Many Mental Illnesses and Addictions -- Maladaptations to Undiscovered Neurodivergence

By David Wetherelt, Founder of Like Minds Alliance

Posted on June 9, 2025

For years, I’ve poured my heart and soul into unraveling the tangled web of mental illness, addiction, and the beautifully diverse human brain. My name is David Wetherelt, and at 58, I received life-changing diagnoses of autism and ADHD after a lifetime of feeling like I didn’t fit.

Through a vast amount of pouring over research studies, participation in genetics research, and counseling and coaching others like myself, I’ve come to a conviction that burns within me: many cases of mental illnesses and addiction problems are maladaptations to undiscovered neurodivergence.

Here at Like Minds Alliance, I’ve built a community to support this truth, and I believe with all my being that this perspective will age well, reshaping how we understand mental health and neurodiversity for generations. Let me tell you why.

My Journey: A Late Diagnosis and a Lifelong Quest

For 58 years, I navigated a world that didn’t make sense. Crowded rooms overwhelmed me; lights too bright, voices a chaotic blur. My mind raced, jumping from thought to thought, and I struggled to focus, often labeled lazy or distracted. Doctors saw anxiety, depression, a lack of discipline, never the real picture. Treatments failed, and I felt broken, an outsider in a neurotypical world. Then, at 58, the truth emerged: autism and ADHD. Suddenly, my life clicked into focus. The sensory chaos? Autism. The restless mind and impulsivity? ADHD. But the decades of misunderstanding had left scars; stress, self-doubt, and coping strategies that mimicked mental illness.

I’m not alone. Through Like Minds Alliance, I’ve coached countless others—late-diagnosed adults, parents of neurodivergent children, and individuals grappling with addiction or mental health challenges. In the last few years I've spent all my time researching, blogging my insights, and diving into genetics studies to uncover the roots of our wiring. At www.likemindsalliance.org, my mission is clear: connect “Like Minds,” advocate for better understanding, and support those whose neurodivergence went unseen for too long. This journey: my struggles, my discoveries, and the stories I’ve heard fuels my unshakable belief: what society labels as mental illness or addiction is often a desperate adaptation by a neurodivergent brain crying for help in a world not built for us.

The Hypothesis: A Mismatch Turned Maladaptation

Neurodivergence variations like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and beyond means our brains process the world uniquely. But when these differences go undiscovered, we’re forced to survive in a rigid, sensory-heavy, socially demanding society that doesn’t bend for us. The result? Maladaptations. Coping mechanisms that spiral into what’s misdiagnosed as mental illness or addiction.

My story mirrors so many. Undiagnosed autism left me reeling from sensory overload; grocery stores and parties felt like battlegrounds. Without tools, I withdrew, and doctors called it social anxiety. My ADHD fueled impulsivity, risky choices, scattered focus, and self-criticism sank me into depression. I’ve seen this in others I coach: some turn to alcohol or drugs to quiet the chaos, dull the overwhelm, or feel something else. A 2017 meta-analysis in the Journal of Attention Disorders found people with ADHD are 2-3 times more likely to develop substance use disorders, often tied to impulsivity or self-medication (Schoenfelder & Kollins, 2017).

For autistic folks, anxiety and depression hit hard, rates climb to 40-50%, per a 2020 study in The Lancet Psychiatry, likely from social pressure and sensory mismatch (Hollocks et al., 2020).

The tragedy? So many cases go undiagnosed. That 2020 study estimated up to 80% of autistic adults may never get a diagnosis, and ADHD often slips past in adults, especially women or those with subtler traits. At Like Minds Alliance, I’ve met people in their 50s, 60s, even 70s, just discovering they’re neurodivergent. Without a name for their wiring, they’ve battled a misfit world; schools that punish inattention, jobs that demand constant chatter, environments that assault the senses. The stress piles up, and maladaptations take root: anxiety from masking autism, depression from feeling “wrong,” addiction to escape the pain.

The Evidence: Science Backs the Pattern

This isn’t just my story it’s grounded in science and the voices I’ve heard. Research shows stark connections. A 2019 study in Addiction found undiagnosed ADHD often precedes substance abuse, with people using drugs to calm a restless mind or boost focus (Wilens et al., 2019). Autism overlaps with mental health struggles sensory sensitivities and social isolation breed stress, paving the way for anxiety or depression. My time in genetics studies revealed more: variations in genes like those tied to dopamine and neural connectivity hint at why neurodivergent brains might respond differently, sometimes leaning on maladaptive crutches when unsupported.

Through Like Minds Alliance, I’ve seen this firsthand. One client, undiagnosed with autism for 40 years, drank to dull sensory overload, until we named it and built strategies. Another, with late-diagnosed ADHD, battled depression from years of feeling “lazy,” now thriving with the right tools. My blogs on www.likemindsalliance.org chronicle these wins. Stories of people reclaiming their lives once their neurodivergence is seen. Not every case fits, schizophrenia, for instance, ties to distinct brain changes like dopamine dysregulation, and trauma can spark depression or addiction alone. But for many, the pattern holds: an undiscovered neurodivergent brain, clashing with a neurotypical world, adapts in ways society misreads.

Why I Believe This With All My Being

I believe this hypothesis with every fiber of my soul because I’ve lived it, studied it, and seen it transform lives. My late diagnosis at 58 unlocked my past and my purpose. Years of research, poring over studies, joining genetics research, blogging my findings, showed me the science aligns. Coaching others through Like Minds Alliance, I’ve watched people shed the shame of misdiagnosis, trading maladaptations for understanding and support.

We’re not broken; we’re wired differently, and the world hasn’t caught up.

This truth, and my hypothesis, I believe will age well. As diagnosis rates improve, as society embraces neurodiversity, we’ll see more: many mental illnesses and addictions trace back to undiscovered neurodivergence, a mismatch we can fix.

At Like Minds Alliance, we’re building that future—connecting like minds, advocating for awareness, and offering tools to thrive. I invite you to join us at www.likemindsalliance.org, share your story, and be part of this shift. The evidence is growing, the stories are mounting, and I believe with all my being: this is the key to healing so many.

Sources:

• Schoenfelder, E. N., & Kollins, S. H. (2017). ADHD and substance use disorders: An updated review. Journal of Attention Disorders, 21(4), 275-284.

• Hollocks, M. J., et al. (2020). Anxiety and depression in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(1), 112-121.

• Wilens, T. E., et al. (2019). Substance use disorders in adolescents with ADHD: A review. Addiction, 114(5), 789-799.

David Wetherelt is a neurodivergent coach, advocate, and co-founder of Like Minds Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to helping neurodivergent individuals and families thrive. Reach out to learn more about personalized coaching, neurotoxic exposure, and detox support at www.likemindsalliance.org.