ADHD Aha!2 Apr 2024

Impulse buying, negative bank balances, and the ADHD tax (Paulette Perhach's story)

In 2016, Paulette Perhach wrote a piece proclaiming that all women need an emergency fund — what she calls an “f-off fund.” But when she struggled to secure an emergency fund for herself, she suspected she might have ADHD. Paulette, a successful author and writing coach, put off the evaluation because she couldn’t afford the $260 price tag.

In this episode of ADHD Aha!, Paulette talks about her trouble with impulse buying and online shopping. She shares her family’s history with money issues, including bankruptcy. And she and Laura have an emotional exchange about the ADHD tax.

To get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes, visit the ADHD Aha! podcast page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at ADHDAha@understood.org.

Related resources

What is the ADHD tax?
ADHD and managing money
Paulette in the New York Times: “For women with money issues, an ADHD diagnosis can be revelatory”
See more of Paulette’s writing on her website.

As kids head back to school, it's a good time to remember: not every student experiences the classroom the same way. Through My Eyes, a free interactive experience from Understood, lets you step into a day in the life of a kid with ADHD, dyslexia, or dyscalculia. See their strengths and challenges in a whole new way. Try it out here.

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(142)

Calm saving lives, paralyzed by a pasta recipe: ADHD and executive function (Jim Leitch’s story)

Jim Leitch could intubate a patient in the middle of the night — alone, short-staffed, smiling — and feel completely calm. Ask him to follow a pasta recipe? That’s where things got hard: Everyday task...

15 Sep 26min

ADHD contradictions: Hot mess and high performer in equal measure (Sabrina Caluori’s story)

A former boss once described their first meeting this way: “She showed up late and disheveled, and I hired her anyway.” That’s Sabrina Caluori in a nutshell. Sabrina is the chief marketing officer at ...

1 Sep 24min

High-achieving with ADHD and completely overwhelmed (Susie Owens’ story)

From the outside, Susie Owens looked like she was gliding. Straight-A student, entrepreneur, devoted mom — and exhausted in ways nobody could see. When you’re an ADHD high achiever, masking is a whole...

18 Aug 28min

Comedian Taryn Delanie Smith’s wild ADHD ride (Re-upload)

Hey, everyone. There was a publishing issue with this episode last week, but it’s too good to miss. If you downloaded this episode with Taryn Delanie Smith when it first came out, it’s possible you ac...

13 Aug 33min

When ADHD feels like your insides are crawling (Kate Moryoussef’s story)

Why does sitting still feel like a physical emergency? Kate Moryoussef, ADHD lifestyle and wellness coach and host of the “ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast,” spent years convinced she was the problem. I...

21 Jul 26min

Rage quitting, constant tiny mistakes, and emotional regulation with ADHD (John Garden’s story)

What if the clue to an ADHD diagnosis was making a different tiny mistake every night on stage? John Garden is a therapist and professional musician. He shares how years of strong emotional reactions,...

7 Jul 25min

Painful everyday realities of ADHD and executive dysfunction (KC Davis’ story)

KC Davis, counselor, author, and host of Struggle Care, talks about the everyday realities of ADHD and executive dysfunction: messiness, boredom, and keeping up with household tasks like laundry. She ...

23 Jun 32min

I gave 110% with ADHD. They still told me I’d never go to college. (Rebecca Gonzalez-Ojeda’s story)

A tangled ball of spaghetti. That’s how aspiring therapist Rebecca Gonzalez-Ojeda describes her ADHD brain. Diagnosed with ADHD in fifth grade, Rebecca grew up hearing messages to “just try harder” wh...

9 Jun 19min