The holidays can be especially stressful for those who are neurodivergent. Google Images As someone who copes with severe anxiety and depression, the holidays historically have been rough for me. There are myriad reasons for it, but suffice it to say, Im glad the holiday season is in the rearview mirrorthe requisite family gatherings increases my uncomfortableness, despite being surrounded by people I know and love. Chalk it up to mental health and an extremely strong inclination towards introversion.It turn out, Im not alone. Back in October, the folks at disability-centric nonprofit Understood.org released results of a study on neurodivergent people managing the holiday chaos. The study, conducted in conjunction with The Harris Poll, surveyed 2,035 neurodivergent adults. 1,228 of whom have an ADHD diagnosis, 1,292 have learning and thinking differences, and 710 parenting children under 18. At a high level, Understood said the survey helped reveal the holidays present unique challenges to neurodivergent adults, adding the lesson learned is the need for support during one of the most stressful times of the year.In an interview with me last month, Understoods Dr. Andrew Kahn, who works as the organizations associate director of behavior change and expertise, explained although the holidays can be the most wonderful time of year for many people, the reality is the holidays can be most stressful for those who are neurodivergent and their families. In an allusion to my own person experience, Dr. Kahn said the societal conventions around the holidayssocial gatherings and the likecan be hard to navigate for many people. The holiday study, he told me, was conceived as a conduit through which Understood could better understand what support and guidance could benefit the 70 million Americans who learn and think differently during this holiday season.At Understood, we know that neurodivergent individuals, like those with ADHD and dyslexia, find the holidays uniquely stressful, Dr. Kahn said of the organizations empathy. Families and friends are often unaware of just how stressful it can be, and the stigma associated with neurodiversity can often be a big barrier to holiday happiness.Dr. Kahn reemphasized the notion that the holidays can be problematic for those in the neurodivergent community, telling me the ostensibly happy times can in actuality present unexpected stressors such as shifts in schedules and, to my aforementioned point about family gatherings, increases in social demands and sensory impact. However well-intentioned they are, Dr. Kahn said hosts and extended family may be unaware of their neurodivergent loves one(s); this lack of understanding can potentially lead to awkwardness and hurt feelings when, for instance, a person may request to leave early due to feeling overwhelmed. Furthermore, Dr. Kahn mentioned even neurotypical people struggle with interruptions with their day-to-day routine, which can take them away from their comfort zone. For neurodivergent people, he told me many struggle with executive functionwhich includes the ability to plan, organize, and perform multi-step tasks. This, in turn, [creates] a nightmare scenario when trying to accomplish things like planning a holiday meal and buying gifts. It can become overwhelming.MORE FOR YOUAccording to Dr. Kahn, Understoods survey found that 56% of adults with ADHD reported issues with organizing and finishing holiday-related jobs in a timely manner, while 52% said they struggle with buying gifts on time. He went on to say half of adults with learning and thinking differences say their neurodivergence impacts their holiday season financially with budgeting while the other half struggles with attending the innumerable social events occurring during the season.When asked how neurodivergent people can best cope with the holidays, Dr. Kahn told me technological tools can play a prominent role in building success. He noted having a family calendar, routinely updated with new information, can prove extremely helpful in helping a person remember when and where they are supposed to be. Likewise, reminder notificationsdays ahead and on the day ofare beneficial in helping someone see what is on deck and remember what other plans may be coming. Elsewhere, Dr. Kahn recommended shared shopping lists (with deadlines) for keeping track of gift-giving, as well as the use of financial apps to help keep an eye on ones budget. Noise-cancelling headphones such as Apples AirPods, he added, can be helpful aids for limiting sensory impact on holiday travel and overstimulating environments.Dr. Kahns insights are important, as many of these strategies can be applied to other times of year as well. For the winter holidays in particular, however, Understood has put together a guide to help neurodivergent people navigate the ups and downs of the season."The holidays can be such an amazing and fun time for so many people, but for neurodivergent individuals, the fun and excitement can often come at a high cost, Dr. Kahn said. Sharing key information with supportive friends and family about your neurodivergence in advance can often pave the way for a better holiday experience for all. Understood.org offers thousands of expert-vetted resources to help neurodivergent folks and those who care about them learn to better understand their differences and thrive. Consider sharing the gift of compassion by helping to overcome stigma and create events and celebrations that are enjoyable for all.My conversation with Dr. Kahn came not long after I interviewed Understoods chief technology officer Rahul Rao about, amongst other things, the impact of artificial intelligence to be an assistive technology.