Allison O’Keefe, a UX designer in Detroit, always felt she rubbed people the wrong way. Then, in her early teen years, one of her friends confirmed it when she called Allison “the annoying friend” behind her back. This made Allison more cautious in social situations, which often overwhelmed her. Worse, she also found herself accidentally “ghosting” people, forgetting to respond to their messages.  

Eventually, a therapist asked her if she’d ever been diagnosed with ADHD, and the diagnosis started to make a lot of sense. She now feels less isolated — even as she still grapples with how open she wants to be about her ADHD.  

How do folks with ADHD navigate these choppy social waters? Listen in as Laura and Allison sort through these questions and more.  

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

ADHD, social awkwardness, and ghosting (Allison’s story)

Listen to people share candid stories about the moment it clicked that they, or someone they know, has ADHD. Host Laura Key, who’s had her own ADHD “aha” moment, chats with guests about common topics like ADHD and shame, mental health challenges, and more. Through heartfelt interviews, listeners learn about the unexpected, emotional, and even funny ways ADHD symptoms surface for kids and adults.

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Casey McQuiston, best-selling author of “Red, White and Royal Blue,” grew up in a neurodivergent family and was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. Still, they had trouble coping, and in high school, English teachers gave them an intervention for “not trying hard enough.”  

Casey is the author of multiple books in the queer romance genre. Casey chats with Laura about how ADHD influences their writing. They also share a sneak peek of their upcoming book The Pairing, coming out August 2024.  

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts.   

Copyright © 2024 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

Pushing boundaries, breaking norms, and the ADHD brain (Casey McQuiston’s story)

What makes being a mom with ADHD so hard? Navigating executive functions and emotional labor, for one. And feeling burned out when burnout isn’t an option — because there’s always something else that needs your very limited attention!  

Talking about it with someone who just “gets it” is such a relief. In this episode, Laura talks to her friend and colleague Rae Jacobson, also a mom with ADHD. Listen to their conversation and insights on this bonus Mother’s Day episode.  

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. 

Copyright © 2024 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

A personal conversation about being a mom (and woman) with ADHD

Ellyce Fulmore had structures in place her whole life that kept her ADHD hidden. When the pandemic hit, those structures disappeared. Doing basic daily tasks — things like cooking and running errands — got really hard. Then she went down a research rabbit hole on ADHD in women and asked for an ADHD evaluation.  

Before the pandemic, Ellyce had been struggling with impulsive spending. It made her feel like she was in control when really the spending was controlling her. Now, she’s the author of the book “Keeping Finance Personal.”   

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. 
Copyright © 2024 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

The pain of struggling with basic tasks: ADHD in the pandemic (Ellyce Fulmore's story)

ADHD coach Jaye Lin is no stranger to ADHD burnout. As an Asian American former gifted kid with undiagnosed ADHD, her parents thought she was just being lazy and not applying herself. This pressure and shame followed until her 20s, when her anxiety peaked while she was working at a high-pressure job. 

Jaye’s therapist thought she was drug-seeking when she wanted to be screened for ADHD. Now, Jaye builds communities and helps others prioritize what’s important when tunnel vision takes over our lives. 

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2024 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

An ADHD coach on burnout (Jaye Lin’s story)

In 2016, Paulette Perhach wrote a piece proclaiming that all women need an emergency fund — what she calls an “f-off fund.” But when she struggled to secure an emergency fund for herself, she suspected she might have ADHD. Paulette, a successful author and writing coach, put off the evaluation because she couldn’t afford the $260 price tag.  

In this episode of “ADHD Aha!,” Paulette talks about her trouble with impulse buying and online shopping. She shares her family’s history with money issues, including bankruptcy. And she and Laura have an emotional exchange about the ADHD tax.      

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2024 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

ADHD, social awkwardness, and ghosting (Allison’s story)

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