366 | February Q & A with Brendan Mahan and Will Curb, Moira Maybin and MJ Siemens

Listen as Eric Tivers with his guests, Brendan Mahan, Will Curb, Moira Maybin, and MJ Siemens, answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of ADHD reWired. We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers. 

Ella kicks off our questions today, asking if anyone else gets anxious when faced with something unpleasant. Judith wants to know if anyone has any thoughts on QB Check and online ADHD diagnostic tool, and Stephanie wonders why she always read in high school, but now she has trouble picking up a book and finishing it.

Eileen shares that she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD and asked what the differences are from ADHD. Another question is, what do you think about cannabis use with a patient using stimulants? And the difference between under stimulation with ADHD and depression? Karen wants to know why she is on medication, but she is still losing track of work and life.

Caroline wants advice on prioritizing at work when everything seems urgent, and Vicky wants to know how to get her ADHD under control. The group agrees that your ADHD isn't worse; it's just that once you are diagnosed, you are more aware, so everything is brought more into focus.

Thank you for listening to this month's Q & A session. As usual, we cover a wide range of topics, and we provide some creative takeaways no matter what stage you're in with your diagnosis. Listen in as we discuss your questions and the struggle we still have dealing with our ADHD.

Your Resources:

• ADHD Essentials Podcast with Brendan Mahan
• Hacking Your ADHD with William Curb
• ADHD Friendly Lifestyle with Moira Maybin
• ADHD Diversified with MJ Siemens

You'll learn:

• [02:08] Welcome to the show, everyone!
• [03:12] Ella wants to know if anyone gets anxious when faced with something unpleasant.
• [05:48] Eric shares that ADHD is a performance disorder, and in the evening, their executive functions are at the lowest.
• [06:21] Brendan says the sometimes dithering is a less focused effort or attempt to get some dopamine flowing.
• [08:43] Judith is asking the group for their thoughts on QB Check.
• [10:27] Stephanie says that she is terrible now at reading books, and she wants to know if this is an ADHD thing?
• [11:10] Will says that reading is a muscle, and if you don't use it, you will lose it.
• [12:03] Moira talks about reading books you like.
• [15:00] MJ speaks about listening to audible books as a great way to learn.
• [19:45] Eileen has been diagnosed with complex PTSD and asks for insight into the difference between ADHD and complex PTSD.
• [20:40] Eric says that trauma is just about what happened to you; it's about how you handled and processed what happened to you.
• [21:22] Living life with ADHD without being diagnosed with ADHD is traumatic.
• [22:56] Eric shares that trauma lives in the body, and so most therapies done for PTSD are focused on the body.
• [32:02] What do you think about cannabis use with a patient that is using stimulants?
• [32:11] Eric does not believe that marijuana is not a treatment for ADHD.
• [32:58] The chronic long-term use of marijuana is impairing.
• [33:39] Brendan shares where he is landing on this question.
• [35:44] What is the difference between under stimulation with ADHD and depression?
• [35:57] Eric shares what he believes are the differences.
• [38:25] Brendan believes that depression is situational.
• [40:08] Brenda has a question about executive function coaching.
• [42:24] MJ likes to have a coach that has ADHD.
• [49:45] Karen says that she is on medication but still losing track of life and work.
• [50:05] Pills don't teach skills.
• [50:46] Caroline wants advice on the best strategies for prioritizing at work when everything feels urgent.
• [50:58] Eric says to read the book The ONE Thing. 
• [52:27] Identify that thing that is most important to you, and everything else is a distraction.
• [53:18] Brendan says to be strategic about who you share with.
• [55:32] MJ believes she should talk to her boss.
• [57:01] Moira shares that she changes her schedule every week because she prioritizes what is most important.
• [1:00:05] Do you have a to-done list? 
• [1:02:56] Vicky wants to know how to get her ADHD under control.
• [1:03:23] Identify what you want to work on and work on those things and learn as much as you can.
• [1:04:25] Don't take yourself so seriously.
• [1:05:25] It's not that your ADHD is worse, it's that you are more aware after your diagnosis.
• [1:06:39] Thank you for listening!
• [1:08:06] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at www.ADHDreWired.com