“Putting on my music is like finding shelter in the storm.” – exploring the relationship between music & neurodivergence.

Dan Meakin is 20, and he has both autism and ADHD.

Music is a very important part of his life, which he uses to identify and understand his emotions, and find consistency in an ever-changing world.

“Being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world is hard.

“The world is loud, and music blocks that out for me.”

Music and music therapy are widely used to help neurodivergent people with self-expression, and to support them during shutdowns.

Great Ormond Street Hospital found that 100% of respondents to their survey thought music therapy to be extremely helpful in reducing anxiety.

Studies have also shown that music increases dopamine levels; people with ADHD tend to have lower levels of dopamine.

Dan listens to music every day, for as often as he can, and describes it as being a ‘shelter’ in moments of heightened anxiety.

They said: “In the midst of overload, my entire mind becomes a storm, and my body is full of lightning.

“Putting on my music is like finding shelter in the storm.”

Having ADHD and autism, Dan particularly struggles in unpredictable environments, such as shopping centres, and he also has difficulties in performing daily tasks.

“Even when I’m washing the dishes, or tidying my room, music is a must.”

He experiences times of extreme meltdowns, which makes him feel like his nervous system is firing.

To combat this, they have created their own ‘toolbox’ of music for every situation, to help navigate their way through.

Dan listens to a variety of music genres, but generally finds himself gravitating towards alt-pop and rock, R&B, and in his words: “just about anything with cool sounds and a good rhythm.”

His current favourite artists are Hans Zimmer, Hozier, and Lana Del Rey.

Dan also has synaesthesia, which is when the brain causes you to experience more than one sense simultaneously, such as being able to see what you are listening to.

He says that when he listens to music, he has powerful visuals that correspond to the sound.

“At times, music feels like floating on clouds, or flying through space.

“There’s a world inside each song, and I love putting my headphones on and getting lost in them.”