Why are ADHDers considered NT here?

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Are they? I thought that it was pretty much accepted as a neurological disorder. I get technical about things sometimes but I wouldn't even call someone with Dyslexia NT. They aren't.

Maybe it could be added as a DX option in our profiles...

ADHD isn't a autism spectrum disorder so what can they put? All they have is NT meaning not on the spectrum.

I definitely had confusion about that when I set up my profile. I marked "NT" but felt funny about that because ADHD (not to mention synesthesia) is not "typical" and that's what I was told once I actually started posting. Hence the "disclaimer" signature...I may talk about NT's as a group to which I don't belong, but I also don't want anyone to feel I'm being dishonest and giving a mistaken impression that I have an ASD diagnosis.

But there are lots of people who aren't NT and aren't autistic. There could be a category for ADHD since its discussed in the forum description, or just other neurological disorders/or learning disabilities.

By defintion, any individual who is not Autistic (Autistic Spectrum Disorders inclusively) is termed a Neurotypical (NT). ADHD is not Autism or any form of Autism (although it may be considered a related condition). Therefore, ADHD individuals are Neurotypical, by definition.

If one is not Neurotypical, then they are Autistic (on the spectrum), by default.

If an individual has a neurological disorder (that's a vast array), that does not make them Autistic. I.e., Neurotypicals certainly can and do have neurological disorders. Any given learning disorder is not Autism. Note here than many Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) individuals have learning disorder (i.e., dyslexia) but that condition is comorbid.

I would say we should change it to NA....Not or Non Autistic but that might get confused with Narcotics Anonymous !

"Neurodiverse".

^ Yes, that would be awkward.

Neurodiversity Day is celebrated usually on June 16/17! This had been a big deal on the Wrong Planet but I is now rarely mentioned....hmm. Anyway, I think Neurotypical is descriptive since it is "Neuro" + "Typical" where Autistic Spectrum Disorder individuals are Neuro-Atypical.

Taken as a whole, we'd be Neurodiverse; hence the holiday.

So do they call epileptic people NT?

Ooooohhh.

WTF? People are actually forgetting about the existence of other mental disorders? LOL! Wow, people are really dumb. When I refer to non-autistics, I call them non-autistics, regardless of what other mental conditions they have. However, if I want to get specific and talk about those who have no neurological disorders, I refer to them as neurotypicals. I honestly cand't see how that is hard for some people, really.

Also, on an unrelated note, why on earth are people using NT as an insult? I mean, I'm all for diversity and all that good stuff but calling someone normal is hardly an insult.

Do they use it as an insult? I guess is some posts it could sound that way. IDK I'm just a stickler for correctness sometimes. IDK how someone who has a neurological disorder can be NT but I guess this is how it works.

I don't think it's a generally thing that ADHD is considered NT here. Depends on the person.

The home page here says "Wrong Planet is the web community designed for individuals (and parents / professionals of those) with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences.". So, it specifically includes ADHD in who this place if for. In fact, I first found this looking for stuff related to ADHD on the web.

I think a combination of two things makes some people think of ADHD as NT.

First, there's different viewpoints of how ADHD relates to autism. Some think it's related, perhaps a milder form. Some think it's something different. Some think it's sometimes a mild form of autism and/or undiagnosed autism, but sometimes something different, separate.

There's also different ways of understanding what an NT is. Is an NT someone who's, well, neurotypical, who's brain works like most peoples? or is an NT anyone doesn't have autistic traits? Or anyone without an autistic disorder?

So, those who see ADHD as totally separate from the autism spectrum, and who use NT to mean some form of "not autistic", for them, ADHD = NT.

Also, those who don't know much about ADHD aren't going to understand that it's really a different way of thinking than normal, not just an inability to pay attention. If someone thinks that the only difference from normal that ADHD people have is poor attention, they are going to consider people with ADHD to be NTs.

I go to an ADHD board too and I notice that they use the term NT to mean people without ADHD! So the term is catching on outside the autism community.

Some interesting replys, I identify with both and am waiting for an appointment with Doc that does both ADHD and Aspergers dx at long last! I go to an ADHD/aspie group and also on a ADHD forum. ADHD is not NT (to me anyway) or ASD, but then theres also other comorbids too, since its the neuro network that drives the mind and body, if its firing diferently or isnt firing properly to a marked degree that someone isnt seen to be 'normal' and therefore diferent, or have i missed something, as this seems to be the norm. Obviously its down to degrees as theres NTs with epilepsy for example.

I have seen NT used two different ways depending on the content of the thread.

1)When the thread is about general problems and general difference, NT often gets used to mean "somebody whose brain is wired in a way considered typical in the latest edition of the DSM". In those threads, people who are bipolar, have ADHD, schizophrenia or anything else considered a neurological difference from typical is not considered NT. "Neurodiverse" is a synonym for that use.

2)When the thread is about things specific to autism, NT gets used to mean "anyone who is not on the autism spectrum". For instance, there are various threads venting about small talk and wondering why NT people talk at length about all sorts of insignificant things that pop into their heads. In that context, people whose difference is purely ADHD, bipolar etc. definately would be NT. After all, do people with ADHD (only, not along with anything else) or bipolar disorder really get stressed out by the prospect of idle chit-chat? Not in my conversational experience. So in threads angsting about small talk, it would make sense to include people with ADHD etc. in the group of NT. Same with anything else specific to autism.

This dual use leads to a lot of confusion, but there you go.

Last edited by Janissy on 15 Jun 2010, 11:48 am, edited 1 time in total.