The ADHD Channel for Women

For many women with ADHD, the spark of a new relationship feels like magic. But what happens when commitment feels like too much to manage?

In this episode, Dr. Monica Johnson explains the ADHD brain during the early stages of a new relationship. Learn how ADHD impacts attachment and commitment for some women. Get tips for how to manage coming down from the emotional high when the initial spark fades.

For more on this topic: 

• ADHD and dating: Why crushes feel so intense
• ADHD and dating: Why casual dating never feels casual
• Tips from an ADHD Coach: Is it love or is it dopamine?

Timestamps:  

(00:00) Intro

(01:05) What is new relationship energy (NRE)?

(01:54) The ADHD brain and early romance 

(04:28) The difference between a fading spark and incompatibility 

(07:41) Tips for managing a new relationship

For a transcript and more resources, visit MissUnderstood on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

In the final episode of our “Breaking the Burnout Cycle” three-part series, host Cate Osborn and Dr. Shauna Pollard explore what comes after burnout. They discuss how burnout can affect your relationships, the importance of communicating your needs clearly, and how to reflect on past experiences to avoid repeating patterns. 

Cate and Dr. Shauna also shares practical tips for tuning in to yourself, setting boundaries, and creating a plan for moving forward with greater awareness, balance, and resilience.

For more on this topic: 

• ADHD burnout
• ADHD and boundaries: Why saying no feels hard (and how to start)
• Setting boundaries in relationships with ADHD
• Dr. Shauna's list of Executive Functioning Resources

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro 

(01:44) We have more emotions to regulate while in burnout

(05:26) How can burnout impact relationships?

(14:32) Setting boundaries

(17:52) How can we show up for our partners when we’re burned out?

(23:11) Feeling “too much” for needing to have our needs met 

(24:44) What do we do if we don’t have a support system?

(28:01) Outro and credits

For a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Why do some women with ADHD rush through the courting stage? Dr. Monica Johnson explains what happens in the ADHD brain during courting.

From intense texting to early intimacy, the courting stage can look very different for women with ADHD. In this episode, find out what happens in the ADHD brain during courting. Learn how to recognize the difference between real chemistry and manipulation. And get tips on how to manage. 

For more on this topic: 

• ADHD and dating: Why crushes feel so intense
• Tips from an ADHD Coach: Is it love or is it dopamine?
• Sorry, I Missed This: Online dating with ADHD

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:07) What is courting?

(01:40) The ADHD brain and courting 

(02:58) How emotional dysregulation impacts relationships

(04:42) Why courting can be challenging with ADHD

(08:37) How to tell chemistry from manipulation 

(12:46) Tips for managing the courting stage

For a transcript and more resources, visit MissUnderstood on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Inattentive ADHD often goes unnoticed. It’s an easier type of ADHD to miss because it’s more internal and less outwardly visible than its hyperactive, impulsive counterpart. But left unaddressed, inattentive ADHD can be just as disruptive.

Boys with the inattentive type are especially overlooked — they don’t match the stereotype of what an “ADHD boy” is supposed to look like.

So when Brandon Saiz wrote to us about his experience getting diagnosed with ADHD later in life, we knew we had to talk to him. After meeting with Brandon, it was clear his story needed to be shared.

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide. Please skip it if that’s not something you’re up for right now.

For more on this topic:

• The 3 types of ADHD
• Listen: The “devastating” findings of a decades-long ADHD study
• Brandon Saiz on Substack
• Duck, Duck! It's a Goose: Brandon's video game

Timestamps

(01:54) Brandon’s background

(09:23) How Brandon’s inattentive-type ADHD was overlooked

(14:00) On suicidal ideation and inattentive ADHD 

(19:57) Brandon’s advice to others

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Burnout isn’t a weakness. It’s a signal that your body needs real rest. 

Dr. Shauna Pollard is back for the second episode in our “Breaking the Burnout Cycle” series to answer the question: What is rest?  

Cate and Dr. Pollard talk about what true, restorative rest looks like (hint: it’s not just zoning out on your phone), and how to start taking small, doable steps toward rest when you’re already deep in burnout.

For more on this topic: 

• ADHD burnout
• Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
• Your Money or Your Life, by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(02:08) How do you realize that enough is enough and you need to rest?

(03:58) How do we know if the “rest” we’re taking is actually restorative? 

(09:10) Feeling guilty or uncomfortable with resting

(15:18) How to decide what to pursue, and what to wait on

(20:14) The relationship between perfectionism, procrastination, and burnout

(23:41) Finding small moments to integrate rest, and other suggestions from Dr. Shauna

(29:07) Outro and credits

For a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Have you ever met someone and suddenly you’re imagining your wedding playlist — all before the first date? Dr. Monica Johnson weighs in on the science behind crushes and the ADHD brain.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What’s happening in your brain during a crush
• Why women with ADHD often fall fast and hard in relationships
• How to stay grounded in reality without completely shutting down

For more on this topic: 

• ADHD and: Rejection sensitivity
• Sorry, I Missed This: Dating with ADHD
• Tips from an ADHD Coach: Is it love or is it dopamine?

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro
(00:57) Why do ADHD brains fall in love fast?
(07:15) Strategies for remaining balanced while enjoying the butterflies
(14:18) Credits

For a transcript and more resources, visit MissUnderstood on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Artificial intelligence has cemented itself as the latest world-altering technology. It follows the same lineage as electricity, the television, the internet — the list goes on. 

Depending on who you talk to, AI is the greatest thing ever or the thing that will destroy the world, with lots of room in the middle for discussion and experimentation. 

But within the bigger AI fascination, there’s a smaller yet critical conversation about how this technology might help or harm people who learn and think differently. That’s why we brought in Dr. Amy Gaeta for this week’s “Hyperfocus.” She’s an AI ethicist and researcher who also has autism, giving her a unique insight that she shares on our latest episode. 

For more on this topic

• Amy’s website
• What is assistive technology?
• 6 ways AI can help you manage ADHD symptoms
• How software and apps can help with math challenges
• Understood Assistant

Timestamps

(03:40) AI in the workplace

(10:16) Disability justice and technology

(13:45) AI’s built-in bias against disability 

(17:15) How to find helpful, safe AI uses

(21:08) Chatbot therapy 

(25:14) What does the future hold for AI and neurodivergence? 

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Feeling drained, unmotivated, or stuck in survival mode? In part one of our “Breaking the Burnout Cycle” series, host Cate Osborn and psychologist Dr. Shauna Pollard unpack the question: What is burnout? They explore the signs to watch for, how to recognize when you’re in it, and how it’s different from depression.

If you’ve been wondering whether what you’re experiencing is burnout, this episode is a good place to start.

Related resources

• ADHD burnout
• ADHD and depression
• Dr. Shauna’s website, https://drspllc.com/

Timestamps

(00:00) A word from Cate on burnout

(01:50) What is burnout? How is it different than depression?

(05:57) What happens when ADHD perfectionism and overcommitting meets burnout?

(08:06) How do we know that we’re starting to get burnout? How can we tell if it’s burnout or depression?

(12:11) How to recognize whether your battery is low or completely tapped out

(15:55) How to get to know ourselves and our bodies better to help us in the future

(22:57) Burnout spreading from work into the home

(26:39) Outro and credits

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Sorry, I Missed This show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Itchy tags, tight clothes, and scratchy fabrics can trigger real ADHD sensory overwhelm. Dr. Monica Johnson explains why it happens and what can help.

For many women with ADHD, some clothing isn’t just uncomfortable — it can feel unbearable. This sensory overload can make even getting dressed a challenge. On this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why sensory overwhelm is more than being “too sensitive”
• How ADHD and sensory overload intersect, especially for women
• The common clothing triggers that spark discomfort (tags, textures, tight fits, etc.)
• Practical strategies to make daily routines easier

For more on this topic

• ADHD and emotional dysregulation
• ADHD and sensory overload
• ADHD, sensory systems, and communication
• Evaluating dopamine reward pathway in ADHD: Clinical implications
• Abnormal functional connectivity in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• The impact of deep pressure stimulation on anxiety
• The effects of background white noise on memory performance in inattentive school children

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(00:58) What is sensory processing

(02:14) How to body responds to sensory overload

(03:17) What sensory processing challenges can look like 

(07:04) Why sensory discomfort is different for women

(08:32) Tips for managing sensory challenges

For a transcript and more resources, visit the MissUnderstood: ADHD in Women page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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

Craig Thomas is best known for his work on TV. He co-created the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” and has written for “American Dad” and more. He’s penned songs for “Sesame Street” and essays for “The New Yorker.” 

He’s less known for being a dad. For now, at least. He has a daughter, Celia, and a son, Elliot, who was born with Jacobsen syndrome, a genetic condition causing physical and developmental disabilities. 

When Elliot was born, Craig’s career was taking off with “How I Met Your Mother.” “I was living an hour drama show at home and then driving to work and doing a sitcom,” Craig says. His upcoming novel, “That’s Not How It Happened,” is based in part on his family’s experience.

If you heard our series on the resurgence of the R-word, you’ll recognize Craig’s voice. The conversation with him was so good that we’re sharing more!

For more on this topic

• Preorder Craig’s novel
• Check out Craig’s podcast
• Hear Craig on our R-word episodes, part 1 and part 2

Timestamps

(02:20) Craig’s backstory and current work

(09:45) How Craig relates to the disability community

(13:10) Disability and media depictions 

(29:04) Comedy, the R-word, and why language matters

(39:10) On parenting a child with disabilities

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected].

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.

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 u.org/give

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