7 Existential Struggles Grown-Up "Gifted Kids" Face at School and Work
When School and Work Feel Meaningless for Neurocomplex Adults — And How Small Alignments Can Reignite Purpose
By a Therapist Specializing in Gifted & Neurocomplex Adults (Gifted, Autistic, ADHD, etc.)
In my work with neurocomplex adults — those who are gifted, autistic, ADHD, or otherwise neurologically layered — I often see struggles that go far deeper than performance, productivity, or even mental health. These are existential challenges: chronic tensions around meaning, identity, autonomy, and belonging.
These experiences often don’t “look like” distress. They show up as underperformance in gifted adults, emotional burnout in high achievers, or resistance in those labeled as defiant or difficult. Many of my clients come in asking, “Why do I feel broken even though I seem functional?” or “Why do I feel unseen no matter where I go?”