“I PISS PEOPLE OFF”

November 23, 2025·1 hr 21 min·5 clips

Jaden explains how learning English made him realize he's more autistic than he thought.

This episode of Therapy Gecko features a call from Jaden, a 19-year-old from South Dakota who works in a grocery store. Host Lyle attempts to understand Jaden's unique perspective on language, thought, and social interaction. Jaden explains he has recently realized he is "a lot more autistic" than he previously thought, which he connected to deeply analyzing the English language. He describes a mental exercise involving placing the letter "K" in front of the word "now" to align perspectives with Lyle. Jaden states he has been "pissing people off" because he directly states what he wants, which he links to his brain working "a little bit faster than most people." He expresses a desire to help others be "conscientious" and understand their own thoughts but feels frustrated he cannot fully explain his insights without someone writing them down. A key moment involves Jaden discussing his girlfriend of five months and his realization that he can only "trust" what she says she wants, as he cannot be "God" and know her thoughts directly. Lyle offers an analogy, suggesting Jaden views the world as a single puzzle to solve from his own perspective, while neglecting that others have their own "puzzles." The host reflects that beneath Jaden's seemingly disjointed statements was a "kernel" of something he enjoyed trying to understand. The tone is patient, conversational, and exploratory, with Lyle actively guiding a challenging, abstract dialogue. Listeners who enjoy philosophical, meandering conversations about consciousness and language will find this compelling. Those who prefer structured, topic-driven interviews or clear resolutions may find it frustrating.

As heard by us

A messy call that keeps finding the human question under the noise.

At first it sounds like a rush of half-formed thoughts, but it settles into a clearer shape: a young man trying to sort out trust, a relationship, and the uneasy feeling of being both unhinged and unusually exact at the same time.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For the moment when your thoughts are loud and trust is the only thing holding the room together.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Therapy Gecko