Too Much Processing: Rethinking “Slow” in the Neurodivergent Brain

 

For much of my life, I’ve told myself that I’m slow: slow to respond, slow to catch on, slow to act. It’s a label that’s been echoed by others too, especially in fast-paced conversations where my pause or hesitation is taken as confusion or disinterest.

But I’ve come to realize that it isn’t fair to myself, or to anyone living with ADHD or autism, to call it “slow.”

From the outside, it might look that way. Someone says something, and we don’t reply right away. Or it takes a while to move from thinking to doing. But the truth is that the neurodivergent brain isn’t lagging behind; it’s doing too much processing.

When your mind refuses to filter, you’re not just hearing a voice; you’re taking in every sound, every flicker of light, every shift in tone or expression. You’re noticing the pattern of speech, the weight of words, the emotions behind them, the memories they trigger. You’re analyzing, connecting, interpreting, and cross-referencing; all at once.

It’s like your brain has fifty browser tabs open and every one of them is playing audio. No wonder it takes a moment to respond. No wonder it can feel like time slips through your fingers while your brain is still sorting through the data.

What looks like “slow” to others is actually a storm of hyper-awareness and effort. It’s deep, layered processing that can’t be seen from the outside.

And that pause, the one that people mistake for hesitation or delay, isn’t a flaw. It’s a moment of immense work.

So maybe we need a different word than “slow.”
Maybe we’re thorough.
Maybe we’re multitrack processors.
Maybe we’re simply doing the kind of mental heavy lifting most people never have to do.

And that’s not a deficit. It’s a different way of experiencing the world; one that deserves understanding, patience, and a little awe.