ADHD Mums

• 41. CONFESSION: Mums wrote in anonymously… and what they shared wrecked me

  ⚠️ Content Warning : This episode contains heavy confessions. These themes may be triggering for listeners with trauma histories or postnatal depression. Please listen with care and step away if you need to.These confessions prove you’re not broken, you’re not failing — and you’re definitely not alone.For the first time, Jane reads out anonymous confessions from ADHD mums — funny, dark, and painfully honest. These stories reveal the rage, exhaustion, shame, and survival that so many mums carry in silence. Instead of being dismissed as “bad parenting” or “not coping,” these confessions remind us: you’re not alone.What We Cover in This EpisodeFunny confessions that prove executive dysfunction runs the household (baby wipes on benches, noise-cancelling headphones at dinner)Heavier truths: rage in the chemist carpark, yelling at toddlers, dreams of driving awayHow shame grows in silence — and why saying it out loud breaks its gripEmotional dysregulation as central to ADHD, not a personal flaw (Dr Russell Barkley’s research)Why rage, dissociation, or shutdowns are survival responses — not weaknessHow sharing these confessions created relief, validation, and solidarityThis Episode Is For You If…You’ve screamed in the car or fantasised about running awayYou feel guilty for yelling, but can’t seem to stopYou’ve wondered if you’re the only mum who feels this wayYou crave relief from the shame spiral of “I should be coping better”You want to hear the raw, unfiltered truths other ADHD mums finally said out loudIf you’ve carried shame in silence, this episode will feel like exhale.References & Resources MentionedDr Gabor Maté — parenting doesn’t create dysfunction, it exposes where we’ve been unsupportedDr Russell Barkley — emotional dysregulation is central to ADHD, not secondaryADHD Mums Confession Box — share your truth anonymously and reduce the shameADHD Mums Facebook Group — connect with mums who get itRelated ADHD Mums EpisodesQuick Confession: 10 Things That Scare Me as an ADHD MumQuick Confession: I Don’t Always Like Being a ParentQuick Confession: Can You Love Someone and Still Dread Sex?🎧 Listen now: CONFESSION: Mums wrote in anonymously… and what they shared wrecked me — on Spotify, Apple, or adhdmums.com.auOptional Support If you’re struggling, you don’t have to go through it alone. In Australia, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or PANDA on 1300 726 306. If you’re outside Australia, please reach out to local crisis...

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• 40. HORMONES: The Perimenopause Crash – Progesterone, Stress, and the Rage Nobody Warned Us About

  Perimenopause can feel like being blindsided by a hormonal crash no one prepared you for. Mood swings, rage, insomnia, and anxiety get dumped in the ‘mum stress’ basket — as if biology crashing is just bad attitude.For ADHD mums, the mix of perimenopause and neurodivergence is like juggling knives while the floor gives way. This episode calls out the silence around perimenopause, explains the real biological shifts at play, and validates the lived experience of being dismissed when your body is in crisis.What We Cover in This EpisodeHow plummeting progesterone and rising stress hormones fuel rage and anxietyWhy ADHD + perimenopause is a double hit to emotional regulationThe invisible cost of being told ‘it’s just motherhood’Why the system ignores women’s health at this stage of lifeThe importance of recognising biology, not blaming characterThis Episode Is For You If…You’ve felt overwhelming rage or mood swings that don’t make senseDoctors, family, or friends have minimised your perimenopause symptomsYou’re an ADHD mum exhausted by exhaustion, sleepless nights, and slammed doorsYou need language that validates your experience instead of pathologising itYou’re ready to understand what’s really happening to your body🎧 Listen now: The Perimenopause Crash — on Spotify, Apple, or adhdmums.com.au📚 Related Resources:Kylie Smart (ADHD & women’s health naturopath) — DIY Your ADHD course with ADHD Consultation Package Dr Lara Bryden’s book on perimenopause — one of the few that actually explains what’s happening instead of gaslighting youADHD Mums Shop — resources and free assessment tools for ADHD and autism🎧 Other Episode with Kylie Smart:S1 E43 PMS and ADHD S1 E48 Supplements and ADHDJOIN THE COMMUNITY:Have questions or want to connect with other ADHD mums? Join our supportive Facebook group here and dive into the conversation. No question is too small, and I love answering in a group format!FOLLOW FOR MORE:Get daily tips, insights, and relatable content for ADHD mums by following me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTubeLEAVE A REVIEW:Love this episode? Your review means everything! It helps other mums find this content and feel supported. Let’s spread the word and make a difference together.COLLABS:For collaborations or speaking engagements, email me at [email protected] RESOURCES:Still unsure if ADHD or autism applies to you or your child? Take my recommended self-tests

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• 39. CONFESSION: Can You Love Someone and Still Dread S*x?

  ‘Not tonight’ isn’t rejection — it’s survival. You can be deeply in love, feel safe and connected, and still feel absolutely no desire for sex. For neurodivergent mums, it’s not about being broken. It’s about being depleted. Burnout, overstimulation, resentment, and chronic executive load all take a toll — and desire doesn’t grow in captivity.This episode names the unspoken truth: you can love your partner and still dread intimacy when your nervous system is tapped out.What We Cover in This EpisodeWhy love and desire aren’t the same thingHow ADHD, burnout, and motherhood impact libidoThe difference between rejection and depletionVoices from ADHD mums on how sex feels in burnoutWhy desire needs space, safety, and energy to returnSmall ways to honour yourself without guilt or shameThis Episode Is For You If…You’re in a healthy relationship but feel no desire for sexEven the thought of being touched feels like one more demandYou’ve been told ‘sex is proof of love’ but feel otherwiseYou’re burnt out, touched out, or running on emptyYou want to know you’re not broken for feeling this wayReferences & Resources MentionedEsther Perel — Psychotherapist and author whose work on intimacy highlights that desire needs space and autonomy to thrive — two things ADHD mums are rarely afforded.ADHD Mums Facebook Group — A safe, supportive space where thousands of mums share the unfiltered truth about ADHD, burnout, intimacy, and the realities of daily life.ADHD Mums Jotform Confession Box — An anonymous space where mums contributed raw, honest experiences about sex, exhaustion, and survival with ADHD.🎧 Other Episode with Kylie Smart:S1 E43 PMS and ADHD S1 E48 Supplements and ADHDIf you’ve ever felt alone in this, these episodes prove you’re not.🎧 Listen now: Can You Love Someone and Still Dread Sex? — on Spotify, Apple, or adhdmums.com.auJOIN THE COMMUNITY:Have questions or want to connect with other ADHD mums? Join our supportive Facebook group here and dive into the conversation. No question is too small, and I love answering in a group format!FOLLOW FOR MORE:Get daily tips, insights, and relatable content for ADHD mums by following me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTubeLEAVE A REVIEW:Love this episode? Your review means everything! It helps other mums find this content and feel...

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• 38. QUICK RESET: The Hallway Hook That Saved My Sanity

  School mornings feel like hostage negotiations — not routine. Missing shoes, weird sock meltdowns, vanishing library bags… and still the world says ‘just get more organised’. But ADHD families don’t run on habits — we run on cues.In this Quick Reset, Jane shares the one simple change that turned mornings from chaos into something survivable: the hallway hook. More than a place for bags, it’s an environmental accommodation that reduces the daily executive function tax every ADHD mum knows too well.What We Cover in This EpisodeWhy ADHD mums pay an ‘executive function tax’ every morningHow visual cues beat willpower when it comes to routinesThe difference between neurotypical habits vs ADHD-friendly environmentsWhy a hallway hook (or any visual system) can save your sanityPractical tips for setting up ADHD-friendly launchpads at homeThis Episode Is For You If…You’ve aged 100 years by 9am thanks to school chaosYour kids’ bags, shoes, or library books disappear into another dimension dailyYou’ve been told you just need to ‘get organised’You know reminders and willpower aren’t enough — you need cues that workYou want one ADHD-friendly change that makes mornings survivableRelated ADHD Mums EpisodesS3 E31 The ADHD Mum’s Guide to Surviving School Mornings Without Tears (Theirs or Yours)S3 E10 QUICK RESET: Why am I bracing for impact when nothing is wrong?Check out School mini-series if you haven’t yetIf school mornings leave you burnt out before 9am, these episodes will hit close to home. Claim: “Neurodivergent people often rely on visual memory and object permanence strategies — like hallway hooks — to reduce executive function demands.”🔍 Research and References:Object Permanence & ADHD Barkley, R. A. (2014). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment.– Barkley discusses how deficits in working memory and internal visualisation affect how ADHD individuals manage time, tasks, and memory. Without visual cues (like hooks, labels, laid-out clothes), the brain can “forget” the task exists.Visual Cues and Home OrganisationTuckman, A. R. (2009). More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD.– Emphasises that visual systems (clear bins, hooks, laid-out outfits) help compensate for weak prospective memory and object permanence.Environmental Modifications for ADHDCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Parenting Children with ADHD.– Recommends home modifications including visual schedules, labelled areas, and consistent placement for items (e.g. a hook for every bag or jacket) to support task follow-through and independence.Executive Function Supports in Home Environments Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2010). Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A...

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• 37. HORMONES: Histamine + Hormones – Why You Feel Like You’re Falling Apart

  Doctors said anxiety. It turns out, for many ADHD mums, it’s actually hormones colliding with histamine.This episode kicks off our hormone mini-series with ADHD & women’s health naturopath Kylie Smart, exploring how histamine interacts with oestrogen, stress, and ADHD — and why so many mums are dismissed as “hysterical” or “anxious” when the truth is biochemical.What We Cover in This EpisodeWhy doctors often misdiagnose hormone-related issues as anxietyWhat histamine is — and why it matters for ADHD and autistic womenHow histamine interacts with oestrogen, dopamine, and serotoninSymptoms linked to histamine issues: migraines, insomnia, heavy bleeding, rage, gut problemsThe overlap between histamine intolerance, mast cell activation, and ADHDSimple things you can try — from symptom tracking to food tweaks — while pushing for proper medical supportThis Episode Is For You If….You’ve been told your migraines, rage, or exhaustion are “just stress”You experience PMS/PMDD that feels like a breakdown weekYou notice mood swings, insomnia, or gut issues before your periodYou’re curious why “self-care” doesn’t touch hormone-related burnoutYou want to understand the real biology behind ADHD, hormones, and histamine🎧 Listen now: HORMONES: Histamine + Hormones – Why You Feel Like You’re Falling Apart — on Spotify, Apple, or adhdmums.com.auReferences & Resources MentionedADHD & women’s health naturopath who actually takes neurodivergent women seriously. Online clinic + courses: kyliesmart.com.au🎧 Other Episode with Kylie Smart:S1 E43 PMS and ADHD S1 E48 Supplements and ADHDJOIN THE COMMUNITY:Have questions or want to connect with other ADHD mums? Join our supportive Facebook group here and dive into the conversation. No question is too small, and I love answering in a group format!FOLLOW FOR MORE:Get daily tips, insights, and relatable content for ADHD mums by following me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTubeLEAVE A REVIEW:Love this episode? Your review means everything! It helps other mums find this content and feel supported. Let’s spread the word and make a difference together.COLLABS:For collaborations or speaking engagements, email me at [email protected] RESOURCES:Still unsure if ADHD or autism applies to you or your child? Take my recommended self-tests here.

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