ADHD Aha!

Before her ADHD diagnosis, accountant Sam Salmons felt “fixed, but still broken.” As a young adult, she spent years in therapy, treated her depression, and had a laundry list of coping skills. So, why couldn’t she stop her body from doing things — like interrupting — that her mind didn’t want to do?

Sam saw herself as an “extroverted extrovert.” She was constantly talking and impulsively saying yes to everything. Then her therapist recommended an ADHD evaluation.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

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• ADHD in girls: Overlooked?
• What causes trouble with self-control?
• How ADHD is diagnosed in adults

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Parents and caregivers: if you have a child with ADHD, you’ve probably dealt with your share of behavior challenges at home. Just in time for the holidays, here we share an episode of Understood’s newest podcast, What Now? A Parent’s Guide to Tantrums and Meltdowns. Listen to psychologist (and dad) Dr. Andrew Kahn explain how to tell the difference between tantrums and meltdowns and what to do next. In each episode, he shares practical strategies to help you respond more effectively to your child’s outbursts — and manage your own stress along the way.

Find the entire season’s YouTube playlist here. 

Get a transcript of this show and check out more What Now? A Parent’s Guide to Tantrums and Meltdowns episodes by visiting the podcast page. 

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].

• Taming tantrums vs. managing meltdowns
• When older kids still have tantrums: What to know

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Executive Mananya Komorowski has been described as “brilliant but chaotic” and “unlike any other executive.” Mananya thought she was just quirky, until she found out she has ADHD.

Over the last few years, Mananya has experienced a lot of loss. A number of her loved ones have died. To cope, she’d set her emotions aside and hyperfocus on work. Then her grief counselor recommended an ADHD test. Now, she’s making space to process her feelings. And she’s thinking a lot about ADHD accommodations at work — especially in high-stress executive roles.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].

• ADHD and emotions
• Understanding hyperactivity
• 32 examples of workplace accommodations

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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ADHD doesn’t go away. Dr. Johnathan Flowers, who specializes in the philosophy of disability, got that message loud and clear when he hit a wall in grad school.  

Johnathan had been diagnosed with ADHD in grade school. As a child, he had a complex journey with ADHD medication and teachers who didn’t understand his behavior or how to support him. As a young adult, Johnathan thought maybe he’d “gotten over ADHD,” but then he hit that wall. So he got re-evaluated for ADHD.

Also in this episode: How Johnathan’s mom, who’s a special education teacher, advocated for him at school. Plus, what it’s like to be a professor with ADHD.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].

• All about ADHD medication
• 8 common myths about ADHD 
• What happens in an ADHD test for adults?

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Actor Oliver Vaquer has a “noisy” ADHD brain. Growing up, he had a hard time paying attention to just about everything — and he’d lie to cover it up. His thoughts would all shout at him at once, and he felt pressured to blurt them out before he forgot them. 

As an adult, Oliver’s rushed, “staccato” speech spurred his doctor to give him an ADHD questionnaire. His responses to the questionnaire surprised them both.

Also in this episode: How Oliver uses ADHD medication as a tool to build better habits. Plus, ADHD social anxiety and feeling like you’re operating at 100% for the first time ever.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].

• ADHD and lying: Why kids with ADHD may lie a lot
• ADHD and anxiety
• What is working memory?

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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People with ADHD know what it’s like to be called lazy. Is that because they don’t seem “productive”? Who better to talk about this with than the creator of The Anti-Planner: How to Get Sh*t When You Don’t Feel Like It, Dani Donovan. Dani shares her ADHD “aha” moments and what drove her to create an activity book designed for procrastinators.

Dani and host Laura Key chat about what it means to be productive with ADHD. Dani shares how she would criticize herself intensely so that others wouldn’t. They also talk about analysis paralysis, rejection sensitivity, friendship, and how understanding neurodiversity can change the game.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].

• ADHD and perfectionism
• ADHD and “analysis paralysis”
• Dani’s website

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Executive function comes up all the time in our interviews with people with ADHD. Why is that? Expert Dr. Karen Wilson joins Laura in this episode to explain. She defines executive function and talks about the types of skills under the executive function umbrella. Dr. Wilson also answers questions like: Does everyone with ADHD have executive function challenges?  And what’s the link between executive function and mental health challenges like anxiety?  

Dr. Wilson is a clinical neuropsychologist and the founder of ChildNEXUS, a web application that connects parents of kids with learning or mental health challenges with service providers. Tune in to learn about the connection between ADHD and executive function — and what it means for people with ADHD in everyday life.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. 

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].

• What is executive function?
• How I explain the relationship between ADHD and executive function challenges
• The 3 areas of executive function

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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“The cup that is draining.” That’s how musician and content creator Weston Gardner describes ADHD’s effect on him. He’d spent his whole life feeling like he couldn’t do things that came so easily to everyone else. Weston was at his wit’s end. Getting diagnosed with ADHD (along with anxiety and panic disorder) has helped him be kinder to himself and accept his ADHD brain for how it works.  

Weston is a musician and content creator who goes by Arcane Anthems (@arcaneanthems). His music sets the scene for podcasts, Twitch streams, tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, and more.  

This episode is guest hosted by ADHD Aha! alum Cate Osborn. Cate, aka @catieosaurus, is a content creator and co-host of Catie and Erik’s Infinite Quest podcast. Listen to this week’s episode to hear Cate and Weston talk about ADHD and gaming, rejection sensitivity, and the power of failure. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. 

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• ADHD and rejection sensitive dysphoria
• Emotional sunburn: What rejection sensitivity feels like
• In It podcast: The benefits of gaming for kids

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Max Willey, an expat living in Norway, often found himself overwhelmed by complex tasks as a kid. There were too many moving parts, and his brain was always racing too fast. A teacher thought he might have ADHD. 

But it wasn’t until adulthood that Max was diagnosed “by accident.” He was feeling depressed and was struggling with some relationships. When he sought treatment, he was diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression all at once.  

Max felt relieved. And he’s come to see ADHD as a “glorious curse.” It has its downsides — but also allows him to feel and do wonderful things.  

Listen in as Laura and Max unpack this and more.   

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected]. 

• ADHD and creativity
• Trouble getting work done is real. Executive function challenges may be the culprit.
• ADHD and depression

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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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.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page on Understood.org.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• 5 ways ADHD can affect social skills
• ADHD and oversharing
• ADHD and feeling guilty or remorseful

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.