AuDHD Sparks
FaktaSamfunnHelseOnce we discover we’re both Autistic and ADHD, it feels like we’ve unlocked the key to everything. But then we bump up against the real question—how do we actually use this key? We’re left wondering: How do we get out of burnout instead of just reading about it? What does unmasking look like in your 30s, 40s or 50s? How do we make ‘simple’ things actually feel simple?I’m Adria Sophia Melichar, an AuDHD coach with over a decade helping hundreds who don’t fit the mold to find their own ways forward. It's time to reimagine what's possible when we stop forcing ourselves to be who we’re not—and start doing life differently, in ways that leave us feeling resourced and alive.
Siste episoder av AuDHD Sparks podcast
- 15. Almost Burned Out? (The Way Back) (00:33:44)
You know you're headed for burnout. But what do you actually DO about it? This episode picks up where Episode 14 left off—you've recognized the warning signs, you're at the tipping point. Now what? This isn't about full burnout recovery. This is about strategic emergency management when you catch yourself before going over the edge—and how to tip things back in your favor. In this episode: The strategic pullback: what to drop when you need to "bail water from the boat"What a recovery day actu...
- 14. The Burnout Tipping Point (00:19:47)
What if the warning signs you're ignoring right now could save you from months of burnout recovery? Most of us don't recognize we're headed for burnout until we're already there. But what if you could catch it at the tipping point—that moment where things could still go either way? This episode shares the early warning signs that show up before full burnout hits—and why recognizing them changes everything. In this episode: The burnout pattern most AuDHDers miss until it's too lateWhy your spe...
- 13. ADHD Wants It, Autism Says No (00:30:47)
You get excited about international travel, new projects, spontaneous adventures. Then you're completely overwhelmed because you took on too much without the recovery time your nervous system needed. Sound familiar? Welcome to the Excitement Overwhelm Paradox. Your ADHD side spots something shiny and goes all-in. Your Autistic side needs predictability and time to recover. You end up bouncing between chasing impulses and emergency management mode. In this episode: Why international trav...
- 12. My Nervous System vs This Room (00:45:41)
You walk into a space and immediately feel on edge. Or you’re in that doctor’s office waiting room, and you just CAN’T be there anymore. Or you’re lounging in your living room and, for some reason, it’s like you can’t truly relax. When you're AuDHD, spaces aren't backgrounds. They actively drain or restore you. That "I can't think clearly here" is your nervous system giving accurate data about environmental incompatibility. In this episode: How environments dysregulate AuDHers & identifyi...
- 11. Transitions = Life in Hard Mode (00:36:29)
Ever feel tired and in need of recovery after a vacation? Even if it was fun or restful, it’s like that “small” transition back home completely throws you off. Our Autistic side needs stability and predictability. And if we were purely Autistic maybe we could design around that. BUT our ADHD side craves the stimulation of changing things up. So, instead of avoiding transitions, we end up creating even more for ourselves to navigate. In this episode: Why transitions are...
- 10. I Did Something Big (Or Did I?) (00:31:48)
You work toward something meaningful, finally achieve it — then it’s like it never happened. The moment passes and you keep moving without integrating what you accomplished. Sound familiar? When you’re AuDHD, it’s hard for abstract accomplishments to feel “real.” But when accomplishments stay invisible, they don’t get woven into your self-view. You undersell yourself, lack confidence in your abilities, and live in the paradox of meaningful work that feels meaningless. In this episode: The...
- 9. When Your Pain Has No Name (00:55:51)
You're carrying something profound that feels invisible to everyone else. The kind of pain that doesn't fit society's automatic compassion categories - so you end up shouldering it completely alone. What if the problem isn't that your pain is less valid? What if it's that AuDHD experiences don't translate into the emotional performances others recognize as worthy of support? When your autistic brain processes internally while your ADHD brain craves connection, you're caught between competing ...
- 8. Processing...Please Wait (00:45:31)
Someone asks you to work an event, attend a party, give feedback on something. You feel this pressure to decide right there - but your brain literally can't. Sound familiar? Welcome to the AuDHD processing paradox. Your ADHD side instantly reads their urgency. Your Autistic side needs time to process your own feelings. You're caught between their impatience and your genuine need for time. In this episode: Scripts for buying processing time without making it weirdThe tattoo consultation story ...
- 7. Simple Isn't Simple (00:45:56)
You stare at your computer tabs with a completely blank brain. The "simple" phone call feels impossible. (Everyone else just picks up the phone - what's wrong with you?) Nothing's wrong with you. Your brain is seeing all the hidden executive function steps that others don't even notice. You're not managing one neurodivergent brain - you're mediating between two operating systems that sometimes want different things. In this episode: The envelope that sat on my desk for months (and what it act...
- 6. "Too Sensitive" (Or So They Said) (00:31:42)
You can spot when someone's uncomfortable from three tables away and immediately start problem-solving. But mention that the restaurant music is literally painful? Suddenly you're "being dramatic." Sound exhausting? Welcome to the AuDHD sensitivity paradox. Here's what nobody tells you: What if "too sensitive" was never about you being fragile? What if everyone else was just oblivious to the rejection sensitivity dysphoria and sensory data your nervous system was accurately detecting? In this...
- 5. Shy Was Code All Along (00:21:38)
You were labeled the "shy kid" growing up. Now you're wondering - was that really shyness, or was something else happening? If you've ever thought "I wasn't antisocial, I just needed different things" or felt confused about why you desperately wanted friends but found social situations so draining, this episode is for you. There's a specific pattern many AuDHD adults recognize when looking back at their "shy" childhood - and it's not what most people think shyness actually is. In this episode...
- 4. The Unmasking Menu (00:40:31)
You know masking is draining you, but what does "unmasking" actually look like? When advice says "just unmask," where do you even start? Here's the thing - you've been masking unconsciously for decades. So unmasking means consciously identifying things you didn't even know you were doing. This episode is your practical starting menu. Seven different areas where you can experiment with dropping the mask and being more you, even if you don't know what the unmasked you looks like yet. In This Ep...
- 1. AuDHD: When Neither Box Fits (00:21:12)
You’ve done all the research, tried all the coaching advice, earned your mini-PhD in Autism and ADHD knowledge. But somehow you’re still exhausted, still struggling, still wondering why nothing actually works for your brain. What if the problem isn’t you? What if it’s that you’re too Autistic for ADHD advice, too ADHD for Autism advice, and too neurodivergent for mainstream self-help? In This Episode: Why following traditional coaching feels like getting really good at maskingThe maddening Au...
- 2. Following Sparks (The Heart of This Show) (00:37:52)
Your current life isn't working for your brain. But how do you redesign your world to be sustainable when you have no model for what that looks like as an AuDHDer? When you need something completely different from what you see around you, traditional planning falls apart. You can't set goals for a destination you can't picture. There's a navigation system built for this - one that works with how your brain actually operates. (And the namesake of this podcast!) In This Episode: Path-finding to...
- 3. The Price of Looking ‘Normal’ (00:18:42)
You know how sometimes you feel this bone deep exhaustion that’s different from regular tired? The kind where you run two errands and feel wiped for the entire day? That’s the invisible labor of masking - and it’s likely costing you more energy than you realize. When you’re AuDHD, you're doing double duty. Hiding ADHD struggles while suppressing Autistic sensory needs. Scripting conversations while translating what others really mean. Looking calm while your nervous system works overtime. In ...