The Brokenness Narrative (Part 4)

In Parts 1-3, we explored why neurotypical doesn’t exist, how ‘normal’ was invented, and how trauma amplifies difference. Now we come to the system that keeps this all alive: the pathology paradigm.

Autistic scholar Nick Walker defines it as the belief that there’s one correct kind of mind, and that any deviation is a defect or disease to be fixed. This isn’t just a theory; it’s the lens which society still views difference.

This series began with neurodiversity, but recent events have pushed me to widen the argument. The pathology paradigm doesn't just affect autistic or ADHD people, it shapes how our culture handles all difference: ideas, emotions, politics, even free speech itself.

How It Shows Up Around Us

Education: Children who learn differently are labelled disruptive, lazy or ‘behind’, rather than supported.

Workplaces: Masking and people-pleasing are rewarded as ‘professionalism’, while authentic difference is penalised.

Healthcare: Natural emotional responses (eg grief, sensitivity, anger) are numbed through medications or medicalised through labels rather than addressing root causes or building regulation.

Media & Public Discourse: Stories often glorify ‘overcoming’ difference instead of valuing it, or 'cancel' and ignore views that don't fit the dominant narrative. Fear of backlash leads many to self censor or stay silent, eroding genuine free speech and open dialogue.

The Emotional Toll

Living under this paradigm breeds shame, anxiety and self rejection. People learn to mistrust their instincts and disconnect from their gifts just to appear ‘normal’. The weight of masking and comparison can feel crushing - not because of their brains, but because of a society that refuses to accommodate variation.

This lens doesn’t just shape classrooms or workplaces; it shapes politics, media and our reactions to crisis. Recent high-profile events - from polarising public debates surrounding the murder of Charlie Kirk, to heartbreaking acts of violence like the attack on Iryna Zarutska - show how intolerant to difference people have become. These situations and opinions are complex and require context, yet the pathology paradigm pushes us toward simple labels instead of systemic understanding or compassionate solutions. Whether it’s celebrating a rival's assassination, or ignoring injustice because it doesn't fit a narrative, these reactions reveal a profound disconnect from our shared humanity.

This fixation on ‘normal’ doesn’t just label people - it shapes the interventions society chooses. Too often, the first response to difference is suppression: medicate the child who can’t sit still, pathologise the person whose emotional range feels inconvenient, or silence the activist who asks uncomfortable questions. Medication and treatment can be life-changing and necessary for many, but when the motive is to make someone less disruptive to a flawed system, rather than to support their wellbeing, it becomes another expression of the pathology paradigm.

What We Lose

The very traits that get suppressed: pattern recognition, deep empathy, innovative problem solving, heightened perception, are often the ones that spark breakthroughs in science, art and social change. By forcing people to conform, society silences the voices and ideas it desperately needs and just becomes an echo chamber of voices lacking a full picture. We lose our humanity, our connection, and the robust exchange of ideas that free speech should protect.

A Different Lens

The neurodiversity paradigm, also discussed by Walker, offers another way: to view neurological variation like biodiversity, essential for a healthy ecosystem. This isn’t romanticising struggle or ignoring support needs. It’s recognising that difference itself isn’t defective, and that systems must change to allow all minds to thrive.

As a therapist, I’ve seen clients bloom when they start to work with their difference and don't view them as flaws but as a strength worth nurturing. Humanity thrives when a full spectrum of perspectives, opinions, experiences and skills can be expressed without fear. That freedom to speak, think, and be different is what allows us to empathise and grow closer. 

If this resonates with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or on instagram. The more we talk openly and respectfully, the closer we get to building systems that honour human variety instead of suppressing it.

References

Walker, N. (2014). Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms & Definitions. Retrieved from https://neuroqueer.com/neurodiversity-terms-and-definitions

Walker, N. (2021). Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities. Autonomous Press.

Bowles, S., & Gintis, H. (1976). Schooling in Capitalist America: Educational Reform and the Contradictions of Economic Life. Routledge.

Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258.

Porter, T. M. (1986). The Rise of Statistical Thinking: 1820–1900. Princeton University Press.