• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Weirdly Successful

Weirdly Successful

Dedicated to helping you understand, navigate and enjoy your weird & wonderful neurodivergent life.

  • About Us
    • The team
    • The mission
    • What we do
    • Events
  • Learn
    • Understanding Neurodivergence
    • Diagnosis & Assessment
    • Productivity & Planning
    • Sensory & Body
    • Emotions & Regulation
    • Health & Wellbeing
    • Work & Career
  • Free Resources
    • Latest Articles
    • Neurodivergent Glossary
      • My Glossary
    • Questions & Answers
    • Resource Library
  • Contact Us
    • Send a message
    • Book a Curiosity Call
  • LOGIN

Livia Farkas

Neurodivergent Adaptation Educator

About Livia Farkas

Livia Farkas is an adult education specialist with a joy-centred approach and a sharp sense for simplifying complex ideas using silly visual metaphors.
Since 2008, she’s written 870+ articles, developed 294 distinct techniques, and co-created 8 online courses with Adam—with 5,302 alumni learning neurodivergent-friendly approaches to time management, goal setting, self-care, and small business management.
Her life goal is to be a walking permission slip for neurodivergent adults.

In her free time, she enjoys stickers & planners, crochet & roller skates, and running around with her pet bunny Rumi.

Building Weirdly Successful’s Knowledge Systems

Livia is the architect behind Weirdly Successful’s knowledge infrastructure — creating the systems that help late-identified neurodivergent adults make sense of their experiences and find language for what they’ve always felt.

She created The Neurodivergent Glossary, an ever-growing encyclopaedia of neurodivergence-related terms designed to help people find answers using everyday words for their experiences—not medical jargon they haven’t yet learned. She also designed the content architecture that powers the entire website: a system that organises content by what someone is experiencing (focus, hearing, time), where they are in their journey (exploring, seeking diagnosis, recently diagnosed), and what they need to know (definitions, validation, practical strategies).

Currently, Livia is building the Weirdly Successful Learning Community: a custom-built peer support platform designed from the ground up for neurodivergent brains. Every element, from the onboarding process to the reaction buttons, has been designed to balance ADHD and Autistic accessibility needs.

Specialist Subjects

  • Neurodivergent adaptations for life and work · Dismantling harmful self-beliefs
  • Promoting self-compassion
  • Creating a life without the hustle

Background: 15 Years in Adult Education

Livia’s neurodivergent-focused work builds on 15 years as a productivity and lifestyle educator in Hungary, where she developed the frameworks, techniques, and teaching approach she now adapts for English-speaking neurodivergent audiences.

Book

That Traffic Light’s Not Getting Any Greener! (XXI. Század Kiadó, 2013; ISBN: 9786155373022) — National bestseller in Hungary, shortlisted for the Libri Golden Book Awards.

Publications

Éva Magazin (2014–2020), HVG Psychology (2019), Glamour (2019), Forbes Hungary (2017), Marie Claire Hungary (2013), Elle Hungary (2013), Cosmopolitan Hungary (2013)

TV & Radio

Livia has appeared as a productivity and lifestyle expert on Hungarian national television, including recurring segments on RTL Klub’s morning programme and appearances on TV2 and Duna World. She has been interviewed on Kossuth Rádió (Hungarian public radio), Klubrádió, and Jazzy.

Talks & Appearances

Livia has spoken at universities including the University of Debrecen, ELTE, Corvinus University, and the Balassi Institute; at professional conferences including the Mfor Marketing Conference, Digital Divas Conference, and Evolution Social Media Conference; and at a Google Ground roundtable on women in business. Her 2013 book tour included venues across Hungary and a reader meetup in London.

Awards

  • HVG GoldenBlog, Audience Award for urban:eve blog (2011, won)
  • Cosmopolitan Digital Divas, “Best Blog Design” (2012, won)
  • Glamour Women of The Year Hungary, “Blogger of the Year” (2014, nominated)

Latest from Livia

References
1↑ Agnoletti, M. (2026). The Polyvagal Theory in Contemporary Psychology: Why Popularity Should Not Be Confused With Scientific Validity. Qeios. https://doi.org/10.32388/5x4uj7.2
2↑ Alen, N. (2022). The Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway in Humans: State-of-the-Art Review and Future Directions. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 104622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104622
3↑ Averbeck, B., Seitz, L., Kolb, F., & Kutz, D. (2017). Sex differences in thermal detection and thermal pain threshold and the thermal grill illusion: A psychophysical study in young volunteers. Biology of Sex Differences, 8.
4↑ Bailey, R. F., Dana, D., Bailey, E., & Davis, F. (2020). The Application of the Polyvagal Theory to High Conflict Co-Parenting Cases. Family Court Review, 58, 525–543. https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12485
5↑ Banerjee, A. (2026). Understanding the shortcomings of heart rate variability as a tool for autonomic analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2026.1760160
6↑ Beauchaine, T. P., Gatzke-Kopp, L., & Mead, H. (2007). Polyvagal Theory and developmental psychopathology: Emotion dysregulation and conduct problems from preschool to adolescence. Biological Psychology, 74(2), 174–184.
7↑ Berthoud, H. R., & Neuhuber, W. L. (2000). Functional and chemical anatomy of the afferent vagal system. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, 85(1–3), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1566-0702(00)00215-0
8↑ Berthoud, H. R., & Neuhuber, W. L. (2019). Vagal mechanisms as neuromodulatory targets for the treatment of metabolic disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1454, 42–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14182
9↑ Berthoud, H. R., Münzberg, H., Morrison, C. D., & Neuhuber, W. L. (2025). Gut-Brain Communication: Functional Anatomy of Vagal Afferents. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 93, 103058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2025.103058
12↑ Bonaz, B., Sinniger, V., & Pellissier, S. (2016). Anti-inflammatory properties of the vagus nerve: Potential therapeutic implications of vagus nerve stimulation. The Journal of Physiology, 594. https://doi.org/10.1113/jp271539
14↑ Bonaz, B., Sinniger, V., & Pellissier, S. (2021). Therapeutic Potential of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.650971
15↑ Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 44.
16↑ De Assis, M. R., & Guimarães, I. (2026). Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and vagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 38(4), 238–245. https://doi.org/10.1097/bor.0000000000001170
17↑ Doody, J., Burghardt, G., & Dinets, V. (2023). The Evolution of Sociality and the Polyvagal Theory. Biological Psychology, 108569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108569
18↑ Fox, E. E. (2025). Polyvagal Theory in Trauma-Informed Music Therapy Practice. Music Therapy Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miaf001
19↑ Gerritsen, R. J. S., & Band, G. P. H. (2018). Breath of life: The respiratory vagal stimulation model of contemplative activity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00067
20↑ Grossman, P. (2023). Fundamental Challenges and Likely Refutations of the Five Basic Premises of the Polyvagal Theory. Biological Psychology, 108589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108589
21↑ Grossman, P., Ackland, G. L., Allen, A. M., Berntson, G., Booth, L. C., Burghardt, G. M., Buron, J., Dinets, V., Doody, J., Dutschmann, M., Farmer, D. G. S., Fisher, J. P., Gourine, A. V., Joyner, M., Karemaker, J., Khalsa, S. S., Lakatta, E. G., Leite, C., Macefield, V., … Zucker, I. (2026). Why The Polyvagal Theory Is Untenable. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 23, 100–112. https://doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20260110
22↑ Haeyen, S. (2024). A theoretical exploration of polyvagal theory in creative arts and psychomotor therapies for emotion regulation in stress and trauma. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382007
25↑ Hanazawa, H. (2022). Polyvagal Theory and Its Clinical Potential: An Overview. Brain and Nerve, 74(8), 1011–1016. https://doi.org/10.11477/mf.1416202169
26↑ Hayano, J., Sakakibara, Y., Yamada, A., Yamada, M., Mukai, S., Fujinami, T., Yokoyama, K., Watanabe, Y., & Takata, K. (1991). Accuracy of assessment of cardiac vagal tone by heart rate variability in normal subjects. The American Journal of Cardiology, 67(2), 199–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9149(91)90445-q
30↑ Kalagara, R., Chennareddy, S., Reford, E., Bhimani, A., Cummins, D., Downes, M., Tosto, J., Bederson, J., Mocco, J., Putrino, D., Kellner, C., & Panov, F. (2024). Complications of implanted vagus nerve stimulation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cerebrovascular Diseases, 54, 112–120.
31↑ Kelly, M. J., Breathnach, C., Tracey, K., & Donnelly, S. (2022). Manipulation of the inflammatory reflex as a therapeutic strategy. Cell Reports Medicine, 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100696
33↑ Komisaruk, B., & Frangos, E. (2021). Vagus nerve afferent stimulation: Projection into the brain, reflexive physiological, perceptual, and behavioral responses, and clinical relevance. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, 237, 102908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102908
34↑ Kozlowitz, S., Cole, P., & Kornreich, C. (2021). The polyvagal theory: Overview and current limitations. Revue Médicale de Bruxelles. https://doi.org/10.30637/2021.20-058
35↑ Krahl, S., & Clark, K. (2012). Vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy: A review of central mechanisms. Surgical Neurology International, 3, S255–S259. https://doi.org/10.4103/2152-7806.103015
36↑ Kronsteiner, B., Carrero-Rojas, G., Reissig, L., Moghaddam, A. S., Schwendt, K. M., Gerges, S., Maierhofer, U., Aszmann, O., Pastor, A., Kiss, A., Podesser, B., Birkfellner, W., Moscato, F., Blumer, R., & Weninger, W. (2024). Characterization, number, and spatial organization of nerve fibers in the human cervical vagus nerve and its superior cardiac branch. Brain Stimulation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2024.04.016
37↑ Laborde, S., Mosley, E., & Thayer, J. (2017). Heart Rate Variability and Cardiac Vagal Tone in Psychophysiological Research — Recommendations for Experiment Planning, Data Analysis, and Data Reporting. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00213
39↑ Leikola, A., Mäkelä, J., & Punkanen, M. (2016). Polyvagal theory and emotional trauma. Duodecim, 132(1), 55–61.
43↑ Lundell, R., Räisänen-Sokolowski, A., Wuorimaa, T., Ojanen, T., & Parkkola, K. (2020). Diving in the Arctic: Cold water immersion's effects on heart rate variability in Navy divers. Frontiers in Physiology, 10.
44↑ Mäkinen, T. M., Mäntysaari, M., Pääkkönen, T., Jokelainen, J., Palinkas, L. A., Hassi, J., Leppäluoto, J., Tahvanainen, K., & Rintamäki, H. (2008). Autonomic nervous function during whole-body cold exposure before and after cold acclimation. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 79, 875–882.
46↑ Manzotti, A., Panisi, C., Pivotto, M., Vinciguerra, F., Benedet, M., Brazzoli, F., Zanni, S., Comassi, A., Caputo, S., Cerritelli, F., & Chiera, M. (2023). An in-depth analysis of the polyvagal theory in light of current findings in neuroscience and clinical research. Developmental Psychobiology, 66(2), e22450. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22450
47↑ Marmerstein, J., McCallum, G. A., & Durand, D. (2021). Direct measurement of vagal tone in rats does not show correlation to HRV. Scientific Reports, 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79808-8
48↑ Martelli, D., McKinley, M. J., & McAllen, R. (2014). The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway: A critical review. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, 182, 65–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2013.12.007
49↑ Martinez, P., Grinand, M., Cheggour, S., Taieb, J., & Gourjon, G. (2024). How to properly evaluate cardiac vagal tone in oncology studies: A state-of-the-art review. Journal of the National Cancer Center, 4, 36–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jncc.2024.02.002
53↑ Natarajan, A., Pantelopoulos, A., Emir-Farinas, H., & Natarajan, P. (2020). Heart rate variability with photoplethysmography in 8 million individuals: A cross-sectional study. The Lancet Digital Health, 2(12), e650–e657. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2589-7500(20)30246-6
54↑ Neuhuber, W., & Berthoud, H. (2021). Functional anatomy of the vagus system — emphasis on the somato-visceral interface. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, 236, 102887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102887
56↑ Ottaviani, M. M., & Macefield, V. (2022). Structure and Functions of the Vagus Nerve in Mammals. Comprehensive Physiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c210042
57↑ Owens, A., Mathias, C., & Iodice, V. (2021). Autonomic dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 15.
60↑ Pavlov, V. A., & Tracey, K. J. (2005). The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 19(6), 493–499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2005.03.015
62↑ Pénzes, I., Abbing, A., & De Witte, M. (2025). How to use theories to explain effects of the Creative Arts Therapies: The case of Polyvagal Theory. The Arts in Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2025.102316
64↑ Pettit, S., Marchand, I., & Graham, T. (1999). Gender differences in cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to cold-air exposure at rest. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 24(2), 131–147.
65↑ Porges, S. W. (2007). The polyvagal perspective. Biological Psychology, 74(2), 116–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.06.009
67↑ Porges, S. W. (2025a). Polyvagal Theory: Current Status, Clinical Applications, and Future Directions. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 22, 169–184. https://doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20250301
69↑ Porges, S. W. (2026). When A Critique Becomes Untenable: A Scholarly Response To Grossman Et Al.'s Evaluation Of Polyvagal Theory. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 23, 113–128. https://doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20260111
70↑ Pyetan, E., & Akselrod, S. (2003). Do the high-frequency indexes of HRV provide a faithful assessment of cardiac vagal tone? A critical theoretical evaluation. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 50, 777–783. https://doi.org/10.1109/tbme.2003.812158
71↑ Racine, M., Tousignant-Laflamme, Y., Kloda, L. A., Dion, D., Dupuis, G., & Choinière, M. (2012). A systematic literature review of 10 years of research on sex/gender and experimental pain perception — Part 1: Are there really differences between women and men? Pain, 153, 602–618.
73↑ Ryland, S., Johnson, L., & Bernards, J. (2021). Honoring Protective Responses: Reframing Resistance in Therapy Using Polyvagal Theory. Contemporary Family Therapy, 44, 267–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-021-09584-8
75↑ Simon, T., Kirk, J., Dolezalova, N., Guyot, M., Panzolini, C., Bondue, A., Lavergne, J., Hugues, S., Hypolite, N., Saeb-Parsy, K., Perkins, J. C., Macia, E., Sridhar, A., Vervoordeldonk, M., Glaichenhaus, N., Donegà, M., & Blancou, P. (2023). The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway inhibits inflammation without lymphocyte relay. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1125492
76↑ Sullivan, M. B., Erb, M., Schmalzl, L., Moonaz, S., Taylor, J. N., & Porges, S. W. (2018). Yoga Therapy and Polyvagal Theory: The Convergence of Traditional Wisdom and Contemporary Neuroscience for Self-Regulation and Resilience. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00067
78↑ Thomas, B., Claassen, N., Becker, P., & Viljoen, M. (2019). Validity of Commonly Used Heart Rate Variability Markers of Autonomic Nervous System Function. Neuropsychobiology, 78, 14–26. https://doi.org/10.1159/000495519
79↑ Thompson, N., Mastitskaya, S., & Holder, D. (2019). Avoiding off-target effects in electrical stimulation of the cervical vagus nerve: Neuroanatomical tracing techniques to study fascicular anatomy of the vagus nerve. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108325
81↑ Tsoutsoubi, L., Mantzios, K., Mantzios, C., Vliora, M., Nintou, E., Amoiridis, K., Tompra, N., Ioannou, L. G., Flouris, A. D., & Dinas, P. C. (2022). Cardiovascular stress and characteristics of cold-induced vasodilation in women and men during cold-water immersion: A randomized control study. Biology, 11.
84↑ Wagner, J. A., & Horvath, S. M. (1985). Cardiovascular reactions to cold exposures differ with age and gender. Journal of Applied Physiology, 58(1), 187–192.
85↑ Weare, S. (2020). Rhythm and Safety of Social Engagement: Polyvagal Theory Informed Dance/Movement Therapy. [Conference paper / unpublished].
86↑ Yap, J. Y. Y., Keatch, C., Lambert, E., Woods, W., Stoddart, P. R., & Kameneva, T. (2024). Critical review of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation: Challenges for translation to clinical practice. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14.
89↑ Žila, I., Mokra, D., Kopincová, J., Kolomazník, M., Javorka, M., & Čalkovská, A. (2017). Vagal-immune interactions involved in cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Physiological Research, 66(Supplementum 2), S139–S145. https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.933671
91↑ Andersson, U., & Tracey, K. J. (2023). Vagus nerve SARS-CoV-2 infection and inflammatory reflex dysfunction: Is there a causal relationship? Journal of Internal Medicine, 295. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13746
92↑ Borovikova, L. V., Ivanova, S., Zhang, M., Yang, H., Botchkina, G., Watkins, L., Wang, H., Abumrad, N., Eaton, J., & Tracey, K. (2000). Vagus nerve stimulation attenuates the systemic inflammatory response to endotoxin. Nature, 405, 458–462. https://doi.org/10.1038/35013070
93↑ Chen, G., Yan, Y., Liu, S., He, Y., & T. (2026). Vagus Nerve Regulation of Inflammatory Responses in Sepsis: Mechanistic Insights and Translational Applications. Journal of Inflammation Research, 19. https://doi.org/10.2147/jir.s583388
94↑ Ek, M., Kurosawa, M., Lundeberg, T., & Ericsson, A. (1998). Activation of Vagal Afferents after Intravenous Injection of Interleukin-1β: Role of Endogenous Prostaglandins. The Journal of Neuroscience, 18, 9471–9479. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.18-22-09471.1998
95↑ Falvey, A. (2022). Vagus nerve stimulation and inflammation: Expanding the scope beyond cytokines. Bioelectronic Medicine, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42234-022-00100-3
97↑ Goehler, L. E., Gaykema, R., Hansen, M. K., Anderson, K., Maier, S., & Watkins, L. (2000). Vagal immune-to-brain communication: A visceral chemosensory pathway. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, 85(1–3), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1566-0702(00)00219-8
100↑ Huerta, T., Chen, A. C., Chaudhry, S., Tynan, A., Morgan, T., Park, K., Adamovich-Zeitlin, R., Haider, B. B., Li, J. H., Nagpal, M., Zanos, S., Pavlov, V. A., Brines, M., Zanos, T. P., Chavan, S., Tracey, K. J., & Chang, E. H. (2025). Neural representation of cytokines by vagal sensory neurons. Nature Communications, 16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59248-6
104↑ McAllen, R., McKinley, M., & Martelli, D. (2021). Reflex regulation of systemic inflammation by the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, 237, 102926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102926
105↑ Mikami, Y., Tsunoda, J., Kiyohara, H., Taniki, N., Teratani, T., & Kanai, T. (2021). Vagus nerve-mediated intestinal immune regulation: Therapeutic implications for inflammatory bowel diseases. International Immunology. https://doi.org/10.1093/intimm/dxab039
106↑ Murray, K., Rude, K. M., Sladek, J. A., & Reardon, C. (2021a). Electrical activation of vagal efferent or afferent neurons elicits two distinct mechanisms of anti-inflammatory actions. The Journal of Immunology. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.206.supp.13.08
107↑ Murray, K., Rude, K. M., Sladek, J. A., & Reardon, C. (2021b). Divergence of neuroimmune circuits activated by afferent and efferent vagal nerve stimulation in the regulation of inflammation. The Journal of Physiology, 599, 2075–2084. https://doi.org/10.1113/jp281189
108↑ Olofsson, P., Rosas-Ballina, M., Levine, Y. A., & Tracey, K. J. (2012). Rethinking inflammation: Neural circuits in the regulation of immunity. Immunological Reviews, 248, 188–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-065x.2012.01138.x
109↑ Pavlov, V. A., & Tracey, K. J. (2012). The vagus nerve and the inflammatory reflex — linking immunity and metabolism. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 8, 743–754. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.189
110↑ Pereira, M., & Leite, P. E. (2016). The Involvement of Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nerve in the Inflammatory Reflex. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 231. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.25307
112↑ Steinberg, B., Silverman, H. A., Robbiati, S., Gunasekaran, M., Tsaava, T., Battinelli, E., Stiegler, A., Bouton, C., Chavan, S., Tracey, K., & Huerta, P. (2016). Cytokine-specific Neurograms in the Sensory Vagus Nerve. Bioelectronic Medicine, 3, 7–17. https://doi.org/10.15424/bioelectronmed.2016.00007
Content type: Glossary Entry📖Glossary Entry

vagus nerve

The vagus nerve is a bundle of nerve fibres in your body. It runs from the brainstem down through the neck and into the chest and abdomen. It branches out to the heart, lungs, airways, stomach, liver, intestines, and most of the digestive tract. It is the longest cranial nerve in the body.

Roughly 80% of what it carries is sensory information travelling upward. The vagus nerve reports to your …

Read morevagus nerve
Content type: Glossary Entry📖Glossary Entry

gut-brain axis

The gut-brain axis is the two-way communication system between your digestive tract and your brain. It runs on nerves, neurotransmitters, immune signals, and microbial chemistry, and it's a large part of the reason why so many neurodivergent people have persistent stomach problems which are often not even connected to their neurodivergence.

Read moregut-brain axis
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Will people judge me if they learn about my ADHD / Autism?”

People can still be mean, and your worries are valid. But research shows they're already picking up on more than you think — and that disclosure often improves how they respond, not worsens it.

Read more“Will people judge me if they learn about my ADHD / Autism?”
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Do I have to tell people about my diagnosis?”

Your diagnosis is yours. You decide who hears about it and when. This post covers what you're actually required to share about ADHD or Autism — at work, with the DVLA, with doctors — and what stays entirely with you.

Read more“Do I have to tell people about my diagnosis?”
Content type: Glossary Entry📖Glossary Entry

stimulant medication

Stimulant medications are the most commonly prescribed pharmacological treatment for ADHD. They work by increasing the availability of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, and have long-acting or short-acting variations. Stimulant medication has been in clinical use for over 80 years, they are safe and effective. Long-term users report mild or managable side-effects only.

Read morestimulant medication
Content type: Glossary Entry📖Glossary Entry

The neurodivergent brain

The brain is the organ behind every neurodivergent trait you experience — from how you pay attention to how you process emotion to how you sleep. Neurodivergent brains use the same basic structures and chemical messengers as any brain, but the tuning is different: different dopamine activity in reward circuits, different balance between excitatory and inhibitory signalling, different default mode …

Read moreThe neurodivergent brain
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Can supplements help with ADHD?”

Yes, and no. Whether supplements can help with your ADHD depends on where the support need is for you when it comes to your dopamine system.

Read more“Can supplements help with ADHD?”
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“How many people are neurodivergent?”

Around 15–20% of the population is neurodivergent, which is roughly 1 out of 5 — whether they know it or not.

Read more“How many people are neurodivergent?”
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Is ADHD overdiagnosed?”

No, ADHD is not overdiagnosed. More people are recognised because of better diagnostic criteria, destigmatisation and awareness.

Read more“Is ADHD overdiagnosed?”
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Isn’t everyone ‘a little bit’ ADHD?”

ADHD traits are human traits, but for ADHD brains they show up multiple times a day, not just during stressful patches.

Read more“Isn’t everyone ‘a little bit’ ADHD?”
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Is ADHD just a lack of willpower?”

You know what needs doing. You want to do it. You still can't start. In ADHD, that gap is neurological, and willpower was never the missing ingredient.

Read more“Is ADHD just a lack of willpower?”
Content type: Explainer❓Explainer

“Why do I like pressure on my body?”

If you like pressure on your body — heavy blankets, tight hugs, snug clothes — your nervous system is using a regulation strategy it figured out on its own.

Read more“Why do I like pressure on my body?”
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 10
  • Next

Free Resources for Neurodivergent Adults

Get our research-backed, experience-validated strategies & guides for a neurodivergent work & life that you can adapt to what success looks like to you.

Create a free account to get your goodies!

Is the button not working? No worries!
Sometimes ad-blocks stop all pop-ups, even if they are not ads.
This might be the case if nothing happens when you click the button.
Here’s another, non-pop-up way to sign up, please try if this works!

By signing up you allow us to send you Weirdly Successful’s newsletter with practical tips, strategies, and optional training material.
You can unsubscribe any time. Our Privacy Policy makes for a great summer reading!

Weirdly Successful is a 100% neurodivergent-run non-profit, developing strategies & frameworks for neurodivergent adults.

  • E-mail
  • Instagram
  • Mastodon
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest

DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is for informational purposes only, and does not substitute for medical advice. For medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.

While we strive to represent up-to-date and scientifically accurate information, our authors are not medical professionals unless where specifically noted. All opinions are the authors’ own.

Weirdly Successful’s authors and collaborators are not liable for risks or issues
associated with using or acting upon the information on our site.

All original content Copyright © 2026 · Weirdly Successful · All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy