Hacking Your ADHD

Hey team! After last week’s episode on toolkits I got a request to do another episode like it but specifically on sleep tools. Now before I jump in on the episode I want to talk for a minute about why I typically haven’t been doing so many episodes on specific tools. What it comes down to is that often the specific tools aren’t what’s important - what tends to be more important are the strategies and reasons behind the tools. I kind of think of like if someone told me that they needed help fixing their bike and I handed them a wrench but they actually had a flat tire. Sure a wrench is great for fixing a bike when it needs something tightened, but without the understanding of what’s actually going on behind the scenes that tool may actually be useless. A specific tools can make all the difference when implementing strategy, we just need to know the why behind it. So for this episode we’re going to be skipping a lot of the basics of sleep - I’ll do another episode specifically about all that. What we’re going to be focusing on in this episode is our sleep hygiene, which is just a fancy way of talking about all the good habits we have related to our sleep. And so we will get into the why behind what we’re doing but in each section we’ll spend some time talking about the specific tools - and I’m going to try and include links to everything I talk about in the show notes - and none of these are going to be affiliate links, just either things I use or have used and probably a few other things just as options - so if you want to follow along with the show notes you can find them at hackingyouradhd.com/182 Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/182 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! We're chatting with Maddy De Gabriele, an Australian science communicator who's turned her personal journey with ADHD into a mission to help others. Through her Adult ADHD Starter Kit and corporate workshops, Maddy breaks down ADHD management into bite-sized, easily digestible pieces. In this episode we dive into specific tools that can become part of your everyday toolkit for managing your ADHD. We discuss timers, headphones, pillboxes, blankets and more in this episode. If you’ve been wanting an episode that goes into the actual tools that I and many others use in their day to day ADHD life, then this is the episode - Maddy brings the goods. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/181 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! This week we’re talking with the host of the ADHD Wise Squirrels podcast, Dave Delaney - as many of us Dave wears many hats — keynote speaker, author, and of course podcast host. Dave has actually been podcasting since 2005, although he only recently started up ADHD Wise Squirrels after his recent diagnosis. With that diagnosis, Dave has been on a mission to support others in the community and break down stereotypes that surround ADHD. In our conversation today we discuss everything from the impact of ADHD on personal development to the power of storytelling in building connections. Dave brings a blend of professional insights and personal experiences that provide a host of strategies to tackle common ADHD challenges. It’s fun conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/180 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! Today on the podcast, we're exploring the lighter side of living with ADHD, featuring the hilariously honest Ellie Hino. A stand-up comic who finds humor in the everyday, Ellie has featured for comics such as Maria Bamford, Laurie Kilmartin, and Atsuko Okatsuka. She recently released her debut album, Soft Bones. In our conversation today she brings her personal journey with ADHD into the spotlight, sharing stories and strategies that hit home for many of us. We discuss getting a diagnosis later life, getting started on medication, impulsivity and time mismanagement. This episode is packed with relatable stories and actionable tips for tackling the day-to-day hurdles of ADHD. Whether you're newly diagnosed, a seasoned pro, or just curious, you'll find valuable insights and plenty to relate to. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/179 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! This week we’re going to be discussing the challenges of managing ADHD within a relationship where both partners have ADHD and how that can lead to the amplification of symptoms and the struggle to maintain routines and tools. We’ll also be diving into the potential difficulties of managing ADHD later in life but also how we can lean into the strengths that we have already developed. This is another listener questions episode and if you’d like to potentially have your question answered on the show head over to hackingyouradhd.com/contact and click on the orange button. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/178 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! We’ve got another listener question today, this time from my friend Aggie: Thanks for the question; Aggie and I think this is an issue we can all relate to. Being late sucks. So, in this episode, we tackle the struggle of showing up calm and composed when maybe we don’t feel calm and collected. We’ll be looking at a number of tools that we can use to try and get ourselves in the right head space, as well as jumping into what we can do so that we might not be late quite as often. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/177 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! This week I’m talking with Jamie Cutino, a licensed Occupational Therapist, TEDx Speaker, ADHD Coach and a fervent advocate for the ADHD community. In today's episode, Jamie shares her insightful and empowering journey from discovering their ADHD diagnosis to utilizing skills she learned as an occupational therapist to enhance daily life. Jamie has her own podcast, Outsmart ADHD, where she and her guests go over the latest research, share stories and look to provide you with actionable advice. In our conversation today we talk about what occupational therapy is and how it can help with ADHD management, how sensory issues can impact our ADHD and get into some of the tips and strategies that can help with these issues. And since Jamie is also a podcaster we get into some stuff about the podcast and things I’m looking to improve. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show notes at HackingYourADHD.com/176 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! I’ve got an exciting interview today that I’ve been hoping to do for a while now. Dr. Roberto Olivardia is a clinical psychologist and a lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He specializes in the treatment of ADHD and within the field of ADHD, he further specializes in comorbid disorders, such as OCD, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and body dysmorphic disorder. However, in true ADHD, fashion during our pre-interview chat we decided to switch the direction of the podcast to instead deal with sleep. In our conversation we talk about Dr. Olivardia’s own issues with sleep and how sleep is just one of those issues that seems to plague everyone with ADHD. We get into some of what underpins ADHD sleep issues and some of the things that we can do to try and get ourselves a good night’s sleep. I had a blast recording this and I hope you enjoy just as much as I did. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/175 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! With us today is Mattia Maurée and we’re going to be diving into the experiences of living with both autism and ADHD, also known as AuDHD. I was recently on Mattia’s podcast, AuDHD Flourishing, to talk about subclinical autism (which I was diagnosed with in 2022) so if you want to hear more about that head on over to their show, links in the shownotes. In our conversation today, Mattia shared their story and the insights they've gained through their journey. Our conversation aimed to shed light on the similarities, differences, and unique challenges faced by individuals navigating both conditions. And just for a little background on the connection of ADHD and autism, we do see quite a lot of this comorbid condition, with about 50% of people diagnosed with autism also getting an ADHD diagnosis (and just as a note, that percentage doesn’t go the other way because of the difference in population sizes, there are a lot more people with ADHD than those diagnosed with autism). Also interesting to note that before 2013 the DSM didn’t allow for a dual diagnosis of autism and ADHD. And that just gives a little insight into how recently the idea of the two of them being intertwined became and because of that there aren’t a ton of resources out there for AuDHD individuals. So I hope this episode can help start bridging more of that gap. Be sure to check out Mattia's Podcast AuDHD Flourishing Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/174 This Episode's Top Tips

In today’s episode, we have a listener question dealing with the root cause of ADHD and whether or not ADHD comes from trauma or it's something we're born with. I’m sure a lot of people have had similar thoughts on what the root cause of ADHD and sometimes it’s hard to find accurate information because so much of it can conflict. In today’s episode, we’re going to be looking into the issue of whether or not ADHD is an issue of genetics or if it is one of trauma - but I also want to be upfront about this and be clear that this isn’t really a both side issue, all of our best research supports the idea that ADHD is a genetic condition. Just as a note before we get started, I do talk a good deal about trauma in this episode, so if that’s not your thing, feel free to skip this episode. Sign up for my Newsletter Any And All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/173 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! No interview today - getting back to some monologue episodes - and completely off topic here, but I just have this negative connotation to the word monologue, like, in my head it sounds like it’s supposed to be something boring? Maybe that’s just me. In today’s episode we’re tackling the complex reality of ADHD management. Forget about finding a silver bullet; it's about piecing together a puzzle of habits, routines, and strategies that work for you. We’ll be exploring the mosaic of strategies that can help us navigate our days more effectively and how we can build our own personalized way to help us manage our ADHD. Sign up for my Newsletter Any and All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/172 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! Welcome back to the second part of my conversation with Saman Kesh - In part one of the conversation we covered a lot of the ground around Saman’s ketamine treatment and how that influenced his ADHD. And just as a quick reminder, this is not a condemnation nor a defense against ketamine-based treatment, the conversation is simply about what his experience was. And if ketamine treatment is something that has piqued your interest, be sure that you are following up on that under proper medical supervision, this isn’t stuff to play around with. In this second part of the conversation, we switch gears a bit and talk more about our identities with ADHD and the acceptance of our ADHD. We also get into some other therapy techniques like EMDR and other ways that we can work on supporting our ADHD brains. Sign up for my Newsletter Any and All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/171 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! We’ve got a returning guest this week who was a real hit last time, Saman Kesh - Saman is an Iranian-American filmmaker who has worked with artists such as Basement Jaxx, Calvin Harris, Kygo, Placebo, !!! (pronounced Chk Chk Chk) Anyway, we’re not here to discuss any of that today, instead we’re going to be talking about his recent ketamine treatment. A while ago, Saman reached out to me asking if this was something that I’d like to cover on the show, and yeah, this is absolutely something I think would make for a really interesting show. Now, with that said, I do want to emphasize that we are talking about Saman’s treatment here, and this is neither a defense nor a condemnation of ketamine treatments. I also want to emphasize that this is not something that is for treating ADHD but has been proven to be effective as an off-label treatment for a variety of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma. If ketamine treatment is something of interest to you I also strongly advise that you do so with medical supervision. This isn’t stuff to play around with, and we still have a lot to learn despite the fact that ketamine has over 50 years of clinical use and research behind it. Perhaps at some point, I’ll work on an episode from more of a treatment perspective, but for now, we’re just talking about Saman’s experience. Also to note from this episode is that we talked for quite a long time and so I decided that we could split the episode into two parts. Sign up for my Newsletter Any and All Distractions Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/170 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team!This week we’re joined by Ying Deng, known as ADHD Asian Girl across social media. I was able to get to know Ying a bit at the recent International ADHD Conference and thought she’d be a great guest for the show. Meditation is something that I’ve wanted to discuss on the show for quite a while now, but it also isn’t something I’m super knowledgeable about so it was great to have a chance for this discussion.In our conversation today we get into what mindfulness and mediation actually is - and some about what it isn’t, since meditation isn’t exactly something we get an accurate picture of from popular media. We talk about some of the reasons that mediation can be beneficial for ADHD as well as some of the strategies to help bring meditation into our lives because ADHD can also make it a hard habit to start. Be sure to check out all of Ying's Mindfulness Course or checkout where she's on the web with her Linktree Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/169 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! This week, we have the return of Skye Rapson of Unconventional Organization to discuss an innovative tool she developed, the Planning Funnel, which is designed to help us break down our goals into manageable steps. This was a really fun conversation, and the planning funnel looks awesome - now, as a note, the planning funnel is part of Unconventional Organisation’s ADHD Academy - but they do have a promotion going now that includes the Planning Funnel and 15% off your first month. So if that’s something you’re interested in be sure to go check out https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com/the-adhd-academy In our conversation today, we talk about the importance of goals and planning, how to break down those goals, and ways that we can use ADHD-friendly strategies to make executing on those goals easier. Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/168 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! Today we’ve got a real treat, I’m talking to one of my favorite people, Brendan Mahan of the ADHD Essentials Podcast. I last had Brendan on to talk about the Wall of Awful, his model of how everything that we do can be made harder from repeated failure. It’s a great episode and I’ll link that in the show notes if you want to get caught up on that. I asked Brendan back on the show because while we were at the International ADHD Conference I got talking to him about a different model of his and that’s the 9 parts of a transition. Now I understand that the idea of 9 parts of a transition can seem a bit daunting, but what I think the most salient point of this episode is, is that transitions are far more than what we initially think they are. Because of this we often underestimate what goes into making those transitions. But I’m getting ahead of myself here, in our conversation today, Brendan breaks down this model and we also explore strategies for managing distractions and understanding our emotional states. Checkout Brendan's podcast ADHD Essentials Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/167 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! This week I’m joined by former paramedic turned holistic nutritionist and gut specialist Josh Dech to delve into the critical role of gut health in overall well-being. In our conversation, Josh challenges common health misconceptions and highlights the profound impact of the gut microbiome on various body systems, including mental health and in turn ADHD. We try to combine scientific insights, personal experiences, and practical advice on improving gut health through diet and lifestyle changes, offering a comprehensive look at gut health. Now before we get started I do want to make it very clear that the science behind our gut health is still in its infancy and while I do think it is something that is very important for us to be aware of, we also have to be aware that our understanding of what’s going on is still changing and advancing. As well, while I do think that our gut health can play a role in our ADHD management, it absolutely is not a cure for ADHD - so with that said, be sure to listen to this episode with an open mind but also with a grain of salt. Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/166 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey team! I’ve got a fun episode for you this week - I’m talking with Jesse J. Anderson about his new book, Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD. I actually got to meet Jesse in person last November at the International ADHD conference (and I got to be on a panel with him as well) although we recorded this before then. And if you don’t immediately recognize the name, I’m sure you’ve seen some of his stuff online where he posts as ADHD Jesse. In our conversation today we delve into his experiences with ADHD, his journey as an author, discussing practical coping strategies, challenges with memory and motivation, and the importance of adapting to individual mental processes. Be sure to check out Jesse's book Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/165 This Episode's Top Tips

Hey Team! We’re kicking off 2024 with the incredible Jessica McCabe - creator, writer, and host of the award-winning YouTube channel How to ADHD. I’m sure a lot of you are already familiar with Jessica’s work as her YouTube channel has more than a million subscribers, but for those of you who haven’t, her channel contains a wealth of knowledge about ADHD and is one of the things that kicked me in the pants to start taking my ADHD more seriously. And now she’s coming out with a book: How to ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working with Your Brain (Not Against It) - which is coming out on January 2nd - so tomorrow if you’re listening to this when this episode comes out. In our conversation today, Jessica and I discussed how we want to go from surviving our ADHD to thriving with it, to get past some of our issues with executive function and universal design. We also get into a lot of stuff about her book and how she was able to use a lot of the strategies that she wrote about in the book to also help her write that same book. Honestly, this episode was a blast to record and I hope you enjoy as much as I did putting it together. Be sure to check out howtoadhdbook.com to find Jessica's book Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/164 This Episode's Top Tips

In today’s episode, I’m going to be talking about what’s going on with Hacking Your ADHD over this last year and what’s coming up next year. No real show notes for this episode but feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page