Hidden Costs Incurred by Neurodiverse Individuals

Author - Pranav Sethi

The life of a neurodiverse individual is way far different from that of a neurotypical. From the outside, it may not be visible to the rest of the world but for a neurodiverse person it is very much there and most of us are struggling with it. Till the time I was diagnosed, I had no idea that everyone else doesn’t struggle the same way as I do. I remember this joke where a man sells his soul to the devil and the devil happily enters his body and then tells him how he could live this way. With all the troubles and the internal monologue and the anxiety and then he wants to leave the body and the man says we had a deal and you are going to stay here. The point is that our struggles are well masked and the rest of the world will never know about them.

A neurodiverse person has to struggle on various fronts and it seems like a never-ending war. I will share a few instances where we are fighting daily.

1. Educational Costs

Not all neurodiverse people can fit in regular schools. To cope with the school, they opt for tuitions for various subjects where the teacher can give them one on one sessions which is what they require. This all add to the additional cost and again not everyone is privileged to provide it for their kids. Many ND need assistive technology which is not easily available and again, comes at a cost.

2. Employment-Related Costs

A major group of ND people struggle with jobs. Many of them are unemployed as they are unable to cope with work-related stress or job expectations. Not all jobs are designed to fit ND person needs. Also, several times when an employer is aware of the employee's neurodiversity, they don’t compensate them appropriately and at par with the market which causes more stress.?

Most workplaces don’t want to provide accommodations to the ND staff to help them work in a stress-free environment. Also, lately, several big organizations have taken the initiative to hire ND people but with little knowledge of helping them fit in and mostly to market themselves as a safe and inclusive organization.?

3. Daily Living and Independence

ND people prefer to create a safe space at home because then only it can be called a home, where they can unwind, unmask, and be themselves. This means having sensory control including blinds, sometimes soundproofing, climate control, specific kinds of lights, and sound systems. All this comes at a cost. Even the clothes we wear and the food we eat have to be of a certain kind and most of the time a major chunk of our monthly allowances and salaries are spent on them, leaving very little for rainy days and emergencies.

For a ND person who travels to work daily, it may not be feasible for them to use public transport and they end up spending a significant amount on personal transport and fuel.

4. Healthcare Expenses

Therapy doesn’t come cheap, we spend a significant amount on therapy and medicines to help us glide through the day. These struggles start early and not everyone can afford them. Also, in the current world, none of these are covered by insurance and that is an additional cost to the overall cost of living.

The emotional cost of all the above

Social?

Several ND folks live a lonely life, not by choice but due to all the above factors, clubbed with a demanding world where they can’t unmask more often. This takes a toll on the personal life and leaves a ND person exhausted by the end of the day where they don’t have spoons left to socialize anymore. Most of us want to be with people, but due to several factors, we are just unable to deal with the world. This also causes a lot of depression and the suicide rate in ND is higher than that in the neurotypical group.

Time?

ND people also want to enjoy life like the rest of the world, we also want to travel the world, and enjoy things that we like but with all the stressors and the high cost of living it is not always possible. A significant time is lost everyday in the day to day tasks which ND people do at their own pace. They say everyone gets 24 hours but those with ND spend a significant amount of that time in surviving.

Need of the hour

As we strive for a more inclusive society, it's crucial to recognize and address the hidden costs that neurodiverse individuals and their families incur. Greater awareness, empathy, accommodations, and policy changes will help in enhancing the life of ND people significantly.