Is It My ADHD?

Trigger Warnings: mention of self harm and disordered eating.

In this episode, influencer and author, Natalie Lee (aka @stylemesunday) and I explore how ADHD can affect our feelings of self worth. Natalie always struck me as someone with an abundance of self love, and yet as we chatted about our ADHD diagnoses last year, it turned out we’ve both struggled with low self esteem. 

 Natalie shares how a sense of shame was tied to the challenges she experienced with daily tasks, relationships and how she felt in her own skin, and how she’s taking back control with dance. We talk about meds, how diagnosis can reframe so much of what we felt were personal flaws and Natalie’s tools for dealing with rejection sensitivity disorder. Natalie also reveals what she’s most excited about now, as she works on the connection between her body and mind. 

Natalie’s book, Feeling Myself is out on June 9th 2022, and is available to pre-order here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Feeling-Myself-shame-sexual-freedom/dp/1785043862

THE EXPERT

Dr Mohamed Abdelghani is a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in mood disorders and adult ADHD. www.Dyad-medical.com 

Please note, your first port of call if you think you might have ADHD should be your GP. In the meantime, you can find more information here: 

Understanding ADHD in Girls and Women, by Joanne Steer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1787754006/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1646068472&sr=8-1

The ADHD Foundation  

https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The concept of ‘superpowers’ can be a bit UGH when you’re really feeling the challenges around ADHD, but there are definitely massive upsides to having this so-called disorder. Caroline Hirons epitomises everything that’s great about having ADHD – she’s bold, she’s imaginative and she makes shit happen. She cites hyperfocus and ‘considered fearlessness’ as some of what’s steered her unconventional career path to ultimate glory.

One of the original beauty bloggers, Caroline now has two bestselling books – Skin Care and Skin Care The Edit – her own company, and a skincare line – Skin Rocks - on the horizon. She spearheaded the Beauty Backed Trust’s life-changing support of beauty professionals affected by the lockdown restrictions, and she’s the advocate that will do whatever it takes to raise you up, whether you’re a friend, colleague or one of her four kids. 

In this episode we take a deep dive into how to cope with a mind that’s always on the go. Caroline shares how ‘NO’ people have helped channel her impulses, her tools for dealing with overwhelm and what someone with nearly 700k followers does after an unfortunate ADHD blurt. Caroline also reveals what it’s like to parent when both you and your kids have ADHD. 

Carolinehirons.com

Skinrocks.com

Dr Mohamed Abdelghani is a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in mood disorders and adult ADHD. www.Dyad-medical.com 

Please note, your first port of call if you think you might have ADHD should be your GP. In the meantime, you can find more information here: 

Understanding ADHD in Girls and Women, by Joanne Steer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1787754006/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1646068472&sr=8-1

The ADHD Foundation 

https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Grace Timothy explores what it’s really like to live with ADHD with other women and non-binary people.

---

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 37, and I’m still getting my head around what it means for me, in terms of my past, present and future. Now we’re finally waking up to the fact that ADHD isn’t just for little boys, I want to better understand what the lived experience of ADHD is, and how the day-to-day really feels. I’m asking the big questions: Is it why I’m rubbish at phone sex, for example? Is it why I swear in front of my mother-in-law? Is it why I find myself going into the minutae of my menstrual cycle with a stranger in the supermarket?

I’ll be speaking to a different guest each week on one common theme of ADHD, from friendships and work to dating and motherhood, and we’ll also have an expert give us the real talk about how ADHD affects our behaviours around that theme.

My hope is that you’ll better understand ADHD, whether for your sake or someone else’s. Please expect adult humour and language from start to finish. 

This podcast is no substitute for medical care, professional advice or clinical treatment. Please seek support and guidance from your doctor if you have or suspect you have ADHD. 

---

Is It My ADHD? is produced by The Tape Agency

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices