What Masking Actually Does to the Brain | Late Diagnosis, Burnout & Autism in Women with Michelle Karth

This week on The NeuroSpicy MomPod, I’m joined by neuroscientist and late-diagnosed autistic adult Michelle Karth for an incredibly validating conversation about autistic masking, late diagnosis, nervous system burnout, chronic stress, sensory overwhelm, and why so many neurodivergent women were completely missed growing up.

We dive into the neuroscience behind masking, why burnout can feel physically debilitating, how trauma and neurodivergence overlap, and the emotional process of realizing you were never “too sensitive” or “bad at life” ...your brain was just trying to survive in environments that didn’t support it. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from performing normalcy, struggled with people pleasing, or wondered why life seems harder for you than everyone else, this episode is going to hit deep.

Michelle shares both the science and lived experience behind autism, ADHD traits, sensory processing, identity loss after burnout, and what healing can actually look like when you stop forcing yourself to function like a neurotypical person.

You can connect with Michelle here:
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & Threads: @adult_autism_assessment
YouTube: @AdultAutismAssessmentCenter
Website: newpathfamily.com

🎧 Listen on Patreon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio & YouTube.
💖 Full video episodes, bonus content, community discussions, and direct support for the show are available on Patreon.

And truly, thank you for being here. I’m a single neurodivergent mama still recovering from dv, autistic burnout, and rebuilding life from the ground up while trying to create a space that helps people feel less alone. Every subscription, share, review, and episode download genuinely helps support both this podcast and my little family more than you know. 💖

#Autism #ADHD #LateDiagnosis #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentWomen #AuDHD #MentalHealthPodcast #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaHealing #theNeuroSpicyMomPod

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Episoder(79)

Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Thinking: The Neuroscience of Communication

Why can two people hear the exact same words and walk away with completely different understandings of the conversation?In this episode of The NeuroSpicy MomPod, we're putting on our teacher hats and ...

15 Jul 28min

When Your Nervous System Chooses Isolation: The Hidden Cost of Neurodivergence

Why can you feel lonely even when you're surrounded by people? In this episode of The NeuroSpicy MomPod, we explore the hidden connection between neurodivergence, chronic isolation, autistic burnout, ...

1 Jul 17min

GIFTED, NEURODIVERGENT, AND EXISTENTIALLY EXHAUSTED; The Neuroscience of Existential Depression (Audio Version)

Why do some people seem to feel the weight of the world more deeply than others?In this episode of The NeuroSpicy MomPod, we're exploring existential depression, a form of depression that often affect...

18 Jun 25min

The Stories We Inherit; How Language Shapes Identity, Self-Worth & the Stories We Tell Ourselves (Audio Version)

What if some of the beliefs you hold most strongly about yourself aren't actually facts... they're stories?In this episode of The NeuroSpicy MomPod, we're exploring how language shapes identity, why t...

10 Jun 20min

When Your Nervous System Thinks You’re the Problem: DARVO, Neurodivergence & Self-Trust

In this episode of The NeuroSpicy MomPod, we’re digging into DARVO, “Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender” and why manipulative dynamics can be especially confusing for neurodivergent people who ...

26 Mai 29min

Small Accommodations, Big Relief: Creating a Neurodivergent-Friendly Home

In today’s episode, we’re talking about what it actually looks like to create a nervous system-friendly home as a neurodivergent person, parent, teacher, or caregiver… especially when you’re doing it ...

19 Mai 23min

Won’t vs. Can’t: The Parenting Shift That Changes Everything with Stacey Curnow

What if your child isn’t refusing… but actually can’t?In this episode, we’re unpacking one of the most powerful mindset shifts in parenting... the difference between “won’t” and “can’t.” Because what ...

29 Apr 1h 8min