ADHD Aha!

Yasmeen (they/them) was a perpetual procrastinator. They would always wait until the last minute to write a paper or start an assignment. But then came a tough college course and an equally tough professor. Yasmeen’s old methods were no longer working, which set them on the path to an ADHD diagnosis.  Yasmeen reflects on growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, specifically their struggle with homework....

Emily’s challenges with executive function and sensory processing sounded very similar to those of their mental health clients with ADHD. Emily, who lives in Australia, does peer work, and their interactions with other young people with ADHD ultimately led to their own ADHD diagnosis.  Emily talks about masking their ADHD symptoms and feeling like a failure not just to their family, but to Asian p...

Kevin Lam’s parents never told him he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. And they might never have told him, if it weren’t for something Kevin, now 23, noticed at a recent family gathering.  Kevin is just starting to learn about ADHD and his symptoms: Hyperactivity, fidgeting, and trouble focusing. And he has some “aha” moments throughout the interview: Why was he always the class clown? Does his...

After losing her mom at 23 and having kids starting at 27, writer Jen Barton, now 39 with four kids, was in a strange place. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t feeling overly anxious or depressed. She felt creative and was bonding with her kids. But still, something “wasn’t right.” She started looking under every rock for an answer to her disorganization, “ditziness,” and chaos. What sh...

College student Chris Lozano seems calm on the outside. But on the inside, he feels “like a volcano.” He has trouble sleeping, sitting still, and stopping his mind from wandering. And often his only relief is going to the gym — to the point of obsession — or riding motorcycles. Hear how Chris came to get diagnosed with ADHD at 26 and why he went back to college to seek a career helping people like...

Like many parents, Michelle Lassiter started to notice her own ADHD symptoms during her son’s evaluation for ADHD. In this episode, Michelle, whose mom is from the Dominican Republic, looks back on how ADHD impacted her growing up in Mexico, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. And she connects this to her son’s experience with ADHD — confusing signs, feeling “stupid,” and the strengths they share.  Michel...

James Tai didn’t notice his son’s ADHD symptoms in preschool. But teachers did. They approached James and his then wife, which led to his son getting diagnosed with ADHD at age 4. Since then, James has faced an internal struggle that many parents of kids with ADHD face: where to draw the line between discipline and letting go.  James also talks about how being Asian American impacts his parenting...

As a kid, Olivia Chavez got disciplined a lot in school for her “disruptive” behavior. She would often seek out ways to move around and channel her hyperactivity. One incident led to an awkward conversation between her teacher and her mom — and ultimately set Olivia on the path to an ADHD diagnosis.  Olivia also talks about ADHD and depression, and mentions a time when she had thoughts of suicide....

Sometimes ADHD only make sense in retrospect — like when you find out who the killer is in a murder mystery. During the pandemic, actor Scott Watson’s trouble with focus hit a tipping point and made him wonder if he had ADHD. Once he got diagnosed — and after stumbling across a handy acronym — suddenly he could spot how ADHD had impacted him his whole life. Host Laura Key talks with Scott about hi...

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 r...

Single mom Andrea Robinson was confused and overwhelmed by her daughter Tatiana’s “intense” behavior as a child. Tatiana got sent home from playdates, would tell lies, and couldn’t sit still. An extremely candid remark from one of Andrea’s friends changed all that — and it led to Tatiana’s ADHD diagnosis. Hear what happened, and how Tatiana is doing now.  To find a transcript for this episode and...

Welcome to ADHA Aha! , a podcast where people share the single moment when it finally clicked that they — or someone they know — has ADHD.  Laura Key is not only the host but also someone who had her own ADHD “aha” moment. Tune in to hear about the unexpected, emotional, and even funny ways ADHD symptoms surface for kids and adults. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowerin...