What is monotropism?
The theory every autistic and ADHDer needs to hear about
If you’re autistic or ADHD, or have any involvement with people who are, then gaining a basic understanding of monotropism is likely to help you understand how your (or their) brain works.
Monotropic people focus more of their attention on fewer things a time compared people who are polytropic and can more easily switch their focus.
This has massive implications for daily life. If you’re in an environment where you’re constantly expected to switch from thing to thing (like in mainstream schooling for example) then you’re going to find this much easier if you’re polytropic.
Monotropic people tend to do better in environments where they can focus on one thing for a longer period of time. Focus can be so strong in that flow state that awareness of time is lost, and reminders to eat, drink or sleep may be necessary. Being interrupted can be extremely stressful.
You can take a questionnaire to find out how monotropic you are. This is useful information to know because you can aim to tailor your life in accordance with it.
Maybe your child would be better suited to self-directed education?
Perhaps you need a job that allows you to focus on a task instead of having to split your attention and deal with constant distractions?
Some people benefit from reminders to take care of themselves by eating and drinking, or may need support with transitioning from one activity to another in the least stressful way for them.
Allowing yourself time to focus on your interests without interruption may be important for your wellbeing.
These and many more implications are discussed at https://monotropism.org which is run by Fergus Murray Arts, Science & Minds. Fergus’s mum, Dinah Murray, is one of the autistic researchers who came up with the theory of monotropism as a neurodiversity-affirming theory of autism.
Autistic Realms/Helen Autistic Realms is a fantastic source of information on monotropism at https://www.autisticrealms.com/monotropism-1, as are Stimpunks who are also collating information at https://stimpunks.org/glossary/monotropism/.
It’s a huge disservice to autistics and ADHDers that monotropism is frequently left out of training courses about these neurodivergences, leading to a gulf in understanding.
Read more:
If you’re considering you may be neurodivergent, this post could be helpful for you in exploring it further.
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