I'm back with the second part of my interview with ADHD activist and all round amazing human being, Laura Mears-Reynolds from ADHDAF podcast, ADHDAF Emporium and ADHDAF+ charity talking Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. We talk about some emotional things because of the episode topic to listener discretion is advised.

After a brief break to reset, I'm back! This is the first of a 2 part special where I managed to get one of my dream guests on to talk with me about one of the ADHD traits that has affected me the most negatively throughout my life, rejection sensitive dysphoria.

Laura Mears-Reynolds is the host of ADHDAF podcast, the co-director of ADHDAF Emporium and the founder of ADHDAF+ charity and has been inspirational to me since I first started off on this ADHD safari two years ago. Laura and I are very much on the same wavelength so this is probably the most ADHD episode I've recorded yet! We swear like troopers, go off on tons of tangents and discuss some pretty tough topics. I loved every minute of it and I hope you do too!

For more information on all things Laura...

linktr.ee/LauraMearsReynolds

Following on from last week's episode where I basically slated the entire NHS ADHD assessment/diagnosis process and how un-neurodivergent friendly the entire process is, I actually have a positive update! I have a new GP and a new pathway and hopefully this one won't be putting me into debt!

There's also a fun tangent about my recent trip to France, my first experience of personal training and whether I'll be moving forwards with an autism assessment in the future.

For more information on the nhs right to choose pathway:

https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to/choose/

No trait talk this week. Instead I wanted to talk about part of the process of seeking ADHD/AuDHD assessment and diagnosis through the nhs, the first f**king form! Forms are something I really struggle to complete and its just one of the parts of this whole process that I feel is horribly neurodivergent unfriendly.

Trigger warning, this episode briefly mentions subjects that some people may find upsetting, including drug/alcohol misuse, disordered eating, self harm and sexual assaultIf you have been affected by any of the topics discussed in this episode please remember you are never alone and it's important to seek help and advice

https://www.samaritans.org

As someone living with undiagnosed AuDHD, my brain is always on - racing thoughts, sensory overload and executive dysfunction are daily struggles. In my twenties cannabis became my go-to for slowing things down, finding moments of calm and helping me sleep. But it's not all positives - there were downsides too, like dependency, brain fog and paranoia...

Shopping has always been a rollercoaster for me, equal parts thrill and regret. For me, impulse buying isn't just about spending money; it's about dopamine, hyperfixations and sometimes even self soothing. This is how being a "shopaholic" has affected my life.

I've always struggled to keep order with pretty much every aspect of my life but my messy home is the thing I feel the most embarrassment over. I never realised that there could be a legitimate reason why I struggle to keep my house tidy... until now!

We're back this week with the second half of my chat with Emma covering life from diagnosis until right now! Again, a massive thankyou to Emma for coming on the podcast and being so open and honest about her experience with the ADHD diagnosis process.

Trigger warning: we cover some topics in this week's episode that some people may find upsetting so listener discretion is advised.