Julie Legg speaks with Hufsa Ahmad (a licensed clinical social worker, scientist, and mental health advocate) about her journey navigating ADHD, bipolar disorder, addiction, and repeated misdiagnoses. Hufsa shares how being a high-achieving, internally motivated student meant her ADHD often went unnoticed, and how co-occurring conditions like bipolar disorder complicated her diagnosis and treatment.

This is a compassionate look at what happens when neurodivergent identities are misunderstood or dismissed and how curiosity, humour, and self-compassion can become essential tools for healing and growth. Hufsa’s insights as both clinician and lived-experience advocate offer validation for anyone living with multiple diagnoses or feeling unseen in traditional mental health narratives.

Key Points from the Episode

• Hufsa's ADHD was repeatedly diagnosed and undiagnosed due to her high academic performance and non-stereotypical traits.
• The challenges of co-occurring ADHD and bipolar disorder and how overlapping symptoms often lead to misinterpretation or mistreatment.
• Why "undiagnosing" someone is still a form of diagnosis — and often a harmful one.
• How high-achieving individuals with ADHD are often dismissed and the emotional toll that takes.
• The tension between “is it ADHD or is it just me?” and how that impacts identity and self-compassion.
• The impact of masking, internalised stigma, and imposter syndrome on neurodivergent people.
• Self-regulation strategies: from meditation and cycling to going offline and reducing social media use.
• Hufsa’s upcoming book, Same Shiite, Different Day, and how it reflects the nonlinear, multi-faceted nature of an ADHD brain.

Links

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hufsaahmad/

WEBSITE: https://hufsaahmad.com/speaker/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/hufsaahmad/

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ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More