Did Part 1 leave you informed and now you need a pep talk? Get ready for an absolute banger of an episode with 5 experts: René Brooks of BlackGirlLostKeys.com, TEDTalk speaker and How to ADHD YouTuber Jessica McCabe and neuroscientist Jahla Osborne of University of Michigan. What is it like to get diagnosed? How do you know which medication – if any – is right for you? Why is there such a spike in ADHD diagnoses during the pandemic? Autism and ADHD: what’s the deal? What accommodations should a person ask for? How can you have a strong relationship with one (or more) ADHD brains? What if your boyfriend juggles flaming swords for fun? Sure there are tips and tricks, but get ready for the pep talk and self-acceptance honestly everyone needs to hear. Plus: two cameos from past Ologists: Dr. Tiara Moore (Forensic Ecology) and Dr. Adam Becker (Quantum Ontology). Oh, and how this relates to Alie’s own Dadbrain. HERE WE GO. René Brooks of Black Girl Lost Keys on Twitter, Instagram and FacebookJessica McCabe of How to ADHD on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTokJahla Osborne on Twitter and InstagramAnd check out these previous episodes with our cameo guests:Forensic Ecology With Tiara MooreQuantum Ontology With Adam BeckerDonations were made to CHADD, ADDA and FailSafe-ERAMore episode sources and linksSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter and InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam MediaTranscripts by Emily White of The WordaryWebsite by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

René Brooks was diagnosed with ADHD three separate times — at ages 7, 11, and 25 — so she’s had plenty of “aha” moments.  When René was a child, mental health and medication stigma kept her family from receiving vital education about ADHD. But when she was diagnosed at age 25, she was ready to tell everyone about her ADHD diagnosis.  René started Black Girl Lost Keys to empower Black women with ADHD. She’s an advocate, a content creator, and the host of the Life With Lost Keys podcast.  In this week’s episode of ADHD Aha!, René unpacks her childhood ADHD diagnoses. She shares how she’d mask her ADHD symptoms, and how that led to anxiety and depression in adulthood. Also in this episode: Is ADHD really a superpower? To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at ADHDAha@understood.org.  Related resourcesRené Brooks’ podcast: Life With Lost KeysAll about ADHD medicationFrom The Opportunity Gap podcast: ADHD and race: What Black families need to know 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