MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel
Understood.org
Listen to Recent Episodes
Hyperfocus: Meet the reporter who threw herself into the ADHD universe
Apr 17 2025 • 28 mins
Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now.If you follow ADHD news, you might’ve heard that diagnosis rates in women nearly doubled during the pandemic. Danielle Elliot was one of them, receiving her diagnosis just before she turned 37.Danielle is also a science and health journalist. So, she did the thing that many reporters are inclined to do — she began investigating this big, new thing in her life and how it fit into the world around her.As she dug in deeper, she landed on two big questions relating to the pandemic diagnosis boom: Why women? And why now? Her answers culminated in a new podcast from Understood.org called Climbing the Walls. It’s a six-episode series, and the first installment is out now.This week on Hyperfocus, Danielle visits the show to talk about her ADHD experience and what it’s like reporting a story where you’re one of the characters.Related resourcesListen to Climbing the WallsI’m a journalist with ADHD. Here’s how I get it done.ADHD and womenTimestamps(1:25) The origins of Danielle’s story (7:50) Surprises during the reporting process(12:05) What it felt like to get a diagnosis (22:14) Danielle’s big takeaways from making the showFor a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.We’d love to hear from you. Email us at hyperfocus@understood.org. 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
Tips from an ADHD Coach: People-pleasing everyone but ourselves
Apr 15 2025 • 16 mins
Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now.Many people with ADHD, especially women, consider themselves people pleasers. It can become a habit to start putting others first without thinking, even when it goes against what we really want. This can lead to some resentment down the line. This week on Tips from an ADHD Coach, Jaye talks about how pleasing others all the time can turn from selfless into self-serving. Listen for tips on what to do if we’ve spent our whole lives trying to please others at a cost to ourselves. Related resourcesADHD and rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD)Setting boundaries in relationships with ADHDTimestamps(00:39) Laura’s quote(03:08) ADHD and people pleasing(07:49) When people pleasing changes from selfless to self-serving(10:37) What can we do?(13:25) Recap For a transcript and more resources, visit the Tips from an ADHD Coach show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at adhdcoachtips@understood.org. 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
Sorry, I Missed This: Reddit reactions — ADHD, cheating, and weaponized incompetence
Apr 10 2025 • 31 mins
Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now.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.Are ADHD and cheating related? What about weaponized incompetence and ADHD? These are a few questions that surround the ADHD community.Producer Margie visits the podcast for another round of ‘Reddit reactions’ with more posts from the ADHD women subreddit. Listen for host Cate Osborn’s reactions on a few different scenarios related to cheating and weaponized incompetence.Related resourcesThe National Domestic Violence HotlineThe ADHD Women subredditADHD support for Women by Understood.org’s Facebook groupTimestamps(02:00) Post #1 “ADHD and cheating/Adrenaline and dopamine”(09:24) Post #2 “Narcissist cheater and ADHD”(15:30) Post #3 “Does anyone else sometimes identify with those ‘weaponized incompetence’ guys you hear about?”(21:22) Post #4 “I’m so tired of trying to compensate for myself AND my partner”(27:51) ADHD can be challenging, and you’re not aloneFor a transcript and more resources, visit the Sorry, I Missed This page on Understood.We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at sorryimissedthis@understood.org. 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
Meet the hosts:
Get new episodes in your inbox