The Hidden 20%

The Hidden 20%

Great minds... think differently
The Hidden 20%
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Great minds... think differently
The Hidden 20%
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The Hidden 20% Final Episode: The Uncomfortable Truth About Neurodiversity
24.06.2026
1 Stunde 10 Minuten
For two years, Ben Branson has sat in the green interviewer chair - asking the hard questions, holding the space, and speaking on behalf of The Hidden 20% community.


Today, the chair is flipped.


Phoebe De Leiburné - Production Manager and Head Producer of The Hidden 20% steps in as host to interview Ben for the first time.


In this conversation, Ben opens up about what drove him to create The Hidden 20% after being diagnosed Autistic at 39 and ADHD six months later. Together, they look back on 120+ episodes, 250 million social media views, two British Podcast Awards and the thousands of messages from listeners who, often for the first time, finally felt seen. They also unpack the uncomfortable truth sitting underneath everything The Hidden 20% has uncovered: what if the number we’ve all been using around neurodivergence is wrong?


Ben opens up about why continuing as “just a podcast” no longer felt enough, and why The Hidden 20% is now shifting towards a new chapter...and a new name.


This episode is not a goodbye.


It’s a thank you, a reflection, a line in the sand, and a rallying cry for what comes next.


We are not going anywhere.


We are just getting started.


We are here.


We always have been.


And we are not hiding anymore. 


JOIN THE MOVEMENT:


https://hidden20.org/mailing-list


Sign up to our newsletter at https://hidden20.org/mailing-list


Buy a green dot badge at https://hidden20.org/products/badge - 2 for 1 in support of the charity


Write to your local MP about neurodiversity - your voice matters


________


Host: Ben Branson


Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné


Video Editor: James Scriven


Social Media Manager: Charlie Young


Music: Jackson Greenberg


Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller





00:00 Introduction


02:08 Why Production Manager & Producer Phoebe Is Interviewing Ben


07:58 The Original Idea Behind The Hidden 20%


11:22 Did Ben Ever Expect The Podcast To Become This Big?


18:42 The Most Emotional Moments From The Green Chair


23:16 The Guest Conversations That Changed Ben Forever


28:04 Listener Messages That Left The Team Speechless


34:18 “We Didn’t Just Build A Podcast - We Built A Place People Felt Seen”


38:10 Why The Hidden 20% Couldn’t Stay “Just A Podcast”


42:56 The Research Suggesting Up To 1 In 3 People May Be Neurodivergent


47:44 The Systems Problem Facing Neurodivergent People


53:28 Why Awareness Alone Is No Longer Enough


57:02 What The Hidden 20% Is Becoming Next


1:01:46 The Campaign Ben Says Could Change Everything


1:07:12 Why The UK Needs A Different Conversation About Neurodiversity


1:12:08 The Hidden 20% Team Behind The Scenes


1:17:42 What Ben Has Learned About Neurodivergent People


1:22:34 What The Audience Means To Ben


1:27:48 “This Is Not Goodbye”


1:31:20 The Future Of The Hidden 20%


1:34:56 Ben’s Green Dot Badge





The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.


Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.


No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.


1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.


To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.


With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.


Join us at hidden20.org/donate.


Become a monthly donor.


Be part of our community where great minds think differently.





Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348


______________


Follow & subscribe…


Website: www.hidden20.org


Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity


Ben Branson @seedlip_ben





If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ADHD, Chronic Illness & Hypermobility: The Hidden Link? | Dr Jess Eccles
17.06.2026
1 Stunde 14 Minuten
Psychiatrist, researcher and brain-body medicine specialist Dr. Jessica Eccles joins Ben for a fascinating conversation about the overlooked physical side of neurodivergence - and why ADHD and autism are often talked about as “brain-only” experiences when the body is deeply involved too.


Dr Jess is an Associate Professor in Brain-Body Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, a Consultant Psychiatrist within the Sussex Partnership NHS Neurodevelopmental Service, and co-leads the world’s first Neurodivergent Brain-Body Clinic. Her pioneering research explores the links between neurodivergence, hypermobility, chronic illness, inflammation, autonomic dysfunction, pain, fatigue and mental health - challenging the long-standing divide between “physical” and “mental” health.


Dr Jess explains the growing research linking neurodivergence with chronic illnesses, pain, hypermobility, fatigue, inflammation, eating disorders, nervous system dysregulation and temperature sensitivity. Together, they unpack why so many neurodivergent people describe feeling physically overwhelmed, burnt out or “unsafe” in their own body - and why those experiences are so often misunderstood or dismissed in the healthcare system.


This episode is about joining the dots between brain and body - and understanding why so many neurodivergent people have spent years feeling unheard in healthcare, while quietly trying to make sense of symptoms nobody seemed able to connect.





Join us at hidden20.org/donate.





________


Host: Ben Branson


Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné


Video Editor: James Scriven


Social Media Manager: Charlie Young


Music: Jackson Greenberg


Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller


00:00 Introduction


01:42 Dr Jess Eccles: Why Neurodivergence Is About The Brain AND Body


04:18 ADHD, Autism & Chronic Illness: The Overlap Explained


07:36 Why So Many Neurodivergent People Feel Physically Dysregulated


10:15 ADHD, Autism & Temperature Regulation


12:06 Eating Disorders, ADHD & Autism


16:08 Why Neurodivergent People Are Often Misunderstood In Healthcare


19:42 The Nervous System, Stress & Survival Mode


23:30 Trauma Isn’t Always Psychological


27:12 The Link Between Inflammation & Mental Health


31:28 What Is Hypermobility - And Why Does It Matter?


36:14 Autism, ADHD & Physical Health Research Findings


42:20 Why So Many ND Women Are Misdiagnosed


47:48 The Danger Of Separating Mental & Physical Health


52:09 What Dr Jess Wishes More Doctors Understood About Neurodivergence


56:17 Why Research Takes So Long To Reach The Public


59:12 Inside The World’s First Neurodivergent Brain-Body Clinic


1:05:42 Supporting Your Neurodivergent Nervous System


1:09:38 Dr Jess’s Green Dot Badge


The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.


Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.


No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.


1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.


To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.


With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.


Join us at hidden20.org/donate.


Become a monthly donor.


Be part of our community where great minds think differently.





Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348


______________


Follow & subscribe…


Website: www.hidden20.org


Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity


Ben Branson @seedlip_ben


Dr Jess Eccles @drbendybrain


Youtube: @BendyBrainDrJessicaEccles


Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bendybrain





If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mehr
Gemma Styles on ADHD, Depression & Finally Understanding Her Brain
10.06.2026
1 Stunde 6 Minuten
Writer, podcast host and mental health advocate Gemma Styles joins Ben for a deeply honest conversation about ADHD, anxiety, depression and the emotional weight of going through life feeling constantly overwhelmed without understanding why.


Gemma reflects on being treated for mental health struggles long before anyone recognised ADHD, and how her diagnosis reframed years of self-blame, exhaustion and internal chaos. She speaks openly about the experience of internalised hyperactivity - where the mind never fully slows down, even when everything looks calm externally - and the pressure of trying to hold things together while quietly struggling underneath.


Together, they explore rejection sensitivity dysphoria, social anxiety, motherhood, burnout and the emotional toll of living in a world that often rewards productivity while misunderstanding overwhelm. They also unpack the growing public conversation around ADHD in women - including the tension between increased visibility and the backlash that can come with it.


This episode is about the reality underneath the headlines, labels and stereotypes - the lived experience of trying to navigate a world that often misunderstands overwhelm, emotional intensity and difference. And why finally understanding your brain can change the way you understand your entire life.





Join us at hidden20.org/donate.





________


Host: Ben Branson


Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné


Video Editor: James Scriven


Social Media Manager: Charlie Young


Music: Jackson Greenberg


Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller


00:00 Introduction


04:30 Gemma Styles on ADHD, Mental Health & Public Perception


05:35 “My ADHD Was Completely Missed”


06:40 Depression, Anxiety & Knowing Something Else Was Going On


07:17 The Relief of Finally Understanding Your Brain


08:32 Why Talking About ADHD Publicly Matters


09:12 ADHD, Boundaries & Being Online


12:41 Late Diagnosis Grief & “What If I’d Known Earlier?”


13:45 Why So Many Women With ADHD Were Missed


14:13 ADHD in Adults: The System Wasn’t Looking For It


19:00 What Inattentive ADHD Feels Like Internally


20:00 ADHD Brains in Crisis Mode


28:05 Therapy, Overthinking & Anxious Thought Loops


29:37 ADHD & Anxiety: “It Never Fully Switches Off”


30:18 Social Anxiety, Fame & ADHD


31:27 Can You Be Authentic Online Without Oversharing?


32:20 Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria & ADHD


34:15 Motherhood, ADHD & RSD


40:32 “ADHD Doesn’t Feel Like a Superpower To Me”


42:57 Writing a Book With ADHD


52:23 ADHD Community, Visibility & Feeling Seen


53:02 ADHD Social Media & The Attention Economy


56:41 Motherhood, Work & Stepping Back From Social Media


57:43 What Gemma Styles Finds Frustrating About ADHD Discourse


1:00:00 Gemma’s Green Dot Badge


The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.


Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.


No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.


1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.


To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.


With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.


Join us at hidden20.org/donate.


Become a monthly donor.


Be part of our community where great minds think differently.





Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348


______________


Follow & subscribe…


Website: www.hidden20.org


Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity


Ben Branson @seedlip_ben


Gemma Styles @gemmastyles





If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mehr
How Technology Could Transform Your Dyslexia Assessment + Early Identification & Education Reform
03.06.2026
54 Minuten
Dyslexic entrepreneur and Talamo co-founder Jamie Wace joins Ben for a conversation about why so many children with dyslexia are still being missed - and how technology could radically change access to support.


Jamie reflects on his own experience of school, including being told not to pursue subjects he loved because his dyslexia was misunderstood. He shares how years working in tech and entrepreneurship eventually led him to question why dyslexia assessment systems remained so inaccessible, expensive and outdated.


Together, they explore the emotional impact of unidentified learning differences, why schools often rely on “wait until they fail” models, and how understanding a child’s cognitive profile can shift the conversation from blame to support. Jamie also unpacks the future of assistive technology, overlapping neurodivergent conditions, and why early identification could change life trajectories for millions of children.





Join us at hidden20.org/donate.





________


Host: Ben Branson


Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné


Video Editor: James Scriven


Social Media Manager: Charlie Young


Music: Jackson Greenberg


Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller


00:00 Introduction


01:30 Jamie Wace’s Dyslexia Story


05:07 Being Told Not To Take History GCSE Because of Dyslexia


06:00 Has Awareness of Dyslexia Actually Improved?


08:31 Why Schools Need To Understand Cognitive Profiles


08:48 How Talamo Was Created


09:54 The Statistic That Changed Everything: 80% of Dyslexic Children Go Undiagnosed


10:21 Why Traditional Dyslexia Assessments Don’t Scale


19:19 Dyslexia, ADHD & Understanding The Whole Child


29:24 The Future of Assistive Technology For Neurodivergent Students


31:16 Dyslexia, Schools & Assistive Technology In The Classroom


40:32 Early Dyslexia Screening & Why Schools Are Changing


44:24 Why Dyslexic People Often Make Great Communicators


46:20 Dyslexia, ADHD & Neurodivergent Overlap


50:51 Building Talamo For Impact, Not Profit


55:46 Jamie’s Green Dot Badge


The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.


Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.


No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.


1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.


To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.


With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.


Join us at hidden20.org/donate.


Become a monthly donor.


Be part of our community where great minds think differently.





Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348


______________


Follow & subscribe…


Website: www.hidden20.org


Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity


Ben Branson @seedlip_ben


Jamie Wace @jamiewace





If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mehr
Late Diagnosed Autism & Emotional Vulnerability: Luke Grosch’s Story
27.05.2026
54 Minuten
Content creator and author Luke Grosch joins Ben for an honest conversation about late-diagnosed autism, emotional overwhelm, grief, identity and learning to understand yourself in a world that often misunderstands autistic people.


Luke reflects on losing his dad at a young age, and how many of his autistic traits - meltdowns, sensitivity and shutdowns - were mistaken for grief rather than signs of neurodivergence. Diagnosed in 2019, he shares what changed once he finally had language for the way his brain works, and why being openly emotional online has become such an important part of his work.


Together, they explore masking, burnout, relationships, loneliness, internet culture and the pressure many autistic people feel to appear “fine” while struggling internally. Luke also opens up about writing his first book based on diary entries and emotional reflection, and why vulnerability can be a form of connection rather than weakness.





Join us at hidden20.org/donate.


Buy Luke's new book 'Diary of a Neurodivergent' at https://dashbook.com/book/diary-of-a-neurodivergent


________


Host: Ben Branson


Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné


Video Editor: James Scriven


Social Media Manager: Charlie Young


Music: Jackson Greenberg


Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller


00:00 Introduction


01:08 Luke Grosch’s Late Autism Diagnosis Story


03:42 Losing His Dad Young & Missing The Signs of Autism


07:15 When Autism Traits Get Mistaken For Grief


10:54 What Finally Led Luke To Seek a Diagnosis


14:02 Late Diagnosed Autism: “Everything Started Making Sense”


17:40 Masking & Pretending To Be Fine


21:18 Emotional Overwhelm, Shutdowns & Internal Struggle


25:11 Why Luke Shares Vulnerably Online


28:45 Autism, Loneliness & Feeling Misunderstood


32:04 Burnout & The Pressure of Social Media


35:27 Relationships, Friendship & Communication Differences


39:18 Why So Many Autistic Adults Feel Exhausted


42:56 Writing a Book Through Diary Entries & Reflection


46:21 What Luke Wishes More People Understood About Autism


50:12 The Power of Emotional Honesty


54:30 Luke’s Green Dot Badge





The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.


Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.


No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.


1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.


To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.


With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.


Join us at hidden20.org/donate.


Become a monthly donor.


Be part of our community where great minds think differently.





Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348


______________


Follow & subscribe…


Website: www.hidden20.org


Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity


Ben Branson @seedlip_ben


Luke Grosch @lukegrosch





If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Über diesen Podcast

Help us rewrite the future for every mind. Join the movement and donate at hidden20.org/donate  The Hidden 20% is a UK-registered charity, podcast and movement rewriting the future for every mind Founded by autistic/ADHD entrepreneur Ben Branson, we find and share the truth about neurodiversity - catching society up and breaking the cycle of silence, shame and suffering. Through research, stories and science we share the truth - making the hidden visible. Each week, we speak with leading experts and lived experience voices to uncover the true scale and potential of neurodiversity - challenging myths, stereotypes and outdated systems. While others talk awareness, we demand recognition, representation and reform. Every month, more than 100,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to learn, connect and feel seen. With your support, we can reach further, grow louder and keep amplifying the truth. Great minds think differently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Late Diagnosed Autism & Emotional Vulnerability: Luke Grosch’s Story
Late Diagnosed Autism & Emotional Vulnerability: Luke Grosch’s Story

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