EP. 265: Harnessing Your ADHD Superpower: A Chat with Jessica McCabe from How to ADHD
Jan 31, 2024
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Jessica McCabe, founder of How to ADHD, shares her personal journey with ADHD, including challenges and triumphs. Topics addressed in the podcast include recognizing the value of past experiences, navigating expectations in the entertainment industry, and parenting a child with ADHD.
Skills developed in the past, even if they feel like a waste of time, can be valuable in unexpected ways in the future.
Recognizing strengths and embracing interests, even if they may not lead to being the best or most productive, is important for individuals with ADHD.
Individuals with ADHD often possess a high level of empathy, but this empathy can be dysregulated, causing issues in relationships and hindering their ability to be fully present for others.
Deep dives
Recognizing the Value of Skills Developed Through Time
The podcast episode emphasizes the importance of recognizing that skills developed in the past, even if they feel like a waste of time, can be valuable in unexpected ways in the future. The host mentions successful individuals with ADHD like Richard Branson and Michael Phelps who have utilized their unique skills and experiences. It highlights the need to shift the narrative and focus on the 43% of people with ADHD who have excellent mental health.
Interview with Jessica McCabe
The episode features an interview with Jessica McCabe, founder and host of the How to ADHD channel and author of the book 'How to ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working with Your Brain, Not Against It.' Jessica shares her personal journey with ADHD and discusses how she navigated challenges and found success. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing strengths and embracing interests even if they may not lead to being the best or most productive.
Reflecting on Parenting Approaches and Lessons Learned
The host reflects on her parenting approach and discusses the lessons she learned from her own experiences and her relationship with her mom. She expresses the desire to provide her future daughter with support, encourage interests, and foster independence while learning from her own past struggles. The conversation also touches on the joy and importance of parenthood and the potential challenges for individuals with ADHD in managing their own lives while caring for a child.
Struggling with ADHD and the Role of Empathy
Having ADHD is not without its struggles, as inconsistency and difficulties with executive functioning can be challenging. However, individuals with ADHD often possess a high level of empathy. This heightened empathy can lead to constantly reflecting on missed opportunities and the impact of their actions or lack thereof. While empathy can be a strength, it can also be dysregulated, causing issues in relationships and hindering their ability to be fully present for others. Despite any misconceptions, individuals with ADHD do care deeply, even if their actions may not always reflect it.
Navigating the Challenges of Being an Actress with ADHD
Being an actress with ADHD presents unique challenges, particularly in terms of working memory. Memorizing lines can be a significant struggle, causing stress and self-esteem issues. However, creative approaches can be used to overcome this challenge. Instead of memorizing lines, the individual in the podcast relied on cold reading and used large font sizes on scripts displayed on a whiteboard during video shoots. By embracing different strategies and capitalizing on their strengths, individuals with ADHD can find ways to succeed in their chosen field, even if it means deviating from the traditional norms and expectations.
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After being diagnosed with ADHD at age twelve, Jessica McCabe struggled with a brain she didn't understand. Determined to understand her challenges, Jessica reached out to experts, read articles, and decided to share her findings with others. This determination and curiosity set her on the incredible path she's on today.
Jessica is now the founder and host of the award-winning YouTube channel, How to ADHD, where she has built a community of millions who follow along as she uses up-to-date research, consultations with mental health professionals, and her own personal experiences to create fun educational content to help people better understand their unique brains. She is also the author of a brand new book, How To ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working With Your Brain (Not Against It).
The ADHD world isn't pie, there's plenty to go around for everyone. The more of us that are talking about ADHD, the more likely that we'll actually change more lives, which is why I'm inviting you to join my conversation with Jessica and learn more about her new book and all the wonderful work she does helping ADHDers to live their most fulfilling lives. ______________
