ADHD and autism has always existed throughout history but I think the difference now is the extreme stigma around the labels and the rush to figure out a cause. So many historical texts, newspapers and journals describe people who are potentially neurodivergent, had a learning disorder or intellectual disability. They’re like “My son is really helpful around the farm but he’s got a habit of repeating himself over and over again, he didn’t do good in school and he doesn’t seem interested in going to dances and meeting new people. He’s a good boy, just quiet.” or “My sister is a sweet girl but she is very sensitive and it takes a while for her to get used to changes. She’s house proud and very particular about where everything goes.“ and that is just how it was. Institutionalization was part of the reason you didn’t ‘see’ autistic and intellectually disabled people and another reason was that they just lived out their lives without anyone looking.
