ADHD Aha!

Dr. Roberto Olivardia returns to the show to talk about ADHD and eating disorders in this bonus episode. He explains the different types of eating disorders — and why ADHD and eating disorders, like binge-eating disorder (BED), often co-occur. Dr. Olivardia shares how ADHD symptoms like impulsivity play a role in eating disorders. He also talks about treatment options and what to do if you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder and needs support. 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 resourcesFind support at The National Eating Disorders Association.And learn more about:ADHD and eating disordersADHD and depression Understood.org 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

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.org 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

Dr. Roberto Olivardia is a clinical psychologist and ADHD expert who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. As he learned about ADHD in his career, the signs felt familiar: impulsivity, trouble with focus, and more. He procrastinated constantly in college and was mischievous as a kid. He was even kicked out of Sunday school. Once he got his sleep apnea under control, his ADHD difficulties became even clearer — and it wasn’t just what you’d typically find in the DSM. (That’s the handbook health care professionals use when diagnosing things like ADHD.) Roberto is the host of Season 2 of Understood Explains, where he unpacks the ins and outs of adult ADHD diagnosis. He also has two kids with ADHD. Listen to this episode of ADHD Aha! to learn about ADHD and trouble sleeping, plus ADHD time zones (the “now” and the “not now”). 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 resourcesDriven to Distraction, by Edward M. Hallowell, MD, and John J. Ratey, MDHow ADHD affects sleep — and what you can do to helpIs it ADHD or a sleep disorder?Understood Explains Season 2: ADHD diagnosis in adults Understood.org 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

Bonus episode! Laura talks with film writer and editor Ariel Fisher about Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once and its many connections to ADHD. How making the movie was an ADHD “aha” moment for director Daniel Kwan. How the film itself feels like a depiction of the ADHD brain. And how characters in the film show ADHD behaviors.  Fisher, who has ADHD, also talks about how the film reflects her own ADHD journey — from getting evaluated and diagnosed to taking ADHD medication.  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 resources Read about director Daniel Kwan’s ADHD “aha” momentCheck out Ariel Fisher’s piece about Everything Everywhere All at Once and ADHDLearn about the ADHD brain Understood.org 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

When Shaun saw a clip of someone describing ADHD as “squirrels running on a conveyor belt in your brain,” his ears perked up. Then his wife discovered his doom bags. (“Doom” stands for “didn’t organize; only moved.”) Shaun started thinking about his trouble with organization and other signs of ADHD, and he decided to get evaluated. Now just three months after his ADHD diagnosis, Shaun, a listener who wrote in, is reflecting on how ADHD impacted him as a kid. He remembers feeling bored all the time and being labeled a slacker. Also in this conversation: Shaun’s love for graphic design and how he’s coping with ADHD at work.  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 resources ADHD and messinessADHD and the myth of lazinessADHD and boredom Understood.org 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

Tony Tran decided to get evaluated for ADHD during his last year of college, after starting a part-time IT job. His grades began to slip, and his brain would scream at him: “Don’t be lazy!” Then he realized that the fake scenarios he had to solve alone in class were boring compared to the real-life problems he collaborated on with his co-workers.  When Tony was a child, his family immigrated to Australia from Vietnam. Growing up, Tony’s ADHD symptoms were missed. But now his mom even sees ADHD in herself. After being diagnosed, Tony felt grief for lost time — time when he could have known why he felt like the “annoying weird kid.” Time when he could have held on to relationships that ended because of his trouble managing emotions. But that lost time led him to who he is today: A person with deeper understanding of ADHD and the strengths that can come with it. Also in this episode: The “ADHD tax.” Listen in to see if you’ve paid a literal price as a result of ADHD behaviors.  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 resourcesADHD and coping with rejectionADHD and emotions5 ways ADHD can affect social skills Understood.org 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

John Hazelwood was diagnosed with ADHD shortly after he graduated from college. He was in therapy and had trouble with test anxiety. Music was the only thing that helped him study and actually remember what he read. Then he got curious about ADHD medication and talked about it with his doctor, who recommended an ADHD evaluation. John, a mechanical engineer in Virginia, co-founded the Men’s ADHD Support Group, an organization aimed at helping men with ADHD find community and acceptance. John talks about facing stigma around ADHD and mental health in the Black community, what songs sound like ADHD, and much more.  Check out the Men’s ADHD Support Group. 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 resourcesADHD as a “white boy problem” (from The Opportunity Gap podcast)What I tell Black parents who worry about labels like “ADHD” for their childHow ADHD medication works Understood.org 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

Emily Hamblin, a dedicated mother and co-host of the Enlightening Motherhood podcast, shares her journey raising her gifted son, Jack, who also has ADHD. She discusses the early signs of his intense emotions and the pivotal moment she recognized ADHD as a critical piece to his puzzle. The conversation highlights the complexities of parenting a twice-exceptional child and reframes ADHD traits as potential strengths. Emily advocates for compassion in understanding neurodiversity, encouraging parents to embrace the uniqueness of their children.

Nabil Abdulrashid was diagnosed with ADHD as a child growing up in Nigeria. Now a London-based comedian, Nabil credits his ADHD brain as an advantage in his comedy career. He’s quick-witted, both stifled and driven by inertia, tumbling into funny thoughts and scenarios as he speaks. He doesn’t even write down any of his material — it’s stuck in his head and just flows.  Nabil’s teachers in Nigeria thought he wouldn’t amount to much. They didn’t even want him in their classes. He got into fights and turned to sports to channel his energy. When he moved to the U.K. as a teen, he got into trouble there, too. As an immigrant, he was othered, and the rigid school structure didn’t work with his ADHD. He fell into the wrong crowd and eventually ended up in jail, where he discovered his comedic talents.  Listen in to hear Nabil’s “aha” moment and how he channeled his ADHD into a successful comedy career. 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 resourcesUnderstanding hyperactivityADHD in boysWhy some kids clown around in class Understood.org 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

Catie Osborn’s ADHD flew under the radar until she had to get an ovary removed in her late 20s. Left with one ovary ( “Han Solo-vary”), she experienced a hormone shift that made her ADHD symptoms much more noticeable.  Catie is a former “gifted kid” who excelled in school. Growing up, she didn’t fit ADHD stereotypes, aside from being a bit messy. Once she was diagnosed, she started seeing ADHD flags everywhere. Hear what she’s learned from her experience and her work, like how hormones — especially in people who get periods — can impact ADHD symptoms. Catie, aka catieosaurus on TikTok, is a certified sex educator, neurodivergency specialist, and co-host of the podcast Catie and Erik’s Infinite Quest: An ADHD Adventure.  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 resourcesADHD and eating disordersADHD and messinessADHD in girls Understood.org 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