Why Is Diagnosis So Dang Hard?! Medical Hurdles & Neurodivergent Women of Color - Ep 9

In this episode, we get real about why getting diagnosed as a neurodivergent woman of color can feel like a whole journey, a side quest, and a spiritual test—all at the same time. 🐿️💛

We talk honestly about how ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, trauma, PCOS, autoimmune issues, chronic pain, hormone shifts, and sensory overload all overlap and make diagnosis ridiculously complicated. And because most medical research was built around young white boys, many of us grew up completely missed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed.

We share our personal stories, the emotional toll, the medical barriers, the cultural pressures, and how so many women of color are living undiagnosed or late-diagnosed simply because the system wasn’t built for us.

We also break down real-life questions you can ask yourself if you’ve been wondering, “Is this neurodivergence… or just life life-ing again?” And we offer encouragement, clarity, and next-step guidance if this episode hits close to home.

This is a safe space. You are not alone. And you deserve answers, support, and community as you figure out your neurodivergent journey in a world that often overlooks women who look like us.

TL;DR

We unpack why diagnosis is so hard for neurodivergent women of color, how overlapping symptoms complicate everything, and why so many of us go undiagnosed for decades. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s ADHD, autism, hormones, trauma, anxiety, or “just life,” this episode brings clarity, community, and real next steps.

TIME STAMPS

00:00 — Welcome back, sister squirrels

01:00 — Sleepy chaos: naps, K-dramas & neurodivergent exhaustion
02:30 — Trigger warning + why this episode is important
04:00 — Why diagnosis is especially hard for women of color
06:30 — Bias in research: “The young white boy standard”
08:00 — The missed generation: girls overlooked for decades
10:00 — Real-life stories: kids who were diagnosed late (or not at all)
12:00 — Medical dismissal: “It’s all in your head” and the impact
14:00 — Hormones, autoimmune issues & perimenopause masking ND symptoms
17:00 — Sensory sensitivities, chronic fatigue & why they get misdiagnosed
20:00 — Masking, burnout, social anxiety & ND exhaustion after COVID
23:00 — Co-occurring conditions: depression, bipolar, OCD, eating patterns
26:00 — Fibromyalgia, RA, PCOS & their surprising ND connections
30:00 — Executive function struggles (organization, time, overwhelm)
34:00 — Emotional regulation & why our reactions aren’t “dramatic”
37:00 — Dyslexia, dyspraxia & “Why am I dropping everything?!”
40:00 — Social cues, sensory overload & ND vs. “normal life stress”
43:00 — Questions to ask yourself if you think you may be ND
46:00 — Why you shouldn’t self-diagnose alone — and why you deserve support
48:00 — Encouragement, next steps & how to reach out to us
49:30 — Closing thoughts

RESOURCES

• ADDitude Magazine
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
• Autism Speaks

Therapist and Mental Health Resources

• Psychology Today
• National Institute of Mental Health

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