But For Real Episode 12: TOO MANY TABS  😶‍🌫️ The ADHD Episode

Podcast
Written By Colleen Werner

Conversations about ADHD (some helpful, some the complete opposite) are practically everywhere in our current world.

Valerie Martin and Emerson Ryder Nashville Therapists

With all of the content flowing around these days, it can be hard to sort through what’s fact, what’s fiction, and what may be somewhere in between.

In this episode, Val and Emerson take a deep dive into what ADHD really is, beyond what short form content often misses. Whether you have ADHD, think you might have ADHD, love someone with ADHD, or are just curious about WTF it is, this episode is for you!

And as always, we get into plenty of other fun stuff – including cats with arthritis wearing beanies 🥹

This episode covers:

Tea & Crumpets

This week, Emerson is obsessed with curating the best vibes for reading. She recently started reading the Fourth Wing series along with her best friend, and she’s been creating the coziest atmosphere to maximize her reading experience, including ambient videos on YouTube.

This week, Val is tackling boundaries with her phone through keeping it in a pouch when she’s not using it, as well as using the JOMO (joy of missing out) app! It’s helping her stay more connected to her day to day life and get less caught up in the ways that technology steals our focus.

Step Into My Office

This episode’s reader submission is about a listener who loved reading as a kid and could read for hours on end but struggles as an adult to read more than a few paragraphs. Can anyone else relate? 🙋‍♀️

Val and Emerson give tips such as curating your reading environment and setting timers for reading while keeping your phone in another room. If you want more tips, listen to the full episode 💁🏻‍♀️

The DSM: All Things ADHD

This segment starts with Valerie defining what ADHD actually is: a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts executive functioning. She breaks down the different “flavors” of ADHD, what executive functioning means, and how dopamine plays a role.

Then, Emerson explores why everyone “all of a sudden” supposedly has ADHD. She breaks down how more awareness = more diagnoses, the TikTok and social media effect, self-diagnosis and misdiagnosis, and more.

If you want to dive more into what ADHD is, what the diagnosis process is like, and a survival guide, check out the full episode!

Now That’s What I Call…OKAAAAY

Emerson’s pick for the week is ADHD by Mae Stephens. Mae is a British singer-songwriter, and the song centers around her experiences with ADHD and normalizing them vs. labeling them as a disorder.

Val’s pick for the week is Where Is My Mind by The Pixies. The song was on their 1988 debut album and was inspired by the frontman’s experiences while scuba diving in the Caribbean. It has an iconic guitar riff, and made the cut of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time 2021 list!

Fire Dumpster Phoenix

With the current news cycle, finding hopeful headlines was quite the challenge…but Val and Em did it! 👏

Val’s find for the week was an article titled “Stories to Unite Bangladesh.” The interim government put in place in Bangladesh after the fall of a brutal dictator has wanted to put the task of reinviting society in the hands of the people. Officials have created a project to mentor a new generation of filmmakers, with the hope of restoring trust and building empathy through storytelling. In a world that often overlooks the power of art, this is such an inspiring take!

Emerson’s find for the week was an article about cats with arthritis are wearing beanies! The University of Montreal has found a way to scan the brains of cats while they’re still awake, using electrodes concealed under specially-knitted wool caps. Not only is this adorable, but it’s also incredibly hopeful for getting these sweet kitties some relief 🥹

If you want to learn more about any (or all) of these topics, click the podcast player at the top of this post or the YouTube video down below to listen to the full episode and dive in with us.

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DISCLAIMER: But For Real Podcast is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment or healthcare. This podcast is solely for entertainment and educational purposes. If you are in crisis, please utilize crisis support services, such as the Crisis Text Line (Text START to 741741 in the US) or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: (Call 988 in the US), or visit www.findahelpline.com for international resources.

Colleen Werner
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But For Real Episode 11: The Sleep Episode