Neurodivergence generally refers to characteristics like:

• Autism
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Tics/Tourette’s Syndrome.

It can also refer to things like dyslexia, dyscalculia, or developmental coordination difficulties.

People who are autistic or who have ADHD or tics may be more likely to have mental health problems. There are types of anxiety that seem to be more common for this group of people and may overlap with neurodivergent traits.

For example, a strong need for predictability and routines (which can be an autistic trait) may look like anxiety driven compulsions seen in OCD. Differences in social interaction and communication (also an aspect of autism) may look like the specific concerns of social anxiety disorder.

Having intense interests and collections can look like hoarding. Having sensory sensitivities to sound can look like misophonia.

It can be complicated to unpick whether someone is neurodivergent or has an anxiety disorder, or whether both are part of the difficulties a person is experiencing. We think it is very important that people get treatment for any psychological difficulties occurring alongside neurodivergent characteristics.

OHSPIC is not a neurodevelopmental service and is not able to provide the specialist multi-disciplinary assessments required to fully explore lifelong neurodevelopmental characteristics. If we think that it is necessary, we may recommend that you are offered a neurodevelopmental assessment in your local area.

Being autistic or having other neurodivergent traits or diagnoses is not a reason to exclude someone from psychological interventions. We will aim to adapt the psychological interventions we offer to make them as accessible as possible using guidance such as that from the National Autistic Society (www.autism.org.uk).

However, sometimes the difficulties people are experiencing are more directly connected to neurodivergent characteristics rather than an anxiety problem.

Our recommendations will be based on what we think is most likely to help you. Therefore, we may recommend that other support is required, such as a working with an Occupational Therapist, social care support, reasonable adjustments at work or study, or psychological support more specifically designed to support people with autism/ADHD/tics etc.