In his recent book The Weight of Nature, neuroscientist Clayton Page Aldern lays out a clear and sobering argument: climate change is threatening the health of our brains. Climate impacts like escalating extreme heat, air pollution, and the trauma of extreme weather disasters are altering our cognitive functioning and emotional well-being, and for the most part, these changes aren’t for the better. (For an unforgettable discussion of the rising risk of brain-eating amoebas, I encourage you to read Aldern’s book.)
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What is neurodivergence?
Climate change is impacting all our brains—but not all respond to these impacts in the same way. Neurodiversity—the idea that differences in brain function and behavioral tendences are a normal part of human diversity—has become an increasingly mainstream term in recent years. Most often used to describe autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the term neurodivergence is currently understood as much broader, encompassing many other conditions that impact how brains work, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sensory processing disorders, dyslexia, intellectual disabilities, and even mental health conditions like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and social anxiety. Some mental health clinicians also think of trauma as a form of acquired neurodivergence, given its profound impact on brain physiology.
My own interest in neurodivergence has emerged in the past few years of parenting a child who lives with ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and PANS/PANDAS, an autoimmune illness that causes OCD and other psychiatric symptoms that can look much like autism at times. Like many other parents of neurodivergent children, navigating my child’s brain differences has given me a much clearer awareness of my own. Nearly all of us have neurodivergent people among our loved ones, and many of us, like my child and I, are neurodivergent ourselves: approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population identifies as neurodivergent.
How do brain differences impact a person’s experience of climate change?
Given the high prevalence of neurodivergence, it’s vital to understand how different kinds of brains experience climate impacts like extreme weather disasters. Neurodivergent individuals have unique needs when it comes to environmental threats and disasters, but are often left out of disaster policy frameworks for preparedness, response, and recovery.
Here are just a few of the ways that neurodivergence can interact with climate change:
- Increased sensitivity to extreme heat: Many neurodivergent individuals are especially sensitive to heat, feeling temperature extremes more intensely and experiencing heightened emotional and cognitive impacts. Some also struggle with body temperature regulation, because of either innate physiological differences or medications (such as medication for certain mental health conditions) that can impact thermoregulation.
- Different disaster communication needs: People with brain differences often process information differently than others do, and typical methods of disaster communication—such as emergency alert texts or emails—may not work well. For these individuals, neurodivergence and climate policy expert Bridgette Hamstead says, “Emergency communication plans need to be adaptable, incorporating visual aids, clear and concise language, and alternative communication methods to ensure that these individuals receive and understand critical information.”
- Overwhelm during and after emergencies: Disasters are overwhelming for all of us, but for neurodivergent individuals, the overwhelm may be particularly intense. During and after the Los Angeles wildfires, people with ADHD reported struggling with tasks like packing essentials for evacuation and navigating insurance claims after fire damage. The experience of being in emergency settings, like evacuation shelters with lots of people, loud noises, bright lights, and chaos, may also be especially overwhelming for people with autism, sensory disorders, and the like.
- Heightened sensitivity to disruptions in routine: Neurodivergent individuals may be especially sensitive to disruptions in routine that can come with almost any kind of extreme weather. For parents of children with brain differences, who already live with heightened levels of stress, trying to help a child create stability amid chaos can generate additional layers of stress: one mother of a nonverbal autistic child living through Hurricane Milton described their family’s experience as “the storm within the storm.”
- Amplified mental health impacts: Nearly all of us will feel the mental health impacts of climate change in some way or another, from anxiety about what a warming world will be like for our children or deep sadness about environmental changes. For neurodivergent individuals already navigating mental health challenges, these impacts can be magnified.
- Neurodivergence as a strength: Increasingly, neurodivergence is being recognized and celebrated for its potential strengths—strengths that may be able to help us address the challenges of climate change more effectively. Thrive Mind, a New Zealand-based service for inclusion consulting, sees neurodivergence as an untapped potential in the climate movement: “Neurodivergent individuals may be particularly well-suited for creative problem-solving, which is essential in addressing complex issues like climate change impacts, having a tendency towards divergent thinking, which involves generating multiple ideas and solutions to a problem. This type of thinking can be critical in developing innovative solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.”
There is much work to be done to make climate policy more inclusive for neurodivergent individuals and their families—but increasing awareness of this population’s unique needs and strengths is a start. If you’re a parent of a child with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or another brain difference, Climate Mental Health Network’s new guide for parents features a section on talking to neurodivergent kids about climate change; consider reading this and sharing it with a friend. And if you’re neurodivergent yourself, consider this article a call for greater self-compassion when navigating the tricky terrain of a changing climate: unique brains have unique vulnerabilities, and they also have unique gifts. And all our minds will be needed to create a better world.
Tell Congress: Support Mental Wellness Resources for Communities Facing Weather Disasters