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Neurodivergent Navigations

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Colourful one panel comic with a pale yellow background. Text at the top reads ‘Which type of neurodivergent are you?’ The same character, a girl with long hair, appears five times in different colours. On the top left, the girl appears in green. Text beneath her reads ‘The trash possum neurodivergent’. She is shown behind a messy kitchen counter that is piled high with kitchen crockery and cutlery. There are two large filled bin bags behind her. She is smiling and looking forward. A text bubble comes from her and reads, ‘I am in a living hell of my own making!’ 

To the right the same girl appears in blue. Text beneath her reads, ‘The overwhelmed sobbing neurodivergent’. She is crying hysterically and has both her arms raised. A speech bubble from her reads ‘I don’t know why I can’t stop crying!’ 

To the right the girl appears in yellow. Text beneath her reads ‘The feral goblin neurodivergent’. She is stood up with her hands waved in the air, and she has an elated facial expression. A speech bubble from her reads ‘Hyperfocus go WHEEEEEE’

On the bottom left the same girl appears in pink. Text beneath her reads ‘The shutdown and shut-out neurodivergent’. She is shown with her arms crossed across her chest and her fist clenched. She is frowning and clenching her teeth, with her eyes shut and two beads of sweat on her face. A heart rate monitor line is shown behind her. A speech bubble from her reads ‘Do not talk to me. Do not perceive me.’ 

On the bottom right the girl appears in purple. Text beneath her reads ‘The neurodivergent who overthinks which type of neurodivergent they are, even though there are no stakes.’ The girl is shaking frantically, with sweat rolling down her face and her hands raised to just below her face and her eyes wide. There are four purple question marks surrounding her. The first speech bubble from her reads ‘Does this truly represent me?’ The second speech bubble from her reads ‘Can I even claim to know myself?’
Which type of neurodivergent are you?. © Bex Ollerton for Wellcome Collection.

Neurodivergence can be a challenge at the best of times, but it’s made even harder by how widely misunderstood it is. Many people go undiagnosed and spend their entire lives wondering why they can’t just “be normal” or do the things that their peers seem to do easily. This series shows the day-to-day reality of trying to live your best life as a neurodivergent person.