ADHD Aha!

For years, Julianna Broadwater’s therapist suggested looking into ADHD. But Julianna resisted. She had a past diagnosis of OCD, so she attributed her challenges to that. Plus she was the primary breadwinner in the family, so how could she have ADHD? Then Julianna tried ADHD medication, and her thinking completely changed. The impulsive, intrusive thoughts that would pop into her head started to lessen. It was easy to swat them away like flies, instead of dropping everything to focus on them. Julianna was diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic. Hear about her OCD misdiagnosis, and how the symptoms she thought were her OCD actually stemmed from ADHD. Related resourcesI have ADHD and OCD. Here’s what a weekend getaway looks like for meWhat is perseveration?ADHD and anxietyTimestamps(01:17) Julianna’s ADHD diagnosis story(06:49) Julianna’s experience growing up(11:42) Julianna’s OCD misdiagnosis(13:59) Getting stuck on thoughts(15:26) Never going back to how things were before the pandemic For a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! page on Understood.orgWant to share your “aha” moment? We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected]. Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Growing up, Jared Robson got so sick of failing that he decided, “trying isn’t for me.” Jared got into trouble all the time and bounced around different high schools. He eventually graduated high school but admits that that might not have happened if his family weren’t so well-off.  Now, Jared’s a stay-at-home dad and thriving as a college student taking courses online (He has a 4.0 GPA!). Jared and Laura talk about the “hyperactive little boy” stereotype. Listen as he describes his quest to find stillness and how he thinks of the ADHD failure cycle today.   Related resourcesUnderstanding hyperactivityWhat is the school-to-prison pipeline? From Opportunity GapADHD in boysTimestamps(01:01) Jared’s school life growing up(07:08) “Trying isn’t for me”(10:54) Changing around high schools(12:53) Trying out different colleges(13:56) Managing expectations(17:31) Jared’s “aha” moments(20:14) Jared’s pandemic lifestyle change(23:36) Jared’s mindset shift in the present dayFor a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! page on Understood.org.Want to share your “aha” moment? We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected]. Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

After Samantha Hiew had her second child at age 40, hormonal changes shed light on her ADHD symptoms. She was diagnosed with ADHD and, later, autism. Sam talks about her experience with AuDHD, including regulating emotions and sensory meltdowns. Sam also talks about her multicultural experience and the importance of community when you have ADHD. Sam is a social entrepreneur, scientist, and advocate. She’s also the founder and director of ADHD Girls, an award-winning social impact organization that helps neurodivergent girls succeed.Related resourcesWhat is AuDHD?A guide to hormones and ADHDadhdgirls.co.ukSam’s personal website, samanthahiew.comTimestamps(01:21) What is ADHD Girls?(02:59) Why was Sam questioning if she had ADHD?(06:42) Sam’s multicultural experience with ADHD(10:12) Sam’s ADHD symptoms(12:04) Having both ADHD and autism(14:32) Sensory meltdowns(18:12) Sam’s childhood(19:58) ADHD and hormones(26:00) Where you can find SamFor a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! page on Understood.orgWant to share your “aha” moment? We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected]. Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

In school, a teacher made Rakia Reynolds push her desk all the way to the principal’s office for getting in trouble. Rakia had undiagnosed ADHD. She was energetic, creative, and the class clown. Rakia is now a businesswoman and creative leader with diagnosed ADHD — a diagnosis that she never shared publicly… until now. Hear from Rakia, the founder and executive director of Skai Blue Media, on why she shied away from talking about her ADHD until now. Did a level of success make it feel safer to talk about? And if so, what can we learn from that?  Related resourcesRakia’s company, skaibluemedia.comWhy some kids clown around in class  32 examples of workplace accommodationsTimestamps(01:41) Speaking publicly about having ADHD(07:47) Rakia’s childhood and school life(12:43) Hitting a wall in graduate school(14:36) Rakia’s “aha“ moments(16:51) ADHD strengths and weaknesses(18:53) Coping at work(21:36) How employers can create an inclusive and supportive workplaceTo get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes, visit the ADHD Aha! podcast page at Understood.Want to share your “aha” moment? We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected]. Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give