I’m Not Just Neurodivergent—I’m Pandivergent

If you’ve ever felt like medicine didn’t quite have a box for you, you’re not alone.

I was trained at Harvard. I’ve seen the algorithms, the protocols, the so-called “norms.” But here’s the truth: those norms weren’t built for people like me—or for most women.

Yes, I’m neurodivergent. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

I’m pandivergent.

What Is Pandivergence?

Pandivergence is a term I coined to describe what happens when you’re not just different in one system (like the brain), but in many: neurologically, hormonally, metabolically, immunologically, and psychologically.

Think of it as whole-body divergence—an integrated, system-wide distinctiveness that doesn’t show up on a single lab test or brain scan but defines how you experience the world.

Where neurodivergence names a cognitive difference, pandivergence names a physiological reality.

It’s not a diagnosis. It’s a declaration.

Where the Norms Go Wrong

Medicine loves a tidy reference range. But most clinical “norms” are built around:

• Male bodies
• Age 18–35
• Uncomplicated, Western-centric samples
• Averages that flatten complexity

Which means a lot of women—especially those navigating perimenopause, autoimmune shifts, ADHD, insulin resistance, trauma, or neurodiversity—get dismissed as anxious, dramatic, or noncompliant.

They’re not. They’re unmapped.

The Five Domains of Pandivergence

1. Neurological
   ADHD, sensory sensitivity, trauma patterns, and unique processing speeds aren’t dysfunction—they’re divergence.¹
2. Hormonal
   Estrogen and progesterone literally reshape the brain across a menstrual cycle. This isn’t a bug. It’s a feature.²
3. Metabolic
   Glucose variability, mitochondrial efficiency, and insulin resistance can alter energy, focus, and emotion.³
4. Immunological
   Autoimmunity disproportionately affects women, especially those with layered neurodivergence.⁴
5. Psychological
   Attachment patterns, stress reactivity, and resilience are shaped by biology and biography.⁵

In a pandivergent body, everything talks to everything.

Why This Matters

When your whole system is whispering (or screaming) for a different approach, treating one part in isolation—like prescribing SSRIs for brain fog, or birth control for hormonal chaos—misses the mark.

Pandivergence demands a new kind of medicine. One that listens. One that maps your individuality. One that doesn’t pathologize complexity but honors it.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve ever felt like a medical mystery, it may be because the system wasn’t built to see you. Pandivergence is a lens—a framework for whole-body individuality.

You’re not broken. You’re just built differently.

And it’s time we started treating you that way.

References

1. Kessler, Ronald C., et al. “The Prevalence and Correlates of Adult ADHD in the United States: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.” American Journal of Psychiatry 163, no. 4 (2006): 716–23. ↩︎
2. Barth, Catharina, and Belinda Pletzer. “Sex Hormone Fluctuations and Functional Brain Asymmetry.” Frontiers in Neuroscience 11 (2017): 578. ↩︎
3. Taylor, Roy, and Alison C. Barnes. “Understanding the Mechanisms of Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes.” The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 7, no. 9 (2019): 726–36. ↩︎
4. Ngo, Sheila T., et al. “Gender Differences in Autoimmune Disease.” Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology 35, no. 3 (2014): 347–69. ↩︎
5. Sroufe, L. Alan. “Attachment and Development: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study from Birth to Adulthood.” Attachment & Human Development 7, no. 4 (2005): 349–67. ↩︎