8. Processing... Please Wait
Ever feel like your brain has a loading screen when someone invites you to an event or asks how you feel about something?
That's your AuDHD brain managing two different operating systems with competing processing needs.
Here's the AuDHD processing paradox: Your ADHD side reads their urgency instantly. Your Autistic side needs time to process your own feelings. You’re caught between their expectations and your genuine needs.
The world expects instant awareness and reactions, but your brain works differently. When you're mediating between ADHD hypervigilance and Autistic processing needs, that "simple" decision becomes a complex internal negotiation requiring time most people don't understand you need.
Processing time isn't a luxury - it's how you access your actual wisdom. Your delayed responses aren't flaws; they're how you get to deeper insights instead of just reacting from wherever your nervous system happens to be in the moment.
In This Episode:
The AuDHD processing paradox: feeling their urgency while needing your time
Standard scripts for buying yourself processing time without shame or apology
Reactive vs. generative processing - why some conversations feel easier
When you're "behind" on your own emotions and how that affects getting support
Working backwards to track burnout patterns when in-the-moment awareness is hard