told since he was a young age he was “autistic”. No diagnosis, just something his parents decided. Upon a clinical evaluation no problem was found. Incidentally, he is highly intelligent.

[temporal1]

i’m not sure “Personality traits” is a good term for most of what’s being described here. (i don’t have a better term to replace it at the moment.)

It’s ok for layfolks to not be sure of what all’s going on, the pros aren’t “experts,” either, research is ongoing.
many of these everyday labels are new in recent decades.

Josh:
.. No diagnosis, just something his parents decided.
Upon a clinical evaluation no problem was found. Incidentally, he is highly intelligent.

Care needs to be taken to avoid grooming children into psychiatric labels.

Years ago, a close relative who taught HS science in public school for years, then became a HS counselor, remarked how oddly difficult it could be to sort genuinely lower-ability students from high-ability students! That is, their outward behaviors could appear so similar - for opposite reasons.

There is much to be learned.

“The best” most honest professionals will admit there are no “experts,” psychiatry is in its infancy.
i appreciate their candor.

[MaxPC]

I have a child who is neurodivergent, a sibling, an uncle, cousins and several close friends. It does NOT mean autistic. Someone with ADHD or ADD is considered neurodivergent. Personally I hate labels, but they can help us to understand one another at times, especially when we are not relating face to face in real life. I work in health care and have for years so this is not something I am hazy about. People who are neurodivergent are highly intelligent (my uncle hold 5 degrees). They see life through a different perspective than many of us, and that is valuable.

I have multiple traits. I have ADHD, Dyslexia, and I think I am on the spectrum of Autism. I think I am barely on it, but I do see some traits. Some new research suggests anyone with ADD is on the Autism Spectrum.

Some of my "traits" are from the lightning strike. Some I had before that. I have come to terms with my traits. I can see where some may be upset if they are asked. I am not. It is just me and the way my brain works. God shaped me and my life to be who I am. If I think there is something "wrong" with me, then I am judging God. I have had to accept me for the way I am.

I think I gain so much from my traits. I do not see them as disorders. I think that is left brained boxes that can not accept someone that thinks and functions differently.

I have never heard the term neurodivergent. I am curious about it and would like to know where it comes from and what it means.

In the 1990s this term emerged to describe those individuals who were identified on the autism spectrum. Then it was co-opted by other departments to describe any behavior and cognitive modalities that fell outside a previously identified "norm". Like many labels it has made its way into common usage and frequently it is used incorrectly; even pejoratively.

One of my personal issues with such labels is that it does not respect the individual person. I do not see Jesus appraising people in this manner. He treats each as an individual worthy of salvation and love.

[temporal1]

.. Personally, I no longer label myself as having an illness, but a condition or a trait. ..

A common example of 5 Personality Traits:

“Big Five Personality Traits: The 5-Factor Model Of Personality”
https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-fi ... ality.html

The Big Five Personality Traits, also known as OCEAN or CANOE, are a psychological model that describes five broad dimensions of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. These traits are believed to be relatively stable throughout an individual’s lifetime.

Conscientiousness – impulsive, disorganized vs. disciplined, careful
Agreeableness – suspicious, uncooperative vs. trusting, helpful
Neuroticism – calm, confident vs. anxious, pessimistic
Openness to Experience – prefers routine, practical vs. imaginative, spontaneous
Extraversion – reserved, thoughtful vs. sociable, fun-loving

The Big Five remain relatively stable throughout most of one’s lifetime. They are influenced significantly by genes and the environment, with an estimated heritability of 50%. They also predict certain important life outcomes such as education and health.

Each trait represents a continuum. Individuals can fall anywhere on the continuum for each trait.

^^These are things most people can wrap their minds around.

Autism, ADD-ADHD, neurodivergent, etc., etc., are beyond personality traits .. care should be taken when using them.
Like lots of psychiatric terms, they get thrown around in everyday talk, clinical definitions get lost.

[Josh]

ADHD, ADD, autism, etc are not “personality traits”.

I would also add it is very out of bounds to try to diagnose someone as ADHD or autistic or whatever via an Internet forum. That’s one of those things you should just never do.

I also don’t think being autistic or ADHD is an excuse for being rude, unkind, or behaving in socially inappropriate manners.

[Robert]

ADHD, ADD, autism, etc are not “personality traits”.

Feel free to call it whatever you want. It was what popped in my head. Not sure I feel the need to get all legalistic about it.

I also don’t think being autistic or ADHD is an excuse for being rude, unkind, or behaving in socially inappropriate manners.

I agree. I missed where someone here suggested it was.