See in ADHD

Sarah Castañeda is a journalist turned online marketer/blogger. But it wasn't until her diagnosis, in 2013, when her writing and passion became one. Now she writes to inform and create awareness of ADHD, more specifically, how ADHD is different for women.

I encourage you to check her blog, Adulting with ADHD

You can also reach out to her on Twitter @adultingadhd

SARAH'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“I call it surviving. You're surviving everyday... you're a survivor.”

ADHD is Different For Women

Here's an excerpt from Sarah's About page at www.adultingwithadhd.com.

"The topic of ADHD in women has fascinated me since 2013, when I was first diagnosed. I was seeing a psychiatrist about other mental health issues and she put it together. It has changed my life ever since and continues to impact me every day. It opened me to a new world in which I didn’t feel like a punchline, but instead somebody with a completely treatable real illness. This awareness combined with the proper treatment has enabled me to accomplish things that were never before possible.

ADHD is commonly considered a little boy’s disease because the symptoms look different in girls. Maybe you weren’t the class clown, nor did you talk too much in school. Maybe you fell through the cracks and are part of this fascinating lost generation of women who are coming into their own as awareness of ADHD women continues to rise. Maybe you’ve heard people say ADHD isn’t real or that you’ve been frivolously diagnosed. This blog aims to unpack all of this and more."

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/053-adhd-is-different-for-women-2?auid=aEelxHAc

Sometimes you get the diagnosis of adult ADHD later in life rather than as a child. So, imagine what a surprise it is when you are told you have this hyper-little-boy thing and you're a woman approaching 50.

Well, it may have initially been a surprise, but it ended up being something that helped explain a lot of things for Agnes Green.

As a successful business woman she would have never guessed she had a neurobiological condition that accounted for the different way she lived her life. As she explains it, everyone wanted her to do things in a way that, although linear, made no sense to her.

AGGIE'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“Medication alone doesn't improve the management of ADHD.”

Adult ADHD Later in Life

We all experience several transitions as we get older. Empty nesting is one. Becoming a grandparent is another. Creating a second career is still another one not so uncommon today.

My dear friend Agnes has gone off the deep end, taken the plunge, and with wild abandon reinvented her ... career!

It's a pretty big deal. What inspires a high acheiving tech girl to leave corporate security and cross into the funtastic field of coaching? I'll let her tell you herself and I bet you'll become a fan just as I am.

Of course, every good coach can be reached via email, so while her AgnesGreenCoaching.com is a work in progress, she's still accessible at [email protected]

Check out her new business page on Facebook, Agnes Green Coaching, or join her and me in the facebook group, See in ADHD.

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/052-getting-the-diagnosis-of-adult-adhd-later-i-2?auid=aEelxHAc

Listen in, as Jacqueline Sinfield, of Untapped Brilliance, shares her adventures which led her to becoming an ADHD Coach and what she's discovered about managing ADHD, dyslexia and sleep along the way. She is so brilliant I know you'll get something to think about out of our discussion.

2016 is shaping up to be an amazing one for Jacqueline. She's already been awarded for two of Healthline's Best ADHD Blogs of 2016: Untapped Brilliance and Very Well

JACQUELINE'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“Everything that I've learned subconsciously and consciously with Dyslexia totally works with people with ADHD.”

ADHD, Dyslexia & Sleep

You may wonder why Jacqueline has had such success with her clients that have ADHD using what she's learned about dyslexia. The reason is simple, there is a lot of overlap in symptoms.

Symptoms traditionally associated with dyslexia include: reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words / complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.

Symptoms that overlap with ADHD include: has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time / poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced / extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly

As for sleep...

Jacqueline has developed an exciting course that you can access right now!

It's called Sleep Solutions and comes with membership benefits like a secret Facebook Support Group.

Be sure and listen to us talk about sleep and Jacqueline's thoughts on her course.

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/051-tapped-into-adhd-dyslexia-sleep?auid=aEelxHAc

"No, is a complete sentence," according to this fierce woman who values empowering women through her niceness while teaching them to say NO!

I'm so excited for you to meet her and hear her for yourself. She's a gifted storyteller and I'm thrilled she's sharing what she's learned about a myriad of subjects from embracing fear to how to get motivated.

Oh, and yes, we touch on her ADHD.

Be sure and check out her blog, A Teacher Called Life at www.ckinlaw87.blogspot.com

CANDACE'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“I'm gonna take my niceness and I'm gonna touch the world with it.”

You know what Carl Jung, Albert Einstein, and Napoleon Hill all have in common? They inspired Candace Kinlaw to begin affecting positive change by empowering women. I happened to catch her first Periscope session on Twitter and immediately asked her to join me here on the show.

She's out to make a difference but she's also figuring out how as she goes along.

Her latest venture is in creating a home business that helps support her family.

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/050-empowering-women-with-niceness-and-no?auid=aEelxHAc

If you've experienced some struggles in your relationships due to ADHD symptoms, you aren't alone. Gina Pera has become somewhat of an Accidental ADHD Expert, after years of research and investigation into how to help her husband with ADHD and their marriage.

She discovered how to ride the ADHD coaster without getting whiplash and has devoted her time and energy to helping others who are on the same ride. You can read her story in detail on her blog site, ADHD Roller Coaster with Gina Pera.

Gina shines a light on the facts about ADHD as well as false or misleading information.

In this episode, she and I talk about some of the problems that people face when they try and figure things out on their own. With still many health care professionals and institutions who haven't been properly educated, finding someone with whom to entrust your care can seem daunting.

Self-advocacy is still the recommended course of action as you gather information that will help you with your specific struggles.

GINA'S AWESOME QUOTE:

“Don't look for global help for ADHD...figure out what are your challenges."

Gina runs several public support groups you can check out:

Two are face-to-face groups in Silicon Valley and one online group:

1. Palo Alto: A discussion group for adults with ADHD (sign up to be notified of meetings)

2. Palo Alto: A discussion group for partners of adults with ADHD (parents and siblings of these adults are welcome, too) (sign up to be notified of meetings)

3. Internationally: An online support group for the partners of adults with ADHD

This is a Yahoogroups format, based on e-mail exchange within the group. It is not a chat room. In other words, it conforms to your schedule; send and e-mail and go about your business. Come back and read responses.

Gina has also written two books:

Is it You, Me or Adult ADD?

Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy: Clinical Interventions

~ Jennie | Show notes: https://awesound.com/@SeeinADHD/049-ride-the-adhd-coaster-without-getting-whipl-2?auid=aEelxHAc

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

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

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

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