Whole Body, Whole Mess: Holistic Medicine for Your Neurodivergent Flesh Prison

"It's natural" is not a safety label. This week, Blair Buckley returns to the pod and we are getting into holistic medicine for neurodivergent bodies. The genuinely helpful,  the ineffective, and the stuff that can turn you yellow. We talk about why supplements are less regulated than you think, what "proprietary blend" actually means, and why serotonin syndrome is a real risk, especially if you're already on antidepressants. We get into acupuncture, including a very important contingency plan for what to do if you're full of needles and there's an emergency in the building, why the holes are much smaller than you think, and how chiropractic care requires a lot more nuance than just finding the nearest guy who will crack your neck. If you have Ehlers-Danlos or hypermobility, this part is especially for you. We also go deep on chronic pain and mental health, because living in a body that hurts all the time has a psychological cost that most providers are not equipped to talk about. And because this is us, we end up in a whole conversation about ADHD, autism, and sleep, why the standard sleep hygiene advice was never written with neurodivergent people in mind, and how sometimes the goal is just harm reduction. Blair is based in Denver and sees neurodivergent clients of all ages. You can find her on Psychology Today under Blair Buckley. Find me at alyssazimmerman.com for therapy in New York State or to apply to be a guest. 00:00 Holistic Medicine: A Neurodivergent Guide to Whole Person Care 06:19 Supplements: Risks, Interactions, and Serotonin Syndrome 14:38 Acupuncture: Evidence Based Pain Relief and What to Expect 21:49 Chiropractic: What You Need to Know About EDS and Hypermobility 26:45 Physical Therapy: Barriers and Self-Advocacy for Neurodivergent People 32:52 Instant Gratification Medicine: ADHD, Dopamine, and Healthcare Decisions 35:22 Treating the Physical and Emotional Pain: Chronic Pain and Mental Health 40:04 The Pain Trauma Connection: Chronic Pain, Injury, and the Neurodivergent Nervous System 42:42 Is Cortisol Evil? Anxiety, Stress, and Neurodivergent Nervous Systems 44:57 The Neurodivergent Sleep Crisis: Sensory Sleep Hygiene and Why the Standard Advice Fails 49:50 More ND Taxes: The Hidden Time and Energy Costs of Neurodivergence 53:27 Wrap Up: Holistic Medicine, Self-Advocacy, and Informed Decision Making