Podcast tackles adult ADHD | Vicky Meets

• What is your podcast called and what is it about?

It’s called 'Is It My ADHD' and I interview women and non-binary people about what it really feels like to have ADHD.

• Why did you create the podcast?

I was diagnosed at the beginning of 2021 after it was randomly suggested by an audiologist who had ADHD himself that I get assessed. I honestly thought it was something really disruptive little boys were labelled with, but the more I investigated, the more I realised it just presents differently in women and girls, and I found the gender and race gap addling diagnosis completely infuriating. As a journalist, I wanted to share what I’d found out and hopefully help more people either better understand themselves beyond the ADHD stereotype, or just find comfort in knowing they’re not alone.

• Is this something just for those with ADHD or does it have a broader reach?

The psychiatrist I’m working with on it has always made it clear how valuable it can be to psycho-educate those around us to better support people with ADHD, so I think it has something for everyone. I’ve also received messages from both partners and friends of people with ADHD saying how comforting it’s been to better understand what their loved one is going through.

• What are the biggest misconceptions about ADHD?

That it’s just something that affects little boys! And that anyone who has it is just manic and disruptive. Of the people I’ve interviewed for the podcast, none of them are either little boys or manic!

• And why are we suddenly hearing more about (late) diagnosis in women?

There are thought to be over two million women with undiagnosed ADHD in the UK alone, so there are a lot of people looking for answers. The problem historically has been that the research and diagnostic criteria are skewed towards a white male case study – this is now changing (the NICE guidelines for spotting ADHD in women and girls were updated in 2016), so awareness is just starting to grow in certain areas. The system still largely relies on patients advocating for themselves with an understanding of what ADHD might look like for them, but the more we talk about it and help those women and non-binary people to get the right diagnosis, the better.

• What is the best advice you can give someone who suspects that they may have ADHD?

The best place to start is your GP surgery. It’s good to have done some reading around the symptoms so you feel you can be clear about your symptoms and why you feel you need an assessment, but if it’s also worth bearing in mind not all GPs are well versed in ADHD as yet, so going armed with research can be really helpful.

• Where can we find more information about Is It My ADHD?

Is It My ADHD is available on all podcast platforms but you can find it via my Instagram account @isitmyadhd