Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast

Back in the late 1970s, two researchers developed a model for evaluating those suffering through addiction in their journey toward health. The Transtheoretical Model, or more colloquially, Prochaska’s Stages of Change, went on to help social workers and therapists treat those suffering with transformational diagnoses for decades. As it turns out, the Stages of Change model works pretty well for us, too, as we think about our relationship to ADHD. This week on the show, Nikki introduces the Stages of Change with an eye on ADHD, and how you can use it to train yourself to better adapt to the world around you.Links & NotesChanging for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward by James Prochaska (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (04:26) - Support the Show - Become a Patron! (05:33) - The Steps to Change (11:20) - The Five Stages (11:51) - Stage 1: Precontemplation (13:31) - Stage 2: Contemplation (17:07) - Stage 3: Preparation (20:52) - Stage 4: Action (24:47) - Relapse (28:16) - Pay Yourself First (34:17) - Stage 5: Maintenance 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s been an emotional month here at The ADHD Podcast. With guests and topics all targeted at the emotional centers of our ADHD, you can be sure our fantastic community has come to us with feedback and questions. So, this week we embrace and extend the November theme of Emotion and ADHD and take on your thoughts about rejection sensitivity, emotional storms, sex, plus a bonus dose of seasonal affective disorder, to boot!Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (05:19) - Support the show, join The ADHD Community (06:51) - It's SAD Season (18:20) - Pushing past RSD (23:23) - The Ochoa Audible Storm (26:43) - After Dark with Ari Tuckman (29:15) - Two ADHD Partners and healthy sex questions (30:47) - Cascading challenges spreading through different areas of life (36:17) - Unable to let arguments go (43:07) - The ADHD Unified Singularity Formula 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We are gearing up for November here at The ADHD Podcast. November marks the start of national novel writing month, 30 days of fiendish exploration of words happening at keyboards around the world. But what happens if your brand of ADHD throws a wrench in your desire to create your masterpiece?This week on the show, illustrator and designer Dani Donovan joins us to talk about her creative process. Dani is the pen behind many fantastic ADHD comics floating around your social media feeds. She tells us how she got started, leading to her emerging identity as a vocal leader of the #NeuroDiverseSquad online. She’s a wonderful talent, and we hope you find her work and process inspirational as you seek to shape your own creative process.Links & NotesThank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon!ADHDDD.comSupport Dani on PatreonFollow @DaniDonovan on TwitterFollow DaniDonovan on InstagramFollow DaniDonovanArt on FacebookConnect with DaniDonovan on LinkedInAbout Dani DonovanDani Donovan is a purpose-driven designer and illustrator who creates ADHD comics. Her first infographic, “Storytelling Flowchart,” went viral within hours, amassed over 100 million views, and has been reposted by celebrities such as Mindy Kaling. In a few short months, Dani’s relatable comics and her #NeurodiverseSquad hashtag helped her quickly become a prominent voice in the online mental health community, with her content reaching millions of viewers each month. Her graphics, jokes, and Twitter threads aim to help those with ADHD understand themselves, feel a sense of belonging, and better explain their invisible struggle to loved ones. Her influence has helped hundreds of people to seek diagnosis and treatment. Dani uses her outgoing nature to reach out and cultivate friendships between women content creators on Twitter, including Jessica McCabe (How to ADHD), Erynn Brook (writing), ADHD Alien (comics), and more. She currently works as a full-time designer at Gallup and lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and two cats. (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (02:52) - Support The ADHD Podcast (04:17) - Introducing Dani Donovan (14:41) - Practical process of creating (25:24) - Managing the emotion of creation (30:49) - Constraints in creation (41:09) - Find Dani (43:13) - #NeuroDiverseSquad 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week we’re hosting a frank conversation about sex and ADHD. Our guest is Dr. Ari Tuckman, a psychologist and certified sex therapist, not to mention one of our favorite expert sources who somehow we’ve never had on the show. Today, Ari is here to talk to us about the impact of ADHD on a couple and how the sexual relationship — and our relationship to sexuality — functions in light of ADHD. The book is the result of years of research and survey responses thousands strong of those living with ADHD reporting their candid experience, and it’s documented in ADHD After Dark: Better Sex Life, Better Relationship.Links & NotesThank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon!ADHD After Dark: Better Sex Life, Better Relationship by Ari Tuckman, Psy.D., CSTAri’s Books (01:36) - Support The ADHD Podcast (03:59) - Ari Tuckman 'After Dark' (06:35) - Survey Background (09:32) - Relationship Satisfaction and Sexual Satisfaction (10:51) - Positive and negative attending (13:47) - Sex and RSD (16:13) - Teamwork (20:45) - ADHD and the sexual encounter (25:00) - Any sex surprises? Stimulants and more (26:29) - What are 'happy couples' doing? (34:01) - Pornography and sex addiction (40:27) - Sex and self esteem (46:11) - ADHD and same-sex, trans respondents? (48:19) - 2 ADHD partners? 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Straight from the Life Empowerment Center, James Ochoa is back today to share a story of his own emotional storm and the strategies he employed to move through it.This is one of those important episodes. Important, not just because of the lessons and strategies we share for moving through your own emotional ADHD storms, but for the example that James puts on display. He is, after all, a leading voice in healthy living with ADHD, and he’s suffering publicly through a career-defining storm of his own. If it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone. There is no shame in the battles we engage with our ADHD. Thanks to James for sharing his story (which you can read in full in the links below). Links & NotesThank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon!Read James’ Audible Storm StoryShare your ‘Storm Story’ with JamesJames’ resources for listeners (00:00) - This Is The ADHD Podcast (03:38) - Join The ADHD Community (04:48) - James Ochoa is back! (06:17) - The Emotional Distress Syndrome: A Primer (07:41) - What are Emotional Storms? (09:49) - The Ochoa-Audible Emotional Storm (20:09) - Focus Strategies (22:50) - What's next for James: Mindfulness, ETT, and beyond (30:45) - Get 'Focused Forward' on Audible for free (31:57) - Share your "Storm Story" with James 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There aren’t many practitioners writing about today’s topic. Unless, that is, you look up the collected works of Dr. Bill Dodson. Dr. Dodson is an award-winning board-certified psychiatrist and specialist in adult ADHD and his contributions to the study of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria bring him to the show today. According to Dr. Dodson, nearly all those living with ADHD live with some level of rejection sensitivity, and thanks to the poor training on the ADHD connections to the condition, patients are going misdiagnosed and mistreated as a result. Today on the show, Dr. Dodson joins Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright to discuss Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and provide new language to frame a state those living with ADHD know all too well. About Dr. William DodsonDr. Bill Dodson is a award-winning board-certified psychiatrist and specialist in adult ADHD. While Dr. Dodson has been on the faculties of Georgetown University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center he is primarily a clinical practitioner who tries to combine evidence-based practice techniques with practice-based evidence. In addition to being named a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and recipient of the national Maxwell J. Schleifer Award for Distinguished Service to Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Dodson is one of two experts from the US to the World Anti-Doping program for the development of guidelines for the use of ADHD stimulant medications in the world’s athletes. Links & NotesDr. William Dodson at Additudemag.com (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (02:43) - Become a Member of The ADHD Community (04:46) - Introducing Dr. William Dodson (06:11) - What is Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria? (11:17) - Defining Characteristics of RSD? (13:55) - Mental health trends (17:41) - RSD and Imposter Syndrome (20:33) - RSD and Gender (26:03) - Treatment paths for RSD (34:32) - RSD and ADHD Coaching (44:02) - Finding Dr. Dodson 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Living with ADHD can be exhausting. But even at the end of a long day, responsibilities pile up. How do you recharge to stay focused... when your focus has lost its focus?This week’s show is anchored around a recent article by friend-of-the-show Casey Dixon. Her ideas were inspirational for us and spurred our conversation today. Plus, thanks to a listener question, we get to wax dreamily about our ideal ADHD home!Links & Notes‘How to Recharge your Tired Brain After Work’ by Casey Dixon (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (02:37) - Follow-up: Job Lock-in (07:14) - Listener Question: The ADHD Dream Home? (11:43) - Pete is all-in on 3m Command Strips (14:09) - Pinterest (17:18) - Support the Show (18:26) - Energy After Hours with ADHD 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The connection between work satisfaction and ADHD is pretty clear if you’re living through the frustration. There are all kinds of reasons to leave a job, but taking the actual step of resigning is one best approached with a clear head. This week on the show, Nikki and Pete share a set of questions that can help you frame your own perspective at work and help find clarity in your desire to leave, or stick it out and work for change. Nikki’s list of probing questions:What’s causing you to even think about this question? How much do you complain about your job? What do you complain most about? How would you describe your relationship with your boss? What about co-workers? If you were still doing this job 2 years from now, would be happy or mad? Are you holding on to your current job because you are afraid of change?Are there more things you like about your job than not like?Can you live with what you don’t like? Is it possible to change some of the things you don’t like? Do you feel supported at your job, do you see opportunities for growth?How does your job affect your physical and mental health? Can you afford to quit your job before finding a new one? Do you feel like you have a good work and life balance? (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (02:08) - Support the Show (03:54) - Listener Question: Bringing up ADHD with people who don't know they have it (10:06) - Is it time to look for a new job? 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There are signs in certain kinds of organizations that document the last time staff their experienced an incident. Any sort of incident that leads to work stopping counts, and as soon as it happens, the sign gets reset and everyone starts over at Day Zero. “This facility has worked [0] Days without incident,” the sign says. If there’s anything in our lives that can cause work to stop unpredictably, uncontrollably, sometimes even unconsciously, it’s ADHD. What do we do so that we can reset our own sign to Day Zero? This week on the show, Pete and Nikki take an incident response approach to ADHD with a focus on mindfully controlling what you can control, not lying to yourself, and moving forward. Every bad day has a day zero right around the corner. (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (04:22) - Sponsor: You. The ADHD Patrons (07:00) - Day Zero. 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The idea that individual ADHD symptoms exacerbate one another isn’t new to those of us living with the diagnosis. But what happens when symptoms collude to create cycles of behavior and responses? The results can be vastly more damaging than any individual symptom on its own. That’s the question that comes from a listener today: how do you navigate the procrastination-anxiety loop that emerges when hyperfocus and disinterest collide head on? This week on the show, Nikki shares background on the conditions that allow this sort of hyperfocus and procrastination to occur, and tools to shape a response before it happens again. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Understanding ADHD Hyperfocus — ADDitude Magazine ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression: The Diagnosis Puzzle of Related Conditions — ADDitude Magazine Decoding the ADHD Mind — ADDitude Magazine # (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (02:25) - Sponsor: YOU! (04:10) - The Procrastination-Anxiety Loop 🎓 College Coaching for ADHD Students is Now Enrolling!Starting college with ADHD? Don’t go it alone. At Take Control ADHD, we offer two personalized coaching options to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. The Roadmap Planning Package includes two pre-semester strategy sessions to build custom calendars, break down big assignments, and create ADHD-friendly systems for success. For ongoing support, our Weekly Coaching Package offers one-on-one accountability throughout the semester to stay focused, flexible, and in control.Learn more and find the right fit at https://takecontroladhd.com/college. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★