ADHD Resources for Adults

The Best of 2021

There is an amazing wealth of information in the world that can help you understand yourself and your brain.  But that’s both the good and the bad news.  All this information?  It can be pretty overwhelming and confusing too- right ?!?  How do you know it’s well-researched?  How can you assess if it would work for your brain, not just any old brain?  How do you translate that information to your real life?

To help my beloved ADDepter’s on their journey towards understanding themselves and designing their world to best suit their brains, I decided I would curate a list of all the best.

Check it out and see if something on this list inspires you as much as it has me!

Special note: Most of these resources are ADHD specific but not all. I tried to only include non-ADHD resources that translate easily and fully to ADHD brains.   But remember- no 2 brains are the same so not everything here will work for every person.  That’s cool, leave the shame at the door and just use what fits. 

General ADHD:

• Books:

• ADHD 2.0- The newest book by the authors of Driven By Distraction. This new book looks at the most recent research and strategies combined with optimism, compassion, and clarity.

• Podcasts:

• ADHD experts- This ADDitude magazine interviews high profile ADHD experts on the topics they are most well known for it’s a great dive into the best and the brightest of the field

• Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast:  Nikki Kinzer, an ADHD coach, and Pete Wright, a funny producer with ADHD, join forces to delve into strategies and solutions to help improve the lives of people with ADHD.

• ADHD reWired:  Eric Tivers, an ADHD therapist and coach talks with everyday people with ADHD to share strategies that work and stories you can relate to.

• Webinars and Workshops:

• ADDA webinars: The Attention Deficit Disorder Association offers free webinars to its members- it’s a great opportunity to learn from the best on any topic that interests you- show up live or catch the replay- it’s all at your fingertips

• Annual International ADHD Conference: This 4-day conference is virtual in 2021 but usually runs in person. It’s created for professionals, people with ADHD, partners, and parents alike. It’s chock full of fun and great information!

• TED talks:

• What it’s like to live with ADHD.  In this moving and highly personal TED talk, YouTube ADHD sensation, Jessica McCabe talks about reaching a dark point in her life at 34 and what allowed her to turn it around.

ADHD in relationships:

• Books:

• A couple’s Guide to Thriving with ADHD: Melissa Orlov is one of the foremost authors and speakers on the impact of ADHD in couples.  This book is a good first step in helping heal the pain that ADHD can cause in a relationship.

• ADHD after Dark:  Ari Tuckman’s 4th book on ADHD looks at the impact of ADHD on one’s sex life- both in and out of relationships.  It’s a fascinating read and he always writes with compassion and generosity.

• Webinars/ Workshops

• Couples Seminar with Melissa Orlov is an 8 session guided seminar covering topics from anger, to intimacy, to communication.

Women with ADHD

• Books:

• 100 Questions and Answers about ADHD in Women and Girls:  This book’s format of questions with quick, digestible answers is a nice, accessible approach to the topic

• Women with Attention Deficit Disorder:  Sari Solden has developed a bit of a cult following because of her compassionate and open-hearted approach to reducing the shame and stigma of ADHD in women- it’s worth a read for sure

• Webinars/ Workshops:

• Women’s Palooza: This virtual conference is a fun, information-packed way of learning from the experts while also benefiting from a community of people just like you. And you know what else?!? It’s free!

• Article:

• ADHD and the role of hormones: This wonderfully thorough article looks at the role of hormones on a woman’s ADHD symptoms throughout her lifespan.  Essential reading for anyone with a uterus

Routine Building and Habit Formation:

• Routine Building Guides:

• There are several free routine builders available to download on ADDept.org including a morning routine, a morning routine creation guide for kids, and the ADDept guide for planning.  If you haven’t checked them out, I encourage you to do so.

• Books/ Audiobooks:

• The Power of Habit- a wonderful book that looks at the psychology of habit and its role and impact in our lives as well as how to create stronger habits.   This can be thought of as a foundational book around habits

• Atomic Habits- great, interesting read that breaks down the strategies for building good habits and breaking down bad ones- this is a great read after The Power of Habit

• Routine Building Course:

• 30 days to better habits. I rarely suggest courses/ strategies built for the general public because I feel like without the added lens of an ADHD brain they can create more shame than good. But this course is created by the author of Atomic habits and he breaks down the steps to creating better habits in a way that is inherently ADHD accessible and pushes you to put them into action. It’s an email-based course which can be hard to stick with but he talks about ways to make it easier.

Meditation:

• Calm: Calm is my favorite meditation app by far. They offer a huge variety of services including sleep stories, music, and guided meditations. I love their daily meditations but the 30-day beginner’s guide to meditation with Jeff Warren is exceptional.  I can’t recommend that process enough.

• Insight Timer: A free app with an opportunity to time self-guided meditations or follow prerecorded guided meditations on a variety of topics and with some renowned meditation teachers.

• Nike Run Club x Headspace: If you love a good moving meditation- there are some great meditation runs and walks hosted on the Nike Run Club app (free) that are worth a look.

Exercise:

• Apps:

• Peloton App: You don’t have to buy the fancy and ever so pricy bike or treadmill to get the benefits of the community, heart, and awesome workouts of the peloton. They have an app where you can access all of their content- from walks, to yoga, to meditations to runs, rides, strength workouts, and Bootcamps. I couldn’t have survived quarantine without them and I highly recommend trying it out. (My fav instructors are: Jess Sims, Matty Maggiacomo, and Robin Arzon to give you a place to start)

• Nike Run Club: Want to get into running or just want some guidance to take your running to the next level? Nike run club is free and a great resource- they have guided runs, HIIT workouts, interviews with elite runners, running meditations, and lots of other great content. Oh, and one of the coolest things? You can pair the workout with your music! 

• Nike Training Club: Nike Training club is the strength and conditioning sister to Nike Run Club- choose how long you want to work out for, what you want to target, what intensity you’re looking for and it will give you a host of workouts to choose from.

• Books:

• Spark: If you’re like me and learning the science behind doing something hard helps you stick with it, then spark is for you. It’s a comprehensive look at the current research around exercise and its impact on the brain- not just the body.

• TED talk:

• The Brain Changing Benefits of Exercise: This fun, fast-paced TED talk will change how you think about exercise and challenge what you think you know

Shame / Self-Compassion:

• Books/ Audiobooks (all by the amazing Brene Brown):

• I thought it was just me:  Brene Brown’s first book diving deep into the topic of women and shame

• The gifts of imperfection: Is all about being and embracing who you are- every aspect

• Daring Greatly:  Is her ode to Vulnerability- the impact and importance of it as well as how to embrace it with courage

• Rising Strong: Talks about how to deal with the stories we make up and keep on a loop when we’ve fallen and need to get back up

• The work of Tara Brach

• Tara Brach is a psychologist and meditation teacher who is known for her work on self-compassion. She has several online courses, books, a blog, and retreats and workshops.

• TED talk:

• Brene Brown’s: The power of vulnerability. It’s one of the top 10 TED talks of all time for very good reason. It’s a can’t miss the opportunity to challenge your preconceived notions of power, shame, and connection.

Anxiety/ Depression:

• Books:

• Feeling good handbook: this hands-on, practical approach to tackling the negative thinking that so often leads to depression and anxiety is both hands-on and practical while also capable of creating revolutionary change

• The Worry Trick: The worry trick turns conventional anxiety wisdom on its head and walks you through how to surf the ORANGE and RED level anxieties.

• TED talks:

• The surprising science of happiness: Here psychologist Dan Gilbert breaks down happiness into its most basic component parts to uncover what makes us happy and how to create it.

• How to make stress your friend: In this illuminating TED talk, psychologist Kelly McGonigal explores how stress benefits us and the way to keep it positive.

Procrastination:

• TED talk:

• Inside the mind of a master procrastinator: In this brilliant, top-10, TED talk, Tim Urban breaks down what we procrastinate on, why and encourages us in a hysterical and ever-insightful way to track our procrastinations before they track us.

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