Unapologetically AuDHD

12 We're Taking a Pause (and Here's Why) SUMMARY Patricia Young (she/her) shares that the podcast is being paused as Alex (they/them) steps back to focus on healing and recovery. She opens up about the grief, uncertainty, and emotional toll that can come with chronic illness, especially when capacity changes and familiar routines are no longer sustainable. This episode offers validation and compas...

11 Justice Sensitivity in a Dumpster Fire Timeline: How to Care for Yourself SUMMARY Patricia Young (she/her) and Alex McLaughlin (they/them) have a compassionate conversation about navigating collective stress and uncertainty as autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, and chronically ill adults. Without going into graphic details (ICE occupation, Epstein Files), they acknowledge the emotional weight many are carr...

10. When Consistency Meets Chronic Illness SUMMARY Patricia Young (she/her) explains why she and Alex haven't been able to release podcast episodes consistently and shares the very real impact of living with chronic illness as AuDHD adults. Patricia speaks openly about recording challenges, fluctuating capacity, and the grief that comes with no longer being able to push through fatigue, pain, and...

9. The Change Episode: Why Even Tiny Shifts Can Feel Like Major Plot Twists SUMMARY This episode explores why managing change can feel so intensely dysregulating for autistic and AuDHD folks. Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) talk openly about post-holiday burnout, the emotional and sensory cost of social expectations, and the internal pressure to appear flexible even when our nervous system...

8. What is Autism Part 4: The DSM Got It Wrong: What Autism Really Looks Like SUMMARY In this conversation, Patricia Young (she/her) and Alex McLaughlin (they/them) wrap up their discussion on the DSM criteria for autism through a deeply human, neurodiversity-affirming lens. They unpack how autism presents across childhood and adulthood, challenge medicalized definitions, and reflect on the lived...

7. What is Autism Part 3: Routine, Rattled, and Ready: Living the DSM Out Loud SUMMARY In this lively and validating episode, Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) unpack how the DSM describes autism versus how it actually feels to live it. They explore everyday stimming, sensory seeking, routines, and how nervous system regulation shapes reactions, from "that's my chair" moments to deep nervous...

6. What is Autism part 2: So…do we have to text back? Autism friendship "rules" SUMMARY In this episode, Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) continue their series on What is Autism? by exploring DSM criteria alongside lived experiences. They discuss how autistic people navigate relationships, friendship dynamics, context shifting, alexithymia, PDA, and the double empathy problem. Both share pe...

5: What is Autism Part 1: Autism Isn't a Deficit, It's a Different Operating System SUMMARY  Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) dive into the DSM diagnostic criteria for autism and break it down through a lived-experience lens. Instead of deficit-based language, they highlight autistic strengths, differences, and everyday realities of being AuDHD and neurodivergent. Expect honest stories, lau...

4: OCD pt. 2: OCD, ADHD & the Dishwasher Olympics: When Efficiency Becomes a Sport SUMMARY In this candid and often humorous episode, Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) share their deeply personal neurodivergent experiences with OCD, weaving in childhood rituals, intrusive harm thoughts, contamination fears, and the tangled coexistence of Autism, ADHD, and trauma. They explore how OCD shows u...

OCD: When Your Brain Plays the "What if" Game   SUMMARY In this conversation, Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) delve into the complexities of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), discussing its definitions, misconceptions, and talking about their lived experiences with OCD. They explore the different themes and subtypes of OCD, the impact of reassurance seeking in relationships. The discuss...

How we met; our fears about starting a podcast, and navigating time agnosia   SUMMARY   In this conversation, Patricia (she/her) and Alex (they/them) explore their differing relationships with time, the impact of time sensitivities on their friendship, and the insecurities that arise in their podcasting journey. They discuss the importance of communication in relationships, especially regarding ti...

Our Autism and ADHD Diagnoses Journeys   In this heartfelt episode, join Alex (they/them) and Patricia (she/her) as they open up about their personal journeys to understanding their Autism and ADHD diagnoses. From initial suspicions and self-assessments to the emotional rollercoaster of validation, anger, grief, sadness and more, they share candid insights into the challenges and revelations that...

Introduction and What to Expect In this episode of Unapologetically, AuDHD, hosts Patricia Young (she/her) and Alex McLaughlin (they/them) introduce this new podcast, sharing their backgrounds, experiences, and the mission behind the show. They discuss the importance of normalizing neurodivergent experiences, the topics they plan to cover, and some feelings about self-disclosure in therapy. The co...