Have you ever thought: "Why am I so tired all the time? Why do I feel disconnected, like I'm watching life happen but not really in it?" You probably thought something was wrong with you and didn't consider that it could be a nervous system thing. In this episode: what your nervous system actually does, what "regulation" really means (without cold plunges), and why feeling tired or foggy sometimes is normal even if it's not ideal. And how if you're neurodivergent, your nervous system may function in a more intense way. Get The Nervous System Workbook: by Deb Dana and get 20% off with this link while you support independent bookstores all over America by shopping on Bookshop dot org.

Show Notes:

• The Nervous System Workbook: Deb Dana (20% off with this link to Bookshop dot org)
• Click to Get Jen's Free Guide How To R.I.D.E Out Panic Attacks
• Jen's Monthly Action Club Just $19.99
• You Are A Lot Podcast On Patreon 7 Day Free Trial
• You Are A Lot Podcast Website & Blog
• Follow Jen's ADHD/AuDHD Tips on Pinterest
• Jen's Every 10 Day Newsletter: "This Is A Lot"
• "You Are A Lot" Black Tote Bag
• "You Are A Lot" coffee mug & travel mug
• "You Are A Lot" black long-sleeved tee
• 30 FREE DAYS to BRAIN FM Wire Your Brain For Focus!
• Jen's Book Recommendations With 20% Off
• Send an email to the podcast at alotadhdpod at gmail dot com

Sources Used:

• The Autistic & ADHD Nervous System: Article by Dr. Kristen Neff
• Heal Your Nervous System: Dr. Linnea Passaler (20% off with this link to Bookshop dot org )
• Polyvagal Prompts: Deb Dana (20% off with this link to Bookshop dot org )
• The Nervous System Workbook: Deb Dana (20% off with this link to Bookshop dot org )
• Glimmers Journal: Deb Dana (20% off with this link to Bookshop dot org )

Panic attacks and autistic meltdowns share some common symptoms but happen for different reasons. A panic attack is a short circuit in the nervous system and not a total sensory overload, while an autistic meltdown isn't out of nowhere — it's a total nervous system overload based on external triggers. If you are AuDHD and have panic attacks, being able to tell the difference between these two experiences is important because they need different responses. I talk about how to respond to both in this episode. If you want to learn how to handle panic attacks so that they no longer control your life, I'm teaching a three-session webinar in January 2026 about how to R.I.D.E. out panic attacks. Get on the waitlist so that you'll get the first chance to sign up at a huge discount. https://www.jenkirkman.com/waitlist/

SHOW NOTES

• Click to Get Jen's Free Guide How To R.I.D.E Out Panic Attacks
• Get on the Waitlist For Jen's How To R.I.D.E. Out Panic Course
• Jen's Monthly Action Club Just $19.99
• You Are A Lot Podcast On Patreon 7 Day Free Trial
• You Are A Lot Podcast Website
• Jen's Every 10 Day Newsletter: "This Is A Lot"
• Follow Jen's ADHD/AuDHD Tips on Pinterest
• 30 FREE DAYS to BRAIN FM Wire Your Brain For Focus!
• Hope & Help For Your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weekes 20% off this book
• Send an email to the podcast at alotadhdpod at gmail dot com

SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:

• Coping With Panic Attacks
• Rula: Treating Anxiety Disorders
• Rula: Autism/Overstimulation
• Inertia, Meltdown, Autism - NIH
• Reduce Sensory Overstimulation - Science Direct
• Emotional Flashback Management - Pete Walker
• Hope & Help For Your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weekes

Morning and night are the two times of day that do more to stabilize an ADHD brain than any productivity hack ever could. In this final Organize October episode, I talk about the science of how morning routines provide dopamine stabilization and evening routines need sensory cues to train our nervous system to power down. Get the ad-free and video version of this episode and more organize bonus episodes on Patreon - click here for a 7 day free trial.

Show Notes:

• Get On The Waitlist for Jen's Online Course "How To R.I.D.E Out Panic Attacks"
• Jen's Monthly Action Club Just $19.99
• You Are A Lot Podcast On Patreon 7 Day Free Trial
• You Are A Lot Podcast Website
• Jen's Every 10 Day Newsletter: "This Is A Lot"
• Follow Jen's ADHD/AuDHD Tips on Pinterest
• 30 FREE DAYS to BRAIN FM Wire Your Brain For Focus!
• 15% Off HUGIMALS weighted stuffed animals with code JENKIRKMAN
• Jen's Book Recommendations With 20% Off
• Send an email to the podcast at alotadhdpod at gmail dot com
• Self Care For People with ADHD - 20% Off This Book
• The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit - 20% Off This Book
• The Ultimate ADHD Workbook For Women - 20% Off This Book

Sources Used:

• Cortisol & Other Stress Responses in ADHD
• How Dopamine Influences ADHD Symptoms
• Taming The Molecule Of More - 20% Off This Book