Feeling Different (Neurodivergence)

Many people who later discover they’re neurodivergent describe an early, lingering sense of feeling different — like they didn’t quite fit the mould everyone else seemed to follow.

This feeling can show up in all sorts of ways:

• Struggling with things that others find easy
• Noticing patterns others miss
• Needing more time, quiet, or space than expected
• Finding social rules confusing or inconsistent
• Feeling like you’re always performing, adapting, or catching up

For some, this difference is subtle but constant — a quiet sense of being out of sync. For others, it’s more obvious, but still hard to explain.

Feeling different isn’t about being broken or wrong. Often, it’s simply a reflection of having a brain that processes, senses, or responds to the world in a different way — and living in a society that’s built around assumed norms.

Naming that feeling — and connecting it to neurodivergence — can be a turning point. It brings language, self-compassion, and a reminder: you’re not alone, and you’re not the problem.