ADHD Chatter Podcast

Every neurodivergent person needs to hear this 💚 #adhd #autism #neurodivergent

Alex Partridge on neurodivergent effort comes from masking and neurotypical-centered systems daily.

APAlex Partridgehost

Feb 19, 2026·1m·Watch on YouTube ↗

📖 CHAPTERS

1. 1

   Neurodivergent people often have to work harder in daily life

   Alex frames the core point: neurodivergent people frequently expend more effort than neurotypical peers just to function in everyday settings. This extra workload is not about ability or motivation, but about navigating a world built for neurotypical norms.

2. 2

   Masking: the hidden, exhausting workload

   The conversation highlights masking as a major source of fatigue—constantly managing behavior, expression, and communication to appear neurotypical. Alex emphasizes how draining it is and treats it as a core, often invisible labor.

3. 3

   Why is the burden to ‘fit in’ placed on neurodivergent people?

   Alex challenges the assumption that neurodivergent individuals must do the adapting. He questions why neurotypical people aren’t expected to meet neurodivergent people halfway.

4. 4

   Extra “hoops” in processing information

   Alex explains that information may not ‘come in’ as easily for neurodivergent brains, requiring additional steps to interpret, retain, or respond. He gives examples like differences in hearing/processing and a shorter attention span that can disrupt continuity.

5. 5

   School example: ‘slow processing’ doesn’t mean low intelligence

   Using a school setting, Alex addresses the label of slow processing and explicitly separates processing speed from intelligence. He argues that the brain may be doing more behind-the-scenes work before producing an answer.

6. 6

   Cognitive load: resources spent just to get to the answer

   Alex describes how the added mental steps consume valuable cognitive resources before a person can even respond. This explains why tasks can be more tiring and why performance may look uneven despite capability.

7. 7

   The real hard part: functioning in a neurotypical world

   Alex concludes that the hardest work isn’t being neurodivergent itself, but trying to fit into systems designed around neurotypical assumptions. The chapter lands on a reframing: the environment creates much of the difficulty.