AuDHD and the Holidays: Navigating the Holiday Hustle and Overwhelm

The holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but if you’re AuDHD, they might feel more like a sensory circus, emotional landmine, and executive function Olympics… all wrapped in tinsel.

In this episode, we unpack why the holidays are secretly so hard on AuDHD brains, what that actually looks and feels like (for you and your kids), and how to move through the season with more intention, less shame, and a lot more self-compassion.

You’ll hear about:

• 
  🎄 The brain stuff – How autism + ADHD wiring turns holiday “fun” into a perfect storm of sensory overload, social pressure, and routine chaos.

  
  

• 🧠 The crash – Why you (or your child) can hold it together at the family gathering… and then completely fall apart afterward.

  
  

• 👀 What it looks like on the outside – Masking, shutdowns, sudden irritability, disappearing to the bathroom for 20 minutes, or the kid who “randomly” melts down during gift opening.

  
  

• 🎁 Gift-giving & family dynamics – Why gift exchanges, surprise plans, and “just be flexible” can feel like an attack on your nervous system.

  
  

• 🧯 Managing the holiday overload – Research-backed tools for emotional regulation, sensory support, and executive-function hacks so you’re not running on fumes by December 26th.

  
  

• 🔔 Boundaries without guilt – How to say “no,” leave early, or modify traditions without feeling like the Grinch of the family group chat.

This episode is for you if:

• 
  You’re a newly diagnosed AuDHD adult who keeps wondering, “Why do the holidays wipe me out more than everyone else?”

  
  

• You’re a parent of a neurodivergent kid trying to balance family expectations with your child’s (and your own) nervous system.

  
  

• You’re tired of pretending you’re fine every December and want a different way to do the holidays – one that actually fits your brain.

Press play if you’ve ever thought:

“Why does everyone else seem to love this season while I just try to survive it?”

You’re not broken. Your brain is giving you data.
 Let’s decode it together. 🎧✨

SubStack: https://open.substack.com/pub/carmenauthenticallyadhd/p/audhd-and-the-holidays-navigating?r=1t66iw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/carmen_irace