The ADHD Social Playbook ADHD & Friendships with Brendan Mahan [Part 1]
May 20, 2025
Brendan Mahan, creator of The Wall of Awful and ADHD expert, joins Caroline Maguire to delve into the intricacies of friendship-building for those with ADHD. They tackle how social media can distort our perceptions of relationships and how to navigate feelings of rejection. Brendan shares his experiences hosting backyard movie nights as a way to foster connection. Plus, they discuss addressing past traumas to better understand current friendship dynamics, emphasizing resilience and proactive strategies for stronger bonds.
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Backyard Movie Nights For Friends
- Brendan built a local friend group with backyard movie nights as low-interaction meetups.
- He then advanced to barbecues and board games for deeper social engagement.
Be The Host, Stay Flexible
- Be the host and organizer to create friendship opportunities.
- Be flexible and patient when others cannot attend due to their busy lives.
Not The Main Character Insight
- Social media promotes narcissism, heightening sensitivity and false personalizations.
- Realize you're not the main character to reduce feelings of rejection and disappointment.