An ADHD coach has explained a particular trait which she believes is common amongst people with neurodivergent disorders.
According to research published by the University of Edinburgh, it's estimated that one in seven or (15%) of people in the UK are neurodivergent. Meanwhile statistics from ADHD UK state that 2.6million people in the UK have the condition, however, this doesn't take into account anyone who hasn't been diagnosed.
There has been an increased amount of research into neurodivergence and neurodivergent disorders such as ADHD in the past couple of years, particularly how it presents in adults and women.
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One creator who has dedicated her platform to sharing information about ADHD and neurodivergence is Divergent Coach Kelly, who recently made a video outlining a trait she believes is common amongst people with the condition.
Sharing her thoughts in a recent TikTok video, Kelly explained that people with ADHD can experience a 'unique emotional connection' to entertainment, that's deeper than simply enjoying a particular show or band.
"It's often a deeply visceral response that can be all consuming," she continued.
Kelly goes on to explain this feeling as noticing yourself having a 'deeply personal and intense' reaction to a particular thing, adding that this can be a reason why people with ADHD will often find themselves replaying the same songs or rewatching the same TV shows over and over again.
"We're seeking out those strong emotional reactions as a source of stimulation or comfort," Kelly added.
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While Kelly didn't name the particular trait she was referring to, several people in her comments section were able to relate to her comments, with one person writing: "I have been watching The Office every day for over 4 years."
"I experience this really, really intensely. It’s to the point where I can’t watch things or skip parts of stories because it affects me so deeply," a second person wrote, while a third questioned: "Is this stimming?"
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What is stimming?
Stimming is used as a term of self-stimulatory behaviours, which neurodivergent people use to soothe or calm themselves.
Stimming can vary from person to person, with auditory, visual, tactile and verbal stimming including: playing the same song on repeat, whistling, clapping your hands and rubbing your hand along different types of surfaces.
Anyone can stim - most of us will be able to recall a time where we've tapped our feet or hands - however, it's most commonly linked to ADHD and Autism.
Brenna Cooper