The Neurodivergent Experience

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Simon Scott is joined by Ashley Dupuy to explore why the news feels so overwhelming — especially for neurodivergent brains.

With relentless headlines, graphic footage, political division, and algorithm-driven doom-scrolling, they unpack how constant exposure to crisis can heighten anxiety, disrupt sleep, and intensify black-and-white thinking.

Ashley explains the role of the brain’s reticular activating system (RAS) — the internal filtering system that shows us more of what we focus on. When we consume dark, catastrophic stories repeatedly, our brains begin scanning the world for more threats, reinforcing anxiety and hypervigilance.

They discuss:
Doom-scrolling and negativity bias
Heightened empathy and justice sensitivity
PTSD and re-traumatisation through graphic media
ADHD, stimulation-seeking, and news addiction
Black-and-white thinking in polarised times
The pressure to “have an opinion” on everything
Feeling powerless outside your circle of control
Social conversations built around “ain’t it awful”
News detoxes and intentional media boundaries
Using gratitude and inspiration to rebalance the brain

A thoughtful, honest discussion about emotional intensity, media overwhelm, and how to stay informed without sacrificing your nervous system.

Our Sponsors:
🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)
🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy
→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected
Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show
If this episode resonated with you:
✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience
⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Simon Scott is joined by Ashley Dupuy to explore the emotional reality of unmasking as a neurodivergent adult — especially after late diagnosis.
With Jordan still in New Zealand, Simon and Ashley dive into identity shifts, grief, anger, boundaries, and the destabilising question so many people face:
Who am I without the mask?

They discuss how masking begins as a survival strategy rooted in nervous system safety, but can eventually leave you disconnected from your authentic self. From overcorrecting into bluntness to navigating workplaces and losing friendships built on compliance, they unpack what really happens when you stop performing.

This episode explores:
The identity crisis after late diagnosis
Grief, anger, and the “what could I have been?” question
Fawning, people-pleasing, and compliance-based friendships
Over-correcting during early unmasking
Addiction, substances, and masking socially
Being told “you’ve changed”
Boundaries and losing fair-weather friends
Professional masking and workplace minefields
The difference between authenticity and dysregulation
Nervous system regulation as the foundation of unmasking
Curiosity vs shame when you “get it wrong”

A thoughtful, validating conversation about learning to be yourself — slowly, imperfectly, and without burning your life down in the process.

Our Sponsors:
🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)
🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy
→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected
Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show
If this episode resonated with you:
✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience
⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the word gratitude has ever made you roll your eyes, this episode is for you.

This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending everything is fine. It’s about neuroscience.

In this episode, Ashley explores how gratitude reshapes your Reticular Activating System (RAS) — the brain’s internal filter that decides what gets noticed. For neurodivergent nervous systems wired for intensity, pattern recognition, and threat detection, that filter can easily become tuned toward what’s overwhelming or missing.

Gratitude, practised intentionally, becomes a neural training practice.

You’ll learn how negativity bias and modern media hijack your attention, why simply searching for something to appreciate changes your brain, and how a simple six-week challenge can gently retrain your inner lens.

This is grounded, science-backed, and fully relevant to the lived experience of neurodivergence.

Gratitude isn’t naive.

It’s neural.

Our Sponsors:
🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)
🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy
→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected
Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show
If this episode resonated with you:
✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience
⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore the powerful impact of the British biographical drama I Swear — a neuroaffirming film based on the life of John Davidson, who developed Tourette’s syndrome as a child and later became a speaker and advocate.

They reflect on their wider experiences of being neurodivergent — the bullying, blame, masking, rejection, and misunderstanding that shaped their early lives. The film mirrors what it feels like to grow up different in a world that often responds with judgment rather than understanding.

Jordan shares memories of being mocked at school and blamed for behaviours he couldn’t control, while Simon opens up about the emotional impact of recognising how much he has masked over the years.

The conversation also explores how society can “disable” people through discrimination and rigid expectations, and how those social responses create lasting wounds. They reflect on the film’s empowering message of turning lived experience into advocacy — and how authentic neurodivergent representation can help transform pain into purpose and community.

They discuss:

Tourette’s syndrome and visible tics
Childhood bullying and social rejection
Being blamed for behaviours you can’t control
Masking and suppressing neurodivergent traits
Anxiety and symptom exacerbation
Law enforcement misunderstandings
Disability vs social disablement
Growing up feeling “othered”
Authentic neurodivergent representation in film
Turning lived experience into advocacy and community

An emotional, reflective episode about neurodivergence, identity, stigma, and the power of storytelling to shift perspective and create change.

Our Sponsors:
🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)
🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy
→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected
Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show
If this episode resonated with you:
✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience
⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this milestone 100th episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott reflect on self-sabotaging behaviours — from procrastination and perfectionism to impulsivity, addiction, rigid thinking, and negative self-talk.

They share personal stories about turning down opportunities, abandoning creative projects, gaming addiction, risk-taking, substance use, phone dependence, and the ways neurodivergent intensity can both fuel success and quietly derail it. The conversation explores how fear of failure, rejection sensitivity, and the need for stimulation often sit beneath these behaviours.

From code-switching and conscious camouflaging to asking “do you want my opinion?” before giving it, they reflect on how intentional change, emotional regulation, and meeting people where they are can reduce conflict without losing identity.

They discuss:

Procrastination, perfectionism, and fear of failure
Negative self-talk and rejection sensitivity
Risk-taking, addiction, and impulsivity
Gaming, gambling, substances, and phone dependence
Rigid thinking and relationship conflict
Oversharing and social missteps
Authenticity vs accountability
Code-switching and conscious camouflaging
Meeting people where they are
Learning to pause before speaking

A reflective, honest episode about growth, responsibility, and the messy reality of being neurodivergent — 100 episodes in.

Our Sponsors:
🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)
🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy
→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected
Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show
If this episode resonated with you:
✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience
⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.