Spicy Brain

In this episode of Spicy Brain, host Lara Sullivan is joined by Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais, ADHD researcher at Queen Mary University of London, to explore how ADHD shows up in women and what the menstrual cycle has to do with it.

For decades, ADHD research was built almost entirely on boys. Jess’s work is changing that. She leads the MAAM study (Measuring Adult ADHD and Menstruation), which tracked women with ADHD every day for three months to find out whether their symptoms get worse at certain points in the cycle, and whether their medication stops working before their period. Jess also co-led research finding that women with ADHD are more than three times as likely to meet the criteria for PMDD.

The episode explores:
 🌶️ Why girls and women with ADHD have been missed for so long
 🌶️ How ADHD presents differently in girls, from cartwheels to internal restlessness
 🌶️ Can you grow out of ADHD? Why symptoms change across your life
 🌶️ Late diagnosis after university, new jobs and having a baby
 🌶️ The menstrual cycle explained, and why the luteal phase hits so hard
 🌶️ Why ADHD medication can stop working before your period
 🌶️ Hormonal contraception, anaemia and brain fog
 🌶️ PMS vs PMDD, and the link between ADHD and PMDD
 🌶️ Inside the MAAM study and what researchers hope to find

The results aren’t out yet, but Jess will be back on Spicy Brain once they are.

Tune in for a fascinating conversation about ADHD, hormones and why women deserve better research.

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introducing Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais
00:01:58 How Jess Started Researching ADHD in Women
00:04:17 Why ADHD in Girls Gets Missed
00:05:37 How ADHD Presents in Girls and Women
00:08:33 ADD, Inattentive and Combined ADHD Explained
00:10:18 Early ADHD Research Was Based on Boys
00:14:41 Is ADHD Genetic?
00:15:52 Can You Grow Out of ADHD?
00:19:05 Life Transitions, Postpartum and Late Diagnosis
00:22:36 Is ADHD a Spectrum?
00:24:51 Why Hormones Were Left Out of ADHD Research
00:26:22 The Menstrual Cycle Explained
00:30:57 ADHD Symptoms in the Luteal Phase
00:35:57 Why ADHD Medication Stops Working Before Your Period
00:38:10 Hormonal Contraception and ADHD
00:44:33 Anaemia, Brain Fog and Burnout
00:46:26 PMS vs PMDD Explained
00:49:30 Why You Should Track Your Cycle Before Seeing a GP
00:51:49 The Link Between ADHD and PMDD
00:53:09 Should Neurodivergent Women Be Screened for PMDD?
00:55:04 When Autism and ADHD Overlap
00:57:36 Inside the MAAM Study
01:05:33 Why the Study Uses a Smart Ring
01:11:42 What the Researchers Hope to Find
01:12:50 Funding Women’s Health Research and ADHD in Puberty
01:16:00 How to Follow the Research
01:18:56 Spicy Fire Round
01:24:41 Closing Remarks

Support
This episode touches on low mood and suicidal feelings linked to PMDD. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone:
Samaritans: call 116 123 (free, 24/7) or visit samaritans.org
IAPMD (International Association for Premenstrual Disorders): iapmd.org

Contact Spicy Brain:
 Email: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:
 Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
 Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
 Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Jess:
 LinkedIn: ADHD Lifecourse Lab [LINK]
 MAAM study: www.kcl.ac.uk/research/maam-study

In this very special episode of Spicy Brain, host Lara Sullivan is joined by her sister and best friend Elena for an honest, emotional conversation about growing up with an undiagnosed autistic sibling and what changed when the diagnosis finally came.

Elena has been by Lara’s side through everything. She shared her friends, stood up to the bullies, picked up on what Lara couldn’t say out loud and was there in the room on diagnosis day. Together they look back at their childhood through a new lens, from the early signs nobody recognised to moving schools seven times, Lara’s mental health crisis, and the relief and guilt the whole family felt when the answer was finally autism.

The episode explores:
 🌶️ The childhood signs of autism that only make sense in hindsight
 🌶️ What it’s like being the sibling of an undiagnosed autistic child
 🌶️ Bullying, school anxiety and having someone to speak up for you
 🌶️ The weight of responsibility siblings can carry, and why it isn’t all on them
 🌶️ How to support a loved one through a mental health crisis
 🌶️ Diagnosis day and the mix of relief and guilt a family can feel
 🌶️ Why a diagnosis is a learning journey for the whole family
 🌶️ How having an autistic sister shapes Elena as a mum
 🌶️ Advice for anyone with an autistic sibling

This episode is a thank you to the siblings, parents and loved ones who show up for neurodivergent people, often without anyone noticing.

Tune in for a heartfelt chat full of laughs, tears and a lot of sister love.

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introducing Elena, Lara’s Sister
00:03:34 Growing Up as Sisters
00:08:33 Did Anyone Know About Autism Back Then?
00:09:20 Childhood Signs of Autism in Hindsight
00:12:31 Communication and Sensory Needs as a Child
00:16:29 A Sibling Bond Like No Other
00:20:15 The People Who Protected Lara
00:22:48 Moving Schools Seven Times
00:25:07 Blurred Childhood Memories and School Anxiety
00:26:49 Bullying and Standing Up for Your Sibling
00:30:56 Sharing Friends with an Autistic Sibling
00:33:31 The Responsibility Siblings Carry
00:37:36 How Constant Change Built Resilience
00:39:23 Supporting a Sister Through a Mental Health Crisis
00:42:57 How to Support a Loved One Who’s Struggling
00:45:35 The Road to an Autism Diagnosis
00:49:43 Diagnosis Day: Relief and Guilt
00:51:39 Autism Doesn’t Define You
00:54:41 A Learning Journey for the Whole Family
00:55:30 How Their Relationship Changed After Diagnosis
00:58:13 Becoming a Mum with an Autistic Sister
01:01:05 Hope for the Next Generation
01:03:12 Advice for Anyone with an Autistic Sibling
01:04:13 The Spicy Run Club
01:06:04 Why It’s OK to Ask Questions
01:08:32 Spicy Fire Round
01:13:29 A Thank You to the Siblings

Support
This episode includes a conversation about suicidal thoughts. If you’re struggling, or worried about someone you love, you’re not alone:

Samaritans: call 116 123 (free, 24/7) or visit samaritans.org
Mind: mind.org.uk

Contact Spicy Brain:
 Email: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:
 Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
 Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
 Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

#SpicyBrain #AutisticSiblings #LateDiagnosis #Autism #AutisticWomen #Neurodivergent #NeurodivergentFamily #NeurodivergentPodcast

In this episode of Spicy Brain, host Lara Sullivan is joined by Cassia Tierney Clarke, host of the 9 lives podcast, for a raw and honest conversation about autistic burnout, late diagnosis and rebuilding your life from the ground up.

From the outside, Cassia had it all. A viral weight loss and sobriety journey, millions of views, a running career, brand deals, a business and a podcast. Behind the scenes, she was falling apart. After stepping away from public life for a year, Cassia opens up about the breakdown that forced everything to stop, being diagnosed with CPTSD, and finally finding out she is autistic and ADHD after 31 years of masking.

The episode explores:
🌶️ Going viral overnight and building a life she never felt built for
🌶️ How undiagnosed autism can leave women vulnerable in relationships
🌶️ Burnout, collapse and stepping away from public life
🌶️ Trauma in the body, shutdowns and going nonverbal
🌶️ Getting diagnosed autistic and ADHD after a CPTSD diagnosis
🌶️ The all-or-nothing brain, from alcohol to running to work
🌶️ Why she stopped running, and what movement looks like now
🌶️ “Stop calling yourself lazy when you’re exhausted”
🌶️ Rebuilding, reclaiming autistic joy and becoming herself again

Whether you’re in burnout right now, reinterpreting your whole life after a diagnosis, or wondering who you are once the old version of you no longer fits, this conversation is a reminder that rebuilding is possible.

Tune in for an honest chat about burnout, identity and finding your way back to yourself.

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introducing Cassia Tierney
00:03:00 Going Viral: Weight Loss, Sobriety and Running
00:07:59 Running, Nature and Reconnecting with Your Inner Child
00:11:02 Why Race Day Is So Hard for Autistic Runners
00:12:35 Building a Business on Social Media
00:15:36 How Nine Lives Began
00:16:50 The Breakdown Behind the Success
00:20:35 Saying Yes to Everything and Stepping Away
00:23:11 Moving Home and Physically Collapsing
00:24:32 A CPTSD Diagnosis Before Autism
00:26:45 Validation, Success and Hating Social Media
00:28:52 Heightened Senses, Smells and Memory
00:30:47 Misdiagnosis in Autistic Women
00:31:24 Trauma in the Body, Shutdowns and Going Nonverbal
00:34:09 Childhood Signs and Why They Get Missed
00:35:55 Family, Community and an Autistic Dad
00:41:06 Getting Diagnosed Autistic and ADHD
00:44:06 31 Years of Masking and Feeling “More Autistic”
00:46:49 Redefining Success
00:47:59 Boundaries and Telling Friends
00:50:30 Unmasking and Stepping Away from Running
00:54:30 Dating After Diagnosis
00:57:38 Living with Autism and ADHD and Daily Self-Forgiveness
01:00:13 The All-or-Nothing Brain: Alcohol, Sobriety and Work
01:04:09 A Task a Day and the Ego Death
01:06:37 Stop Calling Yourself Lazy When You’re Exhausted
01:09:04 Rebuilding and Reclaiming Autistic Joy
01:12:29 What She’d Tell Her Past Self
01:13:48 Losing Followers and Finding a New Audience
01:17:01 Spicy Fire Round
01:19:46 Advice for Anyone in Burnout

Support
This episode discusses suicidal thoughts, self-injury and abusive relationships. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone:
Samaritans: call 116 123 (free, 24/7) or visit samaritans.org
National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 or nationaldahelpline.org.uk

Contact Spicy Brain:
Email: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Cassia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiatierney/
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/9lives_podcast/?hl=en

#SpicyBrain #AutisticBurnout #LateDiagnosis #AuDHD #Autism #ADHD #Unmasking #NeurodivergentPodcast

In this episode of Spicy Brain, host Lara Sullivan is joined by Millie Gooch, founder of Sober Girl Society and author of Hangxiety: How Alcohol Messes with Your Mind, for an honest conversation about alcohol and the neurodivergent brain.

Millie started drinking at university, where alcohol became the thing that switched off her brain, gave her confidence and helped her feel “normal”. Years of blackouts and days-long hangovers later, she went sober at 26. It took another seven years and a psychiatric assessment for her book to find out she is autistic and ADHD. Looking back, so much of it suddenly made sense.

The episode explores:
🌶️ Why alcohol can feel like a shortcut to a neurotypical brain
🌶️ What actually happens in your brain when you drink, and the next day
🌶️ Hangxiety, rumination and why hangovers hit neurodivergent people harder
🌶️ Blackouts, memory and “drunk words are sober thoughts”
🌶️ ADHD, impulsivity and why stopping at two drinks is so hard
🌶️ The “addictive personality” myth and why neurodivergent people are overrepresented in addiction settings
🌶️ The alcohol industry, “drink responsibly” and what other countries do differently
🌶️ Sobriety vs self-optimisation culture
🌶️ Practical first steps if you want to change your relationship with alcohol

Whether you’ve already stopped, are thinking about cutting back, or have never understood why alcohol hits you so hard, this is a judgement-free look at how your drinking might be connected to your neurodivergence.

Tune in for a conversation full of science, lived experience and a lot of nodding along.

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introducing Millie Gooch
00:02:00 Starting to Drink at University
00:03:47 Realising She Didn’t Drink Like Everyone Else
00:09:29 Going Sober at 26: The Final Hangover
00:16:13 Early Sobriety, Panic Attacks and Therapy
00:20:52 What Alcohol Does to Your Brain
00:25:40 Can Your Brain Recover? Addiction on a Spectrum
00:30:52 Hangxiety and Why Hangovers Hit Neurodivergent People Harder
00:37:36 Drunk Words, Sober Thoughts and Lost Memories
00:42:12 Why Nobody Links Alcohol and Mental Health
00:47:52 Getting Diagnosed Autistic and ADHD
00:56:02 How Alcohol Affects the Neurodivergent Brain
00:58:08 The Addictive Personality Myth
01:00:52 ADHD, Impulsivity and Not Being Able to Stop
01:01:52 Addiction Services and Neurodivergence
01:03:47 The Alcohol Industry and “Drink Responsibly”
01:07:35 How Other Countries Restrict Alcohol
01:09:51 What Needs to Change in the UK
01:15:20 Sobriety vs Self-Optimisation
01:20:32 Practical Tips to Drink Less
01:22:19 Spicy Fire Round

Support
If anything in this episode has affected you, these organisations offer free advice and support:
Alcohol Change UK: alcoholchange.org.uk
We Are With You: wearewithyou.org.uk
Nacoa (for anyone affected by a parent’s drinking): nacoa.org.uk

Contact Spicy Brain:
Email: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Millie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milliegooch/
Sober Girl Society: https://sobergirlsociety.com/
Hangxiety: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hangxiety-Alcohol-Messes-Your-Mind/dp/1837826641/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

Spicy Brain Season Two kicks off with Anna Archer! 

Host Lara Sullivan sits down with vlogger, business owner, investor and running community favourite Anna Archer, who spent 24 years not knowing she was autistic and ADHD.

From the outside, Anna's life looked sorted. The vlogs, the running community, the friendships, the business. Underneath it was a very different story. Anna opens up about growing up online, rewatching her old videos for signs she missed, and what it's been like looking back at her whole life through a completely new lens.

The episode explores:
 🌶️ Growing up online, work-life balance and female friendships
 🌶️ Getting diagnosed with both autism and ADHD
 🌶️ Social stigma, telling friends and going quiet on social media
 🌶️ Being vulnerable with an online audience and showing up as yourself
 🌶️ The push and pull of being AuDHD
 🌶️ ADHD medication, the hormonal cycle and lifestyle regulation
 🌶️ Skill regression, unmasking and taking steps before you feel ready

This conversation is an honest look at post-diagnosis self-doubt, what's still hard, and why not having it all figured out is a normal part of the process.
Tune in for a real conversation about late diagnosis, identity, and what life actually looks like after finding out you're AuDHD.

Timestamps
00:00:00 How Lara and Anna Met
00:06:07 Rewatching Old Videos for Signs of Autism and ADHD
00:09:45 Growing Up Online, Work-Life Balance and Female Friendships
00:24:42 Getting Diagnosed with ADHD and Autism
00:37:34 Autism Stigma, Telling Friends and Going Quiet on Social Media
00:46:05 Vulnerability Online and Being More Yourself
00:56:28 The Opposites of Being AuDHD
01:03:01 ADHD Medication, Hormonal Cycles and Regulation
01:14:24 Regression, Unmasking and Starting Before You Feel Ready
01:24:42 Spicy Fire Round

Contact Spicy Brain:
 Email: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:
 Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
 Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
  Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Anna:
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annaarcher/
 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnnaArcherFitness

Spicy Brain Season Two Teaser | Behind the Scenes with Producer Vickey

Spicy Brain is back! In this Season Two teaser, host Lara Sullivan is joined by Spicy Brain producer Vickey from Voices & Visuals for a behind-the-scenes chat about how the podcast came together, how they met, what Season One taught them both, and what listeners can expect from the brand-new season.

From the very first nervous studio session to a growing community of autistic people, ADHDers and neurodivergent listeners who finally feel seen, Lara talks about the importance of building a neurodiverse team and what's on the horizon for Spicy Brain.

In this trailer:
🌶️ Growing a neurodivergent team
🌶️ What it's like making a neurodivergent podcast from behind the mic
🌶️ How Lara and Vickey met 
🌶️ How the Spicy Brain community has grown
🌶️ A first look at what's coming in Season Two

New episodes land very soon. Hit follow so you don't miss the first one.

Contact Spicy Brain:
Email: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

In this special season one finale of Spicy Brain, host Lara Sullivan reflects on the journey of creating the podcast, from overcoming her own fear of being in the studio to building a community where neurodivergent people can share their experiences openly and without judgement.

Lara revisits the conversations and key lessons from guests exploring everything from workplace accommodations and late diagnosis to relationships, nutrition, OCD, ADHD, autism and the realities of living as a neurodivergent person.

In this season finale, Lara explores:
🌶️ What she learned from each guest throughout Season One
🌶️ Why workplace accommodations should be based on individual needs
🌶️ The different realities and support needs within the autistic community
🌶️ ADHD, hormones, OCD and other co-occurring experiences
🌶️ Why lived experience matters when understanding neurodivergence
🌶️ How the Spicy Brain community has grown beyond the podcast
🌶️ Why neurodivergent people should be at the centre of conversations about neurodivergence
🌶️ What’s coming next!

Tune in for a heartfelt look back at season one, the lessons Lara has taken from her guests, and the community that has made Spicy Brain what it is.

Contact Spicy Brain

Thanks for tuning in to Spicy Brain, the podcast Lara Sullivan created after her own late autism diagnosis. Each week, Lara sits down with guests from across the neurodivergent community to challenge stereotypes, celebrate differences, and laugh through the shared realities of life. For more content visit our website or follow us on your favourite social platform to stay connected.

Find out more:
Email: [email protected] 
  

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: https://www.linktr.ee/Sullivanlara
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Why are safe foods so often beige, and what does that tell us about neurodivergence?

In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast, host Lara Sullivan sits down with ADHD nutrition coach Amber Macintosh to explore the complex relationship between neurodivergence, food and nutrition. As an autistic and ADHD woman herself, Amber shares her journey to diagnosis and how understanding her own sensory needs shaped the way she now supports other neurodivergent people.

Together, they explore why safe foods are so often carb-based, how sensory sensitivities and dopamine-seeking behaviours can influence what we eat, and why nutrition advice needs to be practical and tailored to each person's individual needs. They also discuss blood sugar, the gut-brain connection, the importance of protein and key nutrients, and how to approach food during periods of autistic burnout.

This episode explores:
🌶️ Why food and nutrition can be particularly complicated for neurodivergent people
🌶️ The connection between ADHD, autism and sensory sensitivities around food
🌶️ Why safe foods are often carb-based
🌶️ How dopamine and blood sugar interact with food cravings
🌶️ The importance of protein and key nutrients for neurodivergent brains
🌶️ The gut-brain connection and supporting gut health
🌶️ How to navigate selective eating and texture sensitivities
🌶️ Making food more accessible during autistic burnout
🌶️ The relationship between neurodivergence, disordered eating and eating disorders
🌶️ Why ‘fed is better than not fed’ when capacity is low

Tune in for a compassionate conversation about nutrition and neurodivergence, and how small, realistic changes can help us better support our brains and bodies without getting lost in the nutrition rabbit hole.

Contact Spicy Brain

Thanks for tuning in to Spicy Brain, the podcast Lara Sullivan created after her own late autism diagnosis. Each week, Lara sits down with guests from across the neurodivergent community to challenge stereotypes, celebrate differences, and laugh through the shared realities of life. For more content visit our website or follow us on your favourite social platform to stay connected.

Find out more:

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Amber:

Website: https://www.ambermacintosh.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberscoaching

Can you still be autistic if you're the funniest person in the room?

In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast, host Lara Sullivan sits down with award-winning comedian, writer, neuroscientist and late-diagnosed autistic woman Ria Lina for an honest and hilarious conversation about what autism really looks like beyond the stereotypes. Together, they explore why comedy can be the perfect home for neurodivergent minds, and how learning you're autistic can completely reshape the way you understand yourself.

This episode explores:
 🌶️ Why autistic women are often missed or misunderstood
 🌶️ How comedy and dark humour can be a natural fit for autistic minds
 🌶️ The hidden dynamics of female friendships and relational bullying
 🌶️ Why autistic women often appear socially confident while struggling internally
 🌶️ The identity shift that comes with a late autism diagnosis
 🌶️ Why self-understanding matters more than the diagnosis itself
 🌶️ Parenting, relationships, and challenging society's expectations as an autistic woman

Tune in for a funny, heartfelt, and validating conversation that challenges outdated ideas about autism and celebrates the individuality and humour of autistic women.

Contact Spicy Brain

Thanks for tuning in to Spicy Brain, the podcast Lara Sullivan created after her own late autism diagnosis. Each week, Lara sits down with guests from across the neurodivergent community to challenge stereotypes, celebrate differences, and laugh through the shared realities of life. For more content visit our website or follow us on your favourite social platform to stay connected.

Find out more:

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Ria Lina:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rialina_

Website: https://rialina.com

What happens when OCD and autism overlap – and no one recognises either?

In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast, host Lara Sullivan sits down with comedian, author and neurodiversity advocate Joe Wells to unpack the realities of living with OCD and autism. From childhood intrusive thoughts and compulsions to receiving an autism diagnosis later in life, Joe shares his personal journey with honesty and humour.

Together, they explore the misconceptions surrounding OCD, the overlap between OCD and autism, and how understanding your brain can lead to meaningful self-accommodations. They also discuss neurodivergent relationships, finding belonging through comedy, and why autistic people often thrive when they can be unapologetically themselves.

This episode explores:
 🌶️ What OCD actually is
 🌶️ How intrusive thoughts and compulsions can impact everyday life
 🌶️ The connection between OCD and autism
 🌶️ Growing up neurodivergent before mental health was widely understood
 🌶️ Why a late autism diagnosis can transform self-understanding
 🌶️ Learning to accommodate for yourself before a formal diagnosis
 🌶️ Finding belonging through comedy
 🌶️ Neurodivergent relationships, communication, and embracing authenticity

Tune in for a powerful conversation about mental health, OCD and why understanding your neurodivergent brain can be one of the most freeing experiences of all.

Contact Spicy Brain

Thanks for tuning in to Spicy Brain, the podcast Lara Sullivan created after her own late autism diagnosis. Each week, Lara sits down with guests from across the neurodivergent community to challenge stereotypes, celebrate differences, and laugh through the shared realities of life. For more content visit our website or follow us on your favourite social platform to stay connected.

Find out more:

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicybrain.podcast/

Follow Lara:
Website: linktr.ee/Sullivanlara

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullivanlara/

Follow Joe:

Website: https://www.joewells.org.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joewellscomedian/?hl=en