This week, Matt and Erin slow things down and talk plainly about stress — what it actually does to autistic bodies, and why it hits so hard. From shutdowns and migraines to doomscrolling, snacks, and dogs who run bedtime, this is a lived-in conversation about surviving a loud world.

We cover:

• Why autistic stress isn’t just “in your head,” including interoception, shutdown, overdrive, and burnout
• How bodies give clues when stress is too much — and how many of us were taught to ignore those signals
• Practical, real-world supports: automated routines, snacks-as-care, sleep scaffolding, and letting animals (and people) help

Also included: vestibular migraines, perimenopause realities, surprise chicken strips, revenge bedtime procrastination, vagus nerve tools, cheese as coping (with rules), Google-induced rage, and why silence + snacks is a legitimate love language.