'My whole life I have been misunderstood': Influencer gets candid about being neurodivergent, calls out online critic

Mik Zazon is getting candid about what it's like to be a high-masking neurodivergent person. The influencer took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday with a candid series of videos addressing a hurtful comment that struck a chord with her, claiming she doesn't "look" like she has neurodiversity and that she's misusing her platform.

"I had someone comment something on my Instagram post today that I cannot stop thinking about, which admittedly I need to stop doing," the Columbus, Ohio-based internet personality began in clips. "But I think this is a good conversation to be had. They said something along the lines of, I 'didn't look neurodivergent and by one look at my page, I am abusing my platform and discrediting other neurodivergents.'"

The 28 year old went on to explain the lifelong struggle of feeling misunderstood because she didn't fit the typical mold of someone who's neurodivergent.

"My whole life I have been misunderstood for that exact reason, because I didn't look like I had a 'problem,'" she shared. "Yet the education system and the social systems could not fit me in their boxes. I was not somebody that could be easily placed, so I was tossed around and I wasn't quite paid attention to because I knew how to act in certain situations."

The term "neurodivergent" refers to people whose brain function diverges from the typical development or functionality. This includes conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyslexia, and more, according to Cleveland Clinic. ADHD is a common neurodivergent condition. Symptoms in women often include inattentiveness, disorganization and emotional dysregulation, which can sometimes lead to them being overlooked or misdiagnosed.

In her clips, Zazon touched on "masking," which is a coping mechanism where neurodivergent people mimic socially-acceptable behaviours in order to fit in: "Even to this day, I have a lot of trouble. ... I know the term 'masking,' and I'm not on the spectrum. Maybe I am, I don't know."

"The only reason I was able to just get by without anybody really paying attention to me, even though it felt like I was dying inside, was because I studied how other people acted and dressed and spoke and walked. I literally studied it," she indicated. "And then at the end of the day, I would come back home and I would feel so exhausted. This was my whole life."

The content creator pointed out the struggles many neurodivergent women face: "The only way I was able to skate through life like that was because I looked 'normal.' And that comment, comments like that in general, just get to me because you have no idea what is behind someone's life on social media. ... It is to your disadvantage to judge people based on what they look like."

This isn't the first time Zazon has opened up about her experience with being neurodivergent. In December 2023, she shared an Instagram Reel focusing on what her life is like with ADHD.

In the video, Zazon candidly demonstrated the daily challenges she faces. Those include feeling overstimulated, having disorganized thoughts, stimming, having to set reminders for herself, starting but not finishing projects, decision paralysis, impulsive spending, and experiencing hyperfixations — all of which are common symptoms of ADHD.

In the comments section of the post, people resonated with her experience. Many of those people indicated they also face the same challenges.

"That's how I feel daily with ADHD, plus anxiety and extreme OCD," one person shared.

"Never understood someone more in my life. Thanks for being vulnerable with all of us, it doesn't go unnoticed," another added.

"I've never related to anything more in my life," someone chimed in.

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