Hyperfocus is a show that zeroes in on what fascinates us about ADHD, mental health, and learning. Big questions like, “Does ADHD make you more likely to have postpartum depression?” Little nitpicks (TikTok was wrong about something?!), and personal conversations with everyone from old bosses and hilarious comedians, to leading researchers. Because on this show, hyperfocus isn’t the distraction — it’s the assignment.
…
continue reading
1
How are ADHD and chronic pain connected?
26:14
26:14
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
26:14If 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…
…
continue reading
1
The over-pathologizing of ADHD (From Hacking Your ADHD)
48:54
48:54
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
48:54This week on Hyperfocus, Rae is in the guest seat for an appearance on Hacking Your ADHD, a podcast hosted by William Curb. Listen for a fascinating conversation on a topic that’s really common in ADHD circles: the tendency to attribute everyday behaviors to ADHD. For more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at hype…
…
continue reading
1
Trans with ADHD: Finding good care shouldn’t be this hard
21:25
21:25
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
21:25One 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…
…
continue reading
1
The uncertain future of special education in the United States
37:15
37:15
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
37:15Last 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 o…
…
continue reading
1
Live Q&A: Is Tylenol really dangerous? An ADHD news roundup
45:00
45:00
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
45:00ADHD just keeps finding itself in the news. It can feel like a lot for those of us who have it or care for someone who does. Recently, Hyperfocus host Rae Jacobson sat down with a couple colleagues at Understood.org for a livestream to discuss the news and take community questions. Her guests were Dr. Andy Kahn, a licensed psychologist, and Dr. Keo…
…
continue reading
1
Suicidal ideation, masking, and overlooked ADHD: A Coast Guard veteran’s story
25:10
25:10
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
25:10Inattentive ADHD often goes unnoticed. It’s an easier type of ADHD to miss because it’s more internal and less outwardly visible than its hyperactive, impulsive counterpart. But left unaddressed, inattentive ADHD can be just as disruptive. Boys with the inattentive type are especially overlooked — they don’t match the stereotype of what an “ADHD bo…
…
continue reading
1
What could the AI boom mean for neurodivergent people?
31:47
31:47
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
31:47Artificial intelligence has cemented itself as the latest world-altering technology. It follows the same lineage as electricity, the television, the internet — the list goes on. Depending on who you talk to, AI is the greatest thing ever or the thing that will destroy the world, with lots of room in the middle for discussion and experimentation. Bu…
…
continue reading
1
“How I Met Your Mother” co-creator on parenting, disability, and language
53:46
53:46
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
53:46Craig Thomas is best known for his work on TV. He co-created the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” and has written for “American Dad” and more. He’s penned songs for “Sesame Street” and essays for “The New Yorker.” He’s less known for being a dad. For now, at least. He has a daughter, Celia, and a son, Elliot, who was born with Jacobsen syndrome, a ge…
…
continue reading
1
Revisiting the groundbreaking Berkeley Girls study
28:09
28:09
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
28:09To celebrate this holiday weekend, we’re reposting one of our early favorites. It’s a fascinating — and heartbreaking — deep dive into one of the most important studies ever done on girls with ADHD. Check out Rae’s interview with Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, leader of the famous Berkeley Girls study, and learn why Dr. Hinshaw himself calls the findings “de…
…
continue reading
1
“So, when are you having kids?” ADHD and deciding on parenthood
34:25
34:25
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
34:25One of the most inevitable questions that comes with early adulthood is also one of the most fraught: “When are you having kids?” The question is loaded with assumptions and pressure. It also seems to ignore the fact that having kids is supposed to be a choice, not a requirement. For neurodivergent people, especially those with ADHD, deciding wheth…
…
continue reading
1
The R-word is back, and it’s definitely not funny | Part 2
27:42
27:42
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
27:42We’re picking up where we left off last time on Hyperfocus for the conclusion of our two-part series on the R-word’s resurgence. Today, we meet a comedy writer who shares his personal evolution with the word and hear from a disability advocate. We’ll also learn more from our research correspondent, Dr. KJ Wynne, and have producer Cody Nelson back o…
…
continue reading
1
The R-word is back: How do you get people to care? | Part 1
23:51
23:51
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
23:51Last year, Rae and Cody at Team Hyperfocus noticed something unnerving: The R-word was coming back into public discourse. People, especially people in power, seemed to be using it more often, and more freely. We weren’t the only ones who’d spotted this upsetting trend. Researchers, disability advocates, and other journalists were also concerned. If…
…
continue reading
1
Best of: Did my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression?
30:26
30:26
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
30:26Happy summer, everyone! Because of the holiday weekend, we’re re-airing one of our favorite Hyperfocus episodes yet, which happens to be our very first one. We’ll be back in your feeds with a fresh show in two weeks. After her daughter was born, Rae Jacobson was hit by a bout of severe postpartum depression. Back then, there wasn’t much out there a…
…
continue reading
1
Is microdosing the next frontier in ADHD treatment?
38:57
38:57
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
38:57When you think about someone taking a psychedelic drug like magic mushrooms, the first images that come to mind probably don’t involve a medical professional in a white coat or any sort of clinical setting. However, the perception of these drugs is changing as researchers and health professionals continue to learn new ways these drugs can treat a v…
…
continue reading
1
What parents should know about the MAHA report
33:38
33:38
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
33:38ADHD gets mentioned a lot in the new report from the Make America Healthy Again commission. It’s pitched as part of the “childhood chronic disease crisis,” and the authors make a lot of big claims: Food additives cause behavioral disorders Time outside can help treat ADHD ADHD is overdiagnosed and overtreated But are any of these claims legit? We a…
…
continue reading
1
The MAHA report on ADHD is misleading — a researcher explains why
32:29
32:29
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
32:29On this bonus episode of Hyperfocus, we dive into the controversial new “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) report, released by a commission led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The 73-page document claims to explain what it calls a rise in “childhood chronic diseases” like ADHD, by pointing fingers at antibiotics, food dyes, and even a lack of outdoor pla…
…
continue reading
1
Money problems and ADHD? Here’s a financial therapist’s advice
30:11
30:11
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
30:11If you haven’t heard of financial therapy before reading this, don’t worry. It’s new for us, too. But when a past Hyperfocus guest told us to look up Dr. Christine Hargrove, we listened, and were so curious we had to get her on the show. Fortunately, she was game to share her expertise with us and our listeners. She kindly answered our basic questi…
…
continue reading
1
Ignored to icons: These trailblazers changed the game for women with ADHD
40:23
40:23
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
40:23On this very special episode of Hyperfocus, host Rae Jacobson interviews three of these women — Sari Solden, Terry Matlen, and Dr. Ellen Littman — along with Dr. Michelle Frank, a psychologist taking up the torch for a new generation. Together, they discuss how they met, their journey to legitimize ADHD in women, and what they hope for the future. …
…
continue reading
1
Mother’s Day special: Rae on ADHD Aha!
36:50
36:50
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
36:50Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now. In honor of Mother’s Day weekend, we’re sharing an episode of our sibling podcast from Understood.org, ADHD Aha! The episode features our very own Rae Jacobson and, appropriately, it’s a conversati…
…
continue reading
1
What does it actually mean to “thrive” with ADHD?
35:37
35:37
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
35:37“Thriving” is often held up as something to work toward in life, the gold standard for existence. If you have a learning difference or you’ve experienced mental health issues or even just went through a tough time, you’ve probably gotten some advice on what it takes to thrive. But for me, it’s never been clear what it means to thrive. It’s an abstr…
…
continue reading
1
Introducing “Climbing the Walls,” an investigative ADHD podcast
30:51
30:51
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
30:51We have a special treat for you this week on the usual off-week in our feed. It’s an episode of a brand new, investigative podcast called Climbing the Walls. If you caught our last episode, you heard from the podcast’s host, Danielle Elliot. She’s been working with a team of us at Understood.org to put together the limited series, which just launch…
…
continue reading
1
Meet the reporter who threw herself into the ADHD universe
27:37
27:37
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
27:37If 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…
…
continue reading
1
Can you really “hack” your dopamine?
29:40
29:40
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
29:40It often seems that the more complex a subject is, the more people tend to oversimplify it. If your social media feeds are anything like mine, that’s definitely the case. Especially when it comes to science. One of those often-oversimplified things is dopamine. This neurotransmitter, or brain chemical, has become a target for catchy headlines promi…
…
continue reading
1
Is ADHD genetic? We asked a Harvard scientist
25:00
25:00
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
25:00We’re back with another episode from our Hyperfocus field trip to San Diego. While we were at the APSARD (American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders) conference, one of the talks that really piqued our interest was on genetics and neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD. Genetic science is tough to understand. And, as you’ll h…
…
continue reading
1
Head, heart, hormones: Why women’s ADHD care should treat the whole person
26:12
26:12
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
26:12Earlier this year, Hyperfocus took a field trip to San Diego for an ADHD conference called APSARD, which stands for the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (quite a mouthful). A conference of ADHD professionals might not sound fascinating, but it was — and we learned a ton. But there was one person and one talk I really want…
…
continue reading
1
ADHD meds at risk? Unpacking the new executive order, DEA proposal
16:53
16:53
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
16:53ADHD medications have been in the news a lot lately, especially stimulants. In this bonus episode of Hyperfocus, host and mental health journalist Rae Jacobson talks about two U.S. policy items that could affect people with ADHD. First, an executive order from February 13 established the “Make America Healthy Again Commission.” The executive order …
…
continue reading
1
“Who are we missing?” One doctor’s lifelong fight for women with ADHD
27:59
27:59
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
27:59Dr. Kathleen Nadeau is someone who I’d call one of the godmothers of ADHD in women. She was one of the first people to stand up to the medical establishment and say, “Yes, ADHD affects women and girls, and we need to do something about it.” She persisted against the gatekeepers who’d call her and her peers “ADHD wannabes,” responding to their dismi…
…
continue reading
This week on the show, I’m hyperfocusing not on a topic or a question, but a person: the neurodivergent comedian and actor Emma Willmann. You might know Emma from her comedy (she’s done stand-up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) or her acting (she played “Beth” on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). But I didn’t want to know about any of that. I wanted to s…
…
continue reading
1
How to climb out of mental rabbit holes
26:28
26:28
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
26:28Sometimes, our brains spiral and it seems like there’s nothing we can do about it. This can happen to anyone. Maybe you have an awkward social interaction and can’t stop thinking about it — then your mind jumps to worse and worse scenarios, far from what actually happened. And for those of us with ADHD, it can be extra difficult to exit that spiral…
…
continue reading
1
ADHD Aha: Jessica McCabe (!!) on motherhood, social anxiety, and ADHD medication
35:25
35:25
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
35:25This week, Host Rae Jacobson shares an episode from ADHD Aha, another Understood Podcast, where YouTuber Jessica McCabe shares her experience being a new mom with ADHD. How to ADHD creator Jessica McCabe has been the source of many ADHD “aha” moments — so what were her ADHD “aha” moments? Jessica was diagnosed when she was 12 years old but didn’t s…
…
continue reading
1
ADHD, addiction, recovery: A yogi’s story
23:03
23:03
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
23:03If you have ADHD, the science says you’re much more likely to have a substance use disorder in your life than someone who’s neurotypical. ADHD brains often lack dopamine. Drugs and alcohol can provide a hit of dopamine, albeit a temporary one. That’s why it’s so common for people with untreated ADHD to self-medicate. Elaine O’Brien used to fit that…
…
continue reading
1
The “devastating” findings of a decades-long ADHD study
26:21
26:21
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
26:21*Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and self-harm. Please take care when listening and skip this one if you need to.* Dr. Stephen Hinshaw is one of the leading voices when it comes to ADHD in women and girls. That’s in large part due to his work on The Berkeley Girls study. (Its full name is The Berkeley Girls with ADHD Longitudinal …
…
continue reading
1
Neurodiversity initiatives: Branded lip service or real progress?
25:44
25:44
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
25:44At work, neurodivergent people face a bunch of different hurdles — stigma, burnout, firings, higher unemployment rates, and more. In recent years, all kinds of businesses have begun various types of neurodiversity initiatives. On the surface, these initiatives are supposed to foster inclusion and make working better for everyone. But host Rae Jacob…
…
continue reading
1
“Hope is not a plan:” How to manage ADHD at work
24:26
24:26
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
24:26ADHD can create all kinds of challenges in the workplace. Like a list of infinite things to do and to remember. A busy, ever-changing schedule. And co-workers who don’t always know what’s going on in your mind. There’s a lot to figure out. But recently, Rae Jacobson found herself wondering what it's like on the other side — to manage someone who’s …
…
continue reading
1
Two lifelong friends, two very different ADHD stories
21:04
21:04
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
21:04Rae Jacobson has been friends with Katherine Martinelli since they were 6. In the classroom, they were polar opposites: Katherine, a star student; Rae, scrambling and struggling with then-undiagnosed ADHD and dyscalculia. As they grew older, they both became mothers and professional writers and editors. Rae got diagnosed and found the support and s…
…
continue reading
1
Did my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression?
29:41
29:41
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
29:41Rae had heard that there was a link between ADHD and postpartum depression. But with a tiny baby to care for and a life to navigate, she had more pressing things to deal with. But the question kept bugging her: Does ADHD make you more likely to have postpartum depression? This week on Hyperfocus, Rae finally gets some answers to questions she has h…
…
continue reading
1
Welcome to Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson
1:44
1:44
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:44Hyperfocus is a show that zeroes in on what fascinates us about ADHD, learning, and mental health. Join journalist Rae Jacobson as she tackles big questions like, “Why can’t I get my ADHD meds? Who exactly gets to define a diagnosis? And can ADHD make postpartum depression worse?” New episodes launch every other Thursday wherever you get your podca…
…
continue reading