Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #346: Voicemails from the ADHD Trenches: Marriage, Faith, Regret, and Rage (Yep, We’re Going There)

Listen to the full conversation in the original episode HERE.

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In this episode, we’re diving into something I really wish I had known about sooner: ARFID — Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

ARFID is a serious eating disorder that has nothing to do with body image or weight loss. Instead, it’s driven by things that are incredibly common for ADHD and autistic folks — sensory sensitivities, low appetite, lack of interest, anxiety, and fear of negative food experiences (like choking or vomiting).

If you or someone you love:

1. forgets to eat to eat
2. lives off a small list of “safe foods”
3. feels overwhelmed by textures, smells, or food prep
4. has been called a “picky eater” your whole life

…this episode might feel like a huge lightbulb moment.

We’re talking about:

1. what ARFID actually is (and why it’s not just picky eating)
2. how sensory issues, anxiety, and interoception play a role
3. the real physical and emotional impacts
4. why it shows up so often in neurodivergent people
5. how support and treatment actually work

I’m also sharing personally — because learning about ARFID made me look at my own life and my kids in a completely new way.

If this episode resonates, please share it with someone who needs to hear:

https:///www.ihaveadhd.com/10things

Equip Health

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #338: From “Leaf in the Wind” to Coach: Sarah’s ADHD Glow-Up

Listen to the full conversation in the original episode HERE.

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BUCKLE UP! The next hour is going to be a little wild—in the best way.

In today’s episode, I’m answering a couple of your voicemails, diving into emerging research on the link between ADHD and early perimenopause, and responding to a very fear-heavy Wall Street Journal reel about ADHD medication.

We’re talking about:

• The idea of a “drug cascade” and why extreme cases don’t equal common outcomes

• ADHD comorbidities (because ADHD rarely travels alone)

• What responsible journalism should look like

• Why treating ADHD is often the beginning of understanding someone’s full mental health picture—not the start of doom

• The reality of diagnosing very young kids (and the privilege conversation around that)

• What effective ADHD therapy would actually need to include (hint: the whole family)

If you’ve felt confused, scared, frustrated, or just exhausted by the ADHD discourse online lately… this episode will help you take a breath.

As always, nuance > panic.

Reel from WSJ that I break down in this episode

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #333: Want to Stay Behind Forever? Keep Ignoring Your Capacity

Listen to the full conversation in the original episode HERE.

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In today’s episode, we’re talking about ADHD that looks like overwhelmed and under-functioning: when your brain gets so flooded that it can’t prioritize, and instead of choosing a next step… it shuts down.

You’ll learn what overwhelm really is in the context of ADHD (total cognitive, emotional, and/or sensory flooding), why “freeze” can be a very real nervous system response, and how this pattern often develops especially for those who grew up criticized, emotionally unsafe, unsupported, or chronically overwhelmed. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not hyper—I’m stuck,” this episode is for you.

We’ll break down the common pattern: Overwhelm → Freeze → Underfunctioning

Not because you don’t care, but because your system can’t handle the load.

Then we move into gentle, practical ways to “thaw” without bullying yourself:

1. Name it and accept it (without shame)
2. Use safe, doable movement to activate your system
3. Shrink the cognitive load (two essentials, tiny timers, one-minute starts)
4. Borrow someone else’s brain (ask for help, then obey)
5. Reduce decisions wherever possible
6. Practice deep self-compassion as the pathway to change

Finally, we talk about when to get extra support—especially trauma-informed therapy and nervous-system-based approaches like EMDR or somatic work.

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #332: Stop Adding to the Planner Graveyard: One Tool to Improve ADHD Time Blindness NOW

Listen to the full conversation in the original episode HERE.

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This is part two of our series on dysfunctional families and ADHD.

If last week’s episode felt heavy, emotional, or disorienting, that makes sense. Episode one was about naming reality—and naming reality can stir grief, anger, relief, or all three. But we can’t change what we’re not willing to name.

Today, we answer the next (and crucial) question:

If that’s dysfunction… what does health actually look like?

Because knowing what you don’t want isn’t enough. You also need a clear picture of what you’re moving toward.

In this episode, I walk you through 10 signs of a healthy, functional family—not perfect families, not calm-all-the-time families, but regulated-enough, repair-focused, emotionally safe-enough families. Yes, even with ADHD.

We talk about:

1. Why repair—not perfection—is the real difference between healthy and dysfunctional families
2. What direct communication, emotional attunement, boundaries, and accountability actually look like in real life
3. How to end parentification and create age-appropriate roles
4. Why unconditional love, safety, and reliable care matter more than appearances
5. Small, realistic shifts you can make without shame or perfectionism

This isn’t a pass/fail checklist. It’s about direction, not perfection.

If you’re pausing, noticing, repairing, and setting boundaries—you are already changing the pattern. And that’s how generational cycles end.

Your family can be marked by safety, honesty, connection, and repair. Even with ADHD. Especially with ADHD.

Resources mentioned:

@codependencykate

@timfletcherco

@sitwithwhit

@benvbennett

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Want help with your ADHD? Join FOCUSED!

Have questions for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.