MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel

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].

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

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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].

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].

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.

ADHD doesn’t clock out at bedtime. From delayed sleep phases and racing thoughts to stimulant timing and restless nights, sleep disruption is one of the most common (and most overlooked) challenges of living with ADHD. Plus, poor sleep makes every ADHD symptom worse! 

In this episode, Dr. J breaks down why ADHD and sleep don’t always get along. And she shares five science-backed strategies to help you finally get some rest.

For more on this topic 

Watch: ADHD and weed: Why it feels like a fix (but isn’t)

Read: 13 tips for getting more sleep

Listen: ADHD and: Self-medicating

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

Sources:

Cortese, S., Faraone, S. V., Konofal, E., & Lecendreux, M. (2009). Sleep in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Meta-analysis of subjective and objective studies. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(9), 894-908.

Kooij, J. J., & Bijlenga, D. (2013). The circadian rhythm in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Current state of affairs. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 13(10), 1107-1116.

Van Veen, M. M., Kooij, J. J., Boonstra, A. M., Gordijn, M. C., & Van Someren, E. J. (2010). Delayed circadian rhythm in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and chronic sleep-onset insomnia. Biological Psychiatry, 67(11), 1091-1096.

Picchietti, D. L., England, S. J., Walters, A. S., Willis, K., & Verrico, T. (1998). Periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Child Neurology, 13(12), 588-594.

Yoon, S. Y., Jain, U., & Shapiro, C. (2012). Sleep in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adults: Past, present, and future. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(4), 371-388.

Schredl, M., Alm, B., & Sobanski, E. (2007). Sleep quality in adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 257(3), 164-168.

Boonstra, A. M., Kooij, J. J., Oosterlaan, J., Sergeant, J. A., & Buitelaar, J. K. (2010). Does methylphenidate improve inhibition and other cognitive abilities in adults with childhood-onset ADHD? Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 32(9), 954-969.

Gau, S. S., Kessler, R. C., Tseng, W. L., Wu, Y. Y., Chiu, Y. N., Yeh, C. B., & Hwu, H. G. (2007). Association between sleep problems and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults. Sleep, 30(2), 195-201.

Sobanski, E., Brüggemann, D., Alm, B., Kern, S., Deschner, M., Schubert, T., ... & Rietschel, M. (2007). Psychiatric comorbidity and functional impairment in a clinically referred sample of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 257(7), 371-377.

Bijlenga, D., Vollebregt, M. A., Kooij, J. J., & Arns, M. (2019). The role of the circadian system in the etiology and pathophysiology of ADHD: Time to redefine ADHD? ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 11(1), 5-19.

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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.

Rae puts on her most uncomfortable pants (on purpose!) to ask a fashion designer and former special ed teacher whether adults can actually get over sensory issues. Julia DeNey, founder of sensory clothing brand Sense-ational You, breaks down why tactile sensitivity doesn’t disappear at 18, what adaptive fashion can (and can’t) fix, and why telling yourself “today’s the day I get over it” is the worst possible strategy.

For more on this topic

Listen: ADHD and sensory overwhelm: Itchy tags and tight clothes

Read: ADHD and sensory overload

Watch: Is “ring of fire” ADHD real?

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

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.