Women & ADHD

Dr. Kathleen Nadeau: Adulting and aging with ADHD

Mar 18, 2024

Dr. Kathleen Nadeau discusses the importance of group support for women with ADHD, challenges of aging with ADHD, myths about stimulant medications for older adults, and the need for understanding ADHD in older adults. She also talks about the struggles of adulting with ADHD, failure to launch in younger adults, and upcoming book on ADHD diagnosis and treatment for women.

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Episode guests

Kathleen Nadeau

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Quick takeaways

Supportive groups empower women with ADHD through understanding, laughter, and relief from societal pressures of perfection.

Podcast highlights challenges and triumphs of women navigating careers, relationships, and self-identity post-ADHD diagnosis.

Dr. Kathleen Nadeau emphasizes maintaining structure, dispelling misconceptions about medications, and tailored treatments for aging adults with ADHD.

Deep dives

Supportive Group Healing for Women with ADHD

One of the best ways to help women with ADHD is through supportive groups that foster understanding, support, and shared experiences. By healing each other in these groups, women can feel accepted and relieved from the pressure of perfection imposed by society. These groups allow for laughter, support, and genuine connections that empower women with ADHD.

Support and Understanding vs. Societal Expectations on Women

01:12

Embracing Playfulness and Curiosity in ADHD

01:03

Introduction

6min

Connecting Through ADHD: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Support

16min

Navigating Adulting with ADHD and Aging Reflections

4min

Navigating ADHD Challenges and Ageism in Women

18min

Creating an ADHD Coaching and Accountability Community for Adults

3min

Community and Acceptance for Women with ADHD

13min

Establishing an Advanced ADHD Training Institute for Comprehensive Education and Treatment

6min

Navigating ADHD in Retirement

4min

Episode 179 with Dr. Kathleen Nadeau.

“One of the best ways to help women with ADHD is in groups. We heal each other by understanding each other, laughing together, and not expecting the same perfection we feel the outside world expects of us.”

Dr. Nadeau is a clinical psychologist and founder of The Chesapeake Center, as well as an internationally recognized authority on ADHD.

She is the author or co-author of over a dozen books related to ADHD across the lifespan, from her best-selling book for children, “Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention”, to her latest book “Still Distracted After All These Years,” which addresses the many factors of growing older with ADHD (because as we all know, you do not outgrow ADHD).

We discuss some of the strategies laid out in Dr. Nadeau’s latest book, such as the importance of maintaining structure, connection, and support as we age. We also address some of the myths and misconceptions about stimulant medications for the over-60 population, and the need for better understanding and treatment of ADHD in older adults, as many healthcare professionals dismiss or minimize the struggles faced by this population.

And we talk about “failure to launch” in younger adults and how difficulties with early adulting skills might lead to a lot of anxiety around aging with ADHD.

Finally, we discuss her upcoming book, “A Clinician's Guide to Women with ADHD: Diagnosis and Treatment” which she is co-writing with Dr. Patricia Quinn, MD, and Dr. Michael Morse, MD. Although there are many books for and about women with ADHD, there is a great need for a clinician's guide to diagnosis and treatment. Women continue to have great difficulty finding knowledgeable physicians and therapists to treat them. This long-overdue book due to be published in 2025 will provide a very straightforward treatment guide for medical and mental health providers.

Website: thechesapeakecenter.com

Instagram: @thechesapeakecenter

Links & Resources:

Still Distracted After All These Years: Help and Support for Older Adults with ADHD by Dr. Kathleen Nadeau

The Unmade Bed: The Messy Truth about Men and Women in the 21st Century by Stephen Marche

https://www.tiktok.com/@retirementhouse

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Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts

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Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching

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Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

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Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

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