S4-E22 - Starting to think you might be neurodiverse? ADHD in Solo Mums

ADHD in Solo Mums: How My Late Diagnosis Changed Everything

How being diagnosed with ADHD at 43 explained… almost everything, and how it’s reshaping Alisha as a mother.

This episode discusses ADHD, emotional regulation, binge behaviours, and postnatal mental health. It is based on personal experience and is not a substitute for medical advice. If anything resonates or you suspect you may have ADHD, please speak to your GP or a qualified mental health professional.

In this powerful solo bonus episode, Alisha opens up about her ADHD diagnosis at 43 and what it revealed about her past, her parenting, and her patterns. From school struggles and emotional intensity to people-pleasing and binge behaviours, she explores the signs she missed, and how they finally made sense. If you're a solo mum feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or like you're failing at things others seem to manage with ease, or if you’re starting to think you may be neurodiverse, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Why So Many Women Are Diagnosed Late – ADHD often looks different in girls. Alisha reflects on how masking, people-pleasing, and emotional sensitivity kept her diagnosis hidden until adulthood.

• The ADHD Brain in a Neurotypical World – Using the “caveman vs farmer” analogy, Alisha explains how ADHD is a wiring difference, not a disorder, and how traditional systems (school, work, motherhood) aren’t built for brains like hers.

• Motherhood Was the Breaking Point – For a lot of women, the wheels start coming off when they become mums. Executive function crashes, mental loads explode, and self-judgment reaches a peak - ADHD can give you a framework to understand it all.

• Binge Cycles and Dopamine-Seeking – From alcohol to sugar to work and phone scrolling, she shares how ADHD drives impulsive, all-or-nothing behaviours, and how understanding this has changed her relationship with herself and has informed her decision to live a life of sobriety.

• ADHD as a Superpower (Once You Understand It) – With the right tools, awareness, and compassion, ADHD has become a source of creativity, resilience, and power. Alisha shares how her diagnosis helped her finally stop fighting herself.

Resources:

If this episode resonated and you’d like to explore ADHD further, here are some helpful tools and organisations:

• ADHD for Smart Ass Women podcast by Tracy Otsuka - this is the podcast I recommend to any woman just wondering if she could be neurodiverse - it was the first resource I found and I love how it focuses on the positives. The episode talking about how ADHD shows up in teenage girls was life changing for me.

• ADHD Australia – National information, resources, and support

• ADDitude Magazine - ADHD Symptom Test (for Women) – Free online screening tool and lots of great practical articles

• Talk to your GP or psychologist for a referral or diagnosis pathway

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