Processing Speed Differences

Processing speed is about how quickly you can take in, make sense of, and respond to information — whether that’s something someone says to you, text you’re reading, visual information, or emotional cues.

Some people’s brains work very quickly. Others need more time to process things — especially when there’s a lot happening at once, or when the information is complex or emotionally loaded.

This is really common if you’re neurodivergent, including if you have ADHD, autism, or dyslexia. But here’s the important part: processing speed has nothing to do with how intelligent you are. If you need more time to process, you might actually have incredibly deep or creative insights — you just need that extra time to get there.

And faster isn’t always better. Sometimes processing things quickly can mean missing important nuances or jumping to conclusions too fast.

Understanding processing speed differences can reduce so much pressure and misunderstanding. When we create environments where people can pause, think, and respond in their own time, we often get much richer, more thoughtful conversations and better decisions.