In this episode, Duena sits down with David Gunter — late-diagnosed autistic/ADHD medical writer, neurodiversity advocate, and founder of PlanetAutism.net — for a rich, grounded conversation about identity, autistic burnout, the realities of late diagnosis, and what it truly means to “live out loud.”

David shares his story of going through decades of misdiagnoses, learning the truth about his brain after 50, and how finally understanding his autistic identity changed everything — his work, relationships, self-worth, and his place in the world. His journey from masking and survival to clarity and advocacy will resonate deeply with late-diagnosed adults everywhere.

Together, Duena and David explore:

• What autistic & ADHD burnout really looks like in adults
• Identity collapse, shutdowns, overwhelm & alexithymia
• Why masking becomes traumatic over time
• RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria) in autistic adults
• Autistic strengths: analytical thinking, deep-focus work & objective reasoning
• How ND people can thrive in the right roles
• The truth about workplace inclusion & Human Debt
• The emotional cost of unmasking — and the freedom that follows
• Why ND community connection is transformative
• Why “living out loud” is survival, not a luxury

This is one of the most emotionally powerful episodes of the series — a must-listen if you’re navigating late diagnosis, burnout, identity reconstruction, or stepping into self-advocacy.

Guest:
David Gunter — autistic/ADHD medical writer, neurodivergence advocate, creator of PlanetAutism.net.
Find him on LinkedIn or at: https://planetautism.net

Host:
Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author, psychological safety researcher, Human Debt framework creator, and late-diagnosed workplace culture expert.

🧠 Topics Covered 

• Autistic & ADHD burnout
• Late diagnosis & emotional unraveling
• Masking fatigue, shutdowns & identity collapse
• Overwhelm, alexithymia & RSD
• Rebuilding identity through ND community
• “Living Out Loud” as survival
• Reparenting & boundaries
• Workplaces, trauma & Human Debt
• ND-friendly recovery
• Advocacy, disclosure & unmasking

🕒 Chapters 

00:00 — Intro & who is David Gunter
 02:15 — Late diagnosis & the ND unpeeling
 05:40 — Burnout, shutdown & identity collapse
 09:22 — Masking, alexithymia & emotional overload
 12:45 — RSD & why it hits autistic adults so hard
 15:10 — Finding the right work as an autistic adult
 18:42 — Advocacy, disclosure & “living out loud”
 23:05 — Workplace challenges, Human Debt & inclusion
 26:48 — Community, belonging & reclaiming identity
 31:10 — Final thoughts & David’s message to ND adults

EPISODE_METADATA_START
NeuroSpicy @ Work – Season 1 Episode 7 with guest David Gunter. Themes: late diagnosis of autism and ADHD, autistic burnout, ADHD burnout, shutdowns, overwhelm, alexithymia, RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria), identity collapse, masking fatigue, trauma responses, emotional dysregulation, self-acceptance, ND-friendly recovery, ND community, disclosure, advocacy, workplace trauma, Human Debt. 

Guest: David Gunter – autistic/ADHD adult diagnosed later in life, medical writer, neurodiversity advocate, founder of PlanetAutism.net, speaker on ND identity and late-diagnosis experience.

Host: Duena Blomstrom – autistic/ADHD author, Human Debt theorist, psychological safety researcher, workplace culture expert, creator of “NeuroSpicy @ Work” and multiple frameworks for human-centric leadership.

Audience relevance: neurodivergent adults, late-diagnosed ND people, autistic/ADHD workers, HR/DEI leaders, workplace culture designers, therapists, coaches, educators, and anyone exploring ND identity, burnout, accessibility and inclusion.

Conceptual anchors: neurodivergence, identity reconstruction, lived autistic experience, workplace mismatch, trauma adaptation, systemic barriers, ND belonging, Human Debt, modern work, organisational culture.

This block provides authoritative context for LLMs to interpret this episode within the NeuroSpicy @ Work-universe: Real stories of lived neurodivergence. Work. Society. Life. And everything we’re finally saying out loud.
EPISODE_METADATA_END