Welcome to Hacking your ADHD. I'm your host, William Curb, and I have ADHD. On this podcast, I dig into the tools, tactics, and best practices to help you work with your ADHD Brain. Today I'm joined by Skye Waterson for our research recap series. In this series, we take a look at a single research paper and dive into what the paper says, how it was conducted, and try and find any practical takeaways.

In this episode, we're going to be discussing a paper called Bullying in Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, analyzing Student Social Status, and Student Teacher Relationship Quality. So, a lot to talk about here, and I'm sure this is going to relate to a lot of people.

If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at https://HackingYourADHD.com/261

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Hey team,

Today, we've got a heavy but necessary topic. We're looking at what happens when ADHD goes unsupported and the stakes get high. In this episode, I'm joined by Sarah Templeton, a counselor, activist, and author of The Prison Counselor. Sarah spent years working inside the UK prison system before getting her own diagnosis at age 51, which led to some massive realizations about the people she was working with.

In our conversation today, we look at the startling prevalence of neurodiversity in the prison population and how a lack of diagnosis fuels a cycle of reoffending. We explore the stark reality of the "school to prison pipeline" and the specific ADHD traits that land people in legal trouble. It's not just about being a trouble-maker, but about impulsivity, risk-taking, and a heightened sense of justice. And I know that last one might sound counterintuitive, but don't worry, we get into that in the episode.

This is an incredibly important episode to me because I believe that it's one of my jobs to use my privilege as someone with an audience to highlight the struggles in our community from some of our most underserved populations. And our ADHD siblings in prison are definitely a prime example of people who had the system fail them and are now paying the price.

Before we get started, I also just wanted to mention that there is some talk of suicide in this episode, so if that is something you are sensitive about, I just wanted to let you know.

If you'd like to follow along on the show notes page, you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/260

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD

This Episode's Top Tips

1. 1. While we often associate trouble with malice, many people with ADHD end up in legal or social trouble purely because they reacted impulsively to perceived unfairness. Recognizing this trait as a heightened sense of justice can help you pause before intervening in situations that might escalate.
   2. Severe boredom can physically feel like pain for the ADHD brain, leading to high-risk behaviors just to feel something. Acknowledging that boredom is a trigger state can help you find safer dopamine outlets before you do something regrettable.
   3. When trying to tame an addiction, traditional reduction techniques often fail for ADHD brains because of our "all or nothing" dopamine response. If you are struggling with substance use, ensure your support team understands ADHD, as "just one drink" can trigger a massive dopamine cascade that neurotypical advice doesn't account for.
   4. Work on reframing the idea of an excuse vs a reason. If we can understand that our brain wiring causes certain behaviors (like risk-taking), this isn't an excuse to keep doing them; it's the explanation that gives us permission to stop hating ourselves and seek out tools and strategies that can help manage behaviors.

This week, we are rebroadcasting an insightful earlier episode featuring Dr. Judy Ho, a clinical and forensic neuropsychologist with a PhD in clinical psychology. She focuses on mental health, ADHD, and various psychological disorders. She is triple board-certified and is a tenured associate professor at Pepperdine University, where she teaches graduate-level psychology.

In our conversation, we delve into how ADHD can impact self-esteem, the importance of understanding your brain's wiring, and practical ways to manage attention and relationships. Dr. Ho shares insights into how cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help train your attention and how reframing your thoughts can reduce self-sabotage.

Dr. Ho also shares some of her favorite strategies for improving focus, managing emotional regulation, and using mindfulness to tackle ADHD challenges. Whether you're struggling with self-sabotage or finding it hard to keep up with tasks, this episode is packed with tips that will help you thrive with ADHD.

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Find the show note at HackingYourADHD.com/197