How do I explain my neurodivergent needs to people who don't understand autism or ADHD?

Sor Juana knew something about being misunderstood—she lived in a system that didn't have language for her intellectual hunger, so she had to create frameworks people could grasp. You might not need their full understanding, just their willingness to work with you. Start specific: instead of "I have ADHD," try "My brain works fastest when I can move around" or "I need written instructions because verbal ones don't stick." This isn't hiding who you are—it's translation. Some people will still resist or minimize. That says more about the system's brittleness than your legitimacy. The people worth keeping around are those who say, "Okay, what do you need from me?" You're not asking for special treatment; you're asking for conditions where you can actually think and function. Document what works for you privately. Over time, you'll learn which contexts deserve your energy of explanation and which don't. Your neurodivergence isn't a bug in their system—their system was never built for you anyway.