
Episode 34: The ADHD AF Christmas Special
Explicit content warning
12/20/22 • 58 min
We're gonna have a party tonight... there's some very special surprises at the end of this episode!
It's both our first Christmas' diagnosed with ADHD; finally having the answers to our lifelong struggles. Will we be able to keep our masks off instead of performing for everyone else?! We'll let you know!
(TW) Here's one for a Christmas cracker -
What do you get when you mix Christmas time with people pleasing tendencies, an inability to manage finances, time blindness, forgetfulness, task paralysis, procrastination, disorganisation, emotional dysregulation, grief, family conflict, trauma, perfectionism, indecision, object/person impermanence, impulsivity, rejection sensitive dysphoria, domestic anxiety, a tendency to leave things to the very last minute, and family, friends and societal pressure?
BURNOUT! ...Funny if it wasn't so true!
Christmas leaves Laura in semi constant nostalgic tears; triggered by everything from Bowie & Bing to Boy George, brass bands and Bill Murray! Despite a childhood spent not believing in Father Christmas, at the age of 39, the magic in the air on Christmas Eve tempts her to check the skies for Santa's sleigh. ADHDer contradictions hey!
Dawn divulges a sentiment shared by many that are single and without children, she finds festive joy in the excitement of her young Nieces. It will be Dawn's first sober Christmas, having been inspired by last week's guest @notsosecretlysober
Anybody else have an irrational hatred of Doctor Who?! Oh, and here's the sexy cake of dreams recipe by Nige!
If it's common for you to have a Christmas meltdown and end the festive period exhausted; check out our ADHD hacks for avoiding Christmas Burnout
If in need call Samaritans
All we want for Christmas is YOU... If you've found this podcast helpful & are in a position to do so, please help us continue to help others by joining our Community. Packages include: vlogs, blogs, live blethers, body doubling and all the chats! If you would prefer you can leave us a tip.
MASSIVE thank you to our Patreon pledgers! With more supoport we will be able to continue producing ADHD As Females. In particular a massive thank you to our Gold Tier Patrons: Sarah Newell, Ola Czarnecka, Rach, Callan Davy, Rachael Riley, Derec Thompson, Anne Barrow, Leanne Smith, Clare Hale, Amy Gramham, Liesel McDonald, Michelle Corcoran, Dee Naylor, Samantha Knowles-Owen, Kim Pierpoint, Sinéad McDermott, Amy Davies, Cecilia Leslie, Angela Curtis, Kelsey Fehlberg, Kate Wilkinson, Rochelle Fyander, Alana Pinatiello, Eleanor Macpherson, Katharine Kaufman, Lorna Crowe, N. Scott, Suzanne Tanser, Marianne Stevens, Philippa Pickering, Kate Smith, Jenna King, Jacqueline McGeachie, Lynn McKenna, Bee Wood, Jennifer Wilson, Seonaid Macdonald, Manar, Roz King, Helen McCann, Joanne Eccles, Eleanor Campen, Christie Maxted, Ali O'Connor, Rachel Stewart, Meet Lauren Mitchell, Claire Turner, Katie Enstone, Lauren Bullen, Annmarie Kemsley, Cclaire, Amanda Thomson, Lizzee Oliver, Allie Warren, Nicola Mackenzie- Cracknell, Michelle Bellyou, Katharina Rodda,Eleni Manesiotis, & Olivia Dyer, who have helped make this episode happen; raising much needed ADHD awareness and providing validation and information to those who desperately need it. JOIN US!
We're gonna have a party tonight... there's some very special surprises at the end of this episode!
It's both our first Christmas' diagnosed with ADHD; finally having the answers to our lifelong struggles. Will we be able to keep our masks off instead of performing for everyone else?! We'll let you know!
(TW) Here's one for a Christmas cracker -
What do you get when you mix Christmas time with people pleasing tendencies, an inability to manage finances, time blindness, forgetfulness, task paralysis, procrastination, disorganisation, emotional dysregulation, grief, family conflict, trauma, perfectionism, indecision, object/person impermanence, impulsivity, rejection sensitive dysphoria, domestic anxiety, a tendency to leave things to the very last minute, and family, friends and societal pressure?
BURNOUT! ...Funny if it wasn't so true!
Christmas leaves Laura in semi constant nostalgic tears; triggered by everything from Bowie & Bing to Boy George, brass bands and Bill Murray! Despite a childhood spent not believing in Father Christmas, at the age of 39, the magic in the air on Christmas Eve tempts her to check the skies for Santa's sleigh. ADHDer contradictions hey!
Dawn divulges a sentiment shared by many that are single and without children, she finds festive joy in the excitement of her young Nieces. It will be Dawn's first sober Christmas, having been inspired by last week's guest @notsosecretlysober
Anybody else have an irrational hatred of Doctor Who?! Oh, and here's the sexy cake of dreams recipe by Nige!
If it's common for you to have a Christmas meltdown and end the festive period exhausted; check out our ADHD hacks for avoiding Christmas Burnout
If in need call Samaritans
All we want for Christmas is YOU... If you've found this podcast helpful & are in a position to do so, please help us continue to help others by joining our Community. Packages include: vlogs, blogs, live blethers, body doubling and all the chats! If you would prefer you can leave us a tip.
MASSIVE thank you to our Patreon pledgers! With more supoport we will be able to continue producing ADHD As Females. In particular a massive thank you to our Gold Tier Patrons: Sarah Newell, Ola Czarnecka, Rach, Callan Davy, Rachael Riley, Derec Thompson, Anne Barrow, Leanne Smith, Clare Hale, Amy Gramham, Liesel McDonald, Michelle Corcoran, Dee Naylor, Samantha Knowles-Owen, Kim Pierpoint, Sinéad McDermott, Amy Davies, Cecilia Leslie, Angela Curtis, Kelsey Fehlberg, Kate Wilkinson, Rochelle Fyander, Alana Pinatiello, Eleanor Macpherson, Katharine Kaufman, Lorna Crowe, N. Scott, Suzanne Tanser, Marianne Stevens, Philippa Pickering, Kate Smith, Jenna King, Jacqueline McGeachie, Lynn McKenna, Bee Wood, Jennifer Wilson, Seonaid Macdonald, Manar, Roz King, Helen McCann, Joanne Eccles, Eleanor Campen, Christie Maxted, Ali O'Connor, Rachel Stewart, Meet Lauren Mitchell, Claire Turner, Katie Enstone, Lauren Bullen, Annmarie Kemsley, Cclaire, Amanda Thomson, Lizzee Oliver, Allie Warren, Nicola Mackenzie- Cracknell, Michelle Bellyou, Katharina Rodda,Eleni Manesiotis, & Olivia Dyer, who have helped make this episode happen; raising much needed ADHD awareness and providing validation and information to those who desperately need it. JOIN US!
Previous Episode

Episode 33: ADHD, Alcohol Abuse & Spontaneous Sobriety with Siobhan O'Connor
Siobhan O'Connor - @notsosecretlysober was diagnosed with ADHD in May of this year, at 32 in Manchester. In this inspirational blether, she shares her battles to overcome the ADHD comorbidities of alchohol and drug abuse; and concludes with her top tips for a Sober Christmas!
Historically, Siobhan felt pride in being 'the last person standing' at parties. Though she didn't drink everyday, when she did, her binge drinking was so extreme that she ended up being hospitalised on multiple occasions! Getting blackout drunk exacerbated her ADHD trait of risk taking behaviour. The terrifying situations Siobhan found herself in, in the name of 'fun', were no laughing matter!
Prior to four years ago, Siobhan LOVED drinking! It was her whole identity(!) and led her to taking recreational drugs, and in turn into dangerous situations and debt. Reading Russell Brand's Recovery, inspired a year off the sauce... she has never looked back! Siobhan has a BRILLIANTLY names Social Media Management company: @ousaucedmedia - get it! :)
Dawn felt so inspired by Siobhan's story, she has decided this will be her first ever sober Christmas... and who knows what 2023 will bring!
Don't feel pressured to drink alcohol at Christmas! Alcohol can affect ADHD brains differently; as discussed in our previous episode: ADHD Vs Alcohol
If you feel you are not in control of drinking or any other recreational behaviours, please reach out, there is help out there! For eg: Drink Aware, Alcohol Change, & Turning Point
If you've found this podcast helpful and you are in a position to do so, please help us continue to help others by joining our Community. Packages include: vlogs, blogs, live blethers, body doubling and all the chats! If you would prefer you can leave us a tip.
A massive thank you to our Patreon pledgers! With more supoport we will be able to continue producing ADHD As Females. In particular a massive thank you to our Gold Tier Patrons: Sarah Newell, Ola Czarnecka, Rach, Callan Davy, Rachael Riley, Derec Thompson, Anne Barrow, Leanne Smith, Clare Hale, Amy Gramham, Liesel McDonald, Michelle Corcoran, Dee Naylor, Samantha Knowles-Owen, Kim Pierpoint, Sinéad McDermott, Amy Davies, Cecilia Leslie, Angela Curtis, Kelsey Fehlberg, Kate Wilkinson, Rochelle Fyander, Alana Pinatiello, Eleanor Macpherson, Katharine Kaufman, Lorna Crowe, N. Scott, Suzanne Tanser, Marianne Stevens, Philippa Pickering, Kate Smith, Jenna King, Jacqueline McGeachie, Lynn McKenna, Bee Wood, Jennifer Wilson, Seonaid Macdonald, Manar, Roz King, Helen McCann, Joanne Eccles, Eleanor Campen, Christie Maxted, Ali O'Connor, Rachel Stewart, Meet Lauren Mitchell, Claire Turner, Katie Enstone, Lauren Bullen, Annmarie Kemsley, Cclaire, Amanda Thomson, Lizzee Oliver & Allie Warren, who have helped make this episode happen; raising much needed ADHD awareness and providing validation and information to those who desperately need it. JOIN US!
Trigger Warning: contains swearing, mentions of mental health struggles, family bereavement, drugs and alcohol
Next Episode

Episode 35: The Most ADHD Things We’ve done this Year!
It’s the last episode of 2022, so we are celebrating our most popular creation: ‘the most ADHD thing’ and sharing YOUR most ADHD things of this year!
We conclude by revealing the most ADHD thing WE’VE done this year... and some very ambitious plans for 2023! (All in the name of accountability...ie, we’ve said it now, so we have to do it!)
We created the concept of ‘most ADHD thing’ to act as the ultimate shame eradicator. For us, these daily mishaps can often feel like ‘if we didn’t laugh we’d cry’, so we really appreciate all of you for getting onboard with sharing yours in our weekly socials posts. An act of camaraderie; pulling the community together! We are all in the same boat, doing similar things and are all here to support each other!
This is a funny episode, perfect fodder for that week in the year when even neurotypicals don’t know what day it is! The mishaps are categorised but left anonymous, with one particular listener providing much amusement with eventful happenings and hospital ward moonwalkings! Go on girl!
Alongside announcing a new segment for the new year, we conclude with massive 2023 plans and our biggest mess up of 2022! Lols!
If you've found this podcast helpful & are in a position to do so, please help us continue to help others by joining our Community. Packages include: vlogs, blogs, live blethers, body doubling and all the chats! If you would prefer you can leave us a tip.
MASSIVE thank you to our Patreon pledgers! With more supoport we will be able to continue producing ADHD As Females. In particular a massive thank you to our Gold Tier Patrons: Sarah Newell, Ola Czarnecka, Rach, Callan Davy, Rachael Riley, Derec Thompson, Anne Barrow, Leanne Smith, Clare Hale, Liesel McDonald, Michelle Corcoran, Dee Naylor, Samantha Knowles-Owen, Kim Pierpoint, Sinéad McDermott, Amy Davies, Cecilia Leslie, Angela Curtis, Kelsey Fehlberg, Kate Wilkinson, Rochelle Fyander, Alana Pinatiello, Eleanor Macpherson, Katharine Kaufman, Lorna Crowe, N. Scott, Suzanne Tanser, Marianne Stevens, Philippa Pickering, Kate Smith, Jenna King, Jacqueline McGeachie, Lynn McKenna, Bee Wood, Jennifer Wilson, Seonaid Macdonald, Manar, Roz King, Helen McCann, Joanne Eccles, Eleanor Campen, Ali O'Connor, Rachel Stewart, Meet Lauren Mitchell, Claire Turner, Katie Enstone, Lauren Bullen, Annmarie Kemsley, Cclaire, Amanda Thomson, Lizzee Oliver, Allie Warren, Nicola Mackenzie- Cracknell, Michelle Bellyou, Katharina Rodda,Eleni Manesiotis, Olivia Dyer, Gurjit Thandi, Nicol Dicheva, Yvonne Delaney, & Ailish, who have helped make this episode happen; raising much needed ADHD awareness and providing validation and information to those who desperately need it. JOIN US!
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