Why Neurodivergent People Track Everyone Else's Emotions Instead of Their Own

If you've ever wondered why you always know when someone else is upset but can't tell if you're hungry, this one is for you.Most late-diagnosed neurodivergent people aren't exhausted from their schedule. They're exhausted from the constant low-level work of monitoring everyone else's emotional states. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina Ph.D. introduces the concept of the emotional dashboard and breaks down exactly why so many ADHD and autistic adults learned to read other people's feelings instead of their own.This episode unpacks the layered reasons behind this pattern, including interoception differences in ADHD and autistic brains, monitoring others' emotional states as a strategy for managing rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), the connection between masking and people-pleasing, and how codependency in neurodivergent people is adaptive, not a character flaw.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Make it Make Sense Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support that late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks need after receiving their late diagnoses.