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Psychedelic Use in Autistic Adults: A New Path to Mental Health and Social Connection?

A recent study published in Psychopharmacology has found that some autistic adults report lasting improvements in mental health and social engagement following psychedelic experiences.

This research suggests that psychedelics, including LSD and psilocybin, may reduce distress and social anxiety while increasing social connectedness.

However, the study also underscores the need for caution, as a minority of participants reported negative experiences.

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Attachment and Neurodiversity: How ASD and ADHD Affect Bonding

Dr. Gordon Neufeld and Dr. Gabor Maté’s seminal work Hold On to Your Kids (2005) explores how attachment—the invisible yet mighty force that binds humans together—shapes our emotional development.

But what happens when the brain itself is wired a little differently?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) don’t just tweak the settings of attention and impulse control; they fundamentally alter how humans bond, express love, and interpret connection.

Let's examine how neurodiversity influences attachment, why conventional bonding theories don’t always fit, and how we can build bridges of connection that honor these differences rather than force them into neurotypical molds.

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Neurodivergent Date Night: Love in the Time of Sensory Overload

Somewhere in an alternate universe—or possibly just an Applebee’s on a Saturday night—neurotypical couples are having their version of a "perfect" date night.

There are candles, shared appetizers, and whispered sweet nothings that mean precisely nothing.

Meanwhile, our neurodivergent friends, God bless them, are trying not to be destroyed by the flickering fluorescent lights, the clatter of forks against porcelain, and the soul-crushing obligation to make direct eye contact for an extended period.

So, let’s get this straight: For some, traditional date nights are a capitalist hallucination.

For those whose nervous systems resemble a 1950s radio in a lightning storm, we need something else. Something better.

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Emotion Dysregulation: A Missing Piece in the ADHD Puzzle?

For decades, ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) has been understood through the lens of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity—a classic trio that makes school, work, and relationships an uphill battle.

But what if we’ve been missing something?

What if the emotional rollercoaster—the meltdowns, the mood swings, the struggle to self-soothe—isn’t just a side effect of ADHD, but a core part of it?

New research published in Nature Mental Health suggests exactly that.

A study analyzing longitudinal brain data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study found that emotion dysregulation is a key pathway to ADHD, potentially as important as the well-documented cognitive and motivational dysfunctions (Hou et al., 2024).

In other words, ADHD isn’t just about struggling to pay attention or sit still. It’s also about struggling to regulate emotions—a factor that may explain why standard ADHD medications don’t fully work for everyone.

So, what did the researchers discover? And what does this mean for treatment, diagnosis, and the way we think about ADHD? Let’s dive in.

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Gender Expansive Behavior and ADHD: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective

The intersection of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and gender-expansive behavior has garnered increasing attention in clinical and academic research.

ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impulsivity, executive dysfunction, and emotional dysregulation, appears to have a notable correlation with gender variance, including gender nonconformity, nonbinary identities, and gender fluidity.

This paper explores the research linking ADHD to gender identity development, highlighting neuropsychological, social, and emotional factors that contribute to this phenomenon.

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Stimulant medications lower depression risk in children with ADHD

A meta-analysis of studies on children and adolescents with ADHD found that they are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders.

However, taking stimulant medication for ADHD was associated with a reduced risk of depression.

The paper was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, impulsivity, and activity levels.

Kids with ADHD tend to struggle with staying focused, following instructions, or controlling impulses. It is commonly diagnosed in childhood (usually at the start of school) but can continue into well into adulthood.

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What is an HSP? The Highly Sensitive Person and the Neurodiversity Spectrum

We seem to be living in an age in which resilience is championed and emotional toughness is often equated with success.

In such world, high sensitivity can feel like a liability.

But for an estimated 15–20% of the population, sensitivity is not just a temperament—it’s a neurobiological reality (Aron, 1997). These individuals, known as Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs), experience the world more intensely than their peers, processing sensory input, emotions, and social cues at a much deeper level.

But what exactly makes an HSP different? Is high sensitivity a disorder, an advantage, or simply a variation of normal human neurobiology? And how does this trait intersect with other forms of neurodiversity, such as autism, ADHD, and giftedness?

This post will take a deep, research-backed dive into the world of HSPs, exploring their biological underpinnings, their connection to other forms of neurodivergence, the challenges they face, and the ways they can harness their unique strengths to thrive.

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Neurodivergent Task Management: Overcoming Procrastination, Task Paralysis, and Energy Crashes

For many neurodivergent people, task management isn’t just about “getting things done”—it’s about navigating executive dysfunction, time blindness, rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and sensory needs in a world that assumes productivity is one-size-fits-all.

The struggle isn’t laziness or lack of discipline—it’s a mismatch between traditional productivity systems and how neurodivergent brains actually work.

ADHD brains might crave dopamine-driven motivation but get stuck in task paralysis. Autistic brains might experience black-and-white thinking, making tasks feel either all-consuming or completely inaccessible.

Sensory sensitivities, emotional dysregulation, and decision fatigue further complicate the process.

Instead of forcing neurodivergent minds into neurotypical models, this guide dives deeper into why procrastination happens, how task paralysis forms, and how to create a task system built for neurodivergent cognitive styles—not against them.

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Neurodiversity and Productivity: Rethinking Focus, Motivation, and Getting Things Done

Productivity advice is everywhere—morning routines, deep work strategies, time-blocking hacks—but for neurodivergent minds, these techniques often feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

A brain that struggles with executive function, time blindness, or sensory sensitivities won’t magically start working like a productivity guru’s just because they set up a bullet journal or downloaded a new task manager app.

Neurodivergent productivity isn’t about “working harder” or “pushing through.”

It’s about understanding how different brains process time, focus, and motivation, and designing systems that work with, rather than against, these differences.

In this post, we’ll explore the science of neurodivergent motivation, executive function, sensory-friendly work strategies, and sustainable productivity hacks that actually work.

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Neurodiversity and Emotional Regulation: Why Big Feelings Hit Harder and How to Cope

Ever had an emotion hit so hard it felt like a tidal wave?

Or struggled to put your feelings into words, only to realize what you were feeling hours later? Maybe you’ve been told you “overreact” to small things—or that you seem “too distant” when emotions are expected.

For neurodivergent people, emotional regulation can feel like navigating an unpredictable landscape.

Some emotions arrive too intensely, while others seem delayed, muted, or confusing. This isn’t a lack of effort or self-awareness—it’s the way some brains process emotions.

Whether it’s the emotional intensity of ADHD, the delayed processing of autism, or the deep empathy of highly sensitive people, understanding neurodivergent emotional regulation can make a huge difference in managing stress, relationships, and overall well-being.

In this post, we’ll explore why emotional regulation works differently in neurodivergent brains, common challenges, and strategies for managing emotions in a way that actually helps.

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3 Reasons Why Burnout Feels Different for Neurodivergent People

Burnout isn’t just feeling tired or needing a vacation—it’s hitting a wall so hard that even basic tasks feel impossible. For neurodivergent people, burnout isn’t just about work stress or too many deadlines.

It’s the result of constantly adapting to a world that wasn’t designed for their brains—masking traits to fit in, pushing through sensory overload, or battling executive dysfunction while juggling responsibilities.

Unlike regular exhaustion, neurodivergent burnout can last for weeks, months, or even years, leaving people mentally drained, emotionally detached, and physically exhausted.

The worst part? Most traditional self-care advice—"just rest,” “take a break,” “practice mindfulness”—doesn’t actually help.

In this post, we’ll explore why burnout hits harder for neurodivergent people, how to recognize the signs before a full crash, and what actually helps with recovery.

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Neurodiversity and Parenting: Raising Kids Who Think Differently

Parenting is already a rollercoaster—full of love, joy, and the occasional existential crisis when a toddler demands to know why the sky is blue for the hundredth time. But raising a neurodivergent child? That’s a whole different ride.

Maybe your kid hyperfocuses on dinosaurs for months, memorizing every species and correcting strangers at the museum.

Maybe they struggle with transitions, melting down when it’s time to leave the playground. Maybe their brain is a whirlwind of ideas, but sitting still for more than five minutes feels impossible.

Neurodivergent kids see and interact with the world in their own way, which means traditional parenting advice doesn’t always work.

The good news? With the right tools, support, and mindset, you can create an environment where they thrive—not just survive.

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