06/11/2026
Happened upon this post from my local greenhouse and it is the perfect example of how a nervous system functions and a teaching opportunity about neurodivergent burnout!
This plant recoils/reacts to being touched, as a defense mechanism-- this happens automatically because, well, it's a plant 😜 Each time you touch it, it loses energy. If you touch the plant too often without adequate breaks and sustenance, it wilts or could fail to thrive.
This is the same way our nervous systems react to adversity-- both for neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. However, like this plant, some individuals (like those with sensory processing differences and/or Autism) are far more sensitive to threats and will require more time, rest, and rejuvenation. The hard part is that the neurotypical world expects that everyone should be able to bounce back at the same pace. Society also doesn't understand that a neurodivergent nervous system is having a genuine automatic reaction to what society deems "not a big deal." Over time, the trauma of being asked to pull it together, withstand trauma, and function neurotypically takes a toll and the individual can loose their spark.
Allowing a neurodivergent individual to utilize supports, process trauma, rest, regulate and rebuild their safe-zone is just like allowing this plant the opportunity to restore its energy. Just like watering the plant, giving it its preferred sun exposure, and giving it space will help the plant thrive, so will nurturing our ND friends with special interest exploration, decreasing performance demands, and supporting them with accommodation.
If we accept (and dare I say marvel) a plant that has an automatic flight/freeze response, why is society so quick to be inconvenienced by a human nervous system reaction of the like?
