On Neurodivergence & Refugee Communities

This week's episode looks predominately at refugee (although, I do think I mention immigrant populations occasionally too) populations and my thoughts about some of the research I've been doing around lack of mental health support. I don’t hear a lot talked about this community when speaking about ADHD or neurodivergence and that's a problem especially with the kind of things I learned. Indeed, there aren't many studies on it either and when there are, they tend to focus on refugees living within certain countries. Culturally competent care is so incredibly necessary because I think this episode shows how clinician biases can really keep people from seeing beyond what they want to see and not what else could be true at the same time too. This is one of a few episodes I've recorded on this topic around immigrant, refugee and asylum-seeking communities and neurodivergence. Three thoughts on:1. Significantly higher mental health needs2. PTSD and depression are the most frequently diagnosed 3. Reasons for underutilized servicesConnect with me:IG: @nd.narrativesTwitter: @ndnarrativesSite: Neurodivergent NarrativesClick for my free EBOOK on self-compassion: They Were Wrong About You!Resources:Mental health care utilisation and access among refugees and asylum seekers in Europe: A systematic review Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: The Prevalence of Mental Illness in Child and Adolescent Refugees and Asylum SeekersAutism Spectrum and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children of Immigrants: A Brief Review of Current Evidence and Implications for Clinical PracticeAssociation between immigrant background and ADHD: a nationwide population-based case-control studySupport the show

Om Podcasten

Sandra is the writer behind @nd.narratives that was @theadhdgoodlife on Instagram, a page where she shares her experiences and insights from her late in life ADHD diagnosis and Autistic self-diagnosis as a Black femme and transracial adoptee. This podcast explores the unique experiences of neurodivergent people (particularly those who've been historically excluded from mainstream neurodivergent narratives), often considering intersectionality and social justice lenses while sharing tools and strategies to promote self-knowledge, self-acceptance, radical responsibility and self-love. Living in a society that wasn't made for neurodivergent brains in mind isn't easy, especially depending on the overlapping oppressions you must navigate. Sandra looks at ways that neurodivergent people can access their own inner knowing and lean into their differences so that they can access their strengths, manage their challenges and thrive along the way.