Glossary of Neurodivergent Terms – A to Z

Hi! This is the one-page index of Weirdly Successful's Neurodivergent Glossary!

See below for short definitions of all our current glossary items in alphabetical order, with links to each item.

Browse or search the page to find terms we have an entry on, or even print it.

Note: No definitions are final. This is a live glossary that we update periodically, so all entries are subject to change as we improve our definitions over time.

To explore terms by category or get up to speed with the latest updates, check out the glossary homepage!

vagus nerve

The vagus nerve is a bundle of nerve fibres in your body. It runs from the brainstem down through the neck and into the chest and abdomen. It branches out to the heart, lungs, airways, stomach, liver, intestines, and most of the digestive tract. It is the longest cranial nerve in the body.

Roughly 80% of what it carries is sensory information travelling upward. The vagus nerve reports to your brain about what is happening in your organs.

In recent years, the vagus nerve has become a fixture of wellness content. Many techniques, including cold showers, humming, and gargling, are promoted as ways to “stimulate” or “tone” it. Some of this is supported by research, but many of the easy-fix claims are exaggerated. And for neurodivergent people in particular, some of the advice is actively unhelpful.

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verbal shutdown

communication language pain sensory speech voice

Verbal shutdown is a temporary inability to produce speech despite having intact language and thoughts - an involuntary neurological response to overwhelm. It's when words exist in one's mind but cannot be physically spoken due to sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload.
Casually and incorrectly it is sometimes also referred to as 'going non-verbal', but this term is not preferred by the non-speaking autistic community.

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vestibular system

balance movement sensory

The vestibular system is a sensory system located in the inner ear that detects head position and movement, working together with vision and proprioception (body position sense) to maintain balance and spatial orientation.

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waiting mode

focus motivation time

Waiting mode is a psychological state characterized by heightened anticipation or anxiety while awaiting a specific outcome or event.

In the neurodivergent, especially ADHD community it usually means the period before an event that needs focus or attention spent in a sort of paralysing waiting mode, not being able to do little else until the event is over.

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working memory

focus memory

Working memory is one of the executive functions. It is our mental scratchpad, where we temporarily hold and play with info to help with tasks like problem-solving and learning. It's key for everyday stuff but has limited space, so juggling too much can be tough, especially for people with ADHD, who have an even more limited space.

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