3 women representing Aitism, Nurodivergence and Ultimate Divergence.

034 Are you Autistic? Neurodivergent? Or Something Else Entirely?

March 08, 202513 min read

Introduction: Are you Autistic? Neurodivergent? Or Something Else Entirely?

Man and a woman looking puzzled, symbolizing questioning the Mental Health Model of Autism.

What if everything you’ve been told about autism was a carefully crafted illusion?

What if the struggles you’ve been told are permanent could actually be transformed?

What if the autism diagnosis you once saw as an answer was really a cage, keeping you trapped in a cycle of struggle you were never meant to stay in?

Most autistic individuals don’t even realize they’re caught in a system designed to keep them small. They accept the label, trust the experts, and follow the rules—believing that autism is a lifelong limitation they must learn to live with.

But some begin to see the cracks in the illusion.

Some start to question:
If autism is just a different way of thinking, why do so many autistic people continue to suffer—even after years of therapy?
If autism has never been biologically proven to be a “thing,” then what exactly am I being diagnosed with?
Why does it feel like the mental health system is designed to keep me dependent rather than truly helping me thrive?

And then, one day, the realization hits: The struggle isn’t coming from autism itself—it’s coming from the belief system you’ve been given about autism.

This is the journey of awakening. It begins with accepting the label. It ends with breaking free from it entirely.

The question is: Where are you on this path?

Let’s begin.

The Autistic Phase (The Illusion of the Label)

Woman with Autistic label on her forehead symbolizing labeling autistic people as disordered.

At first, the label feels like an answer. After years of confusion, struggle, and feeling out of place, the diagnosis of autism seems to provide clarity. It explains why socializing feels unnatural, why sensory experiences are so overwhelming, and why the world never seems to operate in a way that makes sense.

There’s a strange relief in having a name for it. Finally, there’s an explanation for all the moments of frustration, exhaustion, and isolation. The doctors, therapists, and autism organizations all say the same thing: This is who you are. This is your neurology. It’s permanent.

So, you trust them. They’re the experts, after all. You believe them when they say that autism is a lifelong disorder, a neurological condition that makes life harder. You believe them when they say there’s nothing that can be done, except to learn coping strategies and accept your limitations.

At first, that seems reasonable. You start looking at yourself through this lens, identifying all the ways in which you are “autistic.” You learn about sensory sensitivities, executive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, and social difficulties—and you start to assume that these things are just part of who you are.

But there’s something subtly disempowering about it.

You start reframing every struggle as an inevitable part of being autistic. Struggling with emotions? That’s just part of autism. Can’t connect with others? That’s just autism. Feeling overwhelmed by life? That’s the way it will always be.

You notice the way people talk about autism—always in terms of limitations, deficits, and things you “can’t” do. Therapists emphasize how you need to learn to function in a neurotypical world, subtly reinforcing the idea that you are inherently less capable. Autism “advocacy” groups talk about accommodations, but never about transformation. The message is always the same:

You will always struggle. The best you can do is manage it.

You try to cope. You follow the advice—therapy, routines, sensory tools, social scripts—but nothing really changes. The emotional overwhelm doesn’t go away. The exhaustion remains. The loneliness persists. The world still feels just as difficult as it always has.

Slowly, a realization begins to creep in.

For all the explanations the diagnosis provided, it never actually solved anything. If autism is just a different way of thinking, why does life still feel so unmanageable? If this label explains everything, why do so many autistic people continue to struggle even after years of therapy?

But you push the thoughts aside. The experts said this is how it is. You just have to accept it.

What you don’t realize yet is that you are trapped in a system designed to keep you small. The autism label has become a box that limits your perception of yourself, keeping you stuck in the very struggles you wish to escape.

But for now, you don’t see the cracks in the illusion. Not yet.

The First Cracks in the Illusion (The Awakening Begins)

Frowning woman with questioning expression symbolizing questioning the Mental Health Model of Autism

At first, you accept the autism diagnosis without question. The label helps explain why the world has always felt overwhelming—why socializing seems unnatural, why emotions hit harder than they should, why your mind works differently from those around you.

But then… the questions start creeping in.

You begin noticing that not all autistic people experience life the same way. Some seem to thrive, while others struggle with constant burnout, anxiety, and isolation. If autism is truly a fixed neurological condition, shouldn’t all autistic people have the same struggles, the same limitations? Why do some manage to build successful, fulfilling lives while others feel trapped in survival mode?

That’s when the first crack appears.

The more you look, the more inconsistencies you see. You start wondering: What exactly is autism, anyway?

You dig deeper and realize something shockingautism has never been scientifically proven to be a possessable entity. There is no biological marker, no blood test, no brain scan that can definitively prove someone is autistic. The diagnosis is based entirely on behavior, which means it’s subjective—a doctor’s interpretation of a collection of traits.

Another crack appears.

Then, you start noticing something even stranger: Every so-called autistic trait exists in the general population. Struggles with socializing? Plenty of introverts have that. Sensory sensitivity? Many people react strongly to bright lights or loud noises. Deep focus on special interests? That’s called passion in non-autistic people.

So why are these traits pathologized in autistic individuals but normalized in everyone else?

The illusion weakens.

You begin questioning the very foundation of the autism model. You realize that the autism spectrum is an illusion—there is no precise measurement, no clear dividing line between autistic and non-autistic. The spectrum is just a loose set of criteria, and depending on which psychologist you see, you might receive a diagnosis—or you might not.

That realization sends a shockwave through your mind.

If autism can’t be objectively measured, and if every autistic trait exists in non-autistic people, then… what exactly are you being diagnosed with?

The walls of the illusion start crumbling.

You reflect on your own experiences, and for the first time, you wonder: Maybe my struggles aren’t coming from autism itself. Maybe something else is going on.

You start looking beyond the mainstream narrative. You find stories of autistic individuals who have radically transformed their lives, not by accepting the deficit model, but by challenging it. You begin to sense that there’s something deeper at play—something the mental health establishment never told you.

The diagnosis no longer feels like a solid truth. It feels like a construct—a framework that has shaped your identity, but one that might not be as real as you once believed.

And once you see the cracks, you can’t unsee them.

The question now is: What lies beyond the illusion?

Breaking Free from the Matrix (The Illusion Shatters)

Woman in the Matrix symbolizing seeing the cracks in the mainstream model of autism.

At first, the cracks in the illusion were subtle—just small questions, quiet doubts. But now, they are impossible to ignore.

The autism label, once a source of clarity, now feels restrictive. The idea that you are neurologically “different” still makes sense, but the deficit-based model no longer resonates. The more you learn, the more it feels like the entire system is built on flawed assumptions and half-truths.

Then, the realization hits you like a lightning bolt:

Maybe autism isn’t the problem at all. Maybe the real issue is trauma.

Autism, or Emotional Conditioning?

For years, you believed that sensory overwhelm, emotional dysregulation, executive dysfunction, and social difficulties were just part of being autistic. That’s what you were told. That’s what you accepted.

But as you dive deeper, you uncover something that changes everything.

  • You discover that sensory hypersensitivity is a common response in people with PTSD and early childhood trauma.

  • You learn that emotional dysregulation isn’t a neurological defect—it’s the result of a nervous system that has been in survival mode for too long.

  • You realize that shutdowns and meltdowns aren’t signs of a disorder—they are trauma responses to emotional and sensory overwhelm.

  • You see that executive dysfunction is a brain operating under chronic stress, unable to prioritize and plan because it has been conditioned to expect threats.

Suddenly, the pieces fall into place.

The struggles you thought were just “autism” were actually the result of past emotional conditioning, nervous system dysregulation, and subconscious programming.

The illusion shatters.

Seeing the System for What It Is

Older woman researching stack of books symbolizing questioning the mainstream model of autism.

Now that you understand the role of trauma, you begin questioning everything about the mental health model.

You look at the DSM—the so-called "Bible" of psychiatry—and see it for what it is: a book of opinions, not objective science. Autism, like every other psychiatric disorder, was not discovered through biological research—it was voted into existence by a panel of professionals.

Then, you see the bigger picture:

You recognize how deep the programming runs.

For years, you believed you were broken. But in reality, you were conditioned to believe you were broken—because that belief serves the system.

The Identity Shift: From Autistic to Neurodivergent

Person looking thoughtful while holding question mark sign symbolizing questioning the autism label.

You no longer see yourself as "autistic" in the way the medical model defines it. The idea of being disordered no longer fits.

But you also don’t yet have a fully formed new identityso you step onto the bridge of neurodivergence.

You realize:
🔹 You are not broken, just different.
🔹 You are not disabled—you have strengths that haven’t been fully tapped into.
🔹 You no longer need permission from the system to define yourself.

For the first time, you are in control of your identity.

But something still feels incomplete. You see through the illusion, but now what?

There is still a final step—the step that takes you beyond questioning, beyond resistance, beyond merely understanding the system is broken.

That step is Ultimate Divergence.

And that’s where the real transformation begins.

The Ultimate Divergent (The Master of Conscious Creation)

Image of an older man's face overlayed on the universe symbolizing becoming a Master of Conscious Creation.

The moment you saw through the illusion, everything changed.

You no longer see yourself as autistic in the way the medical model defines it. You no longer believe the deficit-based narratives that kept you trapped in survival mode. You understand that your struggles were never proof of a disorder—they were symptoms of unresolved trauma, emotional suppression, and subconscious programming.

For the first time, you are in control.

This is the transition from Neurodivergent to Ultimate Divergent.

You realize that healing is not about “managing autism”—it’s about reprogramming the subconscious patterns that have kept you stuck.

Breaking the Cycle: Taking Full Control

You no longer accept the idea that you are wired for struggle. You understand that your mind and body have been operating based on faulty programs—programs installed through years of conditioning, trauma, and false beliefs.

And if these programs were installed… they can also be rewritten.

You begin healing the root causes of your struggles, rather than just managing symptoms.

  • Instead of fighting sensory overwhelm, you regulate your nervous system and discover that many of your sensitivities were heightened by chronic stress, not “autism.”

  • Instead of feeling emotionally hijacked, you clear past emotional wounds and gain true mastery over your reactions.

  • Instead of battling executive dysfunction, you reprogram your mind to operate with clarity, focus, and precision.

The struggles that once seemed like permanent traits begin to dissolve—not because you are "fixing" yourself, but because you are removing the unconscious blocks that kept you in survival mode.

Reclaiming Your Cognitive Strengths

Image of empowered confident woman symbolizing reclaiming cognitive strengths.

For years, the system only showed you what was wrong with you—never what was right.

Now, you see your mind for what it truly is: a powerful systemizing machine, capable of deep analysis, pattern recognition, and innovation. The very traits that were labeled as “impairments” were actually your greatest strengths waiting to be unlocked.

Instead of trying to fit into a world that was not designed for you, you design a life that works for you.

  • You structure your world in a way that maximizes your strengths.

  • You create environments that support your growth instead of limiting it.

  • You stop conforming to neurotypical expectations and start building your reality on your own terms.

From Reaction to Creation

The biggest shift of all?

You stop reacting to life.

Instead of being controlled by emotional triggers, external expectations, and subconscious programming, you step into conscious creation.

  • You choose your thoughts.

  • You direct your emotions.

  • You shape your experience.

You no longer see yourself as someone struggling to survive in a neurotypical world. You see yourself as a conscious creator, an autonomous thinker, and a master of your own reality.

This is Ultimate Divergence.

The final step.

And once you step into it…

There is no going back.

The Invitation to Awaken Fully

You’ve seen the cracks in the illusion. You’ve questioned the narrative. You’ve uncovered the truth hiding in plain sight.

The label you once accepted without question no longer defines you.

You now understand that autism, as the mental health system defines it, was never the real problem. Your struggles were not the result of being “neurologically defective”—they were the product of trauma, conditioning, and subconscious programming.

You’ve broken free from the idea that you are inherently limited. You see that your mind is not broken—it was simply running outdated programs that kept you trapped in survival mode.

And now, you stand at a crossroads.

Two Paths: The Choice Before You

Man standing at junction of 2 paths symbolizing choosing an imprisoning model of autism or an empowering one.

From here, you have two options:

🔹 Path One: The Old Model
You can continue following the deficit-based narrative, believing that your struggles are just part of “being autistic.” You can choose to stay within the system that tells you that coping is the best you can hope for, that you are limited by your neurology, and that your struggles are permanent.

You can continue living reactively, battling the same challenges over and over, waiting for the world to accommodate you instead of taking control of your own transformation.

Or…

🔹 Path Two: The Ultimate Divergent Awakening
You can step into full empowerment—where you take control of your mind, your body, and your nervous system. You can break free from the conditioning that has kept you stuck, heal the emotional wounds that have shaped your struggles, and reclaim your cognitive strengths as tools for thriving.

You can become the creator of your reality, no longer bound by false limitations.

The question is: Which path will you choose?

Are You Ready to Break Free?

If you’ve made it this far, you’re already waking up. You’re already beginning to see what was once hidden.

The next step? Fully stepping into your power.

Because once you see the truth…

There is no going back.

🚀 If you’re ready to take that step, then Download your FREE PDF, "Breaking Free: How Trauma Shapes Autism Challenges & the Path to Healing!". It's your roadmap to Ultimate Divergence.

Simon Vujnovic is a passionate advocate for autism and self-empowerment, dedicated to helping autistic adults navigate their unique journeys through a blend of spirituality, alternative therapies, and personal growth. Drawing on his own experiences with autism and a rich tapestry of personal and professional insights, Simon created the Ultimate Divergence: Navigating Autism and Spiritual Empowerment course to offer a fresh perspective on living authentically and breaking free from societal norms. His work is a beacon for those seeking to embrace their true selves and unlock their limitless potential. When he's not writing or mentoring, Simon enjoys exploring the frontiers of thought, coding innovative solutions, and fostering a deeper understanding of the human mind.

Simon Vujnovic

Simon Vujnovic is a passionate advocate for autism and self-empowerment, dedicated to helping autistic adults navigate their unique journeys through a blend of spirituality, alternative therapies, and personal growth. Drawing on his own experiences with autism and a rich tapestry of personal and professional insights, Simon created the Ultimate Divergence: Navigating Autism and Spiritual Empowerment course to offer a fresh perspective on living authentically and breaking free from societal norms. His work is a beacon for those seeking to embrace their true selves and unlock their limitless potential. When he's not writing or mentoring, Simon enjoys exploring the frontiers of thought, coding innovative solutions, and fostering a deeper understanding of the human mind.

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