In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlin explores the psychology of secrecy, honesty, rumination, and the very neurodivergent pressure to be “fully transparent” all the time.
Because sometimes keeping secrets is not dishonest. Sometimes, it is safe. Sometimes, it is healthy. Sometimes, it is necessary.
Inspired by a Psychology Today article and research from Michael Slepian and Alex Koch, Caitlin unpacks why humans keep secrets, what kinds of secrets people commonly carry, and when secrecy becomes emotionally or physically harmful. They also share how OCD, black-and-white thinking, and burnout created a belief that being a good person meant being endlessly open, endlessly nuanced, and endlessly available. (Spoiler: it does not!)
💬"Sometimes keeping secrets is a safety thing. You don't have to tell everybody everything about you." - Caitlin Liz Fisher
What We Explore in This Episode:

• The difference between privacy, secrecy, and dishonesty
• How OCD and black-and-white thinking can create pressure to be “honest” at all costs
• Why oversharing can become unsafe or unsustainable
• How secrets can cause distress when they create shame, isolation, or uncertainty
• Why rumination is often more harmful than the secret itself
• How confiding in a safe, compassionate person can reduce the burden of secrecy
• Three questions to ask yourself when deciding whether a secret is harmful