What Is Neurocuriosity?

Alright, neurocuriosity is pretty straightforward. It combines the root "neuro-" with the word "curiosity" to generally mean "being curious about brains, neurotypes, and the mind."

I've decided to make this word a cornerstone of my business because I was neurocurious for a long time. And research shows that I'm not the only one. According to a study done in Italy, from the time that an autistic person starts seeking mental health help, it takes over a decade for them to receive an accurate autism diagnosis.

It's not rare to struggle with finding the right diagnosis. It's the norm. And even though it shouldn't be that way, and hopefully we are working toward a future where that won't be the case anymore, right now, it's a reality we need to deal with.

There are millions of people who don't have the right language to describe themselves and their neurotype. They deserve a word that captures their experience.

A word like neurocurious.

Something I've noticed in the neurodivergent community is that we tend to be a little territorial about our labels. And for good reason. People, myself included in the past, misuse them all the time, making their meaning unclear. So it's important that we are clear about which words mean which things.

So...what about neurocurious? Who's allowed to use that term?

Well, it's my hope that anyone who is genuinely curious about their brain and neurotype feels comfortable using the word "neurocurious" to describe themselves.

And if it turns out that you're actually neurotypical, that's okay. Because you never claimed the word "neurodivergent" or "dyslexic" or "traumatized," you were clear from the beginning that you were curious, not sure, and in more of an exploratory phase.

As you become more certain about your neurotype, whatever it may be, you can feel free to transition away from "neurocurious" whenever you like, or you can hold onto it, if it feels right for you.

Yeah, I used to do that. I used to use the word "neurodivergent" because I wasn't sure where I fit specifically. But I knew I didn't fit neurotypical standards. So I went with neurodivergent for a while.

And I think that's totally fine, if that's what feels right for you.

But that being said, I've seen first-hand how easy it is to start misusing that word.

Let's say, for example, you're like me. At first, you have no idea what your neurotype is. You might be bipolar or have borderline personality disorder or ADHD or maybe you're autistic and you're almost definitely depressed, but which label(s) explain it best? You just don't know. So "neurodivergent" fits.

But then you start to get more and more confident that what's really going on is primarily autism & ADHD. But you keep using the word "neurodivergent" to describe primarily auDHD traits.

This is a misuse of the word that perpetuates the misconception that autism & ADHD are all that neurodivergence is about, when really, it's about any mind or brain that differs from the societal norm (a huuuuge umbrella that includes things that are very much NOT like autism or ADHD, like epilepsy, Tourette's, dyspraxia, and more).

I am personally guilty of doing this exact thing. And it's why I decided to rebrand my business from Neurodivergent Magic to The Neurocuriosity Club.

I decided I wanted to talk primarily to people who are in the same place I was a few years back. People who are curious, and maybe a little lost, who could have any number of neurotypes, and want to explore the possibilities for their brain without the shame of getting it wrong.

Thank you so much for reading, or if blog posts aren't your thing, but you still want to learn more about neurocuriosity, check out the YouTube version of this post by clicking the video below: