ADHD Aha!
Understood.org, Laura Key
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Top 10 ADHD Aha! Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best ADHD Aha! episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to ADHD Aha! for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite ADHD Aha! episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
08/22/23 • 25 min
Max Willey, an expat living in Norway, often found himself overwhelmed by complex tasks as a kid. There were too many moving parts, and his brain was always racing too fast. A teacher thought he might have ADHD.
But it wasn’t until adulthood that Max was diagnosed “by accident.” He was feeling depressed and was struggling with some relationships. When he sought treatment, he was diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression all at once.
Max felt relieved. And he’s come to see ADHD as a “glorious curse.” It has its downsides — but also allows him to feel and do wonderful things.
Listen in as Laura and Max unpack this and more.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- ADHD and creativity
- Trouble getting work done is real. Executive function challenges may be the culprit.
- ADHD and depression
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
2 Listeners
08/08/23 • 24 min
Allison O’Keefe, a UX designer in Detroit, always felt she rubbed people the wrong way. Then, in her early teen years, one of her friends confirmed it when she called Allison “the annoying friend” behind her back. This made Allison more cautious in social situations, which often overwhelmed her. Worse, she also found herself accidentally “ghosting” people, forgetting to respond to their messages.
Eventually, a therapist asked her if she’d ever been diagnosed with ADHD, and the diagnosis started to make a lot of sense. She now feels less isolated — even as she still grapples with how open she wants to be about her ADHD.
How do folks with ADHD navigate these choppy social waters? Listen in as Laura and Allison sort through these questions and more.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page on Understood.org.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
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
2 Listeners
02/04/25 • 25 min
We’re running a survey to see how podcasts help women with ADHD learn about mental health and health-related topics. Make your voice heard today.
Dan McCoy understood better his mood swings, fear of rejection, and hyperfocus when he was diagnosed with ADHD last year. He got an ADHD evaluation after reading an article his brother wrote about being on the autism spectrum.
Dan is a comedy writer who’s won two Emmy awards for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He also co-hosts the movie podcast, The Flop House. Dan explains how comedy writing can be exposure therapy for rejection, and how he’s coping with managing emotions.
Related resources
Timestamps
(01:24) Dan’s recent ADHD diagnosis
(03:55) Recognizing emotions and burnout from masking
(06:40) The “Boom Bust” ADHD energy cycle
(08:05) Would it have been helpful to have an ADHD diagnosis as a child?
(11:26) Rejection sensitivity and comedy writing
(15:32) Does ADHD make you funny?
(19:34) Are people considerate of ADHD characteristics?
(22:34) What is Dan working on?
For a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! page on Understood
Want to share your “aha” moment? We love hearing from our listeners. 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
1 Listener
09/05/23 • 27 min
“The cup that is draining.” That’s how musician and content creator Weston Gardner describes ADHD’s effect on him. He’d spent his whole life feeling like he couldn’t do things that came so easily to everyone else. Weston was at his wit’s end. Getting diagnosed with ADHD (along with anxiety and panic disorder) has helped him be kinder to himself and accept his ADHD brain for how it works.
Weston is a musician and content creator who goes by Arcane Anthems (@arcaneanthems). His music sets the scene for podcasts, Twitch streams, tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, and more.
This episode is guest hosted by ADHD Aha! alum Cate Osborn. Cate, aka @catieosaurus, is a content creator and co-host of Catie and Erik’s Infinite Quest podcast. Listen to this week’s episode to hear Cate and Weston talk about ADHD and gaming, rejection sensitivity, and the power of failure.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- ADHD and rejection sensitive dysphoria
- Emotional sunburn: What rejection sensitivity feels like
- In It podcast: The benefits of gaming for kids
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
1 Listener
09/28/21 • 23 min
Host Laura Key shares her own “aha” moment in this inaugural episode of ADHD Aha! Laura was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. But it took an emotional moment in her childhood bedroom to finally show her that her ADHD is real. Amanda Morin joins Laura to talk about ADHD in women and girls, anxiety, and why so many people with ADHD are perfectionists.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
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
1 Listener
06/01/22 • 40 min
Bonus episode! Learn about ADHD and sleep from our friends at Understood’s In It podcast. Hosts Amanda Morin and Gretchen Vierstra first hear from a mom whose son has ADHD, autism, and sleep challenges. Then they speak with clinical psychologist Dr. Roberto Olivardia about the connection between ADHD and sleep — including why people with ADHD may have sleep problems.
Get a transcript of this show and check out more “In It” episodes at u.org/init.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- How ADHD affects sleep — and what you can do to help
- Download: Bedtime checklists for kids
- Follow Belinda on Instagram or Twitter to see more about her advocacy for neurodivergent people.
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
06/07/22 • 23 min
Kai Liu thought she was doing a good job masking her distractibility and overall frazzled-ness. It wasn’t until a friend checked in with her that she realized she wasn’t masking her ADHD symptoms as well as she thought. After some reflection about her trouble with focus, she knew it was time to ask a doctor about ADHD.
Kai grew up thinking she just had a “bad personality.” But this conversation with host Laura Key shows that this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Through her ADHD diagnosis, and some self-kindness, she’s turning that thinking around. Hear about the overlooked symptoms of ADHD in adult women, and listen as Laura and Kai, who’s a comedian, play an impromptu ADHD game show!
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
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
04/26/22 • 18 min
Justen Scott got diagnosed with ADHD this year at age 27. His ADHD “aha” moment happened while he was stationed in Qatar for military service, and work just kept piling up. Trouble with focus and time management had been a problem for Justen since high school. But when others in the military started to notice his challenges, he knew it was time to get evaluated for ADHD.
Host Laura Key and Justen talk about trying to seem “cool” on the outside — even as thoughts race a mile a minute on the inside — and how one small noise can be a huge distraction. Hear Justen’s take on how the military handles ADHD. And pick up a few tips on managing ADHD along the way.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- 9 tips to help military families navigate the system
- Learning and thinking differences that cause trouble with time management
- How ADHD is diagnosed in young adult and adults
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
07/25/23 • 23 min
Lawyer Adam Sosnik was miserable in his job. Miserable when he couldn’t concentrate, which was often. Miserable because it was physically uncomfortable to focus on even a small thing, like writing a single sentence. The trouble was, he was being treated for anxiety and depression, but not ADHD.
When he began working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, his wife noticed his frustration. And with her encouragement, he booked an appointment with a new psychiatrist. That led to an ADHD diagnosis, which validated the discomfort Adam felt. But it also marked the beginning of a new struggle.
Also in this episode: Adam talks about ADHD and tics and his experience with Tourettic OCD (TOCD). And how he’s charted a new way of living that’s finally made him happy.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page on Understood.org.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
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
05/10/22 • 36 min
Marc-André Leclerc was a skilled rock climber and alpinist who died at age 25 in the mountains of Alaska. He’s the subject of a Netflix documentary, The Alpinist. Marc-André was diagnosed with ADHD and written expression disorder as a child. Through climbing, he found an outlet for his intensity and hyperfocus — and his achievements were nothing short of extraordinary.
Marc-André's mother, Michelle Kuipers, homeschooled him and helped him learn to channel his ADHD. Michelle joins the show to talk about her son and her approach to parenting a child with ADHD. She shares how Marc-André would be more panicked about renewing a passport than about climbing mountains alone and without ropes.
Listen as Michelle describes Marc-André’s loving and generous spirit and how she wants her son to be remembered.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- 8 things I wish people knew about parenting a child with ADHD
- Understanding hyperactivity
- Video: Race car driver Dusty Davis talks about his ADHD
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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FAQ
How many episodes does ADHD Aha! have?
ADHD Aha! currently has 106 episodes available.
What topics does ADHD Aha! cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Podcasts, Adhd, Self-Improvement, Education and Adult Adhd.
What is the most popular episode on ADHD Aha!?
The episode title 'ADHD, social awkwardness, and ghosting (Allison’s story)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on ADHD Aha!?
The average episode length on ADHD Aha! is 26 minutes.
How often are episodes of ADHD Aha! released?
Episodes of ADHD Aha! are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of ADHD Aha!?
The first episode of ADHD Aha! was released on Sep 23, 2021.
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