OCD, AuDHD & the Unspoken Symptom Affecting 90% Of New Parents

If you’ve binge-watched a British teen classic, you’ll know Kimberley Nixon — from Wild Child to Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging and Fresh Meat. But it’s her off-screen honesty that’s truly resonated. In this chat with Ben, Kimberley shares her raw and harrowing journey through perinatal OCD — a time when she felt trapped in “the Upside Down from Stranger Things,” her mind flooded with the darkest thoughts imaginable. They explore motherhood, mental health, and the compulsive need for repetition. Together, they unpack the overlaps between OCD, autism, and ADHD — and how Kimberley is helping shine a light on the struggles so many experience in silence. #ocd #adhd #autism 00:00 Introduction 1:54 Kimberley VS Her Brain 3:07 How Other People Think 4:10 Autism And Brains That Work Differently 4:52 The Brain VS OCD 5:39 OCD Stereotype VS The Reality: Hurricane Kimberley 6:47 Who Flagged Perinatal OCD? 8:04 Perinatal OCD: What We Need To Know? 9:36 Examples of Perinatal OCD 11:44 Intrusive Thoughts: Am I a Secret Serial Killer? Is My Brain Broken? 17:28 How Does Perinatal OCD Manifest? 18:45 Kimberley’s Husband VS Her Perinatal OCD 20:12 Autism & ADHD NHS Diagnosis Assessment Wait List 23:27 Ben’s Podcast Catalyst for Getting an AUDHD Diagnosis 25:43 The Cross Overs of OCD, Autism & ADHD Traits 30:40 Celebrating That Everyone’s Brain Is Different 31:20 How Does Kim’s Autism Show Up? 31:43 Opening Up To Friends & Family: “You’re Not Autistic!” 32:40 Taking Off The Mask 35:28 Physical Compulsions in Perinatal OCD 36:56 The Journey of Recovery: Being Kinder To Yourself 41:03 Literal Autistic Brains VS April Fools Day, Reading Between The Lines & Acting 44:09 Taking Off The Autism Mask & Becoming Yourself 45:22 OCD Therapy: Learning To Stop Enabling Reassurance 47:43 Why Did Kim Decide To Go Public With Her Perinatal OCD Crisis? 49:56 The Leading Cause of Death in Mother’s The First Year After Birth 50:33 Are You Born With OCD? 51:22 Avoiding Smoking & Drugs Due To Addictive Traits 52:37 The Power of Familiarity & Autism: Kim’s Secret Audio Book Safe Place 55:49 Autism, Motherhood & Resistance to Change 59:19 Ben’s Unofficial Autism Diagnosis 1:00:20 Perinatal OCD: Facing The Never Ending Nightmare 1:01:47 Excuses VS Explanation 1:08:08 The Benefits of Autism & A Career in Acting 1:10:17 What Does it Mean To Be Neurodivergent in Today’s Society? 1:16:49 Intrusive Thoughts: You Are Not Alone 1:17:43 Kimberley’s Promise 1:19:15 Kimberley’s Green Light On THE HIDDEN 20% - a Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's, ADHD and Autism Podcast - host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds... think differently. Host: Ben Branson Head of Production: Bella Neale Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne Video Editor: James Scrivens Social Media Manager: Charlie Young Music: Jackson Greenberg Brought to you by charity THE HIDDEN 20% 1203348 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2g80pw5mMNdcfKQ0eAAsYs Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hidden-20/id1724404966 Website: www.hidden20.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hidden20podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hidden20podcast Ben Branson: https://instagram.com/seedlip_ben