ADHD reWired

Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Juliet discuss the intersectionality not just with ADHD but also as a woman and a mom who is on the Autism spectrum and recently diagnosed with PTSD. Juliet is in recovery and participates in various twelve-step programs, and has worked as a drug and alcohol counselor, plus much more on this episode of . Listen as Juliet shares her story and what it was like being a young girl on the Autism spectrum. Juliet speaks about being sexually abused as a child and not getting help, so the untreated trauma affected the rest of her life. Juliet talks about her alcoholism, eating disorder, and what sparked her need to go into recovery. Juliet discusses her experience with twelve-step programs, how addiction is a symptom of circumstance, and how when you deal with stuff, other things can come up, and you have to learn to handle it all. Juliet talks about how she untangles the intersectionality between sensory processing with Autism and the trauma that is being held in her body. Juliet also speaks about her speech inarticulation issues and how when trauma is triggered, the language part of her brain goes offline.  Juliet shares what she is doing professionally now, the thing she thinks is the coolest about having Autism and ADHD, and she gives some advice for anyone looking for help with ADHD, PTSD, or ASD. You'll learn: [02:51] Welcome to the show, Juliet! [03:40] Juliet shares her story and what it was like to be a young girl on the Autism spectrum. [07:03] Juliet talks about not wanting to talk about her sexual abuse and how it is left untreated affected her life. [08:52] She speaks about her son being diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum. [11:19] Juliet says that going through the checklist with her son and how everything sounded familiar. [12:16] What sparked you to go into recovery for the eating disorder and alcoholism? [15:22] Juliet talks about a twelve-stop program she went into with eating disorders. [21:38] Eric discusses addiction and the growing evidence that addiction is a symptom of circumstance. [24:34] Juliet says the twelve-step program works if you stick around and do it from her experience. [28:27] Eric talks about the efficacy rate for AA and other programs. [30:35] Juliet believes that when you put things down, other things come up, so you have to learn to deal with the things that come up. [38:33] Juliet explains how she sees the world in colors. [41:26] Julie shares how she untangles the intersectionality between sensory processing with Autism and what's being held in the body because of trauma. [42:44] When trauma is triggered, the language part of your brain goes offline. [44:29] How did you figure out that you have these speech inarticulation issues? [46:01] Juliet shares what she is doing professionally. [50:16] What is the coolest thing to you about having Autism and ADHD? [51:39] Juliet gives some advice to anyone looking for help with ADHD, PTSD, or ASD. [53:17] Thank you for being on the show! [54:03] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at

Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Erika Hopkins discuss her background, why she went to college to find a husband, her history of poor health, being tired and depressed and diagnosed with hypoglycemia, plus much more on this episode of . Erika is a professional educator and aspiring author who lives with her husband and three boys in Idaho. She holds a Master of Education degree in secondary science, a Bachelor of Nutrition Science, and a Chemistry minor. Debilitated by chronic fatigue attributed to depression, Erika relinquished her idea that mothers should remain home. She took a job at the local high school, where the process of science and unlikely friendship challenged Erika's views of herself and the world. Ultimately, she discovered she has been living with undiagnosed ADHD.  Listen, as Erika shares her background, her goal to be a wife and mother, becoming a high school science teacher, and having three sons under three. Erika speaks about the mentor she was assigned as a new teacher, the moment that took her breath away, and going to doctor after doctor trying to find out what was wrong with her. Erika discusses resigning from her teaching position and getting the ADHD diagnosis. Erika believes that people with ADHD don't have the executive function to make things happen, and she talks about some tools she has learned that have been helpful for her. Erika is excited about the future and feels free and adventurous, and all it took was talking to someone who put two and two together. You'll Learn: [03:39] Welcome to the show, Erika! [04:18] What experience led you to the transformation of you questioning everything you know? [07:04] Erika shares that her parents helped her come up with an appropriate degree if something happened to her husband and she needed to work. [09:38] Her goal was to become a wife and mother. [12:21] Erika speaks about her body having trouble managing levels. So the episodes of fatigue continued. [14:00] Erika went back to school and became a high school science teacher. [17:34] Having three sons under three and all in diapers is so tiring and noisy. [22:58] “The pressure on women to be organized, self-controlled, the one that is keeping everyone else organized is a societal expectation that is deeply ingrained.” ["5:49] Erika speaks about researching how to write a book. [28:52] Because she wasn't taking care of herself, being home with her children wasn't sustainable. [30:53] Erika shares about the mentor she was assigned to as a new teacher. [33:05] She describes the moment that took her breath away. [36:15] Erika went to dozens of doctors, trying to figure out why she is so tired all the time. [39:43] The doctor told her she was normal, her blood work came back normal. [46:40] Erika speaks about resigning from her teaching position. [50:05] People with ADHD don't have the executive function to make things happen. [53:16] Erika talks about some things that have been helpful for her. [55:47] Erika cautions people not to believe everything someone tells them. [57:05] Erika feels free and more adventurous, and she is excited about the future. [58:02] Thank you for being on the show! [58:50:] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at

Do you take the time to open yourself up to something new? Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Michael Docherty discuss why he called his team the island of misfit toys, his entrepreneurship, looking at his strengths from the perspective of an innovator, plus much more on this episode of . Michael is a lifelong innovator who has led a successful thirty-five career as a corporate executive, venture investor, entrepreneur, consultant, author, husband, and happy father of three adult children. His goal as a parent was not to screw his kids up, and he thinks he has succeeded. As someone diagnosed with ADHD only five years ago, Mike says he used to think that he stumbled into the right things, but in looking back now sees it as a journey in learning how to play to one's strengths and find creative ways to compensate for the gaps. Michael shares working at Sunbeam and being a part of a group dubbed the island of misfit toys, how he thrives in a certain amount of chaos and how he keeps a handle on everything he has going on. Michael also talks about his perfectionist tendencies and how he has to remind himself that he is being hired for his brain, not his ability to do reports.  Michael believes that the game has changed about what innovation is, how he likes to work with people who bring something different to the table and that when it comes to innovation and new product development, you need to work within the tolerances of the organization you work for. He also shares some tactical strategies to push in your organization without being pushed out the door. Listen, as Michael shares an interesting college career story, what happened that caused him to seek an ADHD diagnosis and how he used the book he wrote as a way to reinvent himself. Michael says that when he was writing the book, he decided about three-quarters of the way to stop and regroup, which caused him to take it in a different direction. You'll learn: [02:54] Welcome to the show, Michael! [03:14] Michaels talks about his team at Sunbeam, known as the island of misfit toys. [06:20] Michael speaks about being able to thrive in a certain amount of chaos. [09:12] How do you keep a handle on everything you have going on? [11:03] Michael discusses using other people to get him out of his perfectionist tendencies. [15:17] Michael reminds himself that he's being hired for his brain, not for his reports. [18:05] He has learned to get away from self-talk and think differently to make things happen. [24:00] Michael believes the game has changed about what innovation is. [28:06] Michael has always admired and loved working with people who differ from him and bring new things to the table. [29:54] How do I find the island of misfit toys? [31:34] Michael says that you need to work within the tolerance of the organization you work for when it comes to innovation and new product development. [32:38] What are some tactical strategies to push for what you want without getting pushed out the door? [35:36] Michael speaks about how to apply the principle of innovation to ADHD life management. [44:57] Michael shares an interesting college career story. [49:45] What was going on in your life that brought you to an ADHD diagnosis? [51:35] Michael talks about the book he released and how he used it to reinvent himself. [54:06] When he was about three-quarters through the book, he stopped and regrouped. [56:54] Thank you so much for being on the show! [57:45] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Connect with Michael:

Listen as with his guests, , , Moira Maybin, and , answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of . We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers.  Ella kicks off our questions today, asking if anyone else gets anxious when faced with something unpleasant. Judith wants to know if anyone has any thoughts on QB Check and online ADHD diagnostic tool, and Stephanie wonders why she always read in high school, but now she has trouble picking up a book and finishing it. Eileen shares that she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD and asked what the differences are from ADHD. Another question is, what do you think about cannabis use with a patient using stimulants? And the difference between under stimulation with ADHD and depression? Karen wants to know why she is on medication, but she is still losing track of work and life. Caroline wants advice on prioritizing at work when everything seems urgent, and Vicky wants to know how to get her ADHD under control. The group agrees that your ADHD isn't worse; it's just that once you are diagnosed, you are more aware, so everything is brought more into focus. Thank you for listening to this month's Q & A session. As usual, we cover a wide range of topics, and we provide some creative takeaways no matter what stage you're in with your diagnosis. Listen in as we discuss your questions and the struggle we still have dealing with our ADHD. Your Resources: ADHD Friendly Lifestyle with Moira Maybin You'll learn: [02:08] Welcome to the show, everyone! [03:12] Ella wants to know if anyone gets anxious when faced with something unpleasant. [05:48] Eric shares that ADHD is a performance disorder, and in the evening, their executive functions are at the lowest. [06:21] Brendan says the sometimes dithering is a less focused effort or attempt to get some dopamine flowing. [08:43] Judith is asking the group for their thoughts on QB Check. [10:27] Stephanie says that she is terrible now at reading books, and she wants to know if this is an ADHD thing? [11:10] Will says that reading is a muscle, and if you don't use it, you will lose it. [12:03] Moira talks about reading books you like. [15:00] MJ speaks about listening to audible books as a great way to learn. [19:45] Eileen has been diagnosed with complex PTSD and asks for insight into the difference between ADHD and complex PTSD. [20:40] Eric says that trauma is just about what happened to you; it's about how you handled and processed what happened to you. [21:22] Living life with ADHD without being diagnosed with ADHD is traumatic. [22:56] Eric shares that trauma lives in the body, and so most therapies done for PTSD are focused on the body. [32:02] What do you think about cannabis use with a patient that is using stimulants? [32:11] Eric does not believe that marijuana is not a treatment for ADHD. [32:58] The chronic long-term use of marijuana is impairing. [33:39] Brendan shares where he is landing on this question. [35:44] What is the difference between under stimulation with ADHD and depression? [35:57] Eric shares what he believes are the differences. [38:25] Brendan believes that depression is situational. [40:08] Brenda has a question about executive function coaching. [42:24] MJ likes to have a coach that has ADHD. [49:45] Karen says that she is on medication but still losing track of life and work. [50:05] Pills don't teach skills. [50:46] Caroline wants advice on the best strategies for prioritizing at work when everything feels urgent. [50:58] Eric says to read the book .  [52:27] Identify that thing that is most important to you, and everything else is a distraction. [53:18] Brendan says to be strategic about who you share with. [55:32] MJ believes she should talk to her boss. [57:01] Moira shares that she changes her schedule every week because she prioritizes what is most important. [1:00:05] Do you have a to-done list?  [1:02:56] Vicky wants to know how to get her ADHD under control. [1:03:23] Identify what you want to work on and work on those things and learn as much as you can. [1:04:25] Don't take yourself so seriously. [1:05:25] It's not that your ADHD is worse, it's that you are more aware after your diagnosis. [1:06:39] Thank you for listening! [1:08:06] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at

"Pills don't teach skills," Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Jay Bushman discuss his ADHD and diagnosis, the craziness that last two years have brought, the death of his father from COVID, his new book, plus much more on this episode of . Jay is a writer working at the intersection of traditional and emerging formats. He won an Emmy for his work as a writer and trans-media producer on the ground-breaking series , an interactive adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. His first book, , a collection of advice column letters written by famous characters from literature, is now available.  Jay shares his research on APD, and when he realized he might have ADHD, his therapists said he was a perfectionist and what perfectionism feels like on the inside above and beyond the actual definition. Jay had a rough year and spoke about how he could finish his book after his father passed away from the coronavirus.  Listen as Jay discusses his next project and the trouble he is having getting it started. Jay believes that once the world calms down, he will be able to start, but Eric asks if there is some way for him to forget about what is going on in the world and proceed. To finish up, Jay shares his journey with perfectionism and some things that might help you push through and come out on the other side. You'll learn: [03:04] Welcome to the show, Jay! [05:46] Jay shares how he handled working on his book while his father passed away from COVID. [07:41] Jay believes that having a good therapist has helped him get through. [08:31] Jay discusses the process of being diagnosed with ADHD and APD. [11:04] Jay speaks about having [13:40] Listen as Jay talks about having chronic pain. [16:39] Jay shares his research on APD and realizing he probably had ADHD as well. [26:23] Jay's therapist talked to him about perfectionism. [27:09] Jay speaks about what perfectionism feels like on the inside. [29:54] Jay describes his book and how it's written. [33:01] Jay shares how he got his book done and his thoughts about what he wanted to do next. [34:00] There is a PowerPoint presentation available to help people write a TV show pilot. [43:41] Jay speaks about what his next book is about. [46:51] Eric shares his divorce and his work on himself to heal. [48:52] Should you maybe put your project on hold for a few months and see where you are on it then? [50:52] Jay discusses the pandemic and not leaving his apartment until things get better. [53:23] What can you do that doesn't depend on the world settling down to proceed with your project? [56:09] Jay shares some advice for anyone struggling with perfectionism. [59:20] Thank you so much for being on the show! [1:01:01] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Connect with Jay: | |

It’s been a year since William Curb started the Hacking Your ADHD podcast and we’re celebrating. Correction: In true ADHD style, it has been a year + 3 months or so. Either way, having reached this milestone is huge and we are celebrating.  Creating and sustaining a podcast is a lesson in discipline for ANY podcaster but even more so for someone who has also been diagnosed with ADHD. Having set systems definitely helps but there are so many new facets of the disorder that you’ll face as you try to keep a steady schedule that it’s almost like learning a whole new tool. William takes the time to script his podcast so he keeps them fairly short and on task, but doing this means that he occasionally misses production dates. This is perfectly fine because he has kept on going regardless.  Listen as we chat about when automation helps (and when it doesn’t), what the future looks like for Hacking Your ADHD, and how having the podcast has helped him to address various ADHD symptoms. He’s also sharing a bit about how he hacks his ADHD and how he’s altering those hacks for his 5-year old daughter. In true Hacking Your ADHD fashion, we end this one with an amazing dad joke courtesy of William’s very large “dad joke library.” Listen in to hear it all. You'll learn: [02:08] Welcome to ADHD reWired, William Curb.  [04:17] William shares the learning process he has gone through as he works on his Podcast. [06:26] How ADHD makes podcast production challenging.  [09:16] Quick thoughts on automation and creating systems.  [12:31] Why using what we have is sometimes harder than just buying more. [16:27] Has William considered writing a book?  [22:49] What does the future look like for Hacking Your ADHD?  [26:29] How has he been doing with letting go of perfectionistic tendencies?  [29:02] Has listening to himself helped with his speech?  [31:18] Learn more about how his scripts have evolved over time.  [35:51] What kinds of things would he like to try out with the podcast?  [43:56] William shares ways he hacks his ADHD.  [48:11] How timers have helped him manage his time and productivity. [53:01] It doesn’t matter if someone else is teaching the same thing. Learn why?  [57:22] Why his ADHD network is partially responsible for the success of the podcast. [59:04] A quick dad joke to make your day. [1:00:22] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Will's site is here:

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Do you feel you are a failure because you can't meet expectations? Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest MJ Siemens have a fun episode where they share a bit of MJ's story and give you a chance to get to know MJ a little more. MJ is about to launch a new podcast called ADHD Diversified so stayed tuned for more information about her launch, plus much more on this episode of . MJ shares about her new podcast ADHD Diversified, what it will be about, and how she plans to have humor while discussing serious topics that haven't been talked about. MJ also talks about how being stereotyped because she is of Asian descent and how she professionally handles people. MJ speaks about having Trichotillomania, and because of it, she wears a hat so that she doesn't pull her hair out. She also discusses being diagnosed with ADHD, the intake assessment, the first visit with a psychiatrist, and being diagnosed with multi-levels of ADHD. MJ shares her family's response to her diagnosis and how it was the total opposite of how she thought they would react. MJ shares what she hopes to learn from the guests she brings on her show, and she wants to let people know they are not alone. There are many resources available if you know where to look, and she wants to help people find those resources. MJ says that it took years for her to figure out that she wasn't stupid and that it was ok to be different. She hopes she can show others to be themselves, so they don't have to feel the way she did. You'll learn: [02:44] Welcome to the show, MJ! [05:08] MJ wants her show to be funny and laid back while discussing serious topics that haven't been talked about. [07:31] MJ shares how she reacts to people stereotyping her because she is of Asian descent. [10:15] Listen as they play MJ's trailer for the new podcast. [14:12] MJ says that she is medicated and professional during the day, but in the evening and during this podcast, she is more relaxed. [17:05] MJ wears a hat so that she doesn't pull out her hair because she has a serious case of Trichotillomania. [20:00] humorously talking about diversity is a different way to approach it that isn't so thorny. [22:55] Eric believes it's important to be curious and has an open dialogue around racism. [25:30] MJ speaks about not fitting in anywhere because she isn't Asian enough and isn't western enough. [28:30] MJ was told by teachers that she was twice-exceptional, but she didn't know what that meant. [36:30] They share how much they love Brendan Mahan. [39:01] MJ speaks about some things she always did that were examples of her ADHD. [43:57] Women with undiagnosed ADHD are sometimes misdiagnosed with other things. [46:14] MJ was surprised when her psychiatrist invited her partner into her first visit. [54:32] MJ talks about how her family reacted when she told them about her diagnosis. [57:46] MJ shares posting a small call out to see if any other Asian's in the group had ADHD. [1:00:10] Eric speaks about MJ's Lego room and how cool it is. [1:02:41] MJ discusses the stereotype that she should have been very smart academically because she is Asian. [1:04:30] Eric says that it is fun to watch MJ connect things because she does it quickly. [1:06:41] MJ believes that one of the beautiful things about having an ADHD brain is they have a unique way of problem-solving. [1:07:38] What do you hope to learn with the guests you bring on your podcast? [1:10:01] MJ wants people to know they are not alone as long as the resources are being used. [1:12:02] It has taken MJ years to know that she isn't stupid and being different is ok. [1:13:52] Thank you for being on the show! [1:14:38] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Listen as with his guests, , , Moira Maybin, and MJ Siemens, answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of . We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers.  Maria starts this session by asking Eric what he means by the comment that he is proudly unemployable. Bri wants to know how to structure her downtime to make her feel like she is working toward a goal. Another listener wants to know how to get over the anger and feelings of being wronged. Listen as the panel answers the question, how do I deal with imposter syndrome during the diagnosis process? How do I deal with imposter syndrome during the diagnosis process? Do neuro-diverse conditions run deeply in families? How do I handle high emotional responses that flatten my priority list? Is there a niche for an alcoholic, addicted artist podcast? How much time should I devote to a new hobby? According to research, to what degree are executive functions trainable in adults with ADHD? Do you feel like your medication doesn't work during your menstrual cycle? These are more of the questions that our panel shares insights, strategies, suggestions, and personal experiences on to help the listeners gain an understanding of what they can do to mitigate the issues they have questions about. Welcome to the first live Q&A of 2021, where we cover a wide range of topics and provide some creative takeaways no matter what stage you're in with your diagnosis. Listen in as we discuss your questions and the struggle we still have dealing with our ADHD. Your Resources: ADHD Friendly Lifestyle with Moira Maybin ADHD Diversified with MJ Siemens You'll learn: [01:48] Welcome to the show, everyone! [02:20] Maria has a question about why Eric says he is proudly unemployable. [05:00] Maria discusses the work she wants to do. [08:25] Bri asks about how to structure her time so that she doesn't feel stuck. [10:24] Brendan shares his insights into her question. [12:17] Moira talks about how Bri feels like she is starting from zero again. [15:03] MJ speaks about taking what's worked for her in the past and tweaking it for what works now. [16:13] Eric wants to know what future Bri wants. [17:07] How do I get over the anger and feelings of being wronged? [18:19] MJ shares that this is something we all can relate to and that forgiveness can give us peace of mind. [21:10] Eric believes that one thing that can be helpful at the moment is what can I actually learn from this? [23:36] Eric talks about being fired from his first job out of grad school. [24:58] Will adds his insights into this issue. [25:36] "Never attribute to malice what can be explained with stupidity." [32:46] How do I deal with imposter syndrome during the diagnosis process? [34:37] Eric discusses when he felt he had imposter syndrome. [35:16] Will shares what helped him when he felt like he was an imposter. [35:52] Brendan talks about the awareness around imposter syndrome. [36:55] Moira says that's why she is doing the ADHD Friendly Lifestyle podcast. [40:27] Jennie asks a question about neurodiverse conditions running deeply in the family. [41:28] Eric discusses how inherent ADHD is in families. [42:38] MJ says that different family members cope with ADHD in different ways. [47:59] Rob's question is about flattening his priority list because of high emotional responses. [50:58] Rob shares what has worked for him to get things out of his head. [51:54] Eric talks about what he hears Rob say. [53:01] Eric shares what he does that is helpful when he has a day where he is bouncing all over the place. [57:58] Brendan discusses some things he thinks might help Rob. [59:51] Moira shares some strategies that she uses that might help. [01:01:26] Is there a niche for alcoholic, addict, artist podcast? [01:02:00] Cody wants to know how much time he should spend learning a new hobby. [01:03:09] Will believes you should make hobbies something you do with other people. [01:03:45] Daniel wants an idea of where he should be when he grows up, when he doesn't have any skills or talents. [1:05:09] Maggie wants to do everything; she doesn't know what to do because she wants to do it all. [1:06:45] Brendan says to take the list of all the things you want to do and reorganize it thematically. [1:07:35] According to research, to what extent are executive functions trainable skills in adults with ADHD? [01:09:33] Do you feel like your medication doesn't work during your premenstrual cycle? [1:11:04] Will closes the episode with a dad joke. [1:12:21] Thank you for listening! [1:13:03] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Links and Resources: Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Do you think you might have a Bi-Polar disorder? Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Malaika Tolford discuss her diagnosis of Bi-Polar disorder and ADHD, how common it is to have both, and the difference between Bi-Polar one and two, plus much more on this episode of . Malaika is a ceramic artist and owner of ; she also teaches at a nonprofit craft organization. They diagnosed Malaika with Bi-Polar two disorder in 2013 and added an ADHD diagnosis in January 2020, which provided some pieces of her mental health puzzle. She is a mom of two boys trying to navigate COVID while working from home and keeping out of the way of her husband's zoom meetings. Listen as Malaika shares why she got in touch with Eric, the difference between Bi-Polar one and two, and what led her to seek evaluation and diagnosis for Bi-Polar disorder. Because of suicidal thoughts, Malaika sought medication for Bi-Polar depression and was lucky enough that the first thing they tried worked for her. Malaika discusses what happened in her life that led her to believe that she might also have ADHD, the struggle to figure out who she really was and how the pandemic made that journey even more difficult. Eric believes that if you can tolerate it, medication is one of the best treatments for ADHD. Malaika speaks about her pottery business, how she has pivoted to online sales since the pandemic, and how pottery is relatable to both of her diagnoses. She describes her pottery and shares that she puts maps on all of her pieces because she likes geography, so please check out her work at You'll learn: [03:28] Welcome to the show, Malaika! [04:22] Malaika discusses why she got in touch with Eric. [07:19] Malaika shares what she understands about Bi-Polar and the difference between 1 and 2. [09:44] What led you to seek evaluation and diagnosis of Bi-Polar? [11:16] Malaika speaks about why she sought medicine for her disorder. [13:02] Eric says that having suicidal thoughts is the language of an illness. [16:05] Malaika discusses how ADHD may have led to the cycle of depression. [22:36] They talk about the medication Malaika was prescribed for her Bi-Polar disorder. [25:08] Malaika shares what happened that led to the ADHD diagnosis. [28:28] ADHD Alien led her to her ADHD diagnosis. [31:15] Malaika discusses the struggle to try to figure out who she was. [33:51] They speak about the pandemic and what they were doing when they were shut down. [37:43] Malaika shares the meds they have put her on for her ADHD. [39:57] ADHD is not a skill deficit. [40:54] Medication, if you can tolerate it is one of the best treatment plans for ADHD. [47:07] Malaika discusses her pottery business and how it is relatable to her diagnosis. [50:54] Most of Malaika's work has to do with geography. [52:37] What has been the hardest thing about pivoting with Bi-Polar, ADHD, and COVID? [54:50] Malaika speaks about moving during all of this craziness. [57:00] Malaika shares the interesting things that have come out of her diagnosis. [1:01:19] Eric talks about how great the Bose noise-canceling headphones are. [1:02:09] Is talking to people with masks on hard for you? [1:03:16] Malaika shares some final thoughts for people who might think they have Bi-Polar disorder along with their ADHD. [1:08:37] Thank you so much for being on the show! [1:09:50] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron click on our Patreon tap at Links and Resources Find Malaika: Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .