Hosted by Rosemary Davie-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard.
This informative and deeply personal conversation offers a nuanced understanding of ADHD(1). By integrating personal narratives with broader societal observations, the multifaceted nature of ADHD is demonstrated. Its complexities are also explored, from the disputes around its origins and treatment, to its tendency to overlap with other conditions, such as high sensitivity, anxiety, depression, and more. Common misconceptions about ADHD are challenged, and Gabor Maté's view of ADHD as a developmental issue, influenced by childhood stress and trauma, is contrasted with other theories.
Nancy reflects on her parenting journey, acknowledging the challenges she faced in being present for her children due to her own ADHD. She emphasizes the importance of love and acceptance in fostering healthy relationships with children.
Nancy also highlights the:
- Role that social media platforms, like TikTok, play in increasing public awareness
- Reasons for the rapid growth of ADHD diagnosis rates, particularly among adults
- Importance of attunement in early emotional development
- Impact of early childhood experiences on emotional regulation
- Value of support communities, where individuals can freely share, without being judged or shamed
- Need for a compassionate approach to those experiencing neurodiversity.
- Societal pressures that can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, particularly in modern parenting contexts
- Coping mechanisms, or 'hacks' that are developed to 'work around' ADHD symptoms
The conversation ends on an inspiring note that shows how understanding ADHD as a developmental issue opens pathways for healing and growth, both for individuals with ADHD and their families.
(1)ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is part of the neurodiversity spectrum.
About Nancy Evans
A certified Compassionate Inquiry® (CI) practitioner, life coach and meditation teacher, Nancy is also a seasoned intern for the CI Professional Training and co-facilitates two CI focus groups, one for ADHD and another for Peer Supervision.
Nancy is passionate about the Compassionate Inquiry® approach which she uses alongside her coaching and meditation skills, holding people with a calm gentleness. She often works with 'people pleasers', ADHD'ers, mid-lifers and sober folk who are ready to heal their core wounds.
Nancy balances her work with raising a family of three joyful neurodiverse sons, alongside her husband of 23 years. They live in West Sussex, with two scruffy rescue dogs, and enjoy nature, music and travelling together.
Through her recovery and deep personal healing with Compassionate Inquiry®, Nancy has become the mother to herself that she always needed in order to thrive.
Promotional Link: If you've been listening to our podcast and are curious about the transformative power of Compassionate Inquiry®, join us on Feb 22 for a 6-hour online experiential introduction to the Compassionate Inquiry approach and community . This link takes you to a web page where you can get information and, if you choose, register for the CI Experience event.
Videos:
Dr Gabor Maté: IS ADHD a Disease?
The Surprising Causes of ADD & ADHD, Explained by DR Gabor Maté
Books:
Scattered Minds
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts
When the Body Says No
The Myth of Normal
Hold On to Your Kids
Statistics:
Adult ADHD ranks in the top 10 mental health searches
7-Fold Increase in Adult ADHD Prescriptions Over 10 Years
ADHD US Diagnostic Trends
Quotes: "If we recognize that most of the problems that people are troubled with are actually problems of development, and it's those developmental conditions that we need to look at… we'll be asking ourselves. What are the conditions in this society that lead so many people to have a failure or or slowing down of the impulse regulation circuitry, and capacity? That's the first point. So it's a developmental problem rather than a medical problem per se. Number two, if you look at the tuning out of ADHD, why do we have this capacity to tune out? Protection from overwhelming stress. If I were to stress you right now by becoming abusive or threatening what options would you have?
The options are standing up and telling me to shut up. You also have the option of leaving. So you have the options of fight or flight. And if you couldn't do either, you would also have the option, given that there's many dozens of people here in the room with you, you have the option of asking for help. But what if I were to stress one of you and you didn't have the option to ask for help or escape or to fight back - then what would you do? You wouldn't do anything and so freezing is one option. Tuning out is another, just going absent minded, dissociating so you wouldn't have to feel the pain of the stress. Can you see I might have lots of reasons to tune out as a one-year-old, as a two month old, as a three month old? So maybe ADHD begins as a coping mechanism."
- Gabor Maté
"If your plants are not developing the way you expect them to, the first thing you would look at are the conditions. Too much or too little sunlight. Too much or not enough irrigation. How about the quality of the soil? You look at the conditions of development and if you want those plants to develop properly, you would fix those conditions. You wouldn't try to treat the plants for some kind of disease. Most of the time you'd be looking at the conditions for development."
- Gabor Maté
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