The Hidden Sense You’ve Probably Never Heard Of, And Why It Matters in Neurodiversity
Most people are familiar with the five main senses, sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Some have heard of proprioception, which involves knowing where your body is in space, or the vestibular sense, which relates to balance. But there’s another sense that shapes our entire experience of being human.
Interoception, our internal sense.
It’s how we know we’re hungry. How we feel the tightness in our chest when we’re anxious. How we notice a pounding heart, a full bladder, or a flutter in our stomach.
And for many neurodivergent people, this sense works differently.
What Is Interoception
Interoception is your body’s ability to notice and interpret signals from within.
Some examples include feeling a dry throat that signals thirst, a tight stomach that signals anxiety or hunger, butterflies before a big event, a racing heart during fear or excitement, the slow heavy drag of tiredness, or feeling a headache build or a need to use the toilet.
These signals help you understand what’s going on inside your body and often link directly to how you are feeling emotionally.
When Interoception Works Differently
Not everyone experiences interoception in the same way. Many neurodivergent people, including those who are autistic, ADHD, or have sensory processing differences, experience interoception as either muted, unpredictable, or intensified.
This can show up in different ways.
Some people feel things too much
They notice every heartbeat, every small sensation, every tiny shift in their body. It can be overwhelming, confusing, or even frightening.
Examples might include
I feel like my heart’s beating out of my chest but I don’t know why
I feel sick but nothing’s wrong with me
Noise, lights, smells and my body, everything feels like too much
Some people feel too little
They don’t notice hunger until they’re dizzy. They don’t realise they’re cold, in pain, anxious, or overstimulated until they’re shutting down.
Examples might include
I didn’t realise I was hungry until I was shaking
I was so focused I forgot to go to the toilet for hours
I didn’t know I was upset until I started crying
For others, it’s delayed or unclear
Emotions and body signals come through late or don’t seem to match up. One moment they’re calm, the next they’re overwhelmed, with no warning signs they could catch in time.
Examples might include
I thought I was fine, then I suddenly snapped
I don’t know what I feel, just that I feel weird
My body feels wrong, but I don’t have the words
The Cycle of Misunderstanding
When someone can’t read their own body signals clearly, it can lead to emotional outbursts without clear triggers, shutdowns or meltdowns that seem out of the blue, being labelled as dramatic, lazy, or overreacting, or difficulty answering questions like how do you feel or what do you need.
It’s not about attention seeking, and it’s not emotional immaturity. It’s the body not giving clear messages to the brain, or the brain not interpreting them in a way that makes sense to others.
What You Might Notice in a Neurodivergent Person
Here are common signs that someone may experience interoception differently.
Interoception difference - What you might see
Missed signals - Doesn’t notice pain, hunger, tiredness until it’s extreme
Emotional confusion - Says I don’t know how I feel
Sudden reactions - Appears calm, then overwhelmed with no warning
Intense focus or shutdown - Ignores basic needs during tasks or after stimulation
Mixed body and emotion cues - Describes physical symptoms with no clear illness
These are not signs of being difficult. They are signs of a body and brain that are tuned differently.
Why This Matters
Understanding interoception helps us realise that not everyone feels their body the same way, not everyone can explain how they feel even if they’re feeling a lot, and neurodivergent people may look fine from the outside while they’re overwhelmed on the inside. They may also react with big emotions that seem to come out of nowhere.
It’s not about being difficult. It’s about having a nervous system that works differently.
Final Thought
Interoception shapes how we understand our bodies, our emotions, and even our relationships. When that sense works differently, it can change how someone experiences the world, not just physically but emotionally and socially too.
By recognising interoception differences in neurodivergent people, we don’t just increase awareness, we increase patience, compassion, and connection.
Sometimes, the loudest signals are the ones no one else can see.
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