The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly MissUnderstood)

Today’s episode is a crossover with Understood’s new podcast, Everyone Gets a Juice Box. Host Jessica Shaw interviewed Rae about something she rarely discusses on Hyperfocus: Being a mom to a fabulous kid with ADHD. Even with Rae’s 20 years of experience studying and writing about ADHD, getting help for her child in school has been really challenging. Here’s how she’s supporting her daughter while they wait for school services.

For more on this topic

Listen: Everyone Gets a Juice Box

Watch: I’m an ADHD expert. My kid still can’t get help.

For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

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ADHD and…, Hyperfocus, and Sorry, I Missed This are part of The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly known as MissUnderstood).
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is ADHD self-diagnosis valid? According to clinical psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Kilmer, that’s the wrong question entirely. When access to diagnosis is limited by cost, insurance, stigma, and identity — and when the people who self-diagnose show higher rates of negative self-image and internalized stigma — the real conversation isn’t about validity. It’s about how we make sure people have access to good information.

Cate and Dr. Kilmer dig into what really happens when people research their own neurodivergence. They discuss research analyzing 452,000 Reddit posts that found self-diagnosed individuals seek more social validation. But they benefit less from it.

They cover what actually happens in a clinical ADHD assessment and how comorbidities like anxiety, depression, and OCD complicate the picture. And they discuss why the question “Is self-diagnosis valid?” misses the point when getting a formal diagnosis is a privilege that many can’t access.

For more on this topic

Read: Missed, misread, misdiagnosed: Current state of women with ADHD

Listen: Is ADHD online diagnosis legit?

For a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

ADHD and…, Hyperfocus, and Sorry, I Missed This are part of The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly known as MissUnderstood).
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Content warning: This episode discusses self-harm and suicide.

ADHD doesn’t cause self-harm, but the research is clear: People with ADHD — especially women and girls — are significantly more likely to engage in self-harming behaviors, especially during adolescence. 

Why is ADHD so closely linked to self-harm? In this episode, Dr. J breaks down how the core features of ADHD — impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, sleep disruption, and difficulty with the “pause button” — can create a perfect storm for dangerous coping. She explains why big emotions hit harder and faster with ADHD, and how that can lead to self-harming behaviors.

Dr. J also shares evidence-based strategies for building safer ways to cope, including DBT (dialectical behavior therapy), self-compassion exercises, and safety planning. And she talks about maintaining the routines that keep ADHD symptoms manageable. 

If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7.

For more on this topic

Watch: ADHD and emotional dysregulation

Read: Free resources

For a transcript and more resources, visit MissUnderstood on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

ADHD and…, Hyperfocus, and Sorry, I Missed This are part of The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly known as MissUnderstood).
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if your brain had a volume knob? Researcher Dr. Zachary Gershon joins Rae to explain Homer1a, a gene variant that may hold the key to how we focus. When levels are lower during development, the brain gets better at filtering out distractions, or what scientists call “neural noise.” This discovery could one day lead to non-stimulant treatment options for ADHD. And it started with one scientist’s very personal question.

For more on this topic

Watch: Is ADHD genetic? We asked a Harvard scientist | Hyperfocus

Listen: ADHD medication: What do I need to know?

For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

ADHD and…, Hyperfocus, and Sorry, I Missed This are part of The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly known as MissUnderstood).
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If your home has ever felt like it’s working against you, this one’s for you. Certified professional organizer Alison Lush joins the show to unpack the ADHD relationship to stuff. Learn what chronic disorganization actually means, why the Marie Kondo method can backfire, and how to build systems that work with your brain. We also get into the emotional weight of clutter, organizing as a couples issue, and why community might be the most underrated tool of all.

For more on this topic

Watch: Tips from an ADHD Coach: Big feelings around clutter

Explore: Free self-guided activity for women with ADHD

For a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

ADHD and…, Hyperfocus, and Sorry, I Missed This are part of The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly known as MissUnderstood).
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.