Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Episode 0: Meet Mike and Amber
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Episode 0: Meet Mike and Amber
Episode 0 introduces us, our stories of living at the intersection of ADHD and addiction, why we began hosting meetings, building a community, and started this podcast.
Have you ever felt like your life was a series of miscommunications, misunderstandings and missed opportunities? Have you ever wondered if your struggle with substances was actually a misguided attempt to normalize an ADHD brain?
In this inaugural episode, Mike and Amber introduce themselves and share their personal stories that led them to create this space. We look at some sobering statistics of living life at the intersection of ADHD and Addiction, and discuss why traditional recovery and ADHD support groups often miss the mark by not addressing both simultaneously.
Key Takeaways:
Why sobriety can sometimes make ADHD symptoms feel worse initially, and how to navigate the fuzziness that often follows early recovery for those of us living at the intersection of ADHD and addiction.
High-Functioning vs. Highly Depleted: We look at how masking ADHD symptoms can lead to professional success but create personal burnout and substance reliance.
The Power of 20,000: By age 12, children with ADHD can receive up to 20,000 more negative messages than their neurotypical peers. We discuss how this can lead to Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, chronic shame, and addiction.
Why Dual Support Matters: Mike and Amber realized they wanted to build the community they couldn't find, a place where ADHD and recovery are discussed together.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to the ADHD and Addiction Podcast.
02:15 – The clinical link: Why dopamine and reward deficits drive vulnerability.
05:40 – Mike’s Story: From high-functioning academic to a crash landing, and ultimately 6 years of sobriety in February of 2026.
09:20 – Amber’s Story: Diagnosis at 47 and realizing alcohol was her ADHD solution until it wasn't.
13:45 – The 2025 Kansas City Conference: Validating the need for dual-diagnosis support.
16:30 – Building the Living at The Intersection community and what to expect in each episode.
18:45 – Question for the listener: When did you realize you or someone you love might be living at the intersection of ADHD and addiction?
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
Book: The Link Between ADD and Addiction by Wendy Richardson.
Organization: CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).
Website: ADHDandAddiction.com – Visit for meetings, coaching, presentations and webinars.
Join Our Community
If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to join our growing support system.
Email us with questions and topic suggestions: [email protected]
Together we’ll find our way to manage our ADHD and addictions, and live a better life. We believe there's an individual, integrated solution for all of us living at this intersection.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adhdandaddiction.substack.com
View all episodes
By Bridge the gap between ADHD and Addiction, with an integrated approach to recovery.Episode 0 introduces us, our stories of living at the intersection of ADHD and addiction, why we began hosting meetings, building a community, and started this podcast.
Have you ever felt like your life was a series of miscommunications, misunderstandings and missed opportunities? Have you ever wondered if your struggle with substances was actually a misguided attempt to normalize an ADHD brain?
In this inaugural episode, Mike and Amber introduce themselves and share their personal stories that led them to create this space. We look at some sobering statistics of living life at the intersection of ADHD and Addiction, and discuss why traditional recovery and ADHD support groups often miss the mark by not addressing both simultaneously.
Key Takeaways:
Why sobriety can sometimes make ADHD symptoms feel worse initially, and how to navigate the fuzziness that often follows early recovery for those of us living at the intersection of ADHD and addiction.
High-Functioning vs. Highly Depleted: We look at how masking ADHD symptoms can lead to professional success but create personal burnout and substance reliance.
The Power of 20,000: By age 12, children with ADHD can receive up to 20,000 more negative messages than their neurotypical peers. We discuss how this can lead to Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, chronic shame, and addiction.
Why Dual Support Matters: Mike and Amber realized they wanted to build the community they couldn't find, a place where ADHD and recovery are discussed together.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to the ADHD and Addiction Podcast.
02:15 – The clinical link: Why dopamine and reward deficits drive vulnerability.
05:40 – Mike’s Story: From high-functioning academic to a crash landing, and ultimately 6 years of sobriety in February of 2026.
09:20 – Amber’s Story: Diagnosis at 47 and realizing alcohol was her ADHD solution until it wasn't.
13:45 – The 2025 Kansas City Conference: Validating the need for dual-diagnosis support.
16:30 – Building the Living at The Intersection community and what to expect in each episode.
18:45 – Question for the listener: When did you realize you or someone you love might be living at the intersection of ADHD and addiction?
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
Book: The Link Between ADD and Addiction by Wendy Richardson.
Organization: CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).
Website: ADHDandAddiction.com – Visit for meetings, coaching, presentations and webinars.
Join Our Community
If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to join our growing support system.
Email us with questions and topic suggestions: [email protected]
Together we’ll find our way to manage our ADHD and addictions, and live a better life. We believe there's an individual, integrated solution for all of us living at this intersection.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adhdandaddiction.substack.com