MindShift Power Podcast
My Brain Is Not a Deficit, Your Research Is (Episode 102)
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What does it truly mean to be neurodivergent in a world built for neurotypical minds? Shereen Yazdian, a brilliant 24-year-old psychology master's student and award-winning speaker from London, takes us on her deeply personal journey through diagnosis, shame, acceptance, and ultimately empowerment.
Diagnosed with ADHD at age eight in Iran, Shereen initially felt broken and defective, keeping her diagnosis secret for nine years. "I remember hearing the words 'attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.' That doesn't sound really fun to a nine-year-old to be told you're different and not in a good way," she shares with striking vulnerability. Shereen was repeatedly told she would "grow out of it" – a false narrative that left her waiting for a day that would never come.
Through her educational journey from Iran to Switzerland to London, Shereen's relationship with her neurodivergence evolved dramatically. From shame to what she calls a "superhero narrative" focusing only on ADHD's positives, to her current balanced perspective acknowledging both strengths and challenges. Now pursuing clinical psychology, Shereen aims to become the support she desperately needed as a child.
The conversation delves into critical issues around language, identity, and acceptance. Shereen advocates for neutral terminology rather than euphemisms that attempt to make disability more "palatable." She challenges hierarchical acceptance of different neurotypes and the harmful impact of "functioning labels" that ignore the mental and physical toll of masking one's true nature.
For fellow neurodivergent individuals struggling with their identity, Shereen offers profound wisdom: "It's okay to feel whatever you're feeling about the fact that you're different. It does get easier, but there are times that things will remind you of all the challenges again." She reminds listeners they're not alone – many successful professionals excel precisely because of their neurodivergent perspectives.
Listen in as Fatima and Shereen reshape how we think about difference, challenge us to recognize undiagnosed neurodivergence all around us, and celebrate the unique contributions of differently-wired brains. Your perspective on what makes us "normal" might never be the same.
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