The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly MissUnderstood)

Have you ever stayed up all night replaying a meeting in your head? Or obsessed over an email? Or questioned every instinct you have? If making decisions feels like a full-time job, this one’s for you! We’re talking with Dr. Mark Schrime, a surgeon with a PhD in the science of decision-making. Hear about the exhausting cycle of analysis paralysis, second-guessing, and decision fatigue that’s a rea...

Why can a small stressor like a confusing email or a last-minute change suddenly feel like the floor just dropped out from under you? One minute you’re fine. The next, you’re overwhelmed, avoiding, and stuck in a loop of guilt and overthinking. Dr. J walks through what’s actually happening in your brain and nervous system during an ADHD mood spiral and how avoidance becomes “relief with hidden fee...

If your ADHD symptoms seem to have leveled up out of nowhere, you’re not losing it. Hormones play a much bigger role in ADHD than most of us understand, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Today, we’re chatting with licensed counselor Mandi Dixon about why focus, memory, sleep, and emotional regulation can suddenly fall apart in your 40s. We also dig into why ADHD meds may stop working...

By now, New Year’s resolutions already feel… kind of over.  In this episode, Dr. J breaks down why traditional resolution culture doesn’t work for ADHD brains — and how to approach goal setting after the January hype has worn off.  We talk about executive dysfunction, motivation, and dopamine. And we share practical ways to set goals that are flexible, realistic, and actually sustainable. No fresh...

The ADHD internet is crowded — and not all content is created equal. From unlicensed coaches to miracle cures and viral “hacks,” misinformation spreads fast and wide. The problem is that many prominent voices have little to no formal training. And algorithmic incentives encourage creators to bait their audience. Cate Osborn, known online as @catieosaurus, joins Hyperfocus to explain how the ADHD c...

Ever catch yourself spiraling over a decision and feeling like your brain won’t stop replaying every possible “what if”?  Dr. J is joining us to talk about rumination, overthinking, and getting caught in a mood spiral as a woman with ADHD. We’re breaking down why we get stuck and practical ways to interrupt those thought loops.  For more on this topic:  Try: ADHD Unstuck (a free self-guided activi...

Routines aren’t about perfection. They’re about keeping the peace and developing a sense of stability.  In this episode, Dr. J explains why traditional routines can feel impossible for ADHD brains — and what actually works.  Think tiny, doable habits. Attaching new routines to things you already do. And yes, leaving room for rest, fun, and even the occasional “I forgot my socks” day. For more on t...

U.S. kids are more depressed, stressed, and anxious than ever. ADHD and autism diagnosis rates are steadily rising. What’s going on?  In this episode o f Hyperfocus, journalist Jia Lynn Yang joins Rae to examine how major school policy shifts in the U.S. have changed what’s expected of kids, often with unintended — and serious — consequences.  Drawing from her New York Times reporting and her pers...

When ADHD overwhelm hits, it’s usually not because of one big event. It’s the work project and your kid’s school play and the relationship thing and everyone is out of clean socks... and now you’re caught in a spiral of OMG.  Today, Cate and our fabulous producer, Jessamine, dig into Reddit stories about work screw-ups, panic lying, and how pattern recognition can quietly turn everyday moments int...

Accountability can feel loaded with guilt for women with ADHD — especially after years of masking, late diagnosis, and being told you’re “making excuses.” In this episode, Dr. J breaks down why accountability hits so hard, how hormones and executive function play a role, and the difference between excuses and explanations.  For more on this topic:  Listen: Punishment for ADHD symptoms Read: ADHD a...

If you have ADHD or autism, research shows you’re at a much higher risk for developing chronic pain — a connection many doctors and patients still don’t know about. In this episode of Hyperfocus , we talk with a doctor who’s trying to change that. Dr. Michael Lenz, a Wisconsin-based pain specialist, explains what the medical community is discovering about the connection between ADHD, autism, and c...

In this final episode of Climbing the Walls, Danielle explores the frustration women with ADHD feel toward a medical community that can’t answer their questions about how hormones impact ADHD. Searching for answers, they turn to online communities for information and support. Danielle talks to experts about the latest research on ADHD in women and what the future of treatment could look like. More...

In this listener Q&A, Cate tackles two wildly relatable ADHD questions: sudden sensory discomfort during intimacy, and the maddening cycle of not being able to start a task… then not being able to stop.  From sensory overload and burnout to hyperfocus, momentum anxiety, and emotional regulation, Cate breaks down what’s going on and how to navigate it without losing it.  Thanks to our listeners for...

On episode 5 of Climbing the Walls, Danielle attends an ADHD camp in Michigan and hears stories from several women about being diagnosed with ADHD later in life.  Many of them have one thing in common. More on this story:  I’m sure my mom has ADHD. Should I tell her? What is the ADHD tax? “Who are we missing?” One doctor’s lifelong fight for women with ADHD For a transcript and more resources, vis...

On this episode of Climbing the Walls, ADHD finds itself at the center of mental health discourse — and some see it not as a disorder but as a strength.  Danielle investigates the origins of this theory and questions who benefits from the rebranding of ADHD. More on this story:  What does “thriving” with ADHD actually look like? The myth of the ADHD “superpower” For a transcript and more resources...

On episode 3 of Climbing the Walls, we see that as ADHD content explodes during the pandemic, many people seek care for the first time. That includes many Black women.  But new telehealth rules also open the door for potential misdiagnosis.  More on this story: ADHD symptoms in women How to handle a misdiagnosis A day in Danielle’s life For a transcript and more resources, visit Climbing the Walls...

In the next episode of Climbing the Walls, we meet Sari Solden — who was looking for answers. Why was she having memory issues? Why couldn’t she get her life organized? Where did this feeling of deep shame come from? Sari’s books have changed the lives of generations of women with ADHD. Her early research uncovered the truth that the disorder looks different in women. More on this story: ADHD symp...

We’re back with another spicy Reddit Reactions episode! This week, we dive into two wildly relatable ADHD relationship posts: one about a partner claiming “you lost your sparkle” (eye roll), and another spiraling over chores, shame, and new-job burnout. We unpack toxic dynamics, people-pleasing, clutter blindness, and why you’re not weaponizing incompetence.  For more on this topic:  Listen: ADHD,...

This month, we’re featuring our limited series Climbing the Walls . Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she explores the surge in ADHD diagnoses among women. She shares her own story and speaks with experts and women across the country to uncover why it’s happening — and why now. In this first episode, when Danielle finds herself among the many women diagnosed with ADHD during th...

One of the most urgent ADHD research gaps has to do with ADHD and trans people. We know there are lots of trans folks with ADHD. But when it comes to understanding how best to treat them, it’s a whole different story.  That’s why we wanted to talk to someone who knows this experience well. Ivan Hsiao is the founder of Trans Health HQ. He joined this week’s Hyperfocus to share his own diagnosis sto...

Ever said yes to sex a little too fast and regretted it later? Same.  Today we’re joined by psychologist and Understood Expert Dr. Ari Tuckman for a candid talk about impulsivity, ADHD, and intimacy. We’ll dig into the messy mix of consent, shame, and emotional regulation. And we’ll talk about how to slow down, stay curious, and find self-compassion after a spicy decision.  For more on this topic:...

Breakups are hard for everyone. But for women with ADHD, they can feel all-consuming. Dr. J unpacks why heartbreak hits harder when you have ADHD — and how your brain’s reward system, emotional regulation, and executive functions all get thrown off balance.  You’ll learn science-backed strategies to stop the mental replay loop, manage impulsivity, and start healing with compassion. If you’ve ever...

Last month, the Trump administration laid off over 460 people in the U.S. Department of Education. It included nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which enforces federal special education laws.  A federal judge has temporarily halted the layoffs, but it’s unclear what will happen next. For people who work in or rely on special education services — including 7.5 mill...

The holidays are here — and so is all the food, family, and sensory overload that can come with them. Host Cate Osborn sits down with Aleta Storch, dietitian, nutritionist, ADHD expert, and founder of Wise Heart Nutrition, to talk about food and ADHD. They cover what disordered eating looks like (and how it’s different from a diagnosed eating disorder), why sensory sensitivities can make meals str...

For many women with ADHD, the spark of a new relationship feels like magic. But what happens when commitment feels like too much to manage? In this episode, Dr. Monica Johnson explains the ADHD brain during the early stages of a new relationship. Learn how ADHD impacts attachment and commitment for some women. Get tips for how to manage coming down from the emotional high when the initial spark fa...