Glitchy Switch: What ADHD feels like to an adult.

In this episode we tackle something many ADHD people struggle with which is that hiding-to-nothing, perfectionism. I wondered my whole life where my perfectionism came from and it was until I received my diagnosis that I started to understand a bit more.

I mention Stephen Guise's book How to Be an Imperfectionist -- you can find it on Amazon.

In this episode:

• The ways that perfectionism manifests itsel...

A lifelong struggle I've had is that I have a compulsion to apologise all the time for myself. It's almost like I have to apologise pre-emptively just for being odd or weird or something, and I've come to see the role that ADHD has played in this trait since my diagnosis. In this episode I dig into what I've discovered about this frustrating aspect of my personality, and where specifically I think it comes from.

In th...

In one of the more raw and personal episodes, we're talking about the ongoing challenge of feeling comfortable speaking up about your traits to your work colleagues in order to relieve some of your stress and anxiety. Even when you've been very open about your diagnosis, this can still be very difficult at times.

In this episode:

• Why even being open about the big picture of having ADHD means disclosure...

In this episode, we're talking about the strange phenomenon wherein you discover that your traits are becoming more pronounced after your ADHD diagnosis than they were before, and seem to be taking more managing. There's a couple of things going on here which we'll unpack.

In this episode:

• The role that confirmation bias plays.
• Understanding what skills regression means and its impact.
• How the initial ...

We're going back to basics in this episode with what I think is the fundamental thing to understand about ADHD and people with ADHD. When people ask about it, it's easy to get lost in the morass of traits, diagnosis, presentations and so on, but I think what I've come up with here is the solid underpinning to them all, and something that plays its part in how I talk about my ADHD every day.

In this episode:

In today's episode we're going to be talking a bit about how we can be considerate of our spouse or partner upon diagnosis of ADHD, because it's very easy to get caught up in your own experience without thinking of what it's like for the person you spend your life with to digest.

In this episode:

• Being mindful of becoming an "ADHD bore."
• Understanding that your partner has spent many years forming thei...

After a bit of a break I'm back! First things first, I'm answering the question of where I've been the past few months, which actually I hope will provide some insight into how the ADHD mind works on a very applied level. 

In this episode:

• How enthusiasm in hyperfocus and lack of emotional regulation turns to pressure.
• How rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) makes creating social media content even har...

In this episode, we're talking about the practical challenges of managing time and schedules with ADHD. The core traits of ADHD—difficulty focusing, an overactive mind, and diverging thoughts—make time management a significant hurdle. I've always prided myself on being punctual, but it has come at the cost of hyper-vigilance and constant anxiety. This time we're talking about moving from denial to developing construct...

After a brief hiatus to recharge my batteries (albeit I'm a bit husky, apologies), I'm back and excited to chat with you again, this time to explore the day-to-day challenges of living with ADHD traits. These might seem minor on the surface, but they significantly impact daily life and require continuous, and often tiring, effort to manage.

In this episode:

• What its like to be clumsy unless you're constantly concentrating.
• Why ...

This week, we're diving into a topic I’ve been eager to share—music. In this episode, I reflect on how ADHD has shaped my musical tastes and experiences, and explore the deep emotional and technical connections that make music so powerful for me.

In this episode:

• How "edgy" music provides a buzz of adrenalin without getting into trouble.
• Why house music's style and struc...

I've always worked in large corporations and in this episode we go into what it's like to be an ADHD person in big companies trying to find niches that fit your unusual blend of traits and make a career.

In this episode:

• The significance of creativity and curiosity in niche roles within tech companies.
• The challenges of balancing technical expertise, creativity, and people-oriented skills in a corporate setting.
• The struggle of...

In this episode we're talking about the nuances of friendships through the lens of ADHD traits, and exploring how they influence our behaviour particularly when making new friends. From the exhilarating rush of connection to the relentless fear of rejection, my ADHD traits have shaped the ebb and flow of my friendships, revealing both challenges and strengths along the way.

In this episode:

• The compl...

This time we're looking into the intriguing question of how individuals with ADHD can excel in their careers when many people assume that the traits mean success isn't possible. I'll explore the interplay between ADHD traits and my professional career, from childhood inspirations to navigating workplace dynamics.

In this episode:

• How patterns in school continue in your professional life.
• ...

This time we're having what will probably be the first of a few bites at the challenge of explaining ADHD to neurotypical people. We're talking about strategies for navigating conversations about ADHD, including the use of metaphors to illustrate some of our traits and experiences.

In the episode, we make reference to the excellent ADHD 2.0 book and, as promised, you can find a copy of it here.

In this episode:

This time we're going have a crack at the influence of media coverage on life as an individual with ADHD. It's a heady cocktail of how the media affects the understanding, skepticism, and societal commentary surrounding ADHD and what the implications are of that on our day to day lives.

In this episode:

• The relationship between media coverage and perceptions of ADHD.
• How the media has b...

I was sceptical about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) until I experienced it post-diagnosis. In this episode we talk about using CBT to challenge unhelpful beliefs and defuse stress triggers. I also tell you how I've found that my ADHD traits have, I think, made CBT particularly effective.

In this episode:

• How CBT has helped me manage ADHD-related anxiety,
• CBT techniques to challenge ...

This time we're tackling one of your questions where we explore how diagnosis can evoke feelings of displacement and the struggle to maintain a sense of self amidst newfound labels. I'm offering a couple of reframing perspectives based on what I've learned to see if that helps the thought process. 

In this episode:

• The complexities of identity post-ADHD diagnosis.
• Distinguishing between p...

Not all reactions faced by individuals with ADHD post-diagnosis are helpful. From well-intentioned dismissals to misguided comparisons, in this episode I'll offer some advice based on what I've experienced to help navigate the delicate balance of understanding and empathy when talking to people like me. 

In this episode:

• Suddently appreciating the nuances of language to people post-ADHD d...

This time I'm going a bit deeper into the reactions of other people to my ADHD diagnosis, and the response to my being open about it both in person and on social media. Relationships old and new were impacted in ways I hadn't anticipated, and I found myself adding neurodiversity ambassador to my new identity.

In this episode:

• Unveiling the immediate and transient responses on social media platforms like LinkedIn.

• The deepeni...