Part 3 of the Fear of Work series.

Kedra explores why urgency flips the switch - how cortisol and adrenaline override fear and sleepiness, making crisis mode feel like the only way to function. Through a conversation with ChatGPT, she unpacks the nervous system science behind 'I only work well under pressure' and confronts the cost: burnout, depleted dopamine, and a life designed around urgency. This episode includes raw, unedited moments - an ADHD meltdown mid-recording, reflections on late diagnosis grief, and the realization that after years of living in the fast lane, it's time to GO SLOW. Unmasked, unpolished, and honest.

Key Topics:

• The demand trigger: How urgency activates cortisol and adrenaline to bypass fear and sleepiness• Two nervous system switches: Protective inhibition vs. emergency mobilization• Why "I only work well under pressure" is conditioning, not preference• The hidden cost: Depleted dopamine, disrupted sleep, and chronic burnout• Unmasking and perfectionism in late-diagnosed AuDHD• The grief of understanding why relationships were the way they were• Living by INTENTION, URGENCY, and INTEGRITY - and why GO SLOW needs to be added• A raw ADHD moment: When alarms interrupt everything• Bottom-up vs. top-down thinking: How neurodivergent and neurotypical brains differ• Moving from the fast lane to the center lane: Loving your nervous system better

In this continuation of the previous episode's exploration, Kedra dives deeper into the body's protective mechanisms when facing daily demands. After experiencing morning fear at 6 AM (covered in the last episode), she now confronts a new puzzle: sudden, overwhelming sleepiness at 7 AM—right when the workday begins.

With ChatGPT as her analytical partner, Kedra unpacks why her nervous system shifts from panic to shutdown, discovering the concept of "protective hypo-arousal at anticipated demand." This isn't about coffee crashes or simple fatigue—it's a sophisticated survival mechanism that's been operating since elementary school.

Through raw, unfiltered reflection, she connects decades of misdiagnoses (chronic fatigue syndrome, encephalopathy) to what's actually happening: a nervous system trying desperately to protect her from the cost of conforming to neurotypical expectations. The episode explores why exhaustion sometimes works better than anxiety at stopping demands, and what "transition design" might look like for AuDHD nervous systems.

Honest, relatable, and deeply personal—this episode is for anyone who's ever felt their body shut down the moment responsibility appears, and wondered if something was fundamentally wrong with them.

Keywords: autism, ADHD, AuDHD, neurodivergent, autistic burnout, nervous system regulation, pathological demand avoidance, PDA, executive dysfunction, masking, late diagnosed autism, chronic fatigue, demand avoidance, neurodivergent podcast, autism in women, undiagnosed autism, sensory overload, autistic adults, ADHD paralysis, task initiation, mental health podcast, neurodiversity, polyvagal theory, freeze response, dissociation, autism awareness

Why does the transition to work feel like a threat, even when you love what you do?

In this raw and revealing episode of Unmasked, host Kedra Flowers explores the neurological roots of work anxiety, pathological demand avoidance (PDA), and the AuDHD experience.

Kedra shares a deeply personal ChatGPT conversation that unpacks why her nervous system reacts with fear at the exact moment she shifts from self-directed time to work obligations—a pattern that traces back to elementary school. This isn't about laziness, lack of gratitude, or being in the wrong career. It's about understanding how masking, chronic overload, and loss of autonomy create a conditioned threat response.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why work transition anxiety feels different from general anxiety
• The connection between pathological demand avoidance (PDA) and persistent drive for autonomy
• How AuDHD nervous systems respond to structured obligations
• Why you feel amazing during self-directed time but stressed when demands appear
• The hidden cost of masking: autoimmune conditions and chronic overload
• Practical tools for protecting your nervous system during high-demand seasons
• Why your body reacts faster than your mind at role transitions

Key topics: autism, ADHD, AuDHD, pathological demand avoidance, PDA, work anxiety, neurodivergent, unmasking, nervous system regulation, demand avoidance, autistic burnout, late diagnosis, self-discovery, mental health, neurodiversity

Perfect for anyone who's ever felt paralyzed at the starting line, questioned why simple transitions feel so hard, or wondered if their body is trying to tell them something important.

Unmasked is about saying the thing you usually think through first—the truth that gets edited, softened, or swallowed. These conversations are not polished. They're simply honest.