Hacking Your ADHD

Chuck Wisner, an expert in effective communication and author of The Art of Conscious Conversations, introduces the four archetypal conversations that underlie all our interactions. He shares practical tips on navigating these conversations with mindfulness, highlighting the power of questions and the importance of understanding standards in our interactions. Although not ADHD-specific, this episode provides valuable insights into communication, something many of us with ADHD struggle with.

Cynthia Hammer, founder of the Inattentive ADHD Coalition and author of Living with Inattentive ADHD, discusses her journey with a late diagnosis of ADHD. They dispel myths, emphasize early diagnosis, and tackle the hidden struggles of inattentive ADHD. Cynthia also shares insights on self-publishing her memoir and the importance of self-compassion in managing ADHD. Tips include prioritizing one thing at a time for improvement and using social media platforms wisely for ADHD information and support.

This week, Antonia Bowring, an ICF-certified coach, discusses the challenges and strengths of ADHD, the importance of self-acceptance, mindfulness practices, strategic collaboration, and late diagnoses in executives. They also explore the COIN framework for navigating challenging conversations, the effectiveness of body doubling to increase productivity, and leveraging the strengths of ADHD in capital raises and raising money.

Dr. Scott Kollins, from Akili, discusses their innovative video game as a treatment for ADHD. Topics include the benefits of multiple treatments, consistency in usage, and recognizing the game as a medical product.

Stand-up comedian and actress, Rachel Scanlon, shares her journey with ADHD and the intersection between ADHD and queer identity. They discuss the challenges of stereotypes, the importance of embracing neurodivergent traits, and finding creative outlets for self-expression. They also explore topics such as understanding and treating ADHD, the significance of being good listeners in close relationships, reading challenges related to ADHD, and their fun and silly podcast on queer culture.

This week I’m talking with Star Hansen, a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO©) and Clutter Whisperer on a mission to help you banish your personal Clutter Monster. Her methodology focuses on helping you take control of your stuff and create a life you’re truly proud of. Star looks at the deeper meaning of your stuff to help you figure out why you feel overwhelmed by your clutter in the first place. Star’s best-selling book, “Why the F*#@ Am I Still Not Organized?”, has inspired countless individuals to tackle their clutter head-on and find lasting solutions. In our conversation, we discuss the significance of having clutter-free spaces and the impact it has on mental and emotional well-being - how clutter can create stress, affect decision-making, and hinder productivity. We also delve into the emotional attachment people often have to their belongings, how clutter can impact relationships, and how clutter can highlight personal values and emotional struggles. Check out Star's Freebies (including a copy of her book) Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/148 This Episode's Top Tips Fresh starts can help us let go of our past performance and embrace our new self. We can effectively create motivation with financial incentives, but often that isn't enough for us to follow through on some of the things that we really do want to do. We also need to create reminders and a plan on how we want to accomplish our goals. Don't try and do all the new things at once - pace yourself and create a plan on what you want to do first. Try and focus on doing the things that by doing them will make everything else easier. We need to be flexible with our plans because we are going to hit speed bumps - while we can't plan for everything we can work on ways to help us get back up when we get knocked down.

Dr. Jessica Stern, a licensed clinical psychologist, discusses the intersection of ADHD and trauma, the importance of routine and support networks. They also touch on the significance of fact-checking, building a strong mental health toolkit, and access to resources. The challenges of managing ADHD and the importance of values and prioritization are highlighted, along with the release of a digital workbook and upcoming online course. The episode concludes with top tips for ADHD management and a mention of Wondermind's new podcast.

This podcast explores the concept of fresh starts and the balance between impulsiveness and procrastination for individuals with ADHD. It discusses creating accountability and motivation, setting effective goals and planning, and embracing fresh starts. The episode offers tips on creating reminders and a plan, pacing oneself, and scheduling check-ins for sustainable changes.

The podcast discusses the importance of accepting and understanding one's ADHD brain, prioritizing tasks, managing energy levels, setting realistic goals, starting small, and practicing self-compassion for personal growth.

Trimethylxanthine is the world's most popular psychoactive drug - for many caffeine is such a ubiquitous substance that calling it a drug seems like a misnomer. How could something so widely used that has so few regulations around it be a drug? But a drug is simply a chemical substance that affects our nervous system function and can result in changes to our perception, mood, cognition, and behavior. I feel like caffeine ticks the box pretty well on all those accounts. In today's episode, we'll be exploring how caffeine works - some of its benefits and negatives and then we'll be looking at what we know about how caffeine and ADHD mix. Support me on Patreon Ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the show note at hackingyouradhd.com/caffeine This Episode's Top Tips Caffeine is a psychoactive drug whose primary mechanism is binding to adenosine receptors in the brain. The buildup of adenosine in our system is what makes us sleepy, so by binding to these receptors caffeine is able to keep us awake. Caffeine has a host of benefits but having too much caffeine near bedtime can affect our slow-wave sleep and reduce our total amount of sleep. There is still a lot of research that needs to be done on the interaction between caffeine and ADHD but it is clear that many people with ADHD attempt to self-medicate with caffeine.