Understanding Adult ADHD—Insights from Our Recent Webinars

Hi there,

This past week, Julie Legg and I hosted two incredible webinars—Understanding Adult ADHD—for our communities in Australia and New Zealand. And wow, what an experience! The conversations, the lightbulb moments, and the shared stories all reinforced something we both deeply believe: ADHD is not a limitation—it’s a different way of experiencing the world.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed, suspect you might have ADHD, or have been on this journey for years, we covered some powerful insights that can help you understand your brain better and work with it rather than against it.

The ADHD Brain—It’s Not Broken, Just Wired Differently

One of the biggest takeaways from our sessions was this: ADHD is not about not trying hard enough or being lazy. It’s about how the brain is wired. The frontal lobe—often referred to as the brain’s “cockpit”—manages executive functions like organization, impulse control, and emotional regulation. But for ADHDers, that cockpit doesn’t always respond on demand.

💡 Dopamine Deficiency: The ADHD brain often struggles with motivation and focus because of lower dopamine levels. This means we’re not just procrastinating for fun—our brains literally need extra activation to get going!

💡 Time Blindness & Hyperfocus: If you ever feel like five minutes turns into five hours or you lose track of everything while deep in a task, you’re not alone! ADHDers often swing between struggling to start something… and then hyperfocusing so deeply they forget the world exists.

The Three ADHD Presentations—Which One Sounds Like You?

ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all. We talked about the three main presentations:

🧠 Inattentive Type – Forgetful, distracted, struggles with organization. This is often overlooked in women and can be mistaken for anxiety.
⚡ Hyperactive-Impulsive Type – Restless, talks a lot, acts without thinking. This is the classic “bouncing off the walls” stereotype.
🔄 Combined Type – A mix of both, which means battling both inattention and hyperactivity.

No matter which type resonates with you, ADHD isn’t about lack of ability—it’s about navigating your unique strengths and challenges.

Masking, Burnout & Why ADHDers Are Exhausted

Many of us with ADHD have spent years trying to “fit in,” masking our struggles and pushing through exhaustion. We talked about how this often leads to burnout, especially in the workplace. Some key signs include:

❌ Saying “yes” to too many things because of rejection sensitivity.
❌ Overcompensating for forgetfulness by overloading yourself with to-do lists.
❌ Hyperfocusing on work at the expense of your well-being.

So, what’s the solution? Self-awareness, self-compassion, and designing an ADHD-friendly life—which includes setting realistic expectations, using external supports (planners, alarms, reminders), and taking breaks before burnout hits.

What’s Next? Keep the Conversation Going!

These webinars were just the beginning! If any of this resonated with you, here’s what you can do next:

👉 Join the conversation – Reply and tell me: What’s the biggest ADHD challenge you face daily?
👉 Stay connected – Follow us for more ADHD insights, strategies, and community support.
👉 Need support? – Check out The ADDvocacy Project for coaching and resources tailored to ADHD brains.

You’re not alone in this. ADHD comes with challenges, but it also comes with incredible strengths. Let’s embrace them, together.

Until next week,

Caroline x