Articles

LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Sleep Inertia

Why transitions into and out of sleep can feel so difficult

Oct 05, 2026 · 3 min read · 1 claps paywalled #autism #sleep #life

LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: How Not to Cope with Burnout

Why Short-Term Escape Is Not a Long-Term Solution

Sep 29, 2026 · 3 min read · 110 claps paywalled #autism #life #wellness

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why Rest Alone Does Not Fix Burnout

Autistic burnout can feel like a debt that keeps growing out of control. The only way out is to manage your energy income and outgoings…

Sep 12, 2026 · 3 min read · 101 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Autism and Sleep

Sleep problems for autistic people can have physical as well as mental causes. What works to address these is as unique as the individual.

Aug 14, 2026 · 3 min read · 105 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Autism and Loneliness

The quiet ache of wanting people who truly understand

Jul 17, 2026 · 3 min read · 40 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why Being Successful and Needing Support are Not Mutually Exclusive

Seeking support with autistic differences often feels weak and an admission of failure. But this is simply not the case, and the stigma has…

Jul 16, 2026 · 4 min read · 60 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: My Hyperactive Internal Dialogue

When you have a constant stream of thoughts, some of them will not be helpful.

Jul 15, 2026 · 3 min read · 163 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why You Are Exhausted

Being autistic in a neurotypical world is hard work. Permanent exhaustion is the result for many of us.

Jul 13, 2026 · 2 min read · 34 claps paywalled #autism #mental-health #psychology

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Stop Keeping Score

Labelling autistic people with levels of autism or as high- and low-functioning is demeaning and unnecessary. Other people would not…

Jul 12, 2026 · 3 min read · 60 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

LIF MDA MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Inside Depression: Cheer Up!

It is probably hard to understand what depression feels like if you have never experienced it. But please understand that it is not a…

Jul 11, 2026 · 2 min read · 51 claps paywalled #depression #mental-health #psychology

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why Autistic People Need Time to Respond

We are not being rude; we are just trying to understand languages that we do not know.

Jul 10, 2026 · 3 min read · 50 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

ART MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: The Empty Chair

There can be lots of visual reminders that you have lost someone. Quite by accident, I found a way to address one of the most common.

Jul 09, 2026 · 3 min read · 51 claps paywalled #grief #bereavement #psychology

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: The Glitter Theory

Grief does not just disappear. It can rear up again at any moment.

Jul 08, 2026 · 2 min read · 81 claps paywalled #grief #bereavement #psychology

MED GEN LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Grief of a Late Diagnosis

An autism diagnosis can explain so much. So it is natural to wonder about how things could have been different if you had known earlier.

Jul 07, 2026 · 3 min read · 150 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why Autistic Communication Can Be Misread as Rude

What comes across as rude to others can be a much more complex and nuanced situation than it first appears.

Jul 06, 2026 · 4 min read · 106 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Masking, Unmasking and Being Yourself

Why difference is not something to hide — and how autistic people can begin to live more authentically

Jul 05, 2026 · 4 min read · 160 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED LIF HUM AI

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspect of Grief: Living Not Existing

Finding the courage to live again after loss

Jul 04, 2026 · 3 min read · 44 claps paywalled #grief #bereavement #life

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Always Feeling Lost

Building confidence in an unfamiliar world

Jul 03, 2026 · 3 min read · 130 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

ECO SOC

MA Mark Palmer · The Corporate Circus

Naked Emperors at Work

Why leaders must stop mistaking silence for success

Jul 02, 2026 · 3 min read · 167 claps paywalled #leadership #management #inclusion

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Hidden Cost of Pretending to Be Fine

Why masking can hide autistic needs, delay recognition, and make support harder to access

Jul 01, 2026 · 5 min read · 82 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Support Conundrum

Most of us hate asking for help. But there is nothing wrong with seeking support when the world is not set up for how your autistic brain…

Jun 30, 2026 · 4 min read · 161 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why is Autism Still so Misunderstood?

The damage stereotypes do — and why the truth matters.

Jun 29, 2026 · 4 min read · 178 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: What It Feels Like to be Autistic

Feeling different in a world that wasn’t built for you

Jun 28, 2026 · 5 min read · 170 claps paywalled #autism #inclusion #psychology

MED GEN HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: What To Do While Waiting for a Diagnosis

Seeking an autism diagnosis can be disorienting, and a long wait for confirmation can make this worse. But there are things you can do in…

Jun 27, 2026 · 3 min read · 71 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Reality of Living with a Spiky Profile

It is very easy to assume competence in one area based on known ability in another. But this can be particularly unwise with autistic…

Jun 26, 2026 · 3 min read · 182 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

TCH SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: How Waiting Steals My Day

How fixed plans can quietly take over an autistic mind

Jun 25, 2026 · 3 min read · 201 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

TCH SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Social Hangovers

Autistic people are often accused of being antisocial. But the truth is that social occasions can be difficult for us and often come at a…

Jun 24, 2026 · 3 min read · 170 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

TCH SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Always the Odd One Out

I have always felt that being the odd one out has been a problem. But I am not so sure any more.

Jun 23, 2026 · 3 min read · 201 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #diversity

HUM MED LIF

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

When Work Follows You Home

On overthinking, emotional attachment, and learning to switch off

Jun 22, 2026 · 5 min read · 100 claps paywalled #work #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Workplace Paradox

For years, I foolishly thought that doing excellent work was the way to get on in my career. I could not have been more wrong.

Jun 19, 2026 · 3 min read · 354 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #work

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Stress of Accessing Medical Care

I have had numerous bad experiences seeking medical help for myself. I am not alone in this.

Jun 18, 2026 · 3 min read · 226 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED LIF SPR HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: The Future That Will Never Be

When your partner dies, you don’t just lose them now — you lose every bit of the future you had planned together.

Jun 17, 2026 · 2 min read · 50 claps paywalled #grief #psychology #mental-health

SOC SCI MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Human Calculator Myth

It turns out that the myth that all autistic people are great at maths is not just untrue, but the opposite of reality.

Jun 16, 2026 · 3 min read · 10 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: When It Feels Like Cancer is Everywhere

There is no escaping mentions of cancer in everyday life because it impacts so many lives. When you have just lost someone precious to it…

Jun 15, 2026 · 2 min read · 55 claps paywalled #cancer #grief #psychology

MDA MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Inside Depression: When My Brain Stops Working

Depression can be absolutely debilitating and is not remotely the same as feeling sad.

Jun 14, 2026 · 3 min read · 51 claps paywalled #depression #mental-health #psychology

SOC MED HUM LIF

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Myth of the Autistic Loner

Autistic people do value other people and friendships. We just do them differently.

Jun 13, 2026 · 2 min read · 110 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

GEN MED HUM LIF

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Alexithymia and the Challenge of Identifying Emotions

Why struggling to name feelings can affect wellbeing, relationships, and mental health support.

Jun 12, 2026 · 4 min read · 116 claps paywalled #autism #mental-health #psychology

LIF GEN MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why the First Step is so Hard

Getting started, even on things I want to do, can be exhausting. If only I could learn from experience!

Jun 11, 2026 · 3 min read · 67 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MDA MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Inside Depression: The Ever-Present Shadow

Depression never really leaves you. It just lies dormant until the next ambush.

Jun 10, 2026 · 2 min read · 50 claps paywalled #depression #mental-health #psychology

MED LIF SPR HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: Anniversaries

Suddenly a few days on the calendar that used to be celebrations have become days that I dread.

Jun 09, 2026 · 3 min read · 50 claps paywalled #grief #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Autism Explained: Finding Yourself Behind the Mask

You may have masked so often and for so long that you have forgotten who you really are. But you can find the true you and bring them back.

Jun 08, 2026 · 4 min read · 227 claps paywalled #autism #mental-health #psychology

MED LIF SPR HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: When the World Moves On

It can be hard to fathom how others carry on as normal while your life is falling apart. Even though it has to be that way, it can seem to…

Jun 07, 2026 · 3 min read · 54 claps paywalled #grief #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: You Don’t Look Autistic

Autism is about how our brains work. So why do so many people expect to be able to recognise autistic people by how we look?

Jun 06, 2026 · 3 min read · 107 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

SPT LIF MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Sensory-Friendly Dilemma

Sensory-friendly hours can be great. But it depends on whether they are friendly to the senses you struggle with!

Jun 05, 2026 · 3 min read · 202 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: Fear of Being a Burden

I am getting lonely at times, but I do not want anyone’s pity. I need to figure this out my way, which may take some time.

Jun 04, 2026 · 3 min read · 100 claps paywalled #grief #psychology #mental-health

SOC MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: The Shocking Graduate Employment Gap

Despite legislation on protected characteristics, autistic graduates are still much more likely to be out of work than their neurotypical…

Jun 03, 2026 · 3 min read · 310 claps paywalled #autism #work #disability

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: Asking Why

Many of the really important questions start with ‘why’, but answers can be hard to come by.

Jun 02, 2026 · 3 min read · 219 claps paywalled #grief #psychology #mental-health

GEN MDA MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Inside Depression: How I Try to Break Out of Pits of Despair

Depression can lead to very dark places in our minds, when everything seems pointless. These are the things that help me slowly break that…

Jun 01, 2026 · 6 min read · 85 claps paywalled #depression #anxiety #mental-health

MED LIF HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Aspects of Grief: The First Six Months

A lot has changed since that awful day last November. I am moving forward, but it is still so, so hard a lot of the time.

May 29, 2026 · 3 min read · 10 claps paywalled #grief #psychology #autism

MED HUM

MA Mark Palmer · My Head Hurts

Understanding Autism: Why Demands Can Feel Overwhelming

I cannot even try to relax until I have done everything I need to. This can mean avoiding tasks to escape the weight of future…

May 25, 2026 · 3 min read · 86 claps paywalled #autism #psychology #mental-health