Is your stress "baked in"? For many neurodivergent people, typical advice doesn't work because our nervous systems process the world differently.

In this episode, Dr. Megan Anna Neff (autistic ADHD clinical psychologist) explains the Stress Cycle and why "completing" it is the secret to avoiding burnout and chronic exhaustion.

Join Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Brett as they discuss the stress cycle, focusing on how to manage stress effectively, especially for neurodivergent individuals. This video explores the critical difference between stressors and stress, offering practical insights for burnout recovery. Learn about the 'freeze response' and other ways to achieve stress release, helping you complete the stress cycle and improve your overall well-being.In this video podcast, you will learn:*Stress vs. Stressors: Why the physical response remains even after the external problem is gone.*The Neurodivergent Difference: How ADHD, autism, and Alexithymia impact how we recognize internal stress signals.*Completing the Cycle: Practical tools to release stress, from physical activity to sensory-friendly alternatives.*The Shutdown Response: How to manage stress when it manifests as "freezing" or dissociation.

This video podcast is not medical advice and is not to be considered therapy. • 📩 More resources + weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsights.com/resource-vault • 📚 Dr. Neff’s books: Self-Care for Autistic People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507221932?tag=myndwebsite20-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1 • The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/autistic-burnout-workbook/ • Neurodivergent Insights: https://neurodivergentinsights.com • Trainings: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/trainings/ • Neurodivergent Insights Workbooks: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/workbook/

Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist who blends research, clinical insight, and lived experience to make sense of adult neurodivergence. She creates clear, compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming education for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for the clinicians who support them.Each video offers practical tools, grounded explanations, and honest conversations about sensory health, burnout, masking, identity, and everyday neurodivergent life, living with ADHD and Autism.TL;DR: What You Need to KnowWhat is the Stress Cycle? It is a biological process where a stressor triggers a response (tension and mobilization), followed by a "relief phase" where the body releases that energy to return to a grounded baseline.The Problem: In modern life, we face "open loops" where stressors never fully end, causing stress to accumulate and lead to burnout and chronic health conditions.Stress vs. Stressors: A stressor is the external event; stress is the physical mobilization in your body. You must deal with the stress even if the stressor cannot be removed.How to Complete the Cycle: You can move stress out of your body through 20 minutes of physical activity, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, or social connection.Neurodivergent Considerations: For those with Alexithymia, stress might show up as physical "tells" (stomach aches, pacing) or thought patterns (rumination, dread). Shutdown and dissociation are also valid stress responses that require gentle release, such as hot showers or weighted blankets.

#Neurodivergent #ADHD #Autism #StressCycle #MentalHealth #BurnoutRecovery

Do the holidays spike anxiety, shutdown, irritability, or a vague sense of dread—especially if you’re autistic, ADHD, or AuDHD? In this episode, Dr. Megan Anna Neff explains “holiday syndrome”—a pattern noticed between Thanksgiving and New Year’s where stress, conflict, somatic symptoms, or old grief can surface, often tied to “unfinished business” from childhood and cultural pressure to feel connected and joyful.

The holidays can be an emotionally complex time, often leading to significant holiday overwhelm, especially for neurodivergent adults. This video discusses how to navigate these feelings, focusing on neurodivergent mental health during the season. We explore why mental health holidays are crucial for well-being and offer insights into managing expectations.

We also talk about why this season can be uniquely intense for neurodivergent adults: routine disruption, sensory overload, rigid “should” expectations, and the stories our brains tell when feelings don’t make sense (“What’s wrong with me?”).

***Please note this video is not medical advice and should not be considered medical advice nor is it therapy. This video is for educational purposes only.***

In this video, you’ll learn:
• What holiday syndrome means and how it can show up (mood shifts, anxiety/panic, somatic symptoms, conflict, relapse patterns, “magic fix” thinking)
• Why the season can activate unconscious dynamics—and why awareness helps
• How “secondary emotions” (judging your feelings) keep you stuck, and what to do instead
• Practical supports: sensory resets, nourishing vs. numbing self-care, anchoring routines, and safe foods

Read more about The Hidden Struggles of the Holidays from Dr. Megan Anna Neff here: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/hidden-struggles-holiday-season/
📩 More resources + weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsights.com/resource-vault
📚 Dr. Neff’s books: Self-Care for Autistic People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507221932?tag=myndwebsite20-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/autistic-burnout-workbook/
Neurodivergent Insights: https://neurodivergentinsights.com
Trainings: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/trainings/
Neurodivergent Insights Workbooks: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/workbook/

Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist who blends research, clinical insight, and lived experience to make sense of adult neurodivergence. She creates clear, compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming education for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for the clinicians who support them.

Each video offers practical tools, grounded explanations, and honest conversations about sensory health, burnout, masking, identity, and everyday neurodivergent life, living with ADHD and Autism.

Join Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Brett from Neurodivergent Insights as they discuss the conflict between neurodivergent needs and personal values, especially during the holiday season. This conversation expands on insights from Dr. Neff's newsletter, offering valuable perspectives for AuDHD individuals navigating holiday stress relief. Learn about nervous system regulation and how to find neurodivergent support during emotionally complex times.

What do you do when your values and your neurodivergent needs collide — especially during the holidays? In today’s conversation, Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they), an autistic ADHDer and clinical psychologist, explores why holiday gatherings often create a painful disconnect for autistic and ADHD adults, even when we deeply value family, connection, and tradition.

We talk about:
Sensory overwhelm during holiday events
The pressure to “enjoy” family gatherings
Why connection can feel out of reach in overstimulating environments
How autistic shutdowns and sensory barriers block access to our values
How to identify your core values (autonomy, stability, meaningful work, etc.)

How to realign holiday expectations with your neurodivergent needs
The difference between cultural expectations vs. authentic connection
What “values-based decision making” looks like for autistic/ADHD adults

How to create holidays that actually support your nervous system
This episode expands on Dr. Neff’s original essay about experiencing their first Thanksgiving after their autism diagnosis, and the surprising insight that helped her understand why holidays had always felt so hard, which you can read here: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/navigating-clashing-values/

🧰 Resources Mentioned
Free Values Sort Tool:
https://www.think2perform.com/values/
Use the same tool we referenced in this conversation to explore your own core values.
***Sign up for the Neurodivergent Insights Newsletter here: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsights.com/resource-vault
Self-Care for Autistic People:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507221932?tag=myndwebsite20-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
The Autistic Burnout Workbook:
https://neurodivergentinsights.com/autistic-burnout-workbook/

👍 If this conversation supported you…
Please like, comment, and subscribe. It genuinely helps this channel reach more neurodivergent adults who need affirming, research-grounded resources.

🧡 About Neurodivergent Insights
Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist who blends research, clinical insight, and lived experience to make sense of adult neurodivergence. She creates clear, compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming education for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for the clinicians who support them.

Dr. Neff is also the author of Self Care for Autistic People and The Autistic Burnout Workbook. They are also the creator of NeurodivergentInsights.com

Each video offers practical tools, grounded explanations, and honest conversations about sensory health, burnout, masking, identity, and everyday neurodivergent life, living with ADHD and Autism.

If mindfulness has ever made you feel more anxious, itchy, overwhelmed—or like you’re “doing it wrong”—you’re not alone.

In Part 1, Brett and Dr. Megan Anna Neff (autistic + ADHD clinical psychologist and creator of Neurodivergent Insights) talk about why the most common definition of mindfulness—“empty your mind” or “sit still and force calm”—can be especially distressing for neurodivergent nervous systems.

Together, we reframe mindfulness into something more accessible: shifting from an evaluative mind (judging, fixing, debating) to an observing mind (noticing with curiosity). We also share practical language you can use to create distance from sticky thoughts—without arguing with them.
In this episode, we cover:

• Why we're not “empty our mind” (and why it backfires for many ADHDers)
• Observing mind vs. evaluative mind
• The “fix-it/force-it” trap and how to soften it
• A simple phrase that helps: “I’m noticing I’m having the thought…”

Next up: Part 2 drops next week, where we connect mindfulness to ADHD arousal dysregulation and Mindfulness on the Go.

Links & resources:

📌 Resources + links:Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated From Anxiety: https://amzn.to/4qYJxffACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: https://amzn.to/3NUTBYrPart 2:    • Mindfulness on the Go: Why Stillness Backf...  NeurodivergentInsights.comNewsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsi...Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LCaz1g...This video is not medical advice and is not to be considered therapy. 📩 Resources + weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsi... • 📚 Dr. Neff’s books: Self-Care for Autistic People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507221932?... • The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/au... • Neurodivergent Insights: https://neurodivergentinsights.com • Trainings: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/tr... • Neurodivergent Insights Workbooks: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/wo...

Spotify Q&A: What part of mindfulness feels hardest for you—stillness, racing thoughts, body sensations, or self-judgment?

If mindfulness has ever made you feel foggy, sleepy, restless, or more activated, this episode is for you.

In Part 2 of our conversation on Mindfulness and being Neurodivergent, Brett and Dr. Megan Anna Neff (creator of Neurodivergent Insights) explain why mindfulness can be uniquely challenging for neurodivergent people—especially ADHD—and how it often comes down to arousal dysregulation.

For many ADHDers, being still can nudge the nervous system toward hypoarousal (foggy, checked out, shut down), and the body compensates by fidgeting, tapping, or seeking stimulation just to get back online.

Then we get practical with Mindfulness on the Go—ways to build mindfulness that work with your nervous system: movement, music, walking, and tactile options, without pressure to do it perfectly.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why stillness can backfire for ADHD and neurodivergent nervous systems
• What hypoarousal can look like in everyday life
• Why fidgeting can be regulation (not failure)
• “Mindfulness on the Go”: active approaches that actually work
• A simple tool for distance from thoughts: “I’m noticing I’m having the thought…”

Want the foundation first? Part 1 is linked in the show notes.

Links & resources: Add in your show notes (Part 1 link, website, newsletter, recommended resources):

Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated From Anxiety: https://amzn.to/4qYJxffACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: https://amzn.to/3NUTBYrPart 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZhVKn78ADENeurodivergentInsights.comNewsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsi...Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LCaz1g...This video is not medical advice and is not to be considered therapy. 📩 Resources + weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsi... • 📚 Dr. Neff’s books: Self-Care for Autistic People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507221932?... • The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/au... • Neurodivergent Insights: https://neurodivergentinsights.com • Trainings: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/tr... • Neurodivergent Insights Workbooks: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/wo...

Spotify Q&A: When you try mindfulness, what happens most—calmer, foggier/sleepier, more restless, or more anxious?

AuDHD is a community-created identity term for people who are both autistic and ADHD. In this episode, Dr. Megan Anna Neff—ADHD and Autistic clinical psychologist, founder of Neurodivergent Insights, and author of Self Care for Autistic People and The Autistic Burnout Workbook—explains what AuDHD means, why it isn’t a formal DSM diagnosis, and why so many people describe discovering the term as a “lightbulb moment.”

You’ll learn why AuDHD isn’t simply “ADHD + autism,” but a dynamic interplay that can create a familiar “push–pull”: structure vs novelty, quiet solitude vs loud impulsivity, deep focus vs overwhelm with “pingy thoughts,” and more. Dr. Neff also shares why language matters—how naming our experience can reduce shame and increase self-compassion—and what’s coming next in future Neurodivergent Insights episodes on diagnosis, burnout, energy, and daily life.

Follow/subscribe to Neurodivergent Insights for more conversations on AuDHD, autism, ADHD, and neurodivergent education and resources.

Note: This episode is educational and not medical advice.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed you know you need self-care… but choosing what to do feels impossible?
In this episode, Dr. Megan Anna Neff (Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist) and Brett from Neurodivergent Insights talk about why autistic self-care is different—especially for late-discovered autistic adults—and how to build support that works in the moment, not just in theory.

We also dig into Dr. Neff’s newest release, Self-Care Activities for Autistic People, a card deck of 100 step-by-step exercises designed to reduce decision fatigue and executive function load—so you can reach for something supportive right now.

You can learn more about the new card deck here: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/self-care-for-autistic-people-card-deck/?srsltid=AfmBOoqYaJIefAKDIK4oo3Og5YaFMNzwX56mX5FIcVcRAOd0R6QXveAJ

n this episode, we cover:

• Why self-care can feel impossible when you’re overwhelmed
• What autistic self-care really means (and why generic advice often fails)
• How to use a step-by-step approach to reduce decision fatigue
• Ways to build a small “go-to” stack for burnout, anxiety, and overstimulation
• Relearning how to trust your body’s signals—on your terms

Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist who blends research, clinical insight, and lived experience to make sense of adult neurodivergence. She creates clear, compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming education for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for the clinicians who support them.Each video offers practical tools, grounded explanations, and honest conversations about sensory health, burnout, masking, identity, and everyday neurodivergent life, living with ADHD and Autism.

Learn more and sign up for our newsletter at: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/

If you’ve been told “it’s just ADHD,” there may be autistic traits hiding in plain sight under AuDHD. In this episode, I walk through six ways ADHD can overshadow autism in AuDHD adults, and what that actually feels like in everyday life.

Whether you’re a neurodivergent adult or a clinician, we explore how diagnostic overshadowing shows up in real life and why so many AuDHD adults, especially women and marginalized folks, don’t get the full autistic picture until later in life.

Read the companion article and resources:
https://neurodivergentinsights.com/adhd-hides-autism

In this episode, we cover:

• Why social struggles get read as “just impulsive” or “ADHD social skills issues” instead of autistic communication differences

• How sensory seeking and sensory overload get filed under ADHD “hyperactivity” instead of autistic sensory processing

• Executive function differences that go deeper than ADHD alone, especially in AuDHD adults juggling multiple roles

• Emotional responses to change being misread as “poor frustration tolerance” instead of autistic need for predictability and transition support

• Special interests being collapsed into “ADHD hyperfocus,” hiding autistic passion, depth, and pattern‑seeking

• How masking uses ADHD traits to cover autistic traits, and what unmasking can look like for AuDHD

This episode is for education only. It is not medical advice and is not therapy.

More from Neurodivergent Insights:

• Weekly newsletter and resource vault: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsights.com/resource-vault

• Self-Care for Autistic People: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/self-care-for-autistic-people/

• The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/autistic-burnout-workbook/

• Workbooks and tools: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/workbook/

• Trainings: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/trainings/

• Website: https://neurodivergentinsights.com

#AuDHD, ADHD, autism, diagnostic overshadowing, adult neurodivergence

When autism is identified first, ADHD can hide in plain sight, tucked behind the structure, the routines, and the focused intensity that autistic neurology creates. If you've been told your focus looks "fine" while you're quietly drowning in cognitive noise, half-finished tasks, and a nervous system that won't settle, this video explores what might be going on underneath.

This video is for AuDHD adults, late-identified Autistic people exploring whether ADHD is also part of their experience, and clinicians working with neurodivergent clients.

If you want to go deeper, I wrote a companion article that maps out all six patterns in detail:

https://neurodivergentinsights.com/adhd-hides-autism/

• How autistic routines and structure can compensate for and hide ADHD distractibility

• Why shutdowns and meltdowns get attributed to autism alone, missing the ADHD cognitive overwhelm

• The difference between autistic inertia and ADHD task paralysis, and how both can operate at once

• How special interests can mask ADHD novelty seeking (the "special interest solar system")

• Why quiet, inattentive ADHD is especially vulnerable to being missed when autism is already known

• How monotropism can look like excellent focus while ADHD fragments attention outside that channel

• Defensive monotropic mode: when deep focus becomes an escape from ADHD overwhelm

• Diagnostic overshadowing from co-occurring mental health conditions

Two Autistic burnout authors in conversation for the first time. Dr. Megan Anna Neff sits down with Amelia Nagoski, co-author of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, to talk about what it means to complete the stress cycle when you're Autistic, alexithymic, and your body doesn't always tell you when it's stressed.

They cover the science of the stress cycle, why removing the stressor doesn't remove the stress, alexithymia and interoception, sensory-based ways to find safety, Autistic persistence as strength and risk, the link between autism and long COVID, and why collective care (not self-care) is the real path out of burnout.

The autism rate in the U.S. has risen from 1 in 150 to 1 in 31 over the past two decades. But the story behind that number is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest. In this conversation, Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Dr. Donna Henderson walk through the history of autism in the DSM, the systemic shifts driving increased recognition, and why "epidemic" framing misses the point.

This video is for Autistic adults, late-diagnosed people, clinicians, parents, and anyone who has been asked "why is autism on the rise?" and wanted a deeper, more grounded answer to offer.

📩 If you want to go deeper on this topic, we have a visual guide and transcript available alongside this video on our website:https://neurodivergentinsights.com/episodes/why-is-autism-on-the-rise/

AuDHD and OCD overlap in ways that make all three hard to see clearly, and most of us don't get language for it until we've been confused by these patterns for years.This video is for AuDHD adults, late-diagnosed Autistic and ADHD people who suspect OCD might be in the mix, and clinicians working at the intersection. We walk through where they overlap, and how to begin teasing apart what is what — including practical questions you can ask yourself in the moment.📩 If you'd like to go deeper, here's the full article on ADHD, autism, and OCD: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/adhd-vs-autism-vs-ocd/In this video, we explore:→ Why OCD often gets missed when ADHD or autism are already in the picture→ How working memory shows up differently in ADHD vs OCD vs AuDHD→ The difference between ADHD compensation and OCD compulsion (and how they can spiral into each other)→ Why autistic people need routines — and how that's different from OCD avoidance→ A predictive-processing explanation of why familiarity matters→ How to tell an autistic ritual from an OCD compulsion (look for the logic)→ What shows up at the three-way intersection — sensory sensitivities, BFRBs, executive function strain→ A starting place for noticing your own patterns with curiosity instead of judgementOCD commonly co-occurs with both autism and ADHD, and clinical observation suggests rates may be higher for AuDHD folks specifically. The overlap with predictive processing, executive functioning, and sensory differences means this work benefits from both neurodivergent-affirming accommodations AND targeted treatment for OCD — not one or the other.