Afleveringen
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg chat about ADHD Tax – the extra effort and time people with ADHD put into achieving a task when compared to neurotypicals. It's the ‘price we pay’ due to ADHD traits that can take a toll on time, emotions, and finances.
They discuss what ADHD tax can look like, how it creeps into the daily lives of ADHD adults in the simplest of ways, and the monumental outcomes too. While it may not seem much at the time, the snow-ball effect of missed time management, procrastination, impulsivity, and emotional outbursts all have ramifications.Topics discussed in this episode:
Distraction at work leading to inefficient time management and productivity.Awkward repercussions of forgetfulness.Taking time to process thoughts and words.Financial implications due to impulsive decisions.Indecision and procrastination around relationships, employment, and phone calls!Cognitive tax (the result of thinking, reasoning, or remembering).Key takeaways:
ADHD Tax is a term referring to the ‘cost’ or the ‘price we pay’ metaphorically, but it is not a financial payment per se. It can have implications on time, emotions, and finance and substantially adds up over time.We need not ‘fix’ our ADHD (for we are not broken) however we can learn from our experiences to minimise the ADHD Tax in areas of our life where it has most impact. An ADHD Coach can act like an ADHD Tax Accountant, by helping to get things in order.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg chats with Raewyn Heays, national co-ordinator of ADHD New Zealand. They discuss the organisation, how it all began, along with the information, events, and services they co-ordinate and offer the growing ADHD community in New Zealand.
They chat about how ADHD NZ is not a government funded organisation, and how they spearhead for positive change on behalf of the ADHD community. They discuss the array of online webinars and courses available, along with the benefits of being a financial member.Topics discussed in this episode:
The ADHD New Zealand team and how the organisation came to be.The popularity of their online self-screening tool.Their healthcare directory that assists clients link to psychologists, or psychiatrists, or pediatricians. Facebook forums. Ongoing webinars and online ADHD coach sessions on a range of beneficial ADHD topics.How being a financial member helps the organisation and provides discounted pricing for events and courses.The role of national co-ordinator.Common questions that are asked when starting an ADHD journey.Key takeaways:
ADHD New Zealand is a small organisation, self-funded by financial membership fees, grants, and generous supporters – it is not government funded. ADHD New Zealand lobbies on behalf of the ADHD community in New Zealand to push for positive change, be it access to assessment, medication, and mental health care. They regularly conduct surveys to gain insights from those affected with ADHD which helps to guide their advocacy direction.The organisation facilitate regular online events, offering access to discounted courses with mental health professionals, trained ADHD coaches, and knowledgeable guests, on a variety of subjects – including dealing with anxiety, teens, parenting, embracing the chaos, and so much more.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024) ADHD New Zealand website ADHD NZ Facebook page Facebook Forum – Parents of Children with ADHD Facebook Forum – Adults with ADHD Facebook Forum - Partners of Adults with ADHDDo you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Julie Legg chats with Ashley Cairns, CEO and director of A Change for Better. They discuss the ACFB Fund – the charitable side of the organisation, mental health services, subsidised ADHD online assessments, and how the organisation is expanding to provide a wrap-around service.
They chat about how ACFB have worked to create comprehensive ADHD assessment model that can be delivered within very low wait times, reaching those households struggling financially, and rural New Zealanders, to seek assessment with a psychologist.Topics discussed in this episode:
The ACFB team and how the organisation came to be.Funding criteria for assessment subsidisation and other ADHD-friendly payment options available. Their ADHD online assessment process and questionnaire model.Wait times of approx. 6-8 weeks (currently).Offering psychologist services (not psychiatrist services, therefore no direct access to ADHD medication).Difference between educational, general, and clinical psychologists.Future plans for counselling services and wrap-around services for clients.Key takeaways:
The ACFB Fund’s ADHD assessment model is 100% online through a series of comprehensive questionnaires and one-on-one online assessment with a psychologist (via the likes of Meet or Zoom).The ACFB Fund’s subsidy is available for those individuals who meet specific criteria (such as household income) throughout New Zealand. A 50% fee is payable before commencing the assessment and there is a range of flexible payment options available.In 2025 the ACDB Fund hopes to offer a range of mental health services including counselling and neurodiversity coaching. A psychologist is not able to prescribe ADHD medication directly which is important to remember when seeking an assessment. Canterbury is unique however (at the time of writing), as the pathway to acquiring a Special Authority Number to access ADHD medication differs to the rest of New Zealand.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
A Change for Better OrganisationA Change for Better Fund
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and sThanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg chat about ADHD and Impulsivity – an ADHD trait that is interconnected with many others such as impatience, risk taking, and interrupting.
They discuss impulsivity at work, the difference between impulsivity and spontaneity, and how impulsivity can often get us into hot water.Topics discussed in this episode:
The difference between impulsivity and spontaneity.Consequences of impulsivity at work.Being accident prone due to impulsivity.Financial implications due to impulsive decisions.Shoplifting, erratic driving and over-committing.Key takeaways:
ADHD brains can make impulsive decisions due to quick thinking, gut instinct, or emotional drive. Some actions can result in negative outcomes due to the speed of decision making not taking into consideration ramifications and consequences.Impulsivity can be interlinked with resigning from a job ‘on the spot’, a quick sense of humour, accidents and incidents, and financial mismanagement.Due to a life-time of impulsivity, often with negative outcomes, many adults with ADHD may appear irrationally indecisive, or lacking confidence, as they don’t want to repeat previous mistakes.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg chat about ADHD Awareness Month – a worldwide campaign throughout October, and in its 20th year, driving home this year’s theme is ‘Awareness is Key’.
They discuss common misconceptions, acknowledging the differences between ADHD individuals, raising awareness directly and indirectly through conversation.Topics discussed in this episode:
20th anniversary of ADHD Awareness Month.Misconceptions and complexities of ADHD. Sharing, or not sharing, an ADHD diagnosis with friends, family and work colleagues. Labels, advocacy, ableists, and normalising ADHD.Key takeaways:
While ADHD may be in the news, or frequently in social media posts, ADHD is a complex disorder and there is more to understand that merely a list of common traits or a 10-second sound bite. Raising awareness is key to understanding and supporting loved ones, and helping them live their best lives.Sharing the news of an ADHD diagnosis is a very personal thing. While it can be helpful to gain a better understanding from others, however sadly it can have negative consequences too. Individuals with ADHD may share common traits however their personal experiences and how each trait may manifest may be very different. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all ADHD, nor how the disorder may ‘show up’ in their lives.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)ADHD New Zealand
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD and overwhelm – that sense of frustration when we can get upset and shut down emotionally and mentally, in various situations.
Overwhelm in the workplace.Pressure we place on ourselves and by others.Hypersensitivity to noise, crowds, and unexpected situations beyond our control.Celebrating mini-milestones and ‘fader-down’ strategies.Overwhelm at home, following verbal instructions, losing things, and interruptions when hyperfocusing.
They chat about overwhelming occurrences relating to boredom, deadlines, stress, busy environments, learning or reading under pressure, and tips and tricks to deal with overwhelming emotions.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
ADHD brains can get overwhelmed in a variety of ways and can be often viewed as irrational, or ‘over the smallest thing’ by neurotypicals. This however is not the case for ADHD brains. Something that may appear to be minor may just be ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’. When overwhelmed, it can be difficult for ADHDers to articulate how they are feeling as they may shutdown both emotionally and mentally.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD and boredom – despite having a busy mind, we still can experience boredom in various situations, often to our surprise.
They chat about short-term and long-term boredom, and how interest factors in driving dopamine-seeking behaviour. They discuss their personal experiences when it comes to feeling unmotivated, the need to re-energise, and diversion therapy.Topics discussed in this episode:
Boredom – or a lack of motivation and focus?‘Trapped’ and ‘Freedom’ boredom types.How interest and dopamine are interconnected.Boredom in the workplace and with hobbies.Recharging batteries and doing ‘nothing’.Key takeaways:
Suffering bouts of boredom isn’t just experienced by ADHD brains, however can bring on anxiety and feelings of depression.Being bored doesn’t mean there is nothing to do, rather we can feel unmotivated, experience a lack interest or not find a particular hobby or project purposeful.Often ADHD brains need recharging and ‘doing nothing’ is actually something passive that can help brains relax and re-energise.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg chats with London-based certified ADHD coach Laurence Pratt, the founder of ADHD Goals, with a background in UX research and design.
After discovering his own ADHD later in life, Laurence recently transitioned into coaching to help others harness the strengths of ADHD through personalised coaching, practical strategies, and the ADHD Goals podcast.Topics discussed in this episode:
Being diagnosed with ADHD in the UK as an adult male.Burn-out, procrastination and inter-connectivity between ADHD traits.The executive functioning framework.ADHD in the workplace and challenges after disclosing a diagnosis. What to expect in an online ADHD coaching session. Biological ADHD and diminished dopamine baselines.How ADHD saboteurs can be helpful when overcoming challenges.The power of passion and purpose.Key takeaways:
Depending on going privately or through the NHS, wait-times for an ADHD assessment in the UK can be as long as 2 and 8 years.Many ADHD traits are interconnected so, when seeing an ADHD coach for one life challenge, you may end up working on several traits together – both positive and negative traits. Certified ADHD coaches help clients with specific goals – it may be a job interview, a new relationship, or how to socialise better. ADHD counsellors and therapists help with psychological issues that may stop you from setting or achieving goals.Before disclosing an ADHD diagnosis to your employer, you may wish to figure out what accommodations would help do your job better. Some companies are not well versed when dealing with neurodivergent diagnoses, and may look to you for guidance. If you are unsure yourself, seek assistance – an ADHD coach will have lots of ideas that may work for you.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024) Laurence’s ADHD Goals, Coaching, Resources and Podcast: ADHD Goals
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD and dating – how ADHD traits can impact some of our dating skills and dating experiences, managing expectations, and being authentic.
Dopamine, diving in, intensity, and passion.Fight, flight, and red flags of dating experiences.ADHD vs non-ADHD dating experiences.Having fun on dates and managing expectations for what comes next.The importance of being yourself, naturally – open and honest.Bouncing back and moving on after a date that didn’t go well.
They chat about how the search for dopamine may drive impulsivity, passion, energy, and excitement. They discuss their personal experiences when it comes to diving in, quick exits, bouncing back, and ultimately what their ADHD brain is searching for.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
It’s important that those with ADHD understand how and why their brain works the way it does, but not shy away from being authentic during the dating process. Being open and honest, and not masking in order to impress, will go a long way to find ‘your person’.While some ADHD traits can trip us up at times, remember we have extremely positive traits too that others can find very attractive.Enjoy the dating experience one date at a time, and try not to race ahead and plan future outcomes beyond the first date.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD and friendships – the challenges faced when trying to make friends, keeping them, and high expectations placed upon what a friend should be.
Defining what a friend is, and what challenges they had/have throughout adulthood.The upside of many close acquaintances.Object permanence and how this relates to friends and friendship.Understanding yourself before expecting others to understand you.Managing expectations.Tips and ideas for meeting like-minded friends-to-be.
They chat about awkward and confusing moments with schoolmates, social groups, and workmates. They discuss close acquaintances, managing expectations, and how to go about making friends as adults.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
ADHD traits such as oversharing, over-talking, over-excitement, interrupting, and intensity can be equally welcomed as they can be shunned by neurotypicals. This can leave people with ADHD confused due to their good intentions being misunderstood by others.Despite having challenges with friend groups in the past, you don’t have to give up trying in future. Understanding how your brain works, managing expectations, active listening and finding tribe with a shared interest can be a great start.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss the big emotions that can accompany ADHD – emotional dysregulation, and the challenges faced when exhibiting them.
Positive and negative outcomes of big emotions.Why they think ADHD emotions often are explosive and appear at unexpected moments.The unlikely triggers that observers may puzzle over or may find irrational.Needing time to process feelings.How we can be emotionless in a crisis.
They chat about love, fear, excitement, sadness, and anger, along with the roller-coaster of overwhelm frequently experienced. They discuss the time it takes to process feelings and the triggers that make them explode, often in the most unexpected situations.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
Everyone, including neurotypicals, can have big emotions. Those with ADHD are likely to experience heightened emotions frequently without being able to regulate them, often observed by some as irrational and ‘over the smallest of things.’In the DSM-5 examples of big emotions are noted as having frequent mood swings, irritability and having a quick temper – often with a negative outcome. People with ADHD can experience an array of emotions in a heightened manner, including excitement, joy, love too.For many with ADHD it takes time to process feelings, often bottling them up until they spill over in an unexpected manner.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD and overthinking – the loops of thoughts that continuously consume the minds of many with ADHD.
Time wasting and procrastination.Is overthinking an issue, or just a normal process of finding resolution for an ADHD brain?Overthinking and underthinking.Rejection sensitive dysphoria, ghosting and defence mechanisms.Diversion therapy.
They chat about those situations when overthinking has its place, and when overthinking has negative implications such as depression, anxiety, and stress. They discuss how as a couple they combat overthinking using diversion techniques, and personal tips they use as individuals.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
Overthinking is normal, everyone does it from time to time. It is more likely to be a frequent occurrence for those with ADHD and can have negative implications that impact time management, decision making, stress, depression, and anxiety. Finding resolution to an unsolvable problem or puzzle can be futile. Diversion therapy or distractions can help shift obsessive thinking to another task or area of interest.You can only control what is within your control.Turning your attention to something that you can solve or achieve, even if challenging, will provide a dopamine hit reward. At times overthinking is necessary to be able to process information. It is not a weakness by default for those with ADHD, it’s just part of our ADHD difference.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD Superpowers - is there such a thing, what it really means, and why it is such a polarising ADHD subject.
Realistically, what is a superpower when it comes to ADHD.Tall Poppy syndrome.Superheroes and super villains.Creativity, empathy, humour, tenacity, hyperfocus, strong moral compass, zest for life, and initiative.Self-acknowledging successes.Neurodiversity in the workplace.
They chat about those who believe ADHD is/has a superpower element, and those who don’t, and why that may be the case. They discuss an array of areas where ADHDers find success, ADHD and HR, and how ADHD traits can lead to super successes and super disasters!
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
To have an ADHD superpower is subjective – there are differing opinions, and we must respect them all. Take the win! If you are great at something, celebrate that!ADHD traits have a yin and a yang – we may be exceptional in some areas, but struggle with others.Everyone is good at something. Just don’t give up searching for it if it hasn’t fallen into your lap.Human Resources should consider the advantages of including neurodiverse employees to enhance any team.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ‘small talk’ and ADHD – why is it so annoying and how can we it.
They chat about why small talk seems at times painful when, not long after the pleasantries are over, the conversation doesn’t progress. Why is small talk frustrating? How can small talk become big talk? What soft strategies can be used to ‘survive’ small talk when needed?
Small talk, pleasantries, water-cooler talk and shallow conversations.How ADHD, particularly dopamine deficiency, may have a direct impact our tolerance to small talk.Intelligent conversations, the entertainment factor, and high energy.Seeking interesting information through alternative, non-conversational interactions.Survival mechanisms for dealing with small talk.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
Small talk may be frustrating as it does not trigger interest, entertainment, pleasure, or ‘reward’ that ADHD dopamine deficient brains crave.Weighting the value of the relationship one has with another, may impact levels of frustration or expectations, when it comes to small talk. Finding a shared interest early in the conversation can help negate a ‘shallow’ conversation and therefore be a more fulfilling one.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024).
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.
Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss ADHD, conflict and confrontation - why, when and how we are likely to react in certain situations.
Adrenaline and dopamine. Fighting vs Flighting.Debating vs Conflict and when one is likely to over-spill into the other.How we can be the instigator of conflict, not just the recipient of conflict.Acting as a mediator for others.Addressing conflict in an ADHD marriage.Rebels with a cause.
They chat about the common fight or flight scenario, how dopamine may be at the heart of our likely responses, and the ramifications of both fighting and flighting.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
The fight or flight scenario is common for ADHD brains when faced with conflict and confrontation. Both adrenaline and dopamine share the same dopa molecule, one that we are naturally deficient of, and triggers our gut instinct for survival.Fighting a confrontation can lead to spill over of anger, impulsivity and emotional dysregulation as ADHD brains are often challenged to regulate these emotions.Flighting from a confrontation may lead to the ADHDer feeling misunderstood, unheard, or at times bullied.Good communication over time may deflect a conflict situation, especially with someone you have a relationship with - whether friendship, intimate or work colleague.At times, a 'cooling off' period may be the best method for conflict in a relationship - time to gather thoughts, speak calmly and kindly, rather than impulsively and with big emotions.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024)
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie speaks with Dani Donovan, CEO/founder of The Anti-Boring Project. Dani is known worldwide for her ADHD comic illustrations. She's a graphic designer, content creator, public speaker and now author of 'The Anti-Planner: How to get sh*t done when you don't feel like it' that deals with procrastination and all the emotions that hinder us from doing those projects and chores that don't excite us.
Topics covered in this episode:
Being diagnosed with ADHD in freshman year in the United States.The role ADHD plays in the way that we communicate.Dani Donovan’s backstory that led her to creating ADHD comics and info-graphics and how her Storytelling comic reached 100 million views.Public speaking about a variety of ADHD related challenges including, the social penetration theory, accommodating executive dysfunction, ADHD in the workplace.Over-compensations we make for our ADHD when undiagnosed, and after diagnosis.The Anti-Planner: ways to over-come executive dysfunction and ADHD ‘road blocks’ in order to complete chores or tasks.Key takeaways:
There is a need to bridge the gap between the clinical knowledge and the lived experienced with ADHD.Having ADHD can be compared to being a sprinter rather than a marathon runner.Taking ADHD medication will help, but you need still need drive and determination to complete tasks (they don't do them on their own).Strategies may look good on paper, but unless one overcomes the challenges/emotions such as procrastination, they won’t be put into practice.·Bosses who understand ADHD are going to have a lasting impact on the daily life of employees with ADHD.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024). ADHDDD.com The Anti-PlannerDani Donovan InstagramDo you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. This may include strategies, uplifting stories, overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.
Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss the link between ADHD and masking - why, when and how we are likely to mask and unmask.
Definition of ‘masking’ from an ADHD perspective.Why girls are more likely to mask than boys.The environments in which masking may occur most.‘The standard narrative’: how you're expected to behave in certain situations, how societal groups function.The Iceberg Theory.Our ‘safe space’ where we can unmask and be ourselves.
They chat about whether masking is intentional or unintentional, detrimental to our self-esteem, and why they feel it is deemed necessary in certain situations. They discuss how others perceive their masked behaviours, how masking can evoke feelings of being misunderstood, the Iceberg Theory and the times when unmasking has surprised or even shocked those around them.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
Girls are more likely to be covert in trying to hide their ADHD symptoms and mask very successfully, often to the detriment of their self-esteem. Boys tend to be more overt with their ADHD traits making them easier to spot.Masking is often used as a survival behaviour. A somewhat ‘toned down’ version of their authentic self (verbally and/or physically) is displayed in order not to be singled out in an environment where they just want to fit in.The mask cannot be worn 24/7 – eventually it comes off, whether accidentally or in the presence of those who are non-judgemental. To unmask means feeling safe enough to take off all the veneers and let yourself shine through. And while many neurotypical people may just say "What's the big deal? Just be yourself." There's a lot of reasons why that can be quite exhausting or nerve-racking after masking or partially masking for so long. Known as the Iceberg Theory (or Social Penetration Theory) often we will only show part of our whole (the ‘tip of the iceberg’ or the ‘outer layers of the onion’) thus protecting our deepest fears and vulnerabilities.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024).
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.
Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss the link between ADHD and hypersensitivity – not necessarily a trait, but a common attribute for people with ADHD.
They chat about each of their senses, the weird and wonderful extremes they experience. From datum lines to aesthetics, bass drums and distant conversations, scratchy clothing labels to repetitive touch, Christmas shopping to confrontation. They ponder criticism, expected outcomes, adverse reactions to not feeling in control of self, empathy, negative people and energy levels – to name a few.Topics discussed in this episode:
HSP, a highly sensitive person.Line of focus, peripheral vision, and datum lines.Acutely sensitive to a range of noise frequencies and pitches, and unexpected loud noisesTaste, smell and memory links.Sensory overload to texture - difficulty swallowing medication, clothing labels, certain fabrics ... or being repetitively touched by another person.Being highly sensitive to criticism or confrontation (actual or perceived), body language, and others’ energy.Key takeaways:
While we all have a given set of ears, eyes and nervous system that reacts the same, it is how ADHD brains process those sensory signals that makes us more hypersensitive in many instances.Hypersensitivity is not a clinical ADHD trait in accordance with the DSM, however it is a common attribute that is experienced by many people with ADHD.Some ADHD brain reactions to ‘seemingly normal’ everyday sights, sounds, tastes, textures and smells may appear very irrational to neurotypicals: “Oh they get so upset over the littlest of things."Every individual is different, as with every ADHD brain in so far as some may, or may not, experience these hypersensitive occurrences.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024).
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.
Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss the link between ADHD and creativity – a mighty strength for many individuals with ADHD. They ponder what creativity is - from the arts, to communication, storytelling, and non-linear thinking.
Delving into what it means to be creative.How dopamine plays a part in boosting our joy in creative fields.Creativity, self-criticism, and imposter syndrome when comparing ourselves to others.Looking back at our younger selves to find where creative traits were very evident. Music, art, dance, crafts, DIY, photography, systems and processes, cooking, gardening, alternative thinking.
From hobbies, to careers, to household chores, creative thinking can be applied in every waking hour - even mowing the lawns! They chat about the links between creativity and dopamine, imposter syndrome, burnout and brilliance. They dissect their childhood and reflect on their present where creativity is very much alive and well.
Topics discussed in this episode:Key takeaways:
Creativity is more than just ‘the creative arts’. It includes creative thinking and problem solving too which can be applied to pretty much every, every minute of the day.Even mundane tasks can become quite interesting by applying a creative approach.Hyperfocusing on a creative hobby or project, while fun, can also lead to burnout or self-combustion, without life balance.Perfectionism towards our creative endeavours can lead to dismissing our unique talents – be aware: creativity need not be a competition. Creativity is a personal expression, much like storytelling.Links:
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024).
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.
Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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In this episode Julie Legg interviews guest Leonie-Ruth Acland (aged 68, NSW) who identifies with ADHD but is not formally diagnosed. They chat about how this came about, feelings of ‘deficit’ as a child, and the inspirational women she has met on her ADHD journey.
Ruth shares personal stories of her time in Java and Tanzania as a young mother, her association with the UN, her strength, emotional intelligence, and helping others to flourish. Ruth talks about self-compassion, the daily routines that keeps her grounded as an older adult with ADHD, ageism, her love of nature, and the importance of one’s personal growth.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Decision-making regarding seeking a formal diagnosis vs identifying with ADHD and being content with an informal diagnosis.Considerations around ADHD medication for older adults.Growing up as a child feeling a sense of deficit, undiagnosed.ADHD being genetically linked.Parenting and living overseas, undiagnosed – Java and Tanzania.Experience working in association with the United Nations.Ageism.Personal growth.Key takeaways:
If you identify with ADHD traits, and it makes a positive difference to your life with regards to self-compassion, understanding without the need to seek medication, a formal diagnosis may not be considered essential for some.If ADHD stimulant medication is not available for health reasons, other treatments, such as strategies and management tools may help.Taking time for self-care, daily routines and personal growth helps the ADHD brain feel grounded.Our personal strength, empathy and our drive can help ourselves and others flourish.The more we can understand and know ourselves, the more real we show up in the world.Links:
ADHD Women Explore The Neuroverse Podcast
Flourishing Education Podcast
Ruth Acland, Tanglewood
Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024).
Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you if you have inspiring ADHD experience/journey you'd like to share. We are looking for strategies that work for you, uplifting stories of overcoming adversity, or celebrating success.
Did you find this podcast helpful? Please subscribe if you'd like to hear more, or share with friends/family if you think there's a topic that may provide some insight. Our mission is to keep the ADHD conversation flowing and support each other.
Thanks for listening. Visit ADHDifference.nz to find video links or to say hello.
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