Having spent the past two years as an artist exploring my own experience of neurodivergence and mental health, I have come to realise there exists a complex relationship between the two. Coincidentally, recent years have seen a significant societal shift in the awareness and understanding of conditions such as Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)* and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with many public figures ‘coming out’ as neurodivergent and sharing their experiences with others.

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Despite our knowledge of neurodivergence being relatively novel, recurring patterns of neurodivergent individuals reporting low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority have already begun to permeate online communities and psychological literature. Many describe the challenge of navigating daily life as though they lack a metaphorical manual. Unlike neurotypical individuals, for whom socioemotional behaviours may be instinctual, neurodivergent individuals often feel compelled to alter their behaviour in an attempt to conform to neurotypical norms - a socially adaptive mechanism known as ‘social camouflaging’ or ‘masking’. When the high prevalence of masking (Kritika et al., 2025)[1] is considered alongside research indicating its detrimental impact on mental health (Evans et al., 2023)[2], the way neurodivergent individuals come to view themselves as inferior, defective, or broken becomes clear.

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Current methods of screening and diagnosing neurodivergent conditions continue to rely on deficit-based language. Professionals are often trained to operate under a medical model of health, one which frames disabilities such as ASC as abnormal conditions or problems in need of fixing (Olkin, 2022)[3]. This sentiment is evident in phrases such as ‘abnormal social approach’, ‘persistent deficits’, and ‘poorly integrated’. While typical within the field, such language perpetuates negative self-beliefs, cycles of poor mental health, and low self-esteem among neurodivergent individuals. This raises the question: why is such language considered acceptable?

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Drawn to the concept of a metaphorical manual for life, I created How to Be Normal (Neurotypical), an A3 screen print which features the text ‘HOW TO BE NORMAL NEUROTYPICAL A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE’ in bold, black lettering wrapped around a drill outlined in black. Stylistically, How to Be Normal (Neurotypical) draws from the text-based practices of Barbara Kruger and the Guerrilla Girls. Within artworks such as The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist (1988)[4], the Guerrilla Girls use bold, capitalised lettering and irony to sustain viewer engagement while addressing sensitive social issues. Differently, Kruger uses a limited colour palette of red, white, and black text as a tool for visual confrontation as she highlights the effect of language in forming social constructs such as identity[5].

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By crossing through the word ‘NORMAL’, I attempt to challenge the synonymisation of neurotypicality with normality and simultaneously emphasise my position on the issue of the over-pathologisation of neurodivergent behaviour. The drill imagery not only references the concept of instruction manuals, but also highlights how neurotypical standards are imposed upon, and ‘drilled into’, neurodivergent individuals through societal expectations.

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Expanding on this idea, A Step-by-Step Guide is a seven-step satirical zine detailing how to be neurotypical. The publication presents seven do’s and don’ts accompanied by simple illustrations. For the don’ts, I use verbatim phrases taken from ASC diagnostic criteria, alongside commonly voiced critiques of autistic behaviour. The do’s invert the same criteria into their opposites, exaggerating neurotypical traits to draw attention to behaviours that are socially rewarded.

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The satirical nature of my work draws from social commentaries by Jayson Musson, a Black YouTube-based performance artist. In his series ART THOUGHTZ, Musson adopts the spoof persona ‘Hennessy Youngman’ to critique contemporary art through satire, pop-culture references, and dark humour[6]. His work exposes the elitism of white maleness within art institutions – structures which systematically inhibit the success of Black artists. In a similar manner, I position my work as a political statement directed at the field of psychology and the institutions which continue to operate under the medical model of health and disability. My critique of the synonymisation of neurotypicality with normality is emphasised within my exhibition titled ‘How To Be Normal (Neurotypical): A Step-By-Step Guide’ within which I combine How to Be Normal (Neurotypical) and A Step-By-Step Guide into an interactive installation. The title for this piece echoes the title structure of Musson’s performances, much like his video ‘ART THOUGHTZ: How To Be A Successful Artist’.

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Through screen prints and posters, I am able to make immediate, accessible commentary on a large-scale issue. The aim for my work is to contribute to grassroots change within the field of psychology. In pursuit of this, I am exploring locations wherein my work could be viewed by relevant individuals with the capacity to enact tangible change within the field (such as researchers at the University of Reading’s School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences).

 

770 words​

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Footnotes:

* Whilst it is common to refer to Autism as a disorder (ASD), the characteristics within the diagnostic criteria, a more contemporary view is such that they reflect differences in behaviour and communication more so than deficits. Therefore, this statement refers to Autism as a spectrum condition (ASC).

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References:

[1] Kritika Kritika, Williams, R. M., & Ringland, K. E. (2025). “Ultimately, it’s a matter of safety, and resisting ostracization”: Understanding Neurodivergent Masking with Online Communities. 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3714094

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[2] Evans, J. A., Krumrei-Mancuso, E. J., & Rouse, S. V. (2023). What You Are Hiding Could Be Hurting You: Autistic Masking in Relation to Mental Health, Interpersonal Trauma, Authenticity, and Self-Esteem. Autism in Adulthood, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0115

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[3] Olkin, R. (2022). Conceptualizing disability: Three Models of Disability. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/disability-models

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[4] Tate. (1988). “The Advantages Of Being A Woman Artist”, Guerrilla Girls, 1988. Tate. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/guerrilla-girls-the-advantages-of-being-a-woman-artist-p78796

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[5] Tate. (2012). Barbara Kruger Born 1945 | Tate. Tate. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/barbara-kruger-1443

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[6] MCA - Jayson Musson (American, b. 1977) ART THOUGHTZ, 2010–12 YouTube videos Durations variable Courtesy of Salon 94, New York | Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. (2018). Mcachicago.org. https://mcachicago.org/publications/websites/i-was-raised-on-the-internet/artworks/jayson-musson-art-thoughtz-2010-12  ​