Podcasts are amazing. I’m addicted to about a dozen different ones, ranging from sagas about surviving natural disasters to historical pieces on everything from World War II to the stories behind random household objects, infamous dictators and music. I can’t get enough.
 
While that alone is a handy connection to ADHD (the whole obsessive, everything, all at once mentality, what’s next, what’s next impatience and so on), I was recently awed by something I heard on a music podcast called A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs by Andrew Hickey.
 
Amazing in its own right—Hickey is thorough, insightful and engaging as an author and narrator--A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs did something I’d never have expected from a music podcast: provide a simple, relatable explanation for ADHD.
 
In the interest of sharing such valuable information with the hope that it helps anyone—recently diagnosed, those who’ve had it for years but struggle to explain it, parents, partners or family members not fully comprehending what’s going on with their neurodivergent loved one—I’ve taken the liberty of paraphrasing him here.
 
Full disclosure: I did try to contact Mr. Hickey directly for permission, but I’ve been unable to do so. I would be forever grateful if anyone could put us in touch.
 
Anyway, what’s going on with ADHD and this whole, “I have a pile of things to do, I’m late for work, my bills are overdue, and I can’t seem to get anything done, but REALLY want to go sort my rock collection and eat a bag of candy” executive functioning baloney?
 
Believe it or not, it’s predominantly physical. Chemical at that, thanks to our own biological reward system called dopamine, which I presume almost all of you have heard of.  As our Director Tara Carman-French notes:
 
“Specifically, there are three neurotransmitters that ADHD brains are deficient in: dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). Everything we do to accommodate for ADHD is aimed at increasing these neurotransmitters.  Move your body, take your meds, prime your pump, eat your frog, etc.”
 
Anyway, back to the basics, here’s Mr. Hickey explaining things in Layman’s terms:
 
“Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. More precisely, it’s associated with what’s called motivational salience and the brain’s reward mechanisms. When you do something associated with an increase in evolutionary fitness, like eating a high-calorie food or having a drink when you’re thirsty, cells called dopaminergic cells release a little bit of dopamine in your bloodstream, which then hit dopamine receptors in your brain.
 
That motivates you to keep doing that thing repeatedly if you can. Essentially, dopamine tells your brain, ‘Keep doing that. It feels good.’
 
Many of these dopamine receptors are in the limbic system, a part of the brain that deals with the way emotion and memory are linked. So, if you get a lot of dopamine from something, your brain also creates an association in your memory that tells you, ‘That felt good. You should do that again.’
 
Having the WRONG levels of dopamine in your brain can be bad. Too much can lead to schizophrenia, while not enough can lead to other problems like Parkinson’s disease or depression.”
 
“So, where is this going,” you’re asking me, the blog author. Read on:
 
“People with ADHD also don’t produce as much dopamine as other people, which causes problems. It makes it hard to say, ‘Ok, I’ve had enough,’ because the dopamine receptors haven’t had any dopamine. So, you keep eating more and more and more of the chocolate, trying to produce enough dopamine for those greedy receptors.
 
Conversely, you could try to do something really important, like writing a script for a podcast (or a blog post—ed), but find that you’re physically unable to make yourself do it. Your brain doesn’t get the same rewards for it as other brains, so it just refuses to do its thing.
 
So, in order to prevent you from, on the one hand, feeling compelled to do completely random things because you get an enormous buzz from them, or on the other hand, sitting staring blankly at a computer screen, knowing that you should be doing your work but are just completely unable to do it, the dopaminergic cells have a sort of monitoring system which checks how much dopamine is floating around in your brain. Not enough, and they give you a little extra hit—just the right amount—and they’ll stop producing it. If there’s too much, there’s a process called dopamine reuptake, where the dopaminergic cells suck the domain back inside themselves, lowering the level.”
 
Factor in that people with ADHD have at least one defective gene, making it difficult for neurons to respond to dopamine—the “monitoring” Mr. Hickey references—to begin with, and there you have it: putting things off, focusing on what’s probably the LAST thing you/they should be doing and a seeming inability to start or stop depending on if you’re looking for the dopamine boost to sate you or kickstart you accordingly.
 
Thanks, Mr. Hickey.

​Diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have been on a steady climb over the past decade - but one demographic is still being overlooked: women. 

Much of what scientists know about ADHD comes from studies that have focused on men, but the disorder looks a lot different in women, Dr Janina Maschke, a cognitive psychologist and ADHD coach, said. 

Women with ADHD are often dismissed for their symptoms - which might include shyness, sensitivity to noise and emotional volatility.
They're often told they're just 'bubbly' or that their symptoms are caused by their period, anxiety or depression. 

Men, by contrast, tend to deal with impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattentiveness more often than women with the disorder.
This created a system in which three times more men are diagnosed with the disorder than women. 

Some estimates report as much as 75 percent of women with the condition are undiagnosed, according to the Center for ADHD Awareness, Canada (CADDAC). 

This is in part because women get by easier if they suppress their symptoms,  Dr Sasha Hamdani, a psychiatrist based in Kansas City said. 
'Society rewards women for masking their symptoms,' Dr Hamdani, posted on TikTok. 

They mask these symptoms because women are socialized to be 'less disruptive and more compliant', according to the Sachs Center for ADHD and Autism treatment.

In turn, they may develop coping mechanisms like becoming detail oriented or hyper organized in order to hide their internal turmoil. 
To help give people a concrete idea of what this might look like in women, Dr Maschke told Newsweek 15 ADHD symptoms women commonly suffer that you might not recognize are characteristic of the condition.

They include: appearing withdrawn and shy, being emotionally volatile, frequently daydreaming, being chatty but a poor listener, seeming unmotivated, being sensitive to noise or fabrics, taking longer to process information, slamming doors, being easily distracted, making careless mistakes and often interrupting others or blurting out words. 

Some suggest that someone with ADHD already has a busy mind - and that unexpected noises, smells or touches can cause extreme discomfort and overwhelm the individual, according to Community Health Network. 

There are still some of the classic symptoms you might already associate with ADHD, including struggling to maintain focus, having trouble organizing, being forgetful and late, making 'careless' mistakes, failing to complete tasks or frequently shifting focus. 

'This difference in symptom presentation can lead to boys being diagnosed more frequently than girls, as they externalize their symptoms and might disrupt others at school' Dr Maschke said.

This is why female ADHD is sometimes referred to as inattentive ADHD, because women with the disorder may be better at appearing to pay attention - while being withdrawn internally - than men, who are more likely to act out when they're unfocused.

Females with ADHD are more likely to struggle to make friends, and are 3.5 times more at risk for developing an eating disorder, depression and anxiety than men with ADHD, according to CADDAC. 

Conversely, men with ADHD are more likely to develop substance use problems. 

While the disorder may be missed in some people, overall ADHD diagnoses in the United States are still high - and on the rise. 

CDC data shows the number of women age 15 to 44 who filled a prescription for ADHD medication increased 344 percent from 2003 to 2015. 

Between 2.5 percent and 4.4 percent of American adults, roughly 11million people, are affected by ADHD. 

It's more commonly diagnosed in children - roughly 11 percent of Americans between age three and 17 have the condition, roughly 7million people, according to the CDC. 

That's about 1million more children with the disease than in 2016 - a rising rate that led the CDC to declare ADHD an 'expanding public health concern.'
The average age of diagnosis is seven years old and 15 percent of boys under 18 are diagnosed with the disorder, compared to eight percent of girls under 18. 

Diagnoses tend to be higher among children because initially, ADHD was almost exclusively studied in children and there is no formal formal diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD, Dr Frances Levin, a Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University, said. 

Some experts therefore theorize that doctors are over-diagnosing the condition - especially in children. 

But, Dr Levin said, it's likely both stories are true - some people are likely misdiagnosed, while others are being missed entirely. 

'It’s difficult to get a clear picture of how many individuals in this country fit a clinical definition for ADHD, when there are no U.S. guidelines for diagnosis and evaluation of ADHD in adults,' Dr Levin said. 

If you suspect you might have the condition, it's best not to jump to conclusions before speaking to a doctor, Dr Maschke said. 
 
'As a first step, it can be good to start by consulting with a pediatrician or a mental health specialist who can conduct a thorough assessment.' 

ADHD is typically treated with therapy, and if a patient is over six years old, medication. The therapy is aimed at helping the person be able to pay attention, form relationships and self-regulate when they're feeling overwhelmed. 
 
Visit the original article here.

Wasting time? Never! But just in case...

Full disclosure: I’m 48 years old. Middle age is starting to look like a passing acquaintance when I’m barely over the realization—let alone acceptance that—I can’t lift, rebound, or party like when I was 20. No matter how hard I try.
 
Just writing that hurt a little.
 
What does that have to do with Learning Disabilities? A lot, actually.
 
It took me 46 years to learn that I’ve been fighting one heck of an uphill battle. The biggest foe in that knock-down, drag-out war of wills? A bugger called math.
 
Now, I obviously knew that math and I weren’t exactly chums since, well, I can tell you exactly: Grade Two. I specifically recall sitting at a set of four desks, watching my classmates blast through multiplication problems on their work pages. Heck, I can still smell the thick, pungent toxicity of that ditto machine “ink” and see the fuzzy purple problems all laid out in their taunting, snickering fashion. If that last sentence resonates with you, you’re certifiably old.
 
Know what else I remember? Squeezing my fists into tiny balls as I struggled not to bawl my eyes out and embarrass myself in front of the other 26 kids in my class because I just. Couldn’t. Get. It.
 
They were bragging about how “easy” these things were and how “fast” they were whipping through this ridiculous exercise that was only stalling them from a sea of green grass and dangerous ‘80s playground equipment. I was wishing I could crawl into a hole because this gibberish may as well have been Greek calculus.
 
Oh, and I had to stay in during recess to finish it with the teacher’s help as she coaxed me on, saying I could do it if I only tried harder. I’m surprised I don’t still have nail marks on my palms.
 
How strange that I would go on to fail Grade 11 math, squeak by, try—of all things—high school calculus (I wonder if I was vying for a Darwin Award or something), drop that for Finite Math and still have to repeat it! Getting, like, 52% the second time!
 
So, yeah, math and I? Not friends. The worst part, though, was that any other class or subject was no big deal. I wasn’t at the top of the heap, but I was an Ontario Scholar when graduating high school. No dummy.
 
Yet, boy, did I feel like one. I mean, what adult needs to count on fingers and toes when making change for a nickel? This thing just stuck with me as if I locked the answers in my own head and threw away the key. My self-esteem just wouldn’t let it go. WHY CAN’T I FIGURE OUT MATH??
 
Moreover, when you’re an adult and have to do things like, I don't know, budgeting, it can get a tad frustrating.
 
Fast-forward a few, cough, decades, and I’m sitting here post-psychoeducational assessment. Guess what? I have a learning disability! In math!
 
You’d have thought I’d have seen it coming. I honestly didn’t. However, once I learned that traditional methods of learning were like roadblocks and pitfalls for me when it came to math, a new world opened.
 
So, what does that mean? It’s simple: the answers are there, with me, when material is presented in a way that MY BRAIN understands it. Simply put, I’m my own key to my own lock. I just need someone to show me how to use the key in Way Y rather than Way X.
 
For me, it’s math, but this applies to everyone, everywhere. We’re all different, so we all have our own struggles. For you, it could be writing out your thoughts. Trying to listen to someone explain things as you process what it means. Spelling. Working memory. Name it. What’s important to know is that you, too, are your own key. Life can get easier (well, more manageable/tolerable) when you start hurdling the blockades instead of crumbling in front of them…at any age.
 
Do I enjoy math now? I’d rather give a rabid skunk a proctology exam in a locked closet. However, I can now do things like, I dunno, budgeting. Sure, I still count on my fingers when making change, but I’m not ashamed because my brain PREFERS doing it that way. My brain UNDERSTANDS doing it that way. I understand that my brain understands it that way, which is the most important part. I (usually) arrive at the correct answer, too, so who cares?
 
Most importantly, I’m not as tough on myself. I don’t feel so stupid for not getting what everyone else just inherently seems to know. I do things my own way. I’m not as stressed, depressed, or anxious, so yes, a learning disability has actually made me “better.”

Now, let me at that playground.

How ADHD affects driving and it's potential implications.
​Shamieh Law—Guest Columnists

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition associated with inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms put ADHD teens and adults at heightened risk for motor vehicle crashes. Researchers have found that those with ADHD are more likely to become distracted, which leads to preventable car accidents. In the interest of public safety, Shamieh Law has compiled this guide to ADHD and driving. 

ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common conditions diagnosed in childhood. For many people, its effects are lifelong. Those with ADHD experience the world differently—they tend to be more easily distracted and impulsive than their peers. These symptoms pose a significant challenge to ADHD teens and adults who get behind the wheel.
Those with this condition are more likely to drive recklessly, receive traffic tickets for moving violations, and get into car accidents. To avoid citations, injuries, or fatal crashes, ADHD teens and adults must understand and address the risks of driving with this condition. They should also adopt new habits to promote road safety. The team at Shamieh Law invites you to review our guide to ADHD and driving to learn more. 

How Does ADHD Affect Driving? Studies of adults with ADHD have identified a significant relationship between ADHD and car crashes. Scientists observed that those diagnosed with this condition were more likely to take risks, make errors in judgment, and violate traffic laws—intentionally and accidentally. In 2023, one study found that this risk persists into old age. Adults with ADHD between the ages of 65 and 79 were 102 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket and 74 percent more likely to crash their cars. 
These statistics reflect ADHD’s effect on executive function: the ability to reason, make decisions, and finish complex tasks. Proper executive functioning allows you to focus on a goal while filtering out distractions. It also empowers you to take in information and adjust your behavior accordingly. ADHD interferes with these abilities.

You can see how these symptoms impact road safety. In the context of driving:

• Inattention to detail results in missed road signs, including stop signs and speed limit changes.
• Lack of concentration causes preventable accidents.
• High levels of daytime drowsiness may make ADHD drivers fall asleep at the wheel.
• Distractibility increases the likelihood of checking devices, multitasking, and looking away from the road.
• Impulsivity causes drivers to overestimate their abilities and take unnecessary risks, which can lead to injury or death. Studies show that those with high levels of impulsiveness may also be more prone to road rage.

In-vehicle distractions like cell phones, large displays, loud music, and rowdy passengers compound these challenges. If you or someone close to you have ADHD, consider taking safety measures to reduce the risk of accidents.

Signs That ADHD Is Affecting a Person’s DrivingIn a car, drivers may experience four kinds of distractions: visual, auditory, manual, and cognitive. Seeing something brightly colored, hearing a phone notification, taking your hands off the wheel, or thinking about something else can all cause accidents. Identifying the symptoms of distracted driving keeps you and your loved ones safe on the road. 

Signs that ADHD may be affecting a person’s driving include:

• Forgetting to check blind spots
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Ignoring speed limits and other signs
• Rubbernecking
• Turning to look at passengers
• Texting or talking on the phone
• Trying to use social media in the car
• Struggling to focus during long trips
• Taking photos or videos while moving
• Reaching for items in the floorboard or back seat
• Falling asleep after driving for several hours
• Losing control of the vehicle
• Adjusting cabin controls constantly
• Failing to stay in a lane
• Missing stoplight changes
• Attempting to multitask
• Receiving multiple traffic tickets
• Getting into preventable accidents

​If you notice these behaviors in yourself, a friend, or a family member, it may be time to speak with a clinician about ADHD and driving.

For the original article, click here.

When assessing for ADHD and Learning Disabilities, psychologists rely on psychometrists, the people who administer testing components on their behalf. As the term “psychometrist” isn’t a part of the common vernacular, this can sound scary or unnerving. More so when we barely know what the assessment itself is or involves. With a master’s degree in Developmental Psychology (MA) from the University of Guelph and having been a psychometrist at Artemis for 24 years, Psychoeducational Consultant Charlene Rumble gives insight and quells the mystery around this profession.
 
Psychometrists are an integral part of the assessment process. They spend the assessment sessions with the client and administer the in-person tests. Prior to the assessment, clients are often nervous and unsure of what to expect. The psychometrists will try to alleviate these worries by answering any questions about the process and reassuring the clients.
 
The focus is not on “testing” but rather on completing a variety of activities that examine how the client learns best and what things will help them to succeed to their potential. We all learn differently and have different strengths. Clients are told that there will be various activities and that many will become more difficult as they work through them. However, they are not expected to be able to do everything. The activities are meant to become more difficult, and they will get to items that they are not able to do. This is part of the process to determine an individual’s strengths and challenges.
 
During the assessment, most of the activities are interactive between the psychometrist and the client. The psychometrist may have the client put blocks together, ask them questions, have them remember stories or write sentences. Clients can have snacks or take breaks whenever needed, as the assessment sessions are flexible to the client's needs. Psychometrists will try to monitor these needs.
 
The assessment is usually completed in two half-day sessions. However, in some cases, especially for younger children, the psychometrist will suggest that the length of the sessions be decreased and the number of sessions be increased. The assessment can be very long and tiring for clients, and some clients struggle to work for long periods of time.
 
After the clients complete the assessment activities, the psychometrists provide the psychologists with the scores from the standardized tests. They also offer a detailed account of what was observed throughout the assessment regarding behaviour, effort, and focus. The materials then move on to the psychologist for diagnostics and report writing.

You deserve a break. Hopefully, these help:

Jess Dinsmore – Administrative Coordinator

In May’s blog post, we explored ADHD and anxiety and how they so often intertwine. If you are interested, you can read about this here. Despite the complexity and common misdiagnosis of both ADHD and anxiety, many treatment options can assist individuals to live a more balanced life.  
Treatment approaches are different for everyone, but it often takes a holistic approach to manage symptoms of ADHD and anxiety. Let’s explore some of these options.

ADHD Coaching:
ADHD and executive functioning coaching can help individuals work collaboratively to address academic, vocational, emotional, and interpersonal life challenges experienced by ADHD. Coaching can also help individuals form healthy habits for a more balanced lifestyle, including managing daily life stressors, nutrition, exercise and sleep, which all correlate with both symptoms of anxiety and ADHD.
Read more about ADHD coaching here.

Therapy:
Various therapeutic modalities can help manage anxiety and ADHD, including:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is an excellent option for addressing and restructuring unhelpful thoughts and emotions. Often, individuals who live with ADHD experience unwanted thoughts regarding their ability to focus, motivation, productivity, and overall ability. CBT therapists can help work with individuals to identify time management, procrastination, planning, and coping strategies.
 
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is an extension of CBT that focuses more on acceptance of our thoughts and emotions rather than altering them. ACT can help individuals become mindful, commit to change, and embrace values rather than fight who they are.
 
Mindfulness-Based Therapies
Mindfulness helps individuals learn to regulate emotions, focus on the present to improve attention and distractibility, sit with their emotions, and improve executive functioning. Mindfulness strategies have been suggested to reduce anxiety and symptoms of ADHD in folks of all ages.
 
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
DBT is a helpful modality for individuals with ADHD and anxiety as it helps the individual build skills around emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, impulsivity, and attention.

Medication:
Research suggests that medication can be beneficial in treating both ADHD and anxiety. However, it is essential to monitor your symptoms as sometimes medication can worsen one symptom or the other. Working with your doctor to find the best fit for you is best. In addition, research has found that medication is most helpful when used in conjunction with therapy!

Exercise:
More research is coming out surrounding the wonderful benefits of exercise and managing symptoms of anxiety and ADHD.

When you exercise, your brain releases neurotransmitters, including dopamine and norephedrine, which play essential roles in our attention and impulse control.

In addition, exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which reduce stress and anxiety and can improve your mood.

If you’re thinking, “I hate exercising, I have no time, and do I have to?!” Try starting small and finding something you enjoy. It could be long walks outside, a yoga class, a bike ride, or dancing alone in your bedroom for 20 minutes.

Diet:
It is common for folks with ADHD to have nutrient deficiencies that need to be addressed to manage symptoms. This includes:
​

• Being low in omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D, which all contribute to brain function and cognitive development

• Imbalanced blood sugar levels: When people have imbalanced blood sugar, it can affect energy levels, mood, and concentration. Consuming too much sugar increases brain dysregulation, which can worsen ADHD symptoms. The spike in blood sugar and eventual crash can also worsen inattention.

• Quick tip: Before you opt for a sugary treat, try eating a more balanced meal consisting of protein to balance blood sugar levels.

• Gut Health: As we are starting to learn, the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in brain health and neurotransmitter production. The brain and the gut communicate, and any changes in gut microbiota can affect brain function and behaviour. Newer research suggests that targeting the gut microbiome as a therapeutic intervention may help regulate symptoms of ADHD.

Most importantly, everything is about balance! What works for one person may not work for another. Focusing on a more holistic approach may help improve attention, regulate emotions, improve motivation, executive functioning, and overall well-being.

There are many other treatment options and tools available for managing symptoms of ADHD and anxiety. What’s something that helps you? Leave us a comment!