MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel

Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now.It often seems that the more complex a subject is, the more people tend to oversimplify it.If your social media feeds are anything like mine, that’s definitely the case. Especially when it comes to science. One of those often-oversimplified things is dopamine. This neurotransmitter, or brain chemical, has become a target for catchy headlines promising new ways to “hack your dopamine.” Seriously. If you don’t believe me, type in “dopamine hacks” on YouTube and enjoy the endless scroll.This week on Hyperfocus, we take a deep dopamine dive with psychologist Dr. Ari Tuckman and sort out fact from fiction.Related resourcesHow I beat my social media habit (and how you can too)Tips from an ADHD Coach: Is it love or is it dopamine?Attention: How it’s different from working memoryTimestamps(3:01) What is dopamine? (8:48) How do dopamine and ADHD relate? (16:59) The truth behind dopamine “hacks” (25:25) What a clinician wishes we knewFor a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.We’d love to hear from you. Email us at hyperfocus@understood.org   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

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.A lot of adults with a late ADHD diagnosis can look back on their childhood and see clear signs that they had ADHD. But, it just didn’t get noticed at the time. It can be painful to think about where we would be if we’d had the diagnosis earlier.This week on Tips from an ADHD Coach, Jaye talks about how it can be common for late-diagnosed adults, especially women, to feel overlooked, misunderstood, and somewhat cheated out of the life they could have had. Listen for some tips to help you through this grief.  Related resourcesHow do I emotionally prepare for ADHD diagnosis?ADHD in girlsThe 3 types of ADHDTimestamps(00:35) Alexis’ quote(03:06) Why do women so often have their ADHD missed in childhood?(07:15) What about the people whose siblings were diagnosed in childhood, but they were not?(10:44) What can we do?(14:01) RecapFor a transcript and more resources, visit the MissUnderstood page on Understood.Have a challenge you’d like Jaye to talk about in an episode? Email or send a voice memo to us at adhdcoachtips@understood.org. 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

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.People with ADHD can often get a bad rap for being “bad listeners.” So, instead of actually listening, we’re often focusing on: Do they know I'm listening? Am I making enough eye contact? Do I look engaged?Host Cate Osborn chats with Understood.org Vice President of Expertise and licensed therapist Sarah Greenberg about  the listening strengths and weaknesses that can come with ADHD. They also unpack different modes of listening like listening to understand, listening to solve, and listening to connect.Related resourcesHow attention worksFrom the ADHD Aha! podcast, “Why don’t you listen?” Paying attention vs. hearing (Peter’s story)Timestamps(00:41) Feeling self-conscious about our ability to listen with ADHD(05:56) Different modes of listening(07:40) Figuring out our listening strengths and weaknesses(14:32) Anecdotal communication(16:48) Asking what a person needs out of a conversation(21:47) What can we do?For a transcript and more resources, visit the Sorry, I Missed This page on Understood.org.We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at sorryimissedthis@understood.org. 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

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.Hormonal changes during menopause can make managing ADHD symptoms more challenging, and their impact can vary from woman to woman.In this episode, Dr. Monica Johnson breaks down the connection between ADHD and menopause. Hear how these two factors interact and influence each other. And get practical strategies for how to manage this life change. To get a transcript and check out more episodes, visit the MissUnderstood episode page at Understood.We love to hear from our listeners. Email us at podcast@understood.org.Related resourcesA guide to hormones and ADHDADHD and: HormonesTimestamps(00:38) What is menopause?(06:59) How to manage menopause and ADHD 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

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.We’re back with another episode from our Hyperfocus field trip to San Diego. While we were at the APSARD (American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders) conference, one of the talks that really piqued our interest was on genetics and neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD. Genetic science is tough to understand. And, as you’ll hear in this interview, we had a lot to learn and a lot of questions. Is ADHD genetic? And if it is, what does that mean for people who have it? What does it mean for treatment? Luckily, Dr. Anne Arnett, a scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital and assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical school, was kind enough to brave a chilly, windy outdoor recording. In this conversation, she help us understand more about what we know (and what we don’t) about ADHD and genetics. Related resourcesVideo: Dyscalculia, dyslexia, and geneticsCan genetic testing help me find the right ADHD medication?Is ADHD hereditary?ADHD runs in the family (Michelle’s story)The Arnett Lab at Boston Children’s HospitalTimestamps(2:01) Is ADHD genetic?(8:28) Genetic vs. environmental factors and ADHD co-morbidities(11:50) What does the latest research mean for people with ADHD?(13:55) Is there genetic testing for ADHD?(18:56) Why bother with early detection?  (21:44) Anne’s goals for her researchFor a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.We’d love to hear from you. Email us at hyperfocus@understood.org. 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

The podcast dives into the compulsive habit of apologizing too much, particularly among women with ADHD. It highlights how past experiences and societal pressures can lead to feelings of shame and insecurity. Tips are provided to help transform these knee-jerk apologies into authentic communication. Listeners learn strategies to enhance connections without compromising their self-expression. The discussion also touches on the emotional challenges surrounding guilt and judgment in social settings, aiming to foster a more positive dialogue.

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.Without community, ADHD can feel isolating and shameful. Like you’re the only one facing these challenges and “can’t get it together.” Community provides a space to share the wins and the embarrassing moments. And it can be especially helpful for women processing late diagnoses.Host of the ADHDAF podcast and UK ADHD community builder, Laura Mears-Reynolds, visits the show to talk about how sharing experiences with others can ease shame, and create support. Related resourcesadhdasfemales.comThe ADHD Women subredditADHD Support for Women by Understood.org’s Facebook groupTimestamps(00:57) How do we find value in a community with ADHD?(03:58) How did Laura get started building the ADHDAF community?(09:39) Feeling alone in what you’re facing without community(14:36) Being compassionate with others helps us be compassionate with ourselves(18:14) Feeling isolated with ADHD(19:56) How do I find community? How do I build it myself?For a transcript and more resources, visit the MissUnderstood page on Understood.orgWe love hearing from our listeners. Email us at sorryimissedthis@understood.org. 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

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.As women get older, they often notice changes in their body and mind that can be difficult to adjust to. And for women with ADHD, these changes can be even more challenging.In this episode, Dr. Monica Johnson breaks down how ADHD uniquely impacts women as they age. Listen as she offers valuable insights on how to thrive with ADHD at any stage of life. And find out how small changes can lead to big improvements in daily well-being.Related resources ADHD and menopauseA guide to hormones and ADHDADHD and: HormonesTimestamps(00:41) What happens to the ADHD brain as you age? (03:35) How ADHD impacts aging in women(06:53) How to manage challenges of agingFor a transcript of this episode and more resources, visit the MissUnderstood episode page on Understood.org.We love to hear from our listeners. Email us at podcast@understood.org. 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

We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.Earlier this year, Hyperfocus took a field trip to San Diego for an ADHD conference called APSARD, which stands for the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (quite a mouthful).A conference of ADHD professionals might not sound fascinating, but it was — and we learned a ton. But there was one person and one talk I really wanted to find: A keynote speech about how ADHD affects women’s bodies by Dr. Sandra Kooij. What Sandra is doing is something so sensible and radical: Looking at ADHD as a whole-body issue. Digging into how it can affect women’s hormones, our health, and especially our hearts. I find Sandra’s research fascinating and was thrilled when she agreed to sit down for a conversation with me. We didn’t waste any time and quickly set up a makeshift studio for this week’s episode of Hyperfocus. Also, a quick note on the audio this week: We had to record this episode outside the conference hotel, on a bustling patio full of ADHD professionals and some noisy birds. So, please forgive the extraneous sounds. Related resourcesMissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women ChannelDid my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression?ADHD Powerbank: Sandra’s video platformThe Head, Heart, Hormones foundation (in dutch with translations) Prevalence of hormone-related mood disorder symptoms in women with ADHD The heart health and ADHD connectionTimestamps(4:07) Swedish registry study data on diseases in people with ADHD(7:06) ADHD and hormones  (13:56) Cardiovascular disease in women(20:21) Talking to your doctor about diseases related to ADHDFor a transcript of this episode and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.org.We’d love to hear from you. Email us at hyperfocus@understood.org 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

Discover the unique relationship individuals with ADHD have with hobbies. The emotional rollercoaster of starting new interests, only to abandon them, is explored in depth. Learn how stress and dopamine levels influence engagement and motivation. The potential downsides of monetizing hobbies are discussed, highlighting how it can stifle enjoyment. Practical tips for reframing abandoned hobbies encourage a mindset shift towards joy over guilt, making it possible to embrace fleeting passions without regret.