What happens when you spend 40+ years thinking something is “wrong” with you… and then finally get language for it?

In this episode of Just Your Normal Missfit, our host Ann Thomas speaks with strategist and storyteller Vishnu Rao about being a late-diagnosed neurodivergent adult and what that diagnosis changed.

Vishnu is an award-winning clarity strategist, narrative architect, and storyteller working at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and human behaviour.

For years, Vishnu helped brands untangle complexity and find direction, all while quietly navigating anxiety, depression, and the pressure of living up to the “high performer” label.

From masking and high-performance pressure to anxiety, depression, burnout, and executive dysfunction, Vishnu shares what it actually felt like to grow up without the vocabulary to explain how his brain worked.

This conversation explores:

- Late diagnosis in adulthood

- The “high performer” trap and burnout

- Anxiety as a symptom, not just a condition

- Survival mode vs self-understanding

- Medication fears in creative fields

- Blind panic as creative fuel

- Executive dysfunction and masking

We talk about grief. We talk about rest. We talk about what changes and what doesn’t after diagnosis.

If you’ve ever felt “too intense,” “too much,” or “not enough,” this episode may feel uncomfortably familiar and deeply validating.

Timestamps 👇

00:00 Welcome + Meet Vishnu Rao (late-diagnosed neurodivergent adult)

01:52 “If you knew, why didn’t you tell me?” Reactions to the diagnosis

02:36 Childhood signs, discipline myths & the mask finally breaking

04:39 Rebuilding routine: fatigue, boredom-sleep & working from home

07:58 Freelance structure hacks: deadlines, clients & time-boxing

09:39 Last-minute panic as “creative fuel” (and why it burns you out)

11:02 Misconceptions, AuDHD reality & anxiety/depression as symptoms

21:37 High-achiever masking & the chase for external validation

24:34 Having a therapist partner: gentle nudges toward diagnosis

26:03 After the label: acceptance, identity fears & protecting your energy

28:14 Damaging coping strategies: insomnia, substances & productivity systems that fail

30:31 Burnout warning signs: Monday dread, body stress & “I’ve aged 10 years”

36:12 The turning point: work blow-up, proper assessment & starting medication

39:44 Building Calm Under Pressure (Field Work & Confrontation)

40:40 Showing Up for Family: Hospital Shifts & Mental Load

41:20 Wanting Real Friends: Community, Rituals & Asking for Help

43:04 Medication Fears: ‘Will It Kill My Creativity?’

45:59 ADHD Strengths & the ‘18 Tabs’ Brain—What Meds Actually Change

50:05 Diagnosed Earlier? The Case for Support Groups Over Labels

54:23 ‘Don’t Be a Burden’: The Lonely Loop in Your Head

55:47 Parents & Caregiving: Transactional Love, Real Support

58:28 Practical Advice: No Instant Wins, Avoid Google, Find Your People

01:04:03 Making ADHD Less ‘Shiny’: Helping Young People See the Dark Side

01:07:35 Wrap-Up: Stuck Between Generations + Why Stories Repeat

01:10:43 Advocacy in Workplaces: Beyond ‘Culture Fit’ + Building Third Spaces

01:13:56 Final Takeaways & Sign-Off

💬 If Vishnu’s story resonated with you, share it, write to us and follow us.

Let’s build a community that makes space for different ways of being. 💛

What does an ADHD-friendly classroom really look like and why does it benefit every student, not just neurodivergent ones?In this episode of Just Your Normal Missfit, host Ann Thomas is joined by Dr. Neena David, a Clinical Psychologist with over 27 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She also heads the Counselling Services Team at Mallya Aditi International School. Trained at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, with doctoral research from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Dr. David’s work sits at the intersection of psychology, education, culture, and family systems. Her research on ADHD, rooted in Indian classrooms, challenges Western-centric narratives and asks a deeper question: What do children actually need to learn well?This conversation goes beyond diagnoses and labels to explore the lived realities of ADHD, learning disabilities, and neurodivergence, especially within Indian classrooms and family systems.Whether you’re a parent, teacher, caregiver, or an adult unpacking your own school experiences, this episode offers insight, empathy, and practical perspectives rooted in real-world experience.📌 You are not alone and there is a tribe waiting for you.00:00 Introduction to the Guest and Topic02:23 Dr. Neena David's Journey into ADHD Research05:09 Cultural Nuances in ADHD Diagnosis10:55 Challenges in Indian Classrooms22:01 ADHD-Friendly Classroom Strategies34:12 Communicating with Parents about ADHD45:49 Family Dynamics and Support Systems48:40 Family Dynamics and Neurodivergence49:23 The Paradox of Stress and Resilience51:10 Coping with Relationship Struggles53:30 Logistics and Emotional Challenges for Single Parents54:59 Building a Support System01:02:37 Balancing Family Dynamics01:05:47 Managing Transitions and Resilience01:15:25 Handling Aggression and Emotional Regulation01:19:56 Parental Self-Reflection and Support01:30:21 Hope and Community Support

What if the way you move through the world, slower, differently, non-linearly, wasn’t something to fix, but something to honour?

In this episode of Just Your Normal Missfit, host Ann Thomas is joined by Arpita Gaidhane, an artist, facilitator, and creator of Fireplace, a free and intentionally held community space for people seeking emotional safety and belonging.

This conversation explores neurodivergence, neuroqueerness, and what it means to live creatively in a culture obsessed with hustle, productivity, and “normal” life timelines.

Arpita speaks about concepts like crip time and queer time, the emotional cost of masking, and how both neurodivergent and queer lives often resist linear ideas of success, growth, and adulthood.

Together, Ann and Arpita reflect on:

– Neuroqueerness as a creative and resilient way of living

– The pressure to keep up in a fast, productivity-driven world

– Building emotionally safe and brave spaces through Fireplace

– Unlearning shame around difference, disability, and identity

– How community, slowness, and honesty can become acts of care

This episode is an invitation to slow down, to question the rules we’ve inherited, and to imagine gentler, more authentic ways of being with ourselves and each other.

🔥 Watch the full episode to learn more about Arpita and Fireplace.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Emotional Spaces

00:42 Arpita's Journey to Self-Discovery

01:32 Understanding Neurodivergence and Masking

02:59 Gender, Neurodivergence, and Societal Norms

10:18 Historical Context of Queerness in India

15:17 Challenges in Therapy and Psychiatry

18:43 The Complexity of Neurodivergent Identities

28:51 Exploring Neuro Queering and Time Concepts

36:15 The Pressure of Modern Life

36:56 The Concept of Spoons and Emotional Taxation

39:36 Introducing Fireplace: A Safe Space

43:09 The Importance of Safety and Bravery

48:05 Navigating Shame and Vulnerability

52:09 Building Authentic Relationships

01:01:58 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Watch the full episode now and share with your friends. You can also stream it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0zv2LWxobts