What Is Interoception — and Why It Matters for Neurodivergent People

interoception: the brain's ability to sense and interpret internal body signals.

Have you ever noticed that your child seems unaware of being hungry until they're completely melting down — or that they don't realize they need the bathroom until it's an emergency? These moments may not be about behavior or defiance. They may be connected to something called interoception: the brain's ability to sense and interpret internal body signals. Interoception is often described as our "eighth sense," and it encompasses our awareness of hunger, thirst, heart rate, temperature, pain, and even emotions. When interoceptive processing works smoothly, we can respond to our body's needs before they become overwhelming. When it doesn't, the body's internal signals can feel confusing, muted, or even absent.

For many neurodivergent individuals — including those who are autistic, have ADHD, or carry a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile — interoceptive differences are remarkably common. Research suggests that differences in interoception may contribute to a wide range of challenges that can look like emotional dysregulation, sensory sensitivity, difficulty identifying feelings (sometimes called alexithymia), and trouble understanding or meeting basic physical needs. A child who can't tell they're getting anxious until they've already hit the point of shutdown isn't being dramatic. Their nervous system may genuinely not be sending — or accurately interpreting — the early warning signals that others rely on. Understanding this can be a profound reframe for families and caregivers: what looks like a behavior problem may actually be a neurological difference in body awareness.

Neurodiversity-affirming therapy often incorporates interoception-based work

The good news is that interoceptive awareness can be supported and strengthened. Neurodiversity-affirming therapy often incorporates interoception-based work — not to "fix" the child, but to help them build a richer, more reliable connection to their own body at their own pace. This might look like gentle body-check-in activities, movement-based play, mindfulness adapted for neurodivergent brains, or simply helping a child build vocabulary for internal states ("my stomach feels tight" or "my chest feels fizzy"). When children and teens develop greater interoceptive awareness, they often become more capable of self-regulation, better able to advocate for their needs, and less prone to emotional overwhelm. At our practice, we believe this kind of work is foundational — because helping a child understand their own body is one of the most empowering things we can do.