MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel

• Hyperfocus: Head, heart, hormones — why women’s ADHD care should treat the whole person

  Earlier this year, Hyperfocus took a field trip to San Diego for an ADHD conference called APSARD, which stands for the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (quite a mouthful).A conference of ADHD professionals might not sound fascinating, but it was — and we learned a ton. But there was one person and one talk I really wanted to find: A keynote speech about how ADHD affects women’s bodies by Dr. Sandra Kooij. What Sandra is doing is something so sensible and radical: Looking at ADHD as a whole-body issue. Digging into how it can affect women’s hormones, our health, and especially our hearts. I find Sandra’s research fascinating and was thrilled when she agreed to sit down for a conversation with me. We didn’t waste any time and quickly set up a makeshift studio for this week’s episode of Hyperfocus. Also, a quick note on the audio this week: We had to record this episode outside the conference hotel, on a bustling patio full of ADHD professionals and some noisy birds. So, please forgive the extraneous sounds. Related resourcesMissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women ChannelDid my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression?ADHD Powerbank: Sandra’s video platformThe Head, Heart, Hormones foundation (in dutch with translations) Prevalence of hormone-related mood disorder symptoms in women with ADHD The heart health and ADHD connectionTimestamps(4:07) Swedish registry study data on diseases in people with ADHD(7:06) ADHD and hormones  (13:56) Cardiovascular disease in women(20:21) Talking to your doctor about diseases related to ADHDFor a transcript of this episode and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.org.We’d love to hear from you. 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

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• Tips from an ADHD Coach: Changing hobbies

  Everyone tries out different hobbies from time to time. With ADHD, the intensity of these interests, and the number of interests we’ve abandoned, tend to be higher. This week on Tips from an ADHD Coach, Jaye talks about how people with ADHD might go hard on new interests and hobbies, then lose interest and move on to another one. Listen for some tips on how to combat the shame that can come with this.Related resourcesWhat is the ADHD tax?Timestamps(00:46) Alex’s quote(02:30) Why people with ADHD try and abandon hobbies often(07:11) Comparing our work to others(08:09) Monetizing hobbies(09:33) Feeling guilty and ashamed about abandoning hobbies(10:28) What can we do if we’ve had a history of abandoned hobbies?  (13:58) Recap For a transcript and more resources, visit the MissUnderstood page on Understood.Have a challenge you’d like Jaye to talk about in an episode? Email or send a voice memo to 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

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• Sorry, I Missed This: The ADHD shame spiral from making mistakes in relationships

  A lot of shame can come up when a person with ADHD is confronted about a mistake they’ve made. They might start to spiral into bad feelings, and negative self-talk, when really the person bringing up the mistake most likely wants to repair their relationship, and even strengthen their bond.Host Cate Osborn chats to ADHD coach Jaye Lin about why this happens, and what we can do to “reverse the train” to stop the spiral. Jaye is the host of another show on the MissUnderstood podcast channel, Tips from an ADHD Coach. Related resourcesThe MissUnderstood podcast channel (where you can find Jaye’s podcast, Tips from an ADHD Coach)ADHD and: ShameADHD and emotionsTimestamps(00:41) Being scared of making mistakes or showing ADHD traits(04:38) “Reversing the train” instead of spiraling when someone brings up a mistake we’ve made(08:23) Slipping into the shame spiral easily(11:28) Directly addressing the damage caused by your actions, intentional or not(15:51) The element of repair(16:30) Perfectionism and internalized judgement(20:28) Rejection sensitivity and how we react to things(23:19) The “scary moment” when someone brings up your mistake(25:55) Jaye’s last piece of adviceFor a transcript and more resources, visit the Sorry, I Missed This page on Understood.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

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• ADHD and: Self-care

  For many women with ADHD, self-care is usually the last thing they think about. It’s hard to focus on taking care of yourself when you have so many things to juggle.Listen as Dr. Monica Johnson dives into the unique challenges women with ADHD face when it comes to self-care. Find out why it can feel so hard to find time for yourself and how ADHD makes it even more difficult. And get practical strategies for how to reclaim your time and make self-care a priority.Related resourcesHow ADHD can affect your mental healthADHD symptoms in womenADHD and women Timestamps(00:49) What is self-care?(01:45) Types of self-care(05:17) How to overcome self-care challenges  For a transcript of this episode and more resources, visit the MissUnderstood episode page on Understood.org.We love to hear 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

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• Hyperfocus: “Who are we missing?” One doctor’s lifelong fight for women with ADHD

  Dr. Kathleen Nadeau is someone who I’d call one of the godmothers of ADHD in women. She was one of the first people to stand up to the medical establishment and say, “Yes, ADHD affects women and girls, and we need to do something about it.”She persisted against the gatekeepers who’d call her and her peers “ADHD wannabes,” responding to their dismissal by writing books, conducting research, and being fierce advocates. Dr. Nadeau is also one of my personal heroes, and someone I’ve looked up to for years. That’s all to say: I’m very excited to share with you this week’s episode of Hyperfocus. Listen or watch as we discuss the history of ADHD in women and girls, what the DSM misses on ADHD, gender inequality in the medical community, and more. Related resourcesDr. Nadeau’s biography at The Chesapeake CenterMissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women ChannelWhat is the ADHD tax?Timestamps(1:55) Dr. Nadeau’s early days and “ADHD wannabes”(14:33) How should we diagnose ADHD in women?(16:30) Women being shut out of the medical establishment(20:25) “Ask the women”For a transcript of this episode and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus episode page on Understood.We’d love to hear from you. 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

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