Introspection
Therapy
Experiencing difficulty because you cannot connect with issues that were intended to be resolved by the majority is distinct from other types of struggles.
A Condition Becomes A Minority Group
Neurominorities, especially those who are being first diagnosed as an adult, may have been raised to think of themselves as part of the majority. However, neurodivergence is often inherited. Therefore, tools used to support self-regulation challenges in neurodivergent people, of any background, may not be compatible with go-to paradigms that work for the majority.
Distraction: A Privileged Tool
Approaches to processing emotion like “Keep Calm and Carry On” are adaptive mechanisms rooted in the modern-day CBT approach that we call distraction. As we can guess, distraction in modern day is not an end-all solution (Wolgast and Lundh 2017).
A British or Western tradition of relating to processing emotions, for example, may be helpful when the main concern is spiraling or reinforcing negative patterns. However, growing up learning these strategies can put someone from a marginalized background at risk if it is not used properly.
Individuals from marginalized backgrounds are particularly more likely to experience PTSD and other forms of trauma, such as soul wounds, for a variety of reasons. When there is a deeper problem which needs to be processed, as in the case of showing initial signs of PTSD distraction can make things worse and prolong experiencing symptoms and barriers to growth by ignoring them (Woodward et al. 2020).
Distraction Technique Takaways:
- Should only be used to get through day-to-day (keeping up routines which stabilize mood, get through interactions where opening up is unsafe etc.).
- Is not a tool for resolving any challenge with depth.
- Can make problems worse by delaying the time it takes for someone to get help.
- PTSD is an example of a condition that becomes much harder to treat the longer you wait.
- Can perpetuate symptoms caused and resolved by tools which are more appropriate for addressing intergenerational trauma, such as soul wounds.
Many of the remaining behavioural “problems” neurodivergent people experience, even after proper diagnosis and years in therapy are either valid differences1 which need to be respected or forms of intergenerational trauma which are being improperly addressed by existing techniques.
- If current approaches worked, we would see the behaviour disappear.
- It is unwise to attribute unsuccessful treatment on the neurominority’s desire or commitment to self-improving.
When referring to your toolbox for support, try to do some introspective digging to see if your symptom is masking a deeper systemic problem of being required to mask one’s neurodiversity (either current or inherited). If the strategy is not working, it is likely that it is being applied to the wrong situation. Exercising balance in one’s approach based on what we know we are likely to jump to using by being self-aware is an important part of successful personal growth and self-regulation.
Make sure you know what behaviours you’re trying to therapize away.
Alternatives to CBT:
- Psychoanalysis:
- An older approach to therapy which is now largely considered “out-of-date”. Many great practitioners continue to practice it but less and less.
- Many assume that psychoanalytic traditions are inappropriate for therapeutic use because they do not perform as well as CBT in clinical trials.
- Because of how for lack of a better word, how esoteric psychoanalysis can be, it can be hard to pin down the progress that a patient may be making in the context of clinical trials.
- This does not mean that learning about the psychoanalytic tradition may not be useful for some individuals.
- A tradition which emphasizes discussing one’s childhood and family lineage can be an important asset when it comes to healing soul wounds; intergenerational trauma (trauma affecting loss of selfhood). In fact, psychoanalysts like Dr.Edward Tick are actively exploring this area with the US Veteran Association to support soldiers returning from active combat.
- Psychoanalysis is good at confronting and unpacking ugly truths which prevent us from growing and help us overcome trauma.
- However, it is not designed to help us grow into happier individuals and does not teach thought patterns that lead to more positive thinking.
- Individuals who struggle with things like complex trauma (CPTSD) can benefit from a mixed approach which both heals wounds and provides alternative approaches for interacting with the world in a more positive way.
- Key Psychoanalysts:2 Erich Fromm and Carl Jung
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT):
- A field which emerged after CBT.
- Based in the concept of one’s values
- Motivated towards one’s goals/ideals and away from one’s version of hell.
- Benefits from many of the advantages and depth found and explored more deeply in psychoanalysis.
- Solution-Focused Therapy (SFBT)
- “Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a strength-based approach to psychotherapy based on solution-building rather than problem-solving. Unlike other forms of psychotherapy that focus on present problems and past causes, SFBT concentrates on how your current circumstances and future hopes” (Caddell, 2021).
- “Suppose tonight, while you slept, a miracle occurred. When you awake tomorrow, what would be some of the things you would notice that would tell you life had suddenly gotten better?” (Morton 2023)