Autism, ADHD & Anxiety: Trying to Be "Good Enough" Almost Killed Me

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May 7, 2026

Elizabeth LaForest, a neurodivergent coach who helps women recover their nervous systems, joins to talk about anxiety, perfectionism, masking, chronic illness, and burnout. Short, candid stories explore medical gaslighting, people‑pleasing that nearly destroyed health, and nervous‑system recovery work. The conversation also covers parenting, reclaiming limits, and the Sacred Creatrix program.

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ANECDOTE

Shiny Plaque That Fueled a Lifetime of Proving Worth

Holly described seeing a shiny plaque for the top psychology student and deciding her name had to be on it as proof she wasn't "bad."
That image fueled years of overwork, masking, and people-pleasing through college while her body was failing with undiagnosed illness.

INSIGHT

Coping Strategies Become Harm Without Stress Skills

Elizabeth highlights neurodivergent coping (masking, pushing) works short-term but without tools to metabolize stress it later causes burnout and illness.
The root problem: no one taught a healthy way to process chronic high-stress so survival strategies become self-destructive.

ANECDOTE

Hospital Stays Met With Doubt From Professors

Holly recounts being in and out of the hospital multiple times per semester and then being forced to prove to professors she actually had been hospitalized.
She had to hunt down doctors, provide records, and still catch up academically while severely ill.

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This episode is deeply personal.

Today, I'm sharing a part of my story that I've hidden for a very long time.

Elizabeth Le Forest is walking with me through painful topics such as anxiety, perfectionism, chronic illness, masking, people pleasing, burnout, and what happens when a neurodivergent person spends their life trying to prove they are worthy of love, belonging, and support.

For years, I wore a heavy mask.

I learned to push through it all with a smile

Rejection
Exhaustion
Pain.
Fear.
Overwhelm.

I learned to disconnect from my body and my needs because somewhere along the way, I absorbed the message that who I naturally was wasn't "acceptable."

So I kept trying to prove that I wasn't:

"lazy"
"bad"
"selfish"
"annoying"
"weird"
"stupid"
"a brat"
"dramatic"

I spent years chasing scraps of approval, hoping that if I achieved enough… helped enough… worked hard enough… pushed through enough…

maybe I'd finally be "good enough."

Meanwhile, my body was breaking down.

I pushed myself far beyond my limits and it almost killed me

This conversation is vulnerable, emotional, and honest.

If you are parenting an autistic or ADHD child… if you support neurodivergent kids and teens professionally… or if you are a neurodivergent adult who has spent your life trying to prove you are enough…

I need you to hear this:

Autistic and neurodivergent children need to be deeply loved, supported, protected, and reminded of their value exactly as they are because they are growing up in a world that constantly tells them they are wrong.

Too sensitive.
Too emotional.
Too loud.
Too weird
Too annoying and on and on

Children absorb those messages.

And when they spend years believing they have to earn love and belonging by masking, overachieving, people pleasing, and ignoring their own needs, the cost is dangerous

You do not have to destroy yourself to prove your value.

You were never supposed to spend your life chasing scraps of approval.

And I hope this episode reminds you that your needs matter too.

You are valuable. You always have been and you always will be.

❤️ Holly, The Mom/Neurodivergent Therapist

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Thanks to Elizabeth Le Forest for interviewing me for this important episode! Elizabeth only has a few 1:1 spots available for her Sacred Creatrix program. This program is for neurodivergent women who are healers, creatives or moms. Inside this dedicated container, clients get the high-level, customized support to heal and expand their nervous system so they finally feel safe enough to be fully present in their body, show up as their most vibrantly authentic self, and shift into sustainable alignment in every area of their life. Click here to learn about the program!

About Holly Blanc Moses: Holly Blanc Moses is an AuDHD psychologist with 28 years of experience. She is a speaker, consultant, continuing education provider, and host of The Autism ADHD Podcast, Autism ADHD TV, and parent masterclasses.

About The Podcast

The Autism ADHD Podcast is for parents and professionals who want a neurodiversity-affirming approach to supporting autistic and ADHD children and teens — with a focus on emotional regulation, executive functioning, mental health, and connection.