Could it be ADHD?

You don't look ADHD! How Inattentive ADHD presents itself

There is nothing worse than someone telling me they never would have said I was ADHD. Because I know they have stereotypical views on ADHD. And now I have to 'justify' my diagnosis to them. And explain why I'm ADHD. And I'm pretty sure they switch off when I start monologuing about it. So they still don't understand and come to the conclusion that I'm a 'pick me' as my teenager would say. Like I'm making this up for attention.
 
I saw a reel that triggered me when someone in the audience at a comedy show shouted out that the comedian wasn't autistic. So bloody rude.
 
And it made me think about why Inattentive ADHD gets missed or is less known about.
 
In this episode, I also share some statistics on Inattentive ADHD and my thoughts on the hurt it causes when people mock or are not prepared to learn or understand about ADHD.
 
I take time out of my business to work on this podcast so if you fancy buying me a coffee anytime then you can head over here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/coulditbeadhd 
 
Find me on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast 
 
And please do follow this podcast and leave a review as it really does help with reach! 
 

ADHD Journey with Paula Hirst - Battling Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and Missing Inattentive ADHD

Paula Hirst helps neurodivergent women overcome their business roadblocks (aka Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria!) and as a late diagnosed ADHDer herself it was a pleasure to have her on to share her story.
If you have neurodivergent children then this might sound unsurprisingly similar to your own story! I had a lovely chat with Paula including:
 
How her ADHD realisations came about
Why it took a year to go for an ADHD diagnosis
Paula’s experiences with ADHD medication
How Paula discovered her strengths
What inattentive type ADHD was like as a child
Letting go of the ADHD mask
Paula’s business journey and changes since her ADHD realisations
The difficulties Paula had finding a black ADHD business coach
The power of rejection sensitivity as a business owner
How the subconscious sabotages our success
Some of Paula's strategies for life and work with ADHD (including a really clever washing hack!)
What Paula loves about her ADHD
What Paula would say to anyone that thinks they might have ADHD and how to be prepared for some potentially unexpected feelings (that both Paula and myself experienced)
If you liked this episode then please do follow as I’ve got more incredible guests lined up every week. You can also find me over here:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coulditbeadhd
Website: www.coulditbeadhd.co.uk
If you want to find out more about Paula then you can find her details here https://linktr.ee/adhdandalchemy  and download her brand new free resource here

ADHD Journey with Michaela Thomas - Psychologist with ADHD teaching the meaning of compassion

It was such a privilege to have Michaela Thomas on the podcast this week. A respected Senior Clinical Psychologist Michaela runs her own practice and was diagnosed with ADHD just over a year ago.
Talking to Micheala was so refreshing as she is utterly authentic and openly shares about her experience with ADHD and throughout the podcast we kept coming back to the word compassion. How to have compassion for yourself. ADHD doesn’t define us – but we’ll never be rid of it completely so how do we learn to live with it?
Be sure to listen out for the bit about ‘twice exceptional’ – something I’ve never heard of but found fascinating and may make a lot of sense to some of you out there.
We covered:
How Michaela’s ADHD diagnosis came about
Switching from a private diagnosis to an NHS diagnosis
The feelings that come up post diagnosis that Michaela describes as ‘Relief and Grief’
Why Michaela started to attract ADHD women into her practice
The meaning of ‘twice exceptional’ and how this affects high-achieving women
The complexities of ADHD and sometimes difficulties in seeing it in yourself
The importance of having an understanding and compassionate team of people around you
Mindfulness the ADHD way
Michaela's advice for anyone exploring an ADHD diagnosis
Thank you so much for listening. If you’d like to support this podcast then please consider buying me a cup of coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/coulditbeadhd
You can find me over on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast
And my Free Facebook Community for newly diagnosed ADHDers or those on the pathway for ADHD to come and talk in a safe space:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/471027132415779
If you’d like to follow Michaela or find out more about any of her programs or membership then check out the links below:
Michaela’s website: https://thethomasconnection.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaela.johansson.946
 
 

ADHD Journey with Lauren O'Carroll - ADHD Parent with ADHD Kids? This one's for you!

Lauren is ADHD and her children are ADHD. This blows my mind a little as I can only begin to imagine what it must be like to parent as an ADHDer in an ADHD household! But Lauren seems to have cracked it (not perfectly because you know – none of us are!) She uses a framework called Gentle Parenting and now runs a membership and coaching as support for other parents with neurodivergent children. What I love is that Lauren tailors this to each family and their own needs.
Lauren shares her late diagnosis experience in her early 20s (totally unaware she was ADHD) and a few incredible tips for gentle parenting with neurodivergent children.
In this episode we talk about:
Lauren’s diagnosis at age 21
How Lauren was told she ‘wasn’t trying hard enough’ at school (sound familiar?!)
How having 3 jobs AND studying for a degree made her so unwell that she ended up at the doctors – totally unaware they were exploring ADHD as a cause
Lauren’s personal experience with ADHD medication
The complexities of getting a diagnosis and explaining that to family members
When Lauren had her two children and how that impacted her ADHD
Oestrogen and ADHD
The unrealistic expectations we put on our young children
Gentle Parenting children – especially ADHD children
How Lauren uses a ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ approach
Lauren’s LEADER framework for gentle parenting
What mirror neurons are and how to use them to help your child to calm down
How to deal with conflicting parenting styles
Lauren’s advice for people at the start of their ADHD journey and a ‘wow’ moment tip for dealing with uncomfortable feelings
Follow Could it be ADHD? Over on Podcast: www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast
Enjoyed this episode? You can support me by donating a coffee over here: www.buymeacoffee.com/coulditbeadhd
Lauren’s links:
Free Parenting with ADHD Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/myparentvillage
Lauren’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/positivelyparentingtogether/ 
Lauren’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenParentCoach
 
 
 
 
 

ADHD Journey with Maddy Alexander-Grout - From 40K in Debt to Thriving Community Manager

Maddy is an inspiration to the Neurodivergent community. Having tried and tested a few business ideas (haven’t we all!) Maddy has now found her love and passion that works alongside and with her ADHD. Maddy shares her (twice!) diagnosed ADHD story about how she came to be in 40K worth of debt, running from the bailiffs, and shares some of her saddest and happiest times.
Maddy now runs a community of over 200 people in her Invisible to Influential membership supporting neurodivergent and invisible illness business owners to increase their reach online and nail their business strategy in a way that works with their unique brain.
 
We talk about:
Maddy’s love for building and nurturing communities
Why Maddy got 2 ADHD diagnoses, one privately and one through the NHS
How Maddy’s ADHD medication works for her
How Maddy came to understand and embrace who she is deep down
Why she realised that running her business like a neurotypical wasn’t working for her and what she needed to do differently
How alcohol was a big part of her life in her 20s and why she doesn’t drink anymore
Maddy’s coaching journey
How redundancy pushed her into running her own business
Maddy’s money story in her 20’s – 40K in debt, running from bailiffs and risking bankruptcy
How her mental health declined after the birth of her first child and what helped her to turn it around
Exciting details about Maddy’s upcoming book! ADHD, Money and Me
How Maddy works with her neurodivergent strengths and embraces all parts of her including the quirks!
Maddy’s advice to anyone who suspects they may be ADHD
 
If anything in the podcast today has raised issues that you want to explore then please check out these resources:
Mind – the Mental Health Charity https://www.mind.org.uk
Help for Post Natal Depression: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/postnatal-depression-and-perinatal-mental-health/
 
You can join Maddy’s free community here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/253887535783664
Maddy’s membership (that I’m an affiliate of and part of) here: https://maddyalexandergrout.com/iti?am_id=samantha484
Check out her Money Saving app here: https://madaboutmoneyofficial.co.uk
Find Maddy on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madaboutmoneyofficial
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddytalksmoney/
And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddy.comrie
 
As always thank you for listening, I appreciate all of your support in listening to and following this podcast. We’re reaching more people and changing lives so stay tuned!
 
Head to the website and join the mailing list here: www.coulditbeadhd.co.uk
Head to my Instagram and come and say hey! www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast
 
 
 
 
 

Mini Episode - The ADHD Brain's Default Mode Network - what you need to know!

I'm doing a lot of research lately on the ADHD brain and the things they've discovered from brain scans. This was one of the most fascinating things I've learned and I don't hear about it a lot so I wanted to share with you.
This information was sourced from the book ADHD 2.0 written and researched by two Psychologists Edward Hallowell and John Ratey. When you know this - lots of things will make sense!

ADHD Journey with Heather Tingle - Clutter, ADHD, Autism and Stigmas

It was so much fun talking to Heather about her late diagnosis of Autism and ADHD. She rightly pointed out that we still don't talk about Autism enough online. With the rise of ADHD content creators, it's really important we keep shining a light on what Autism actually is to avoid the stigmas the people still have around it. 
We also talk about
How Heather’s realisation of Autism & ADHD came about after her child’s diagnosis – which is a very common story!
The overlap of traits between ADHD and Autism - can you tell which is which?
How ‘being driven by a motor’ is an outdated way to talk about ADHD
Holidaying as an ADHDer
How Heather went from a hoarder which was negatively effecting her life, to now running a business to help other people declutter and live more fulfilled lives
Why having a big blitz in your home is not an effective way to declutter
Some strategies that ADHDers can use to give themselves a deadline to get things done
Changing views of Autism today
How accommodations for adults and children is beneficial for everyone
What Heather would say to anyone who was just coming to a realisation that they might be ADHD or Autistic
Find Heather’s podcast here: https://www.untangledbytingle.com/podcast
Find Heather on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/heather.tingle.7
Or Join Heather’s Free Facebook Group for Decluttering here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/untangledbytingle
As always your listens are hugely appreciated! Please take a moment today to leave a star rating and a little review and press that little follow button to help this podcast to stay in the mental health charts.
Find me on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast
Sign up on my website for podcast alerts: www.coulditbeadhd.co.uk
 
 
 
 
 
 

Inattentive ADHD - it hurts!

Inattentive ADHD can actually hurt!
Research shows that ADHDers struggle more with motor control and balance.
Pair that with distractability and accidents happen. Here’s my story of probably the most clumsy thing I’ve ever done which involved a hospital trip and my head being glued!
Enjoyed this mini-episode? Amazing! Please go and follow the podcast wherever you get yours and leave a review. Share this episode. All the things that will help this podcast to grow.
 
You can head to my website and sign up for podcast alerts here www.coulditbeadhd.co.uk
You can find me on Instagram here www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast 

ADHD Journey - ADHD Therapist Andrew Robinson on ADHD, Anxiety and Depression

Andrew Robinson is an ADHD therapist located in Missouri and very kindly agreed to come on the podcast to share his vast knowledge and personal experiences as an ADHDer. Although he wasn’t late diagnosed, early diagnosis of ADHD at age 6 still brought about its own challenges as you’ll find out in this episode.
We talk about:
How Andrew displayed the ‘classic’ symptoms of ADHD as a young child and got his diagnosis at age 6
His early memories of medication and the support he received in his 504 plan (a plan in the US used in both school and work to support those with ADHD)
The stereotyping and stigma of having ADHD in the 90s and how this affected his mental health with a strong sense of ‘being different’
How depression and anxiety can be symptoms of unmanaged ADHD
Oppositional demand avoidance and how it relates to ADHD and why the term might be unhelpful
Antidepressants as a tool for managing emotional dysregulation in ADHD
How the DSM isn’t living up to the modern lived experiences of people today
Misinformation about ADHD online
How important accommodations are for ADHD and why we should at least try them
Dealing with rejection sensitivity as an online ADHD creator
Andrew’s journey into psychology after falling in love with it after years of going through therapy
Comparisons of CPTSD and ADHD
What Andrew loves about his ADHD
This was such an interesting and enlightening chat – please do go and follow Andrew online to experience his bitesize educational snippets or explore how you could work with Andrew. https://www.instagram.com/neurospicycounseling/
As always your follows and reviews mean the world to me in getting this podcast out to a wider audience so please do click follow and leave a review if you can!
You can also follow me www.instagram.com/coulditbeadhd_thepodcast
 
 

ADHD and BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) otherwise known as EUPD - close relatives or total opposites?

Nicola has combined her personal fitness training experience with her counselling experience to mentor people as a mental fitness mentor. Nicola has BPD Borderline Personality Disorder (also known as EUPD Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder) and I have ADHD. I know from conversations I’ve had with other guests that sometimes these two disorders can get confused with each other or misdiagnosed.
So we decided to have a chat about our experiences of both and where the overlaps are in our own lives.
The conclusion? Well you’ll have to listen to the episode as like most things there’s never really one answer!
In this episode we talk about
Emotional Dysregulation and how it shows up for Nicola and me
Dissociation and Trauma, what it is and the signs to look for
How trauma is different for everyone
How we feel clinicians need to be more clear on their questioning to find the right diagnosis
Some trains of thought as to how and where BPD stems from
The different types of neurodivergence (and how Nicola didn’t know she was Neurodivergent until recently!)
The importance of trying different things to look after your mental fitness
How being around the right types of people can be so empowering and things you can do before you head down the diagnosis route.
You can find Nicola here
Instagram: www.instagram.com/stronger_than_your_mind
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080052753459
Nicola’s Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1078370892756460
As always thank you so much for listening to the podcast today. Please take a moment to follow, rate and review so I can reach more people who need to hear these messages.
There are currently 200,000 people in the UK on ADHD waiting lists. That’s 200K too many. Podcasts like this help people to feel less alone and to help understand themselves more through listening to other’s lived experiences. But we can reach them with your support by sharing and following this podcast so thank you!
You can message or follow me on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/coulditbeADHD_thepodcast