Episode 133 (Season 4): Is Everyone a Little Bit ADHD?

Show Notes

The phrase "everyone’s a little bit ADHD" is coming up more and more lately—but for those who are genuinely ADHD, this can feel dismissive and invalidating. In a world speeding up with constant distractions and increasing demands, society has begun to blur the lines with what the actual difference is between experiencing ADHD traits and living with ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition.

In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, discuss the nuance behind “everyone's a little bit ADHD.” They unpack the social myths around distraction, impulsivity, and executive functioning in today’s society, share their own stories of late ADHD diagnosis, and reflect on the dangers of minimizing real challenges faced by ADHDers. With candid conversation, they differentiate between ADHD traits and diagnosis, explore the impact of undiagnosed ADHD, and discuss why oversimplification can be harmful.

Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:

1. Learn the difference between ADHD traits that many may experience in a fast-paced world—and the lived disability of ADHD that involves real, sometimes dangerous, daily challenges.
2. Hear personal stories from Patrick and Dr. Neff about late-in-life discovery, navigating shame and grief, and unpacking impulsivity, masking, and complicated relationships.
3. Understand why phrases like “everyone’s a little bit ADHD” can be minimizing, and discover the real-world impact of misdiagnosis, missed support, and the need for greater societal awareness.

If you’re curious about ADHD traits in non-ADHDers, or you want to better understand the real experiences of ADHDers, this episode offers insight into the “ADHD for everyone” myth.

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Transcript

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