to not understand MNers against neurodiversity

Because in the absence of any other information how is it helpful to suggest that someone who is unmotivated and apparently lazy ND?
They might be or they might be depressed or maybe they are just bone idle ?

What is the point though? Unless the subject is a child no one cares if neurodiversity causes the behaviours they have a problem with. They don't like the behaviour and will act accordingly. Adults are pretty much on their own in this world unless someone is paid to care.

The problem is that the widening scope of diagnosis means that the differences between NT people and people with autism are getting less and less, as this research shows:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2747847

(The authors also looked at schizophrenia and found a very different effect, so it’s not just about increased awareness.)

As one of these researchers said, if it continues there will soon come a point where there is no difference between some NT people and some with an autism diagnosis:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190821111816.htm

This then trivialises the diagnosis. Recent use of ‘mental health’ in relation to just about everything has done the same to depression. As someone who has suffered from severe depression for several decades, I have found it increasingly frustrating seeing the illness trivialised over the past 10 years by people pathologising every unhappiness. Feeling down because you hate your job, broke up with someone or even just had a bad day isn’t a mental health issue, it’s a normal reaction to life not always being a bed of roses. I can have a really crappy time in life and my MH be fine, and vice versa.

Removing stigma and making sure people can access help when they need it is important, but so is ensuring that diagnoses aren’t rendered meaningless by over-inflating their scope or over-using medical terms in everyday life.

As the saying goes if you have met one person with autism you have met one person with autism ,
I appreciate that you may have hard a time getting and understanding your diagnosis but that doesn't mean you csn diagnosis others it's such a broad spectrum.

It's more the lack of understanding. I used to have a friend who claimed he was Autistic because he was good at maths. I know people with Autism who are average at maths and better at arts based subjects

As someone currently in the latter part of the long and stressful diagnosis process, my motivation to suggest ND when I recognise certain traits in situations described

You're going through a 'long and stressful diagnosis" and think that recognising certain traits equips you with the ability to suggest ND? If only the doctors were so clever, you'd not be doing that "long and stressful diagnosis".

I think people do understand and many people have a diagnosis themselves and or a child with a diagnosis
However posters are quick to suggest ND over any behaviour that deviates from the norm
Not everyone is ND some people can just be lazy etc.

Autism in my school days was only recognised if it was very severe. Those of us who functioned pretty normally but with some difficulties were just a bit ‘weird’. I can think back to a few kids that were probably autistic. Interestingly, none were badly behaved. I get a bit frustrated at the insinuation from people on here that bad behaviour must be autism. Sometimes kids can just push the boundaries.

It isn’t helpful. Lots of people have lots of traits that can also be observed in neurodiverse people - it doesn’t mean everyone with those traits is neurodiverse. Also, not everyone wants a diagnosis. If they did, they would be contacting a professional. You wouldn’t diagnose other health conditions in others at random based on symptoms, as it could be any number of things, so why do it for neuro conditions? With other health conditions, you would clearly recognise that it is inappropriate and overstepping. Same applies here.

Because it minimises some of the struggles we have. No one's lazy or is a bit anxious about things, they all have to look for a diagnosis.

No don’t worry it wasn’t aimed at you, just a general feeling I’ve got when I’ve read people’s comments about it. Either bad behaviour or inadequate parenting when neither are true.

@macap I hope you don't think I was saying that your DD was naughty. I believe in ASD/ADHD diagnosis. What I meant was that some kids aren't diagnosed and their behaviour is just that, naughty behaviour.

It seems like any bad behaviour or trait gets labelled as ND.

I can see that being a bit offensive to those with autism. It bothers me sometimes as a parent of a ND child, as there is enough stigma and ignorance as it is.

It’s disgusting. People don’t second guess other diagnosis but things like ASD/ADHD are fair game and MN does little about it.

My DD has just been diagnosed with ADHD. It has a severe impact on her life, she really struggles. To think people think she’s just naughty is infuriating. She is the kindest most attentive little girl. She just struggles.

I try not to listen but it does get to you.

I also feel people that make these uneducated posts have little to no qualifications/experience regarding the diagnostic criteria/process. So I try to ignore it because I’d rather speak to the actual professionals.

This is going to sound harsh but sometimes a kid or an adult is just being an arsehole. No ND, No MH issues they're just being a twat. As a pp said It just gets tedious when something quite normal gets said and all of a sudden the possibility of ND diagnosis is thrown in🤷