Jul 7
As Smart Ass women, we know ADHD varies wildly in how it presents compared to the stereotypes, but what do we do when the rest of the world hasn’t caught up? After a lifetime of having our symptoms dismissed by teachers, parents, and even medical professionals, it can feel terrifying and futile to pursue a diagnosis. My guest this episode, April Kane, was so worried about having her ADHD suspicions invalidated that she put off getting an official evaluation for years, despite being a clinical psychologist herself.
April finally got assessed and received the affirming diagnosis of ADHD she had been hoping for, but she knows not everyone is so lucky, especially in cases of inattentive ADHD when symptoms are internalized and easier to miss. April Kane emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy, gives a breakdown of the lesser-known signs of ADHD that are frequently missed in girls, women, and those with inattentive type, introduces me to schema therapy, and more.
APPLE
SPOTIFY
YOUTUBE
"Learning to quiet that inner critic that perpetuates all of those negative beliefs that you kind of have gathered up because of your executive dysfunction, that is the key to living life successfully with ADHD for me."
- April Kane
"If my brain didn’t work in the way that it does, I probably wouldn't be able to make sense of these things in the way that I do."
- April Kane
"I think this is one of the reasons why women and girls go so under the radar is because we mask our symptoms; there’s different expectations and rules and societal ideas for little girls."
- April Kane
- April discusses her work as a psychologist conducting forensic assessments for families in court, particularly in cases of child custody and abuse.
- April reveals her initial concern about finding the work emotionally taxing, but found it engaging instead, indicating her unique perspective and dedication to her work.
- April discusses her experience working in assessment and therapy, highlighting the importance of being detached and objective while still empathizing with clients.
[18:02 - 34:28] ADHD Diagnosis and Its Manifestation
- April shares her experience of being diagnosed with ADHD after years of self-doubt and research, despite being told by medical professionals that she didn't have it.
- April shares her experience of struggling with self-doubt and fear of not getting an ADHD diagnosis, and how it affected her self-perception and relationships.
- April describes her experience of hyperactivity as different from traditional expectations, with internal restlessness and busyness that's not just vague and flighty, but rather a unique combination of internal and external restlessness.
- April shares her views on the internalized sense of impairment that girls and women with undiagnosed ADHD may experience, feeling like they are not enough or that their efforts will never be enough.
- April struggles with executive dysfunction, feeling like a failure and internalizing self-blame.
- April attributes her success to her ability to think big picture, hyper focus, and intuition, as well as her self-compassion and ability to quiet her inner critic.
