Podcast Summary: The Neurodivergent Experience

Episode: Five Years After Lockdown: How It Changed Neurodivergent Lives
Hosts: Jordan James & Simon Scott
Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode reflects on the five-year anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown and its enduring impact on neurodivergent individuals. Hosts Jordan and Simon discuss personal and societal changes, the unexpected positives, the deep challenges, and the evolving landscape for autistic and ADHD people. With a mix of humor and honesty, they unpack how the pandemic period fundamentally rewired mental health, social norms, and individual identity, especially for people on the spectrum.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal Updates & Setting the Stage

• Simon shares he may soon be adopting an elderly puggle, bringing his home companionship and more routine.
• The hosts discuss upcoming plans to visit Liverpool and start early Christmas celebrations, revealing a tone of friendship and informal banter.
• Opens with playful remarks about holiday traditions and shared personal quirks, establishing the authentic, conversational tone that continues throughout.

The Five-Year Mark: Societal Shifts Post-Lockdown (04:27)

• Recognizing the Anniversary:
  • “It’s five years since COVID…and I have to admit, it doesn’t live five years ago in my head.” (Jordan, 04:27)
• Lingering Effects:
  • The hosts note how some days the pandemic feels recent, others it’s like it never happened, highlighting a sense of temporal dislocation.
• Social & Mental Health Fallout:
  • Not just neurodivergent kids – many young people now have difficulty with real-life communication due to formative years spent isolated.
  • Simon observes “people are feral now, dude…there is something that has changed with people and ironically, it is almost like a failure of social skills…” (Simon, 07:11)
  • Noted behavioral shifts include impatience, selfishness (“me first attitude”), and a decline in empathy.
• Skill Regression in Young Adults:
  • Simon relates working with young people now: “It’s literally like it’s their first day on earth...a serious skill regression that you guys have gone through socially…” (Simon, 09:35)

Revisiting the Lockdown Timeline & Government Response (10:39)

• Jordan walks through the stages of UK lockdown, from March 2020 closures to phased reopenings and “eat out to help out.”
• Both hosts critique the government’s handling and frequent policy shifts.
  • “The fact is the government were incompetent. They were responsible for thousands of deaths, in my opinion, especially in the care home situation, that was awful.” (Jordan, 15:11)
• Personal moments of anxiety, uncertainty about livelihoods, and the balancing act between health and financial security.
  • “I lost my job overnight, dude…March 6, I was actually on my way to a theater to sign a contract…That building doesn’t even exist now.” (Simon, 14:39)

Living Through Lockdown: Neurodivergence, Burnout, and Unmasking (21:16)

• Identity Crisis and Unmasking:
  • Simon’s "long burnout" began with lockdown: his social, professional, and romantic identities unraveled, forcing him to confront his neurodivergence.
  • “As soon as all of it stopped, so did my ties to sort of my identity and I started to unmask…” (Simon, 22:36)
  • Couples spending unusually intense time together, leading to relationships fracturing or strengthening.
• Difficult Relationships:
  • Simon: “She was really ableist with me…she could not understand who the hell I was.” (Simon, 23:05)
  • His experience highlight the unique challenge of unmasking in an environment where one’s partner lacks awareness or empathy.
• Coping Mechanisms:
  • Gaming, creative pursuits (podcasting!), and leaning into childhood interests became essential regulation and escape.

Positive Family Experiences Amid External Chaos (31:03)

• “But in this house, Sylvie and I especially, we loved it…we just, we were with each other every single day, just all the time.” (Jordan, 31:19)
• Jordan reflects on paradox: the world felt apocalyptic, but home was happy, validating the diversity of neurodivergent experience during lockdown.

The Need for Routine, Sense of Justice, and Social Conflict (34:38)

• Jordan discusses his heightened sensitivity to fairness and frustration seeing others break lockdown rules.
• Simon recounts experiencing and witnessing increased aggression, racism, and injustice:
  • “I was so, so angry that somebody would do that to just somebody that they were just walking past…” (Simon, 38:13)
  • Both hosts reflect how societal breakdowns around justice and empathy were exacerbated in an already traumatic time.
• Broader societal discourse enters (Brexit, Trump, racism in the UK) — demonstrating the intersectionality of pandemic fallout.

Regression, Accomplishments, and the Rise of Online Community (43:19)

• Skill Loss and Social Shrinkage:
  • Simon: “Once lockdown ended...I almost didn’t know how to anymore. I’d gotten so used to being indoors and working from home that my world just...shrunk.” (Simon, 44:37)
• Creativity and Connection in Isolation:
  • Simon: “I started doing a podcast...It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.”
  • Many built tighter, more meaningful connections with select friends/family, lost more casual social links.
  • Shared activities (board games, Mario Kart) became crucial for family bonding.

Masks, OCD, and Pandemic Behaviors (45:49)

• Frustrations about misusing masks, improper hygiene, and low public understanding of virus transmission.
  • “Some people are just dumb, dude.” (Jordan, 46:07)
  • Both hosts confess to heightened germ aversion and share anecdotes of public hygiene missteps.

Lockdown as a Catalyst for Neurodivergent Self-Discovery (54:57)

• Simon’s ‘Autistic Enlightenment’:
  • Pre-pandemic, he suspected ADHD (“the entry level drug of neurodivergence”) but didn’t see himself as autistic.
  • “That was the beginning of a burnout that lasted until pretty much the middle of 2022...My social skills just completely disappeared. This is the first time I ever recognized skill regression.” (Simon, 55:04)
  • Lockdown’s forced isolation pushed him to unmask, rediscover childhood stims/interests, cope with skill regression, and ultimately embrace a new self-understanding.
• Positive Yet Painful Transformation:
  • Despite immense challenges, Simon came out with a fuller sense of self: “I moved up to Manchester. I split up with my ex. I changed my job...It was a forced reset. And I’m so grateful for it.” (Simon, 63:31)

Society’s Transformation & The Remote Revolution (67:28)

• Permanent Societal Change:
  • Explosion in creative self-employment (podcasts, streaming, TikTok careers).
  • Jordan: “You can be a superstar on social media...it is a legitimate job in the future.” (Jordan, 70:15)
• Work-from-Home as a Neurodivergent Lifeline:
  • “The biggest and best thing that has changed fundamentally within society for neurodivergent people is the ability to work remotely.” (Jordan, 75:17)
  • Remote work enables many (including Jordan’s own kids) to avoid the intense daily masking required by traditional offices — improving mental health and job access.

Societal Fallout & The "Me First" Attitude (63:54 & Onward)

• Simon and Jordan agree social divisions, phone addiction, and selfishness have escalated post-pandemic — but hope for eventual rebalancing.
  • “During the height of COVID it was like the opposite. Everyone was helping everyone else...and then as soon as COVID finishes, everyone’s like, right, now, it’s all about me.” (Jordan, 65:30)
• The pandemic’s legacy is ongoing, especially for the neurodivergent — its mental health effects will take decades to fully understand.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It kind of feels...Some days it feels like it was further ago, like we just forgotten about it. And some days it literally feels like it was the other day.”
  – Jordan James (04:27)

• “People are feral now, dude...ironically, it is almost like a failure of social skills.”
  – Simon Scott (07:11)

• “It was the beginning of my long burnout. That’s what COVID caused for me.”
  – Simon Scott (21:16)

• “As soon as everything that sort of tied to that identity of, oh, you live in London...as soon as all of it stopped, so did my ties to sort of my identity and I started to unmask in front of my ex and our relationship completely fell apart.”
  – Simon Scott (22:36)

• “In this house, it was a really happy time...Sylvie and I especially, we loved it...It’s such a paradox.”
  – Jordan James (31:19)

• “I look back on it now, and that was the beginning of a burnout that lasted until...the middle of 2022...my social skills just completely disappeared.”
  – Simon Scott (55:04)

• “The biggest and best thing...is the ability to work remotely...my kids don’t have to [mask in the office].”
  – Jordan James (75:17)

• “It made me realize that the character that I was playing is not who I am. I am who I am now.”
  – Simon Scott (63:02)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 05:00 — The social and mental fallout of lockdown
• 10:39 — Lockdown timeline and critique of government response
• 21:16 — Beginnings of burnout; unraveling of identity
• 31:03 — Contradictions of joy and fear within one household
• 43:19 — Social regression and post-lockdown challenges
• 54:57 — Simon’s journey to neurodivergent self-discovery
• 67:28 — The rise of remote work, social creators, and shifting job markets
• 75:17 — Remote work as a positive pandemic legacy for neurodivergents

Tone & Language

The hosts maintain a warm, conversational, and candid style, blending deep vulnerability with humor and frank, relatable storytelling. Their language is direct, emotionally honest, sometimes irreverent, and always accessible—ensuring validation as well as practical insight for listeners.

Conclusion & Listener Call-to-Action

The hosts close by inviting listeners to share their own stories about how the COVID lockdown changed their lives, especially regarding neurodivergence, identity, and long-term adjustment. They underscore that, while the challenges have been significant, new opportunities and understandings have also emerged, particularly for the neurodivergent community.

Useful for new listeners:

• This episode is both a personal memoir and a thoughtful social analysis, connecting individual experiences to larger trends.
• Key themes include: social skill regression, unmasking, changing careers, rise of remote work, and shifting societal attitudes.
• The dynamic between the hosts—balancing humor with hard truths—makes for an engaging, validating exploration of the neurodivergent experience in a post-pandemic world.