Community
Welcome to NeuroVerse
At Scattergram we understand that finding an affirming community that truly understands your neurotype can be a challenge. We’ve created this corner of our website as a platform for individuals who identify as neurodivergent, love someone who is, or are simply curious about the world of neurodiversity.
This space is dedicated to celebrating the diverse minds and talents within the neurodivergent community. Here, you can explore, connect, and contribute to our growing collection of neurodivergent expressions. Contribute to the NeuroVerse today!
Dear Dr. Pearl: Self Portrait by Lunarplanes
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Community Support: NeuroVerse is here to foster a supportive community. Connect with others, share your unique experiences, and learn from one another.
Originality: We invite you to submit your original work, whether it’s visual art, poetry, essays, or personal reflections. Let your creativity shine!
Respectful Content: Please ensure that your submissions are respectful of others’ experiences and perspectives. We do not accept offensive or harmful content.
Neurodiversity-Friendly: Be mindful of the neurodivergent community’s sensitivities. Avoid content that may trigger or distress others.
Medium and Format: We accept a variety of formats, including images, and written pieces. Choose the format that best suits your expression.
Privacy and Consent: If your submission includes personal stories or images that may identify individuals, please ensure you have obtained consent, especially when sharing stories about others.
Content Review: All submissions will be reviewed for quality and appropriateness to maintain a space that aligns with our community’s goals. We review and post all submissions on a quarterly basis.
Submission Process: To share your original work with us, follow the submission process below, which includes details on file formats and size limits. You may submit multiple submissions but please fill out one form per submission.
Enter the NeuroVerse
ORIGINAL SUBMISSIONS ONLY
ONE SUBMISSION PER FORM
NeuroVerse Contributions
lilmermaid
1. laundry baskets filled with clothes I had the brain power to wash and fold but not put away
2. a parking ticket for forgetting my car on the street overnight instead of parking it in my driveway (taped to the mirror I look at every day so I won’t forget to pay it)
3. the air purifier that makes white noise I can’t go to sleep without
4. a scattering of random objects that don’t have a specific home in my house
5. a bag of clothes I’m determined will sell on my Poshmark but have collected dust for 2 years
6. the puppy that provides me with love, joy, a sense of calm and groundedness simply by existing
7. my personal assistant Alexa who reminds me of the date, time, and weather as often as I need it
8. a spot of green paint on the ceiling I will likely never fix
winterbear
My goal for this collage was to reflect on my experience as a self-diagnosed autistic adult, who came into understanding themselves later in life. For me, it represents the comfort and joy that comes from finally understanding yourself. It is also a sort of homage to my younger self, including representation of some of the special interest I have had for such a young age, that only recently have I been able to fully embrace as parts of my identity, further bringing comfort to both my childhood self, and my current self.
TheGuyNextDoor
This poem was written before knowing my Neurodivergent Identity; I struggled to understand myself and who I am and hid my true identity away from the world, trying to ‘figure it out,’ for it was not safe just to BE myself. Over the years, much has changed, allowing me to share this glimpse into past musings.
Read Submission
Burning the midnight oil,
Lamp almost burnt out,
The draft is cool and crisp.
The breeze almost overtakes me.
I burn the midnight oil,
Writing this, you see,
Writing why, I do not know,
Write only how I feel.
My hooded cloak drapes over my eyes,
Saves me from direct firelight.
My uncertainty as to who I am,
Rests in my disguise,
For no one sees me burn the midnight oil.
Cloak-covered face,
Piercing eyes,
A taste of my disguise.
MessyNess
This is an old self-portrait before I had known that I am autistic. At the time, I felt very disconnected from the world, from the people around me and from myself. I felt like I was always observing other people living their lives, as passive as an object with little control over my circumstances. The beheaded Goliath is a far more interesting and dynamic portrait than my own.
It’s interesting because now I don’t identify with this painting anymore since I have come to understand myself better. Through that, I have found community and purpose.
Poodle
A poem about the experience of a late diagnosed Neurodivergent woman who has been mistreated by the healthcare system, and has been finally liberated by her new diagnosis
Read Submission
In shadows, she once wandered, misunderstood,
A late-diagnosed soul, her struggles quietly withstood.
The healthcare system, a labyrinthine maze,
Mistreatment veiled in ignorance, through endless days.
For years, they labeled her with judgment’s cruel veneer,
Without a clue of what lay beneath, so clear.
Her neurodivergence, a hidden tapestry,
A unique mind, locked in a world of secrecy.
Yet, she persevered, resilient in her quest,
To find the missing piece, to lay her soul to rest.
Her spirit, like a phoenix, rose through endless night,
Searching for the truth, for her inner light.
Invisible battles, she had fought in silence,
Each misdiagnosis, a misguided reliance.
But within her, a strength began to swell,
As she journeyed on, through the healthcare’s dark spell.
A revelation dawned, a long-awaited key,
A diagnosis, like a songbird finally set free.
Autism, ADHD, or any other name,
It didn’t matter; she was no longer the same.
Embracing neurodivergence, she found her tribe,
A community of warriors, where her spirit could thrive.
Her uniqueness, a gift, not a flaw or disguise,
And the world, through new eyes, she’d come to realize.
She celebrated her quirks, her passions, her might,
No longer hidden in shadows, she stepped into the light.
The healthcare system’s errors could no longer define,
The strength that burned within her, her unique design.
With newfound wisdom, she forged her own way,
And in her liberation, she found the light of day.
A late-diagnosed woman, now free and unchained,
Her neurodivergent soul, finally unrestrained.
queeradvocate
I created this while thinking about the similarities between how I feel I exist within the LGBTQIA+ community and the neurodivergent community.
Creative-ly
Acrylic pouring paint
Castlehills
“In the Colours of Acceptance: An Autism Journey” is a poem that explores the perspective of a young Muslim woman in her mid-twenties as she discovers and comes to terms with her autism. The poem highlights her experience of realizing her unique traits, understanding her anxieties, and the impact of her newfound self-awareness on her relationships and friendships. It emphasizes the significance of acceptance and the beauty found within the tapestry of her life, both in terms of her self-discovery and in the connections she forms with others. The poem portrays her journey towards self-acceptance and the freedom she experiences.
Read Submission
In the whisper of life’s hidden symphony,
A woman in her mid-twenties, I stand free,
Gazing in the mirror, eyes now keen to see,
The colors of my soul, embracing me.
In the tapestry of friendships, I’ve tread,
A puzzle piece found, in thoughts that thread,
Discovering the patterns that lay ahead,
In every smile, every tear, every thread.
Anxiety, a silent storm, once held sway,
In crowded rooms, where words went astray,
But now, I understand it in a different way,
A quirk, a part of me, where thoughts sway.
In friendships, a dance of intricate design,
Each connection, a piece of the grand design,
Acceptance, the bridge to hearts intertwine,
In laughter and shared dreams, we align.
I see the world through a unique lens,
In every detail, every sound, every sense,
Each trait I have, a gift, a recompense,
In their challenges, I find my defence.
My heart, a canvas, painted in many shades,
In every hue, a friend’s love cascades,
In their understanding, the darkness fades,
An embrace that calms, as the sunlight invades.
For in the tapestry of friendships, I find grace,
The puzzle pieces fitting into their place,
Every trait I have, a unique embrace,
In understanding, I find my safe space.
In freedom’s wings, I learn to soar,
Autism’s truth, a key to life’s grand door,
With friends and loved ones I truly adore,
I discover myself, like never before.
