Ever felt like you’re gliding on the surface while paddling like mad underneath? Christina shares what a late ADHD diagnosis revealed about masking, invisible effort, and why looking calm on the surface often means below the waterline. Tired of the “neurodiversity as superpower” cliché? We dig into real role models, disclosure, and accommodations that work in education and beyond, not just on paper. From gothic literature to lab life, Christina unpacks how early “quirky” interests, pattern-seeking, and hyperfocus later aligned with a research career built on variety, problem-solving, and intellectual intensity. We talk about food routines, late diagnosis, and the quiet cost of fitting in. Hear an honest account of neurodiversity at work. What if the label you avoided for years became the key to designing a life that finally fits? That’s the pivot Christina shares as we trace her path from literary goth kid to scientist, from a winter move to Norway to a late ADHD diagnosis that reframed effort, energy, and why trying harder did not always fix the problem. It’s not a story about becoming someone new. It’s a story about getting the language and leverage to ask for what works. We talk about the hidden cost of masking and why appearing calm and competent often conceals heavy, invisible cognitive labour. Christina opens up about food and consistency: forgetting to eat during the day, relying on predictable textures just to get calories in, and how that pulled her toward ultra-processed snacks. She shares how she rebuilt routines using low-decision, higher-nutrition swaps that supported focus without turning every choice into a willpower test. We unpack the link between physical health and attention, and how small guardrails around sleep, movement, and structured meals can stabilise the mind. We also talk about the “D-word”, disclosure, a loaded word that can be the bridge to reasonable adjustments. Seeing a colleague speak openly about neurodivergence gave Christina permission to do the same, and we explore how that honesty challenges networking culture, performative professionalism, and the pressure to conform. We push past the “neurodiversity as superpower” cliché to reflect on the importance of authentic role models who talk honestly about both strengths and friction. In education, we discuss neurodivergent students and staff as “the canary in the coal mine”. If instructions are unambiguous, deadlines consistent, expectations explicit, and novelty designed in rather than accidental, everyone benefits. We share practical ways to reduce cognitive load, make feedback more actionable, and engineer learning environments where attention is supported rather than assumed. If you’re navigating a late ADHD diagnosis, supporting a neurodivergent colleague or student, or quietly rethinking your own routines, this conversation offers candid insights and small, workable changes you can test this week.
