# 21 - Micromanaged: Why the Autistic Brain Shuts Down Under Control
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# 21 - Micromanaged: Why the Autistic Brain Shuts Down Under Control
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Have you ever felt like someone was constantly watching you - hovering, correcting, checking, managing - not because you were doing anything wrong, but because they needed control to feel calm?
In today’s episode of Quietly Autistic at Last, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores what micromanagement does to the autistic brain - and why it can feel so much deeper than “just a tough boss” or “normal feedback.”
For autistic women especially - micromanagement can be neurologically destabilizing, triggering shutdown, freeze, burnout, masking, perfectionism, people-pleasing, rage, dissociation, and even physical symptoms.
We break down:
- what micromanagement really is (and how to tell the difference between support vs. control)
- why constant monitoring disrupts autistic cognition and regulation
- the “monitored performance” freeze response and the self-fulfilling loop it creates
- practical tools and scripts to protect your autonomy and nervous system in real-life environments
Because autistic minds don’t thrive under surveillance.
They thrive under clarity, trust, and autonomy.
Follow the pod on Instagram @quietlyautisticatlastpodcast