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Question About the Term Neurotypical

Butterfly88

Butterfly88

Jello Queen
V.I.P Member
I have an online friend who has multiple mental illnesses but as far as I know she is not on the autism spectrum. She was saying she survived a conversation with a neurotypical person. I always associated the term neurotypical with someone not having ASD. Are mentally ill people not neurotypical? What are people who have mental illness but not ASD considered? Is there a term for this? Or do you think she has ASD and just didn't tell me?
 
Butterfly88 said:
I have an online friend who has multiple mental illnesses but as far as I know she is not on the autism spectrum. She was saying she survived a conversation with a neurotypical person. I always associated the term neurotypical with someone not having ASD. Are mentally ill people not neurotypical? What are people who have mental illness but not ASD considered? Is there a term for this? Or do you think she has ASD and just didn't tell me?
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i think it depends on the mental illness
for instance post partum depression could be experienced by someone neurotypical
but bipolar disorder no
 
Some people (like me, usually) use neurotypical literally, to mean "neurologically typical -- someone who has no clinically significant neurological differences or illnesses", rather than using it to mean "not autistic". I suspect your friend uses it literally.

Streetwise said:
i think it depends on the mental illness
for instance post partum depression could be experienced by someone neurotypical
but bipolar disorder no
Click to expand...

I never considered permanence/duration of mental illness, but that makes sense.
 
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I first heard this term on aspiecentral and when I took a test, and it referred to ones who do not have aspergers as neurotypical and so, even if one has a mental issue, they are still considered neurotypical, due to the traits that are expicted by "normal" people.

Even if one has a mental issue, they still tend to be able to understand social ques etc.

Anyway that is how I understand it.
 
This is the thing which a lot of autistic people aren't aware of. The term 'neurodivergent' extends more to than just autism. It covers ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar, Tourette's and more.

A neurotypical person is someone without a condition that affects the brain. A person with ADHD for example still isn't neurotypical.

If you're looking for a term that describes people who aren't autistic then may I recommend the term, 'allistic'.
 
I struggle with the term Neurotypical too.

I'm really struggling with the boundaries of classification. When does it stop being one thing and tumble into the area of something else.

If Neurotypical means non A.S.D, then I can kind of get a handle on it, vaguely.
If Neurotypical means a typical way of thinking, according to who or what?
Affluent society? Poverty? Tribes? Monks? Serving soldiers?

Are there a group of people who think typically?
 
@Butterfly88

There's an excellent link on the thread "site name will be changing" posted up by @wight, a couple of paragraphs down from the start titled "what is normal"

I would post up a link to take you directly to it but; a) I haven't asked Wight's permission and b) I don't know how to.
Click on the link in that particular paragraph and it will take you to a piece written by a Mike Walker (I think)
He writes some pretty clear definitions on lots of different terms used regarding neurodiverse, neurodivergent, Neurotypical and so on.
 
Sorry guys but I find this rather offensive to be honest, define "normal"?! Contrary to popular belief (usually spouted by Daily Mail readers who hate the disabled in general) even us Aspies are just as "normal" as so called NT people, moreso sometimes as we're not as bigoted in our views and stuff.
 
I like the term neurodiverse. It includes autism and other conditions which are not typical neurologicaly. Not sure if that's 1 "l" or 2 before the "y." Yes I can be a grammar geek...
 
I dont have a problem with the term Neurotypical - it some of the people who claim their insanity as normal that I have issues with...

So sorry I couldn't let it go. I blame my bluntness on my ASD (at least in this instance) : )
 
Rich Allen said:
Sorry guys but I find this rather offensive to be honest, define "normal"?! Contrary to popular belief (usually spouted by Daily Mail readers who hate the disabled in general) even us Aspies are just as "normal" as so called NT people, moreso sometimes as we're not as bigoted in our views and stuff.
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No we're not, we're mentally ill, that makes us the abnormal.
And speak for yourself.
I cannot stand to be told how to think.

I'll never understand this idea that I have to have a group think, despite the fact people tell me that because I have AS I am able to think so out of the box, (as long as that box is on the left I suppose).

The majority of people don't have mental illness, and thus they are normal, that's what makes normal.

I hope to one day make a pilgrimage to Donald Trump's wall...
 
Normal, It's in the dictionary, it's not offensive either, it just is. There's good and bad across the spectrums.
 
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Manuheleku said:
I like the term neurodiverse. It includes autism and other conditions which are not typical neurologicaly. Not sure if that's 1 "l" or 2 before the "y." Yes I can be a grammar geek...
Click to expand...

2 Ls, Neurologically.

Just thought I'd point that out to save your confusion.
 
Thank you everyone!

Suiseiseki said:
No we're not, we're mentally ill, that makes us the abnormal.
And speak for yourself.
I cannot stand to be told how to think.

I'll never understand this idea that I have to have a group think, despite the fact people tell me that because I have AS I am able to think so out of the box, (as long as that box is on the left I suppose).

The majority of people don't have mental illness, and thus they are normal, that's what makes normal.

I hope to one day make a pilgrimage to Donald Trump's wall...
Click to expand...
Like @Southern Discomfort I don't consider us mentally ill.
 
Neurotypical is a general term for what would be found in great numbers of a population, or the norm.

Neurodiverse is a general term for what would be found is small numbers of a population, or the unique, or not the norm.

Autism is one neurological condition that could be categorized as part of the population as Neurodiverse.


Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms & Definitions
 
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