These cards show memes from the everyday lives of people with ADHD and autism
At the end, you will find out which Winx fairy you are whether you may have distinctive traits of ADHD or autism.
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This is not a diagnosis, just a lighthearted test. Only a psychiatrist can make a diagnosis. Neurodivergent traits overlap with many other conditions, so after our first consultation I will send you the questionnaires needed for an initial assessment.
Swipe right 👈 if it feels relatable, 👉 if it misses.
Learn how your brain may work
What is it?
ADHD
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental difference affecting the regulation of attention, motivation, impulses and executive functions.
It is not laziness or a character flaw. Starting repetitive tasks, sustaining attention without interest and sensing time may be difficult, while meaningful work can trigger deep hyperfocus.
Hyperfocus is not an unlimited resource
An engaging task can fully capture attention. A person may forget food, rest and other needs, then burn out after an intense burst of work.
What is it?
Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference in how the brain processes information, especially sensory and social information. It is not an illness, but another way of experiencing the world.
An autistic brain may filter incoming signals differently, so everyday sounds, light, touch and social situations can lead to sensory overload and fatigue more quickly.
Why the spectrum matters
Autism looks different in every person. Invisible challenges with sensory processing, communication, organization and self-regulation are real even when someone appears independent.
What is it?
Autism and ADHD together
When autism and ADHD occur together, the nervous system may need predictability to prevent overload and novelty to maintain attention and motivation.
This can feel like an internal conflict: wanting stable routines while tiring of them quickly, or seeking connection while needing long recovery after social contact.
This is not a contradictory personality
Shifts from productive hyperfocus to exhaustion reflect competing nervous-system needs. Support relies on a suitable environment and gentle regulation rather than willpower.
It is like the story of the Ugly Duckling:
The duckling grew up among the birds in the yard. He was a little different, awkward, and unlike the others, so they laughed at him, teased him, and bullied him.
Over time, he began to believe
that he was worse than everyone else and did not deserve to belong. He avoided others, hid away, and was afraid even to approach the beautiful swans.
He avoided others because he feared being rejected again.
He almost lost hope. But the truth was that he had never been ugly or broken.
Then, when he saw his reflection in the lake,
he understood who he truly was and found his place among the swans.
this is how people withASD and ADHD often feel
People around them may not understand their differences, which can create shame and a sense of being “wrong.” Yet these differences make you unique and can become your strength when you learn to accept them and understand how to care for yourself in ways that improve your quality of life.
So what can you do?
ADHD and ASD are inborn differences in how the brain works.
They do not simply go away and cannot be “cured by willpower.” But you can learn to live in a way that stops them from being a constant source of shame and burnout.
The main step is to stop forcing yourself into conventional ideas of success and productivity, and accept that your brain works differently, and that is okay. You have the right to live at your own pace and by your own rules.
What helps:
Understanding and acceptance
When you stop thinking “I am broken,” you regain energy for living instead of masking.
Self-regulation skills
Learn to manage impulsivity, procrastination, sensory overload, and anxiety.
Supportive routines
Create predictability that reduces stress without feeling restrictive.
Working with emotions
Use strategies that account for how your brain works and genuinely help with ADHD and ASD.
Planning
Use strategies that account for how your brain works and genuinely help with ADHD and ASD.
Therapy or coaching
A space to build new strategies and stop fighting against yourself.
Free guide
How to climb out of procrastination
What is inside?
The neuroscience of “laziness”: why your brain ignores your to-do list and what dopamine has to do with it.
How to make peace with your inner five-year-old, who wants to watch memes instead of working.
Attention cheat codes: techniques to start a task in five minutes without disappearing into social media.
Support instead of self-criticism: practical tools for when you are already exhausted but the task is not done.
This guide is not a substitute for therapy, but it will show you that you are not alone. These first steps can make life a little easier right now.
Who am I?
I know what it is like to feel “different from everyone else”
My name is Anna Vershkova, I am a psychologist working with schema therapy, ACT, and RO DBT.
First of all, I am also a person with my own experience of autism and ADHD.
Since childhood, I heard: “You are too sensitive,” “Smart, but lazy,” “Why are you like this? You are strange, a know-it-all.”
I know what it means to hide behind a mask and fear that people will reject you if you show your true self.
I know what it is like to burn out at work, procrastinate until the last moment, lose sleep, and blame yourself again.
The journey was not easy
This journey was not easy. Yet it brought me to psychology so I could help others who, like me, are tired.
I will not take the position of an expert who knows everything. I will simply stay beside you, support you, and accept you as you are.
My goal is to help you stop breaking yourself to fit other people’s standards and build a life with room for your differences, joy, and resilience.
My education certificates
Frequently asked questions
What happens during the first session?
The first meeting lasts 60 minutes and takes place online.
We discuss your request and current difficulties in detail.
I suggest several questionnaires that help us see whether there are signs of ADHD or autism.
Together, we set goals: what matters to you right now (for example, reducing anxiety, improving sleep, or stopping procrastination) and what matters in the longer term.
After the first session, you will have a plan for what to work on and which steps to take next.
What if I want to stop therapy?
That is normal: sometimes clients feel they have reached their goal or want to take a break.
I ask that we make one informal agreement: if you decide to finish therapy, we hold one final session free of charge.
During it, we discuss your reasons, review the results, and reinforce what is already working.
This helps bring the process to a caring close without a sense of being abandoned.
How do I choose between coaching, a skills program, and therapy?
Coaching works well when you have a specific goal: improve planning, reduce procrastination, or build a routine.
Skills programs (Solanto, RO DBT) suit people who want structured work with a clear protocol and practical skills.
Long-term therapy is appropriate for deeper themes such as shame, loneliness, depression, or relationship difficulties.
We will discuss this at the first meeting and choose the format together.
How do I pay for sessions?
You pay immediately after each meeting using a convenient method (online transfer, card, etc.).
There is no need to pay several months in advance: you only pay for the session you have attended.
Who makes a diagnosis?
Only a physician (a psychiatrist or neurologist) can make an official diagnosis.
I help with initial differentiation: using questionnaires and conversation, we look for signs of ADHD or autism.
The symptoms often overlap with anxiety disorders and depression. Sometimes those conditions need treatment first.
I help you understand which physician to contact. After that, we can begin focused work with ADHD or autism.
Is online therapy effective?
Yes. Online sessions are just as effective as in-person sessions, and for many people they are more convenient: you can join from home or another city without travel or lost time.
A skills program (for example, Solanto for ADHD or RO DBT for autism): 3 to 9 months.
In-depth therapy (shame, masking, depression, relationships): six months to a year or longer.
What if I do not like something in therapy?
This is very important. I will always encourage you to speak openly about doubts or disagreements.
This does not get in the way of the work. It actually:
helps build trust,
develops honest communication,
teaches you to express your needs and stand by your opinion.
Therapy is a space where you can say “this does not work for me” or “I feel differently” and be heard.
Will I need medication?
Sometimes, yes.
To confirm a diagnosis and prescribe medication (for example, for ADHD or severe anxiety/depression), you need to see a psychiatrist.
I can recommend trusted specialists who work specifically with autistic adults and adults with ADHD.
We can continue therapy alongside medication if a physician prescribes it.
What if we identify co-occurring conditions?
This is very common.
Autistic people and people with ADHD often also experience anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, or addictions.
We decide what should come first. For example, we may stabilize depression together with a psychiatrist before moving on to neurodivergence-focused work.
This approach makes therapy more effective and safer.
