ADHD Aha! | ADHD, social awkwardness, and ghosting (Allison’s story)

Allison O’Keefe, a UX designer in Detroit, always felt she rubbed people the wrong way. Then, in her early teen years, one of her friends confirmed it when she called Allison “the annoying friend” behind her back. This made Allison more cautious in social situations, which often overwhelmed her. Worse, she also found herself accidentally “ghosting” people, forgetting to respond to their messages.
Eventually, a therapist asked her if she’d ever been diagnosed with ADHD, and the diagnosis started to make a lot of sense. She now feels less isolated - even as she still grapples with how open she wants to be about her ADHD.
How do folks with ADHD navigate these choppy social waters? Listen in as Laura and Allison sort through these questions and more.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
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Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

[@SunnyGirlFlorida]

Can so relate to picking up new hobbies, planning roadtrips, taking courses and starting careers. Have spent countless hours researchng and buying thousands of dollars worth of supplies and dreaming of exciting, big things. Only to drop them immediately and not even miss them. Especially embarrassing after excitedly telling people about my new passions. Makes a person feel like a failure and profound disapointment in themselves and life once again. A couple people asked me to send them postcards on a recent trip. Purchased the cards at various stores, bought stamps and got their addresses. Reminded myself a dozen times. and still never sent them the three months I was out-of-town. All, because I didn't know what to write. So, now half a year later, I still beat myself up because I promised to write but broke my word. ADHD is hard.

[@chippychick6261]

Thank you for your life experience review Allison. I have started and stopped so many great ideas and have felt I let myself down as a result. I am now semi retired and I’m still struggling with choosing and getting started in how to occupy my mind and time. This was such a wonderful podcast conversation.

[@sjean683]

This was really good. Our granddaughter is dealing with ADHD. Just you both talking about it has opened my eyes to what our granddaughter is dealing with and how we can help her. 😊

[@Menace_oce]

Good on you for taking the extra step to better understand your granddaughters struggles, it goes a long way!

[@scottbarrett5838]

The worst thing about adhd is the stigma, 90% of the world doesn't think it is real 😡autism hasn't got the same stigma but the majority of people don't understand anything about them or the problems of the comorbid disorders accosiated with them (how can they understand) and if u add up adhd + autism = epidemic or a quarter of the world on the spectrum, it's easier for the powers to be to leave people struggling to even get diagnosed and no services. How many people are suffering? and if they could understand what is wrong with themselves (especially if they are undiagnosed)and could move on with there lives , how many people are kept down? Going round in circles, being impulsive with an addictive personality, depressed and misunderstood, stressed about there own futures a lot can't hold down jobs and even turn to crime because of this it's estimated 80%of people in jail could have it (canada screens people entering jail and have seen a reduction in people diagnosed with adhd entering the system and repeat offending)the sickening part of it that is if they invested the money in helping people understand about these problems it would pay for itself, and a lot of people could be living happier lives, there could be less crime, addiction etc

[@Appleloucious]

One Love!
Always forward, never ever backward!!
☀️☀️☀️
💚💛❤️
🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼

[@jewels18261]

Thanks Allison, you sound like a person id really enjoy to listen to more!
😊