Gina Pera's Adult ADHD Roller Coaster

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We often hear how unrecognized or untreated ADHD affects adults who have it. But what about the partners who live with them—especially when symptoms go unmanaged for years?

In this episode, I (Gina Pera) share a critical post from the ADHD Roller Coaster blog, spotlighting the hidden emotional, physical, and psychological toll that poorly managed ADHD can take on partners. I revisit my groundbreaking ADHD Partner Survey from 2004–2006 and connect those findings to a new 2025 study that finally validates what thousands of partners have long reported: chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and a declining quality of life.

We’ll explore:

How ADHD-driven behaviors erode partner well-being over time
Why early coping strategies often backfire
What the latest research says—and why it matters now more than ever
How to move from silent suffering to strategic action

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s “you” or “the relationship,” this episode is for you. Because when ADHD is in the mix, understanding what’s really going on is the first step toward healing—for both of you.

🔗 Read the blog post version:

🔗 Visit ADHDRollerCoaster.org
for related resources, blog posts, and details on my training and discussion groups.

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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Too often, ADHD is treated as “just” a mental issue. But what about the body? In this episode, I unpack what I call Physical Strategies—a foundational corner piece in solving the ADHD puzzle. We’re talking about the real-world effects of poor sleep, poorly managed medication, erratic eating, and neglected exercise. Each one can amplify ADHD-related struggles—and make other solutions harder to access.

I also explain why getting these basics in place can be a complete game-changer—not just for the individual with ADHD but for the whole household.

💡 Highlights include:
• Why optimizing sleep is harder—but more critical—with ADHD
• The overlooked science of stimulant medications (and why results vary so much)
• How ADHD disrupts appetite regulation, nutrition, and even hydration
• Why movement—not necessarily exercise—is an essential piece of the puzzle

This is part of my ongoing series based on my self-paced online training, Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle. Specifically: the second of four “corner pieces” that support everything else.

🎧 Listen now and share with anyone trying to find steadier footing in daily life with ADHD.

🧩 Learn more about the full course:
https://GinaPera.ADHDsuccessTraining.com

🔗 Full blog post version:
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-medication/adhd-physical-strategies-podcast/

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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Retirement: freedom at last—or a free fall into dysfunction?

In this episode of the ADHD Roller Coaster, Adult ADHD author and expert Gina Pera explore what she calls ADHD Retirement Syndrome. I

The sudden loss of external structure, purpose, and identity can turn what’s supposed to be the “Golden Years” into something far more chaotic, especially when ADHD goes undiagnosed or poorly managed.

You’ll hear real-life examples of how ADHD can quietly derail retirement plans—and what you can do to prevent or turn around the slide. Whether you're retired, approaching retirement, or supporting a loved one through the transition, this episode offers key insights and strategies.

Here is the original podcast: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/tools-and-strategies/healing-adhd-retirement-syndrome/

Mentioned in this episode:

📘 Blog post: Is It Alzheimer's Disease—or ADHD?
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-and-aging/is-it-alzheimers-disease-or-adhd/

🎙️ Podcast episode on ADHD & aging: The End Game with Don Akchin
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ep-17-diagnosed-with-adhd-at-37-and-now-she-writes-the-book-on-it--56984993

🎓 Online training: Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle: Practical Supports
https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/course-3-practical-supports

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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“Drug holiday”—sounds relaxing, right? Not for everyone with ADHD.

In this episode, I share real-world stories—including a raw, revealing account from reader Katy Rollins—about what really happens when ADHD medication takes a break.

Spoiler: it’s not always sunshine and calm. We’re talking late-night obsessions, hyper-cleaning marathons, and emotional exhaustion.

Whether you’ve considered taking a med break—or just want to better understand the role medication plays in managing ADHD—this episode unpacks the nuances with clarity and compassion.

🌀 Read Katy’s full post: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-medications/adhd-drug-holiday/

🎢 Related episode: Our Lost Weekend Without ADHD Meds https://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-medications/weekend-without-adhd-meds/

🔍 Remember: Ask questions. Demand better. ADHD is never one-size-fits-all.

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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ADHD doesn’t just affect one person—it affects the entire relationship. In this episode, Gina Pera shares five radical yet essential perspectives that can dramatically improve how couples navigate ADHD-related challenges. These aren’t your typical therapy clichés or pop-psychology platitudes. They’re hard-won insights from decades of experience, research, and helping couples around the world.

You’ll learn:

Why teamwork—not independence—is essential for ADHD relationship success
How to stop blaming and start troubleshooting
What “chicken-or-egg” dynamics could be sabotaging progress
How physical ADHD-related issues (like sleep or coordination) may be silently eroding your connection
Why self-education and self-advocacy can unlock lasting change—faster than you think

Whether you’re the partner with ADHD or the one without, these five tips can help you move from chaos to clarity—and start working together instead of falling apart.

📚 Related resources:

Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? by Gina Pera: https://amzn.to/41Pc51k
ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy: Clinical Interventions (with Arthur Robin, PhD): https://amzn.to/422uKFx

Thanks for listening—and don’t forget to subscribe, review, and share this episode.

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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In this episode, Gina Pera explores how ADHD-related brain chemistry can contribute to these post-orgasm challenges—and what you can do about it.

From early historical observations to modern neuroscience, from SSRI and stimulant options to alternatives like Karezza, this is a candid, compassionate look at a deeply personal issue.

🧠 Gina was among the first in the field to speak publicly about potential ADHD-related intimacy challenges.

She first tackled this topic in her groundbreaking book Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?—and later expanded it in her short book Adult ADHD and Sex: What You Need to Know (That Sex Therapists Cannot Tell You).

She also contributed a chapter on the subject in the clinical guide written with Dr. Arthur Robin in ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy: Clinical Interventions.

📖 Related links mentioned in the episode:

Blog post: ADHD and Sex: Post-Orgasm Irritability, Sadness, Jerkiness
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-and-relationships/adhd-post-orgasm-irritability-jerkiness/
Book: Is It You, Me, or Adult ADHD? https://amzn.to/422Hg84
Book: Adult ADHD and Sex: What You Need to Know https://amzn.to/3QR3chj
Clinical Guide: Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy
https://amzn.to/3Y0B2UT

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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Could your ADHD treatment plan be making your sleep—and your symptoms—worse?

In this episode, Gina Pera explores a critical but often-missed topic: the overlooked risks of antidepressants and sleep apnea in ADHD treatment.

Drawing from her in-depth blog post, Gina unpacks the science, the real-world consequences, and why many prescribers—and even patients—miss the bigger picture. You’ll learn:

How sleep apnea often flies under the radar in ADHD adults
Why antidepressants can worsen sleep apnea and cognitive symptoms
Why “treatment-resistant depression” might really be “misdiagnosed ADHD with unrecognized sleep apnea”
The importance of understanding how physical health influences ADHD symptoms—and medication response

This episode is for anyone navigating the ADHD treatment maze—or supporting someone who is—and wants to avoid costly missteps.

📝 Read the full blog post, including links to research:
Antidepressants, ADHD & Sleep Apnea: The Overlooked Risks

🎓 Go Deeper: Online Training – Physical Strategies for ADHD
Take the guesswork out of managing sleep, medication, exercise, and nutrition. Step by step, Gina breaks down complex research into practical strategies to help you finally start feeling better. Once and for all!
Explore the course here »

💸 Special Offer:
As a podcast listener, take 15% off the Physical Strategies for ADHD course with code POD15 at checkout.

Recommended for:
Adults with ADHD, partners and loved ones, clinicians, and anyone struggling with confusing or incomplete treatment results.

Subscribe for More:
If you find this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe and leave a review. It helps others find this life-changing information!

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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This episode is the audio version of my blog post on a sensitive but essential topic for ADHD-challenged relationships:

Why the common advice to “just express your feelings” often backfires—especially when ADHD is in the mix.

📝 Read the full post here:
Why Telling Your ADHD Partner “You’re Hurting Me” Isn’t Helping
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/tools-and-strategies/why-telling-your-adhd-partner-youre-hurting-me-isnt-helping/

We’re told that honesty and vulnerability improve relationships. But when your ADHD partner is struggling with poor self-regulation and self-awareness, your heartfelt message may not land the way you hope. It might even make things worse—for both of you.

In this episode, I unpack:

Why “you hurt me” may feel accusatory—even if it’s meant to be vulnerable
How shame, ADHD-related defensiveness, and poor memory processing can sabotage communication
The problem with therapy that leans too heavily on expressing hurt, without understanding ADHD dynamics
More productive, empathy-building approaches that support real change

These aren’t just opinions—they’re insights drawn from years of working with couples affected by ADHD, plus deep dives into clinical evidence.

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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With Gina Pera | ADHD Roller Coaster

Just thinking about getting an ADHD diagnosis as an adult can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Who can you trust? In this episode, I walk you step by step through what a thorough, evidence-based Adult ADHD evaluation should look like—and why it matters.

📝 Read the full post here:
The Adult ADHD Diagnosis: How Is It Made?
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/the-basics-about-adult-adhd/the-adult-adhd-diagnosis-how-is-it-made/

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why a diagnosis is more than just a path to medication
What the DSM-5 criteria actually say—and what they miss
What a skilled clinician should ask and observe during an evaluation
Why ADHD is often missed in women—and how to better assess it
How misdiagnosis with depression or anxiety leads to poor outcomes
What to ask when choosing a professional to evaluate or treat ADHD
How to avoid common pitfalls—and self-advocate with confidence

This episode is essential listening for adults considering an ADHD evaluation—or for anyone supporting a partner, friend, or loved one on that path.

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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This first-person story paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to move through the world with undiagnosed ADHD:

Constantly trying harder—but falling short
Wondering why life seems harder than it should be
Living with a quiet but relentless sense of failure
Receiving constant feedback that "You're not good enough"

Whether you're living with ADHD or love someone who is, this first-person account offers a rare window into the lived experience.

📝 Read the full post here:
When Adult ADHD Feels Like Not Being Good Enough
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/essays/when-adult-adhd-feels-like-not-being-good-enough/

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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This episode is the audio version of a popular blog post—all about overlap—and confusion—between Cyclothymia (a mood disorder) and ADHD.

📝 Read the full post here:
Cyclothymia and ADHD: A Risk Factor—or Misdiagnosis?
https://adhdrollercoaster.org/the-basics-about-adult-adhd/cyclothymia-and-adhd-a-risk-factor-or-misdiagnosis/

In this episode, I explore the risks of misdiagnosis and the fallout from confusing mood instability with core ADHD traits. Many individuals with ADHD are misdiagnosed with mood disorders—and prescribed medications that may worsen their symptoms.

You’ll learn:

What Cyclothymia is—and how it differs from Bipolar Disorder
Why ADHD-related emotional dysregulation is not the same as mood cycling
How misdiagnosis can delay proper ADHD treatment
Why getting the diagnosis right is essential before starting medication
What research and clinical observation tell us—and what the DSM doesn’t

This information is especially important for adults newly exploring a diagnosis and clinicians who want to avoid common pitfalls.

Send Gina a text!

READY TO GO DEEPER — AND ACTUALLY MAKE PROGRESS?

💬 I love helping you better understand the complexity of ADHD as it applies to you, not a stereotype!

My online training program walks you through everything step-by-step:

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle
For adults with ADHD and their partners. Includes expert video lessons and optional peer Q&A Zooms.

Learn more: https://ginapera.adhdsuccesstraining.com/

Podcast listener discount: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off any course.

Thanks for listening!
—Gina Pera

🔗 About My Work: https://adhdrollercoaster.org/about-gina-pera/

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This podcast is the audio version of a popular post at the ADHD Roller Coaster: Breaking Out of ADHD Relationship Dysfunction—After Not Breaking A Fall

In this story, I share with you some hard lessons learned. My hope is this might help you to smooth your roller coaster ride. More fun. Less whiplash!

[Please note; the first release of this podcast contained an error. I have fixed! Apologies!]

Here’s how ADHD couple conflicts typically develop —and become entrenched:

You’re several years into a relationship before discovering that one or both of you have ADHD.
By that time, you both have developed misinterpretations of the other’s behavior and counter-productive coping responses.
Not to forget: the lifelong misattributions and poor coping of the newly diagnosed ADHD partner, since childhood.
Entrenched assumptions and knee-jerk emotional reactions can perpetuate dysfunctional patterns—and exacerbate them over time.

Once there’s a diagnosis and maybe medication on board, it can still take enormous effort to overcome these automatic mindsets and reactions. Especially if you don’t know what they are or how to do it.

Moreover, how do you distinguish ADHD symptoms, which should respond to medication, from these entrenched poor coping responses? This is an often-overlooked essential challenge. In my long-held observation, it’s why even the best attempts at medication don’t create results folks are hoping for. It's also why therapy seldom works as well as it should.

I’ve tackled this and other essential topics for years, in my writing and in my presentations to the public and clinicians, from San Francisco to Turkey.

Now you can find ADHD couple interventions in my online training. For more information: Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle

The hard truth is this: The mental-health profession has not caught up to Adult ADHD. There are pockets of expertise but they are few and far between. Moreover, getting traction can take years, 50-minute session by session.

My program speeds your learning curve and gets you on solid ground.

In this podcast I mention another popular post/podcast:

ADHD, Empathy, and Dopamine: A Study, Book Excerpt, and Definition (blog post)

ADHD, Empathy, and Dopamine: A Study, Book Excerpt, and Definition (podcast)

Support the showI love helping readers, listeners, and students understand the complexity of ADHD.

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle — online training for Adults with ADHD and loved ones, with the option of joining regular Zoom Q&A meetings with your peers. Come join us and speed your learning curve!

Thanks for listening!

Gina Pera
About My Work
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This podcast is the audio version of my latest blog post on:

What's happening with Concerta's authorized-generic (brand sold as a generic, by Janssen subsidiary Patriot)?
What about the general shortage of stimulants that started in fall 2022?
What can consumers do now?

To read the full post, find the links, and follow the conversation in the comments:

Janssen Quietly Ends Concerta Authorized-Generic

How is Medication Working for You or Your Loved One?
Got a feeling that your physician is missing something when it comes to prescribing or understanding your sleep challenges? You're probably right.

Therapy, tips, tricks, coaching, timers....typically go only so far. You might go further if you could first get better sleep—and better results from medication.

Take a deep dive into ADHD as a Physical Issue in Course 2 of my online program—one that is revolutionizing consumer knowledge and self-advocacy.

Sophisticated science and clinical concepts — made simple, not simplistic. And step-by-step practical.

Truly life-changing. Even life-saving. Essential. Original.

For Individuals, couples, professionals

Solve YOUR Adult ADHD Puzzle — Sleep & Medication (Course 2: Physical Strategies)

I can't wait to share this rare knowledge with you! Check out FREE Preview lessons as the course page!

Support the showI love helping readers, listeners, and students understand the complexity of ADHD.

Thanks for listening!

Gina Pera
About My Work
Contact Me

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What can a published study — and an excerpt from my first book — explain about ADHD, empathy, and the neurotransmitter dopamine? That’s what this post is all about.

I started noticing a remarkable phenomenon 20 years ago. That is, stimulant medication, which targets dopamine, enhances empathy (or at least the ability to act on empathy) for many adults with ADHD. How is this possible?

You can read this popular blogpost (and the comments!) here: ADHD, Empathy, & Dopamine: A Book Excerpt, Study, and Definition

Support the showI love helping readers, listeners, and students understand the complexity of ADHD.

ADHD Roller Coaster Blog

My Books

Thanks for listening!

Gina Pera
About My Work
Contact Me

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For many obvious reasons, ADHD-challenged relationships tend to teem with arguments and conflicts. Especially when neither partner knows ADHD is in the mix!

Apart from that, why do some people with ADHD self-medicate with argument? What does that phrase even mean? I wrote about this in my first book, in 2008. Since then, we hear about it more online—but seldom in a useful context.

Simply, self-medicating with argument refers to the stimulation some folks get by provoking a conflict—consciously or not. It can spell disaster for your life and relationships.

Why does this happen? Case by case, we can only speculate. For one thing, getting angry and arguing can release adrenaline—and thus calming focus.

But we don’t have to know why it happens to know that it happens. Even when you do recognize the phenomenon, it’s no way to live. Rather, understanding paves the path to solutions.

In this podcast sharing one of my most popular blog posts, I delve into the complexities: Why Some Adults with ADHD with ADHD Self-Medicate with Argument

Support the showI love helping readers, listeners, and students understand the complexity of ADHD.

ADHD Roller Coaster Blog

My Books

Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle — online training for Adults with ADHD and loved ones, with the option of joining regular Zoom Q&A meetings with your peers

Thanks for listening,

Gina Pera
About My Work
Contact Me

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This podcast draws from a blog post at ADHD Roller Coaster. You can read the full post here:

Why A Support Group for the Partners of Adults with ADHD?

excerpt:

A support group for the partners of adults with ADHD? That struck many people as a strange concept in 2003, when I advanced it in the essay below.

Here in 2022, the need remains puzzling to some—angering to others—including some mental-health professionals—even those with high-level adult ADHD expertise. That must change.

By the way, ADHD Partner Group is still going strong, internationally. For now, it remains donation-based. That’s one less barrier to finding help.

Support the show

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Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy TM. Why create a special model for Adult ADHD-challenged couples? Why not just use standard couple therapy?

Great questions. I’ll answer them in this podcast.

Finally, I can also refer you to my online courses! With all sincerity, they are a game-changer.

In addition to elevating lives, my goal is elevating the standard of care, with therapy and prescribing. We just cannot accept the standard slap-dash approach one day longer. As for online "research," that is just too risky—and scattershot. Seriously, this is your life. You deserve better.

Learn more here: Solving Your Adult ADHD Puzzle—for individuals, couples, and professionals.

· I first explained in 2008 why standard couple therapy is typically unhelpful in my book, Is It You, Me, or Adult ADHD, including a chapter called “Why the Wrong Therapy is Worse Than No Therapy.” This book is as relevant today as it was then.

· My second book is Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy: Clinical Interventions, published in 2016.

· It is the first and only clinical guide presenting a couple-therapy model based on the evidence—that is, a careful and flexible merging of what works for Adult ADHD and what works for couple therapy.

· About my co-author: Arthur L. Robin, PhD, has long helped individuals and couples affected by ADHD. His strategies are battle-tested. In his primary occupation, from which he is now retired, he trained psychologists working at a children’s hospital. Both his ADHD expertise and skill as an educator shine through our model’s interventions..

· To be notified of new posts, subscribe: ADHD Roller Coaster

· Read the original blog post of this podcast here: Q&A with the Experts: Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy - TM

Thanks for listening!
Gina Pera, Adult ADHD Author and Educator
About Gina

Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?business=RQY9NXLNB9TEU¤cy_code=USD)

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ADHD symptoms can interfere with innate empathy—not to mention empathic actions.
When Taylor J had children, she vowed not to be like her parents: narcissistic.
She and her husband—both late-diagnosed—had tried to "teach empathy" to their oldest child, but the lessons never took. Or did they? Listen and find out!
In the discussion around "drugging children", what gets lost? Science and compassion.
You can read the post here: ADHD and Lacking Empathy: Was I Raising A Narcissist?

An Important Note: Check out my new online courses. With all sincerity, they are a game-changer.

In addition to elevating lives, my goal is elevating the standard of care, with therapy and prescribing. We just cannot accept the standard slap-dash approach one day longer. As for online "research," that is just too risky—and scattershot. Not everyone who claims ADHD expertise has it. Seriously, this is your life. For 20 years, I've believed that you deserve better—and I work hard to bring it to you.

Adult ADHD: Solving the Four Essential Puzzle Pieces

Thanks for listening!
Gina Pera, Adult ADHD Author and Educator

Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?business=RQY9NXLNB9TEU¤cy_code=USD)

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· How can you be blindsided by an ADHD diagnosis? It’s easy.

· Our culture has alternate explanations for virtually all ADHD-related challenges—e.g. depression, anxiety, and trauma. Even in this 21st Century, the mental health profession has not caught up to the science.

· When we finally learn, we are shocked: Why did we not know this before?

· How many relationships are imperiled by unrecognized ADHD? Maybe in the millions, just in North America.

· No matter how many “and then my spouse was finally diagnosed” stories I hear, each one moves me—and motivates me to keep beating the drum.

· This guest post comes from a woman named Claudia. I met her via a friend who is an Evangelical Christian—and who beats the Adult ADHD drum loudly in her community. Follow Christian Janeway on Twitter: @XianJaneway

· My friend tells me that many church friends have found themselves and their marriages in dire straits because 1) ADHD has gone undiagnosed, and 2) their church teachings call for wives to submit to and support their husbands.

· Cultural situations of all kinds can add another layer of invisibility to the presence of ADHD.

· You can read the post here: Blindsided by ADHD Diagnosis: One Wife’s Story

· My online training launches soon; be sure to subscribe to my blog to be notified: ADHD Roller Coaster

Thanks for listening! Gina Pera, Adult ADHD Author and Educator
About Gina

Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?business=RQY9NXLNB9TEU¤cy_code=USD)

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· What was your “light bulb” moment—when you discovered the possibility of Adult ADHD for yourself or your partner?

· In this podcast, I share results from the ADHD Partner Survey—the most comprehensive study of Adult ADHD lifestyle issues, particularly as regards relationships.

· The survey question was: “How Did You Learn Your Partner Might Have ADHD?” (read the original post at that link)

· ADHD Roller Coaster podcasts share the audio version of the most popular posts at my blog: ADHD Roller Coaster, the longest-running website of any kind on Adult ADHD (since 2008).

· My online training launches soon; be sure to subscribe to my blog to be notified: ADHD Roller Coaster

Thanks for listening!
Gina Pera, Adult ADHD Author and Educator
About Gina

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Why learn about potential ADHD-related physical manifestations?
Because, I believe, it helps us to move beyond seeing ADHD as simply about "focus" and "distractibility."
When my husband, whose ADHD late-diagnosis inspired my work 20 years ago, seemed unable to detect a powerful scent, I started sleuthing.
Could this, too, be related to ADHD—or something else entirely.
You can read the original post here: Can ADHD Affect Your Sense of Smell?
Thanks for listening!

Gina

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Welcome to an historical—and musical—perspective on the early stimulant Benzedrine and how its legendary misuse might have created lasting stigma around ADHD and neurostimulants.

Harry “The Hipster” Gibson wrote and performed Who Put the Benzedrine in Mrs. Murphy’s Ovaltine in 1944.

Some medical historians would place 1944 smack in the middle of the “amphetamine epidemic” in the U.S.. (It happened elsewhere, too. In the UK, a 1960 study of retail prescriptions showed 3% were for amphetamines.).

Click on this ADHD Roller Coaster blog post to watch the vintage video gem (classic animation by Max Flesicher, song written and performed by Gibson).

My online training is here—and providing Adults with ADHD and their loved ones the education and support they need—but is almost impossible to find.

Thanks for listening! Gina Pera, Adult ADHD Author and Educator
About Gina.

Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?business=RQY9NXLNB9TEU&currency_code=USD)

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ADHD and sleep.
It’s like any other ADHD-related topic: complex and variable with the individual.
Nothing about ADHD is simple—or cookie-cutter.
These common sleep challenges can also adversely affect marriage and relationships. Including your relationship with yourself!
Learn how to discover accurate causes, not based on potential misinterpretations

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Adult ADHD was made an official diagnosis in 1994. For years before that—and years after as well—millions of people struggled without benefit of diagnosis.
We humans love to solve mysteries. And when we don't have accurate explanations, we tend to create alternate narratives. Typically, this is not helpful.
In this podcast, I share selected results from my ADHD Partner Survey, the first and most comprehensive research into the real-life manifestations of Adult ADHD.
Respondents were the partners of adults with ADHD. Among the 64 questions was this one: What do you wish you'd learned earlier about Adult ADHD?
You can read the original post at my ADHD Roller Coaster blog, the first and longest-running website of any kind on Adult ADHD.
My online training launches soon; to be notified, subscribe to my blog: ADHD Roller Coaster
Thanks for listening!

Gina Pera, Adult ADHD Author and Educator
About Gina

Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?business=RQY9NXLNB9TEU&currency_code=USD)

Gina Pera's Adult ADHD Roller Coaster: Recent Episodes

Gina Pera