Beyond the Label: You are More Than a Diagnosis
For those listening, welcome to Living with an Invisible Learning Challenge. Here, we explore the triumphs and struggles of life with nonverbal learning disability (NLD), while also including other neurodivergent experiences like autism, dyslexia, and ADHD. Today, I want to talk about being more than the labels we are given. While labels can be a part of our identity, they are not the totality of who we are.
I know firsthand how easy it is to feel defined by a diagnosis. I live with NLD and chronic migraines, and it's often difficult to separate my qualities from these labels. However, I am more than just these conditions. I am a podcaster, a project ambassador for the NVLD Project, and a tech assistant. In my personal life, I am a daughter, sister, friend, and a loving owner to my dog, Truffles. I'm also a sexual abuse survivor, a marathon runner, a skier, and an environmental ambassador. These are the parts of me that aren't always visible, and they prove that my labels don't define my full existence.
Understanding Labels: A Deeper Look
The term neurodivergence is used to describe a range of brain functions and can include diagnoses like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. As McKenna Princing writes in her article "What is neurodiversity and why does it matter?," recognizing neurodiversity means looking beyond medical definitions to see the whole person. The neurodiversity movement argues that even when people have challenges they want to mitigate, they should be valued and respected for who they are, rather than being seen only through the lens of their diagnosis. This is an important concept for invisible conditions like NLD and chronic migraines, where the internal struggle is not always apparent to others.
It's also crucial to remember that a person's life is not entirely within their control. While we can work hard to manage our challenges, there are times when we simply have to breathe through them and let ourselves feel the full range of emotions. Suppressing our feelings often requires more effort than simply allowing ourselves to experience them.
Beyond the Diagnosis: The Importance of Connection
In his article "People are more than labels," Alan Shelman argues that we must resist the urge to jump to conclusions based on a person's labels. Instead, we should take the time to learn and understand them. The "Colman tactic"—asking gracious questions—is a powerful tool for this. As author Francis Schaeffer said, if he only had an hour with someone, he would spend 55 minutes asking questions to understand them and only five minutes sharing his truth. This approach allows us to build healthy relationships and avoid misrepresenting one another.
This idea of looking beyond the label is also central to the concept of psychodiversity, a term proposed by Bonnie Evans. While neurodiversity focuses on the brain, psychodiversity focuses on the mind, arguing that our mental states are profoundly shaped by our social and historical context. The neurodiversity movement, championed by people like Judy Singer, has been critical in creating a new identity for neurodivergent individuals that doesn't pathologize or view them as "impaired." Psychodiversity builds on this by reminding us that our identity is not a fixed, unitary thing, but a part of an unfolding social process.
For me, these ideas resonate deeply. While NLD is a part of me, it doesn't define the entirety of my being. My labels help me understand myself and my differences, but they do not capture the fullness of who I am as a sister, a friend, a survivor, or an athlete. They are parts of me, but I am the person who lives with them. I hope this episode inspires you to reflect on your own labels and realize that you are so much more than the sum of your parts.
