Alan Brown is an ADHD coach and brain hacks and productivity master. From overcoming drug addiction to mega-success in corporate advertising, to giving a Ted Talk and creating his own brand at CrusherTV, Alan is proof that ADHD doesn't have to stand in your way of doing anything you want to do in life. He's also a very funny guy, so I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to him as much as I do.

I'm not only a fan of his, I'm in his membership community and recommend you join as well, visit www.CrusherTV for details. I'm also incorporating many of his Crusher stategies into my coaching practice and so have arranged the following discount:

ALAN'S AWESOME QUOTE:

"I'm always managing emotions with mindfulness.”

ADHD Brain Hacks

ADD Crusher™ videos and tools are alternative ADHD solutions recommended by ADHD coaches the world over to help teens and adults escape the overwhelm and live to their potential. Get the free eBook, 5 Things You’re Doing Every Day that Make Your ADHD Worse!, and use coupon code SEEINADHD15 to save 15% off any purchase at ADDCrusher.com.

If you like this episode please let Alan know on Twitter or FB and be sure to leave your rating and review at iTunes.

| Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/040-adhd-brain-hacks?auid=aEelxHAc

Dr. Kirsten Milliken was already knowledgeable about ADHD as a psychologist working with clients as well as having it herself. So, imagine her surprise, while later attending coach training classes, that she'd stumble upon one of her own personal values, which would transform her life. Play.

KIRSTEN'S AWESOME QUOTE:

"Play isn't an activity, it's an attitude, and you can approach

any task with a playful attitude.”

Play & ADHD

Play helps with brain development and skill development. Be sure to read Dr. Milliken's book and discover for yourself how having a playful mindset can help you in managing your ADHD and direct your efforts in a way that positively enhances your life.

"Play is the pathway to being an ADHD superstar! Consider all of the famous people who have ADHD- Einstein, Adam Levine, Michael Phelps, Jim Carey, Malcomb Forbes and Shane Victorino, to name a few. All known for being playful in their own way. If you are an adult with ADHD, this book is your prescription to play. This book focuses on how developing a more playful mindset and habit of engaging in playful activities can actually help you to manage symptoms and excel with ADHD. It’s likely that you were never encouraged to play to meet your potential, much less to have fun in an effort to be more creative, happy, energetic, and productive. After a lifetime of being urged to "stop goofing off" and to "take things more seriously," Dr. Milliken offers scientific evidence that play is actually what you need to better manage your difficulties with attention. ADHD is a serious problem. But your approach to it doesn’t have to be. PlayDHD: Permission to Play...A Prescription for Adults with ADHD is written for adults with ADHD as well as for those who just want to remember how to play more. This is one book you will actually be able to say you read all the way through! With scientific evidence, humorous anecdotes, playful activities, short passages, and color graphics, this book captures and holds the attention of even the most unfocused mind."

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/041-play-helps-adhd-management-according-to-res-2?auid=aEelxHAc

ADHD Coaches do collaborate together on projects from time to time. Brett Thornhill is my friend and colleague with whom I coproduce a podcast called The ADD Couple. Please do check it out if you want to hear two ADHD Coaches talk about all things ADHD.

BRETT'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“It troubles me when I hear people either completely rail against medication or to say it's the savior and be all and end all.”

ADHD Medication Controversy

Brett Thornhill isn't one to stir the pot and create controversy but he's happy to call the kettle black. About a week ago I had posted a piece from The New York Post written by Peter Shankman, who I've had on the show before and am a huge fan of his. The article, Stop Drugging ADHD Kids - and start teaching them to use their gifts, can be found here.

This prompted a response from Brett that I felt was share worthy:

"There is much in the underlying theme of this article that I agree with in principle, but not in isolation and not in its entirety. The myth that ADHD medication suppresses the ability of otherwise creative geniuses is a gross and misleading overstatement and minimizes many of the severe negative impacts experienced by some individuals with ADHD who have challenges just getting through their day. If a person is taking a stimulant, or non-stimulant medication, as part of the treatment strategy for their ADHD and it is flattening their personality or killing their creativity, it is very likely that they are either taking the wrong medication or wrong dosage for them.

The measured response is to explore other options rather than abandoning the idea of medical treatment entirely. Extreme blanket statements against medication like we see here ignores the biological nature of the condition and only serves to propagate the negative stereotypes that surround it. The right medication, taken appropriately, under the right circumstances and in the correct dosage can just as easily unlock the tremendous creativity and other abilities that lie within an individual with ADHD, but is being blocked by, what in some case, can be severe executive function challenges.

A well thought out and tested individual approach is a better option than the demonization, or super-power enabling attributes all too regularly applied to ADHD medication. It can be a very effective PART of an overall treatment strategy... Full Stop! To come down so hard on one side or the other of the issue does not serve the ADHD community well, in my opinion. In fact, it only serves to muddy the waters between well-serving discussions that need to be had regarding denial of legitimacy, over or mis diagnosis and effective multi-modal treatment strategies.Tell us below how you incorporate play into your day!"

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/042-the-adhd-medication-controversy-rages-on-2?auid=aEelxHAc

After identifying the Emotional Distress Syndrome (EDS) associated with ADHD, James Ochoa developed a resource that helps. With his book, Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD, you too, can navigate the storms of your emotional realm. As he explains, "Navigating is very different from managing...navigators explore the world!"

So, whether you are trying to manage getting through your day or off discovering shiny new things, this book has tools that can help you as you inevitably weather your storms.

JAMES' AWESOME QUOTE:

“I have a way to connect people back to themselves ... a way that's really powerful.”

Emotional Distress Syndrome

"The Emotional Distress Syndrome (EDS), identified and coined by James Ochoa, is the cumulative effect of the neurological processing differences and behavioral challenges associated with ADHD. It’s a chronic state of emotional stress directly related to the struggle to live life with ADHD, a stress that breaks down emotional tolerance, stamina and the ability to maintain a strong sense of well being and spiritual health. The chronic, lifelong nature of ADHD–related stress can increase to such a level that it becomes a syndrome akin to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

As with other ADHD symptoms, there’s good news and bad news, and you have choices to make:

It won’t disappear on its own. One way or another, you’ll have to manage your emotional distress for the rest of your life.

If you choose not to manage the emotional distress, the EDS will continue to erode your sense of emotional, mental and physical well-being.

But don’t despair–the Emotional Distress Syndrome can be navigated.

You are not broken.

You can live a full, interesting, potential-reaching life."

Buy via Amazon or www.jamesochoa.com

"In Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD, author and self proclaimed “ADHD-er” James M. Ochoa, LPC goes beyond the management and scheduling techniques most ADHD books focus on to deal with what really holds so many ADHD-ers back—the emotional fallout of ADHD. He helps readers identify, manage and alleviate symptoms of a PTSD-like condition he calls the Emotional Distress Syndrome, with practical, proven advice including:

Understanding the link between ADHD and emotional distress

What Emotional Distress Syndrome (“EDS”) feels like

How to construct an Emotional Safe Place

How to recruit your own Mental Support Group

Eight essential tools to help you cope

And more...

With wisdom, humor, and plenty of (sometimes painful) empathy, Focused Forward will help adults with ADHD move past the pain and shame toward a future full of possibility, balance and joy."

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/043-the-emotional-distress-syndrome-in-adhd-2?auid=aEelxHAc

Personifying "Advocate Strong", Charlene Long is the loving force behind Autism as a Whole. She joins me in this episode to talk about how many of the spectrum conditions like ADHD...like Autism, usually come with co-existing conditions. And, it is, as a whole, a person, a family, and a community are affected.

In her family’s case they have Criduchat, cancer, and mitochondria disease among others. This points to the fact that there are physical conditions that accompany psychological ones. In fact, she will tell anyone who will listen, that you can always dig deeper and not to take being turned away from the care you intuitively know your children need as their parent.

As a mother of four, Charlene's hands would be full anyway, but her youngest, Charlie, is in palliative care with the chronic condition of Mitochondria Disease. This has led to her taking advocacy to a whole new level.

CHARLENE'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“Sometimes, they really need us to lift our our voice and advocate strong.”

Charlene continuously has to buy Charlie nutritional supplements because he can't tolerate solid food.

In today's episode, I asked Charlene to come on and share her message of advocacy. I also am asking you the listener to donate to the My Hero Charlie campaign. Charlene and Charlie have 3 specific needs I think we can help her with.

1) Charlie needs nutritional supplements and supplies like syringes that aren't covered by her insurance.

2) They need to get to Philly this fall. They finally have an appointment with a doctor they've been waiting to see for over a year that specializes in Mitochondria Disease, which Charlie has. They need money for gas and probably lodging.

3) A trip to the zoo or aquarium while in Philly. This will boost Charlie's spirits and give him some incentive to go and get pricked and prodded by the doctors. Plus, who doesn't want him to enjoy an afternoon out, after all he's 10!

If you can help, I thank you, and so do Charlene and Charlie.

Advocate Strong

"Hello, as a single mom of 4, who has always tried to make everything work without asking for help, I surrender! I was told that in order to receive we have to make it known that we are in need and despite my personal pride and desire to do his on my own I know that I can't right now. Going to work is impossible right now with Charles being so sick and everything seems to pile up. Charles has many needs and supplies that are not covered by his health insurance. He has lost his ability to maintain his bladder, mostly at night, therefore I need to have chucks handy. This is adds a lot of stress which is starting to affect my parenting skills. I have less patience than I typically have and seem to be crying a lot. I am emotionally spent! Over the Christmas season my family was blessed by some very amazing people who gave my children a Christmas to remember and also helped me get a new washer and dryer because mine was broke. I can never thank everyone enough.

I now need to ask for some community support. Chuck Cheese aka My hero Charlie, needs multiple supplements that are not covered by insurance. This happens to many families with children that suffer with Mitochondrial disease. Please consider helping to energize my baby so that maybe we can get him into school more and increase his quality of life. I miss my baby before he got sick!"

~ Charlene on myherocharlie.com

| Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/044-advocate-strong-2?auid=aEelxHAc

She had tried listening to ADHD podcasts but all she heard was what was wrong with her. What she couldn't do. What she wasn't doing. What all she was doing was wrong and then that name again...with words like deficit and disorder. Her self image was already pretty negative and she felt that what all of these shows were doing was, in fact, confirming that she was right to think so lowly of herself.

As she searched on Facebook though, she began to come across funny memes or positive comments that would give her a glimmer of hope. Eventually, she found connectivity in groups with others who not only had ADHD but liked some of the things she liked, such as crochet.

OTTER'S AWESOME QUOTE:

The ADHD Acceptance Connection

What happens when you don't accept the ADHD diagnosis; yet, you're left knowing that something isn't right? Something that makes you feel less than. After finding inspiration through family and friends, Alyssa began to see an acceptance connection between the acceptance of the diagnosis and her self-esteem.

In this episode, Alyssa 'Otter' Sheldon shares her story with all of us while also offering invaluable insight into how you can embrace your ADHD and totally accept yourself as you are, even if some see you as odd.

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/045-how-acceptance-of-your-adhd-is-connected-to?auid=aEelxHAc

Want to know how to live life best when you have ADHD? Jerry Arbs has a few thoughts to share about what has worked for him and what he recommends for you. In celebration of Memorial Day, I'm presenting a holiday encore presentation of one of my first episodes with Jerry Arbs. He is one of the funniest, yet thought provoking, personalities on YouTube and loves to share his thoughts.

In this episode he shares his many, many, many thoughts including those on ADHD and what it's like to live with it.

JERRY'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“I hope you really challenge your mind and realize that you are already amazing and awesome.”

Live Life Best

Jerry shares his belief that the most important thing a person can do is explore who they are and how they best operate in order to live life happiest. I encourage you to check out his YouTube station and see how he's explored his.

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/046-how-to-live-life-best-with-adhd-2?auid=aEelxHAc

Have you noticed most blogs are just lists, like 3 Ways to Do This and 5 More Ways to Do That? This is an episode about a different sort of blog but if you scroll down I’ve listed 4 techniques my guest today uses to calm himself down when he gets angry. Listen in as he shares with us how to tune in to your own ADHD above (almost) all else.

Andrew Wilcox began blogging as a way to earn a little money on the side of his regular job, after all, he was pretty good at writing. Then he discovered that blogging is one thing and monetizing it is a whole other. So, he decided to just do it for himself and to this day has no advertisements or banner ads on his site.

I encourage you to check it out, I’ve been following him for about a year: Eat. Live. Dream. ADD. Thoughts From Inside My Skull.

ANDREW'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“I’m an expert on my ADHD. No one knows my ADHD better than I do.”

Tune In to Your Own ADHD

According to Andrew, blogging has enabled him to get outside of himself. It’s offered him a sort of third party perspective, when at times, he’s gone back to edit or repost an older entry. He shares with us what he’s learned looking at his thoughts more objectively, about himself and about his ADHD.

As he explains it, by journaling or blogging, just getting your thoughts on paper, helps you tune in to your own ADHD and that is extremely helpful.

As a bonus, here are 4 techniques that Andrew uses to help him calm down when angry:

1) Breathe

2) Count to 10

3) Punch a pillow

4) Talk calmly

~ Jennie

| Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/047-how-to-tune-in-to-your-own-adhd-2?auid=aEelxHAc

Created via Awesound.com | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/048-sherri-shares-insider-scoop-on-adhd-coachin-2?auid=aEelxHAc