Sorry, I Missed This: The Everything Guide to ADHD and Relationships with Cate Osborn

In this listener Q&A, Cate tackles two wildly relatable ADHD questions: sudden sensory discomfort during intimacy, and the maddening cycle of not being able to start a task… then not being able to stop. From sensory overload and burnout to hyperfocus, momentum anxiety, and emotional regulation, Cate breaks down what’s going on and how to navigate it without losing it. Thanks to our listeners for these deeply ADHD-coded questions! Keep ’em coming.For more on this topic: Listen: ADHD and sensory overwhelmListen: ADHD sensory challenges and sexRead: ADHD and hyperfocusFor a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want 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.

We’re back with another spicy Reddit Reactions episode!This week, we dive into two wildly relatable ADHD relationship posts: one about a partner claiming “you lost your sparkle” (eye roll), and another spiraling over chores, shame, and new-job burnout. We unpack toxic dynamics, people-pleasing, clutter blindness, and why you’re not weaponizing incompetence. For more on this topic: Listen: ADHD, cheating, and weaponized incompetenceWatch: ADHD and people-pleasingRead: What IS weaponized incompetence?Timestamps:(01:00) A sparkle-stealing husband(04:10) Is it ADHD… or a toxic partner?(08:20) ADHD shame spiral: “I can’t do anything right!”(11:40) Clutter blindness and burnoutFor a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want 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.

Ever said yes to sex a little too fast and regretted it later? Same. Today we’re joined by psychologist and Understood Expert Dr. Ari Tuckman for a candid talk about impulsivity, ADHD, and intimacy. We’ll dig into the messy mix of consent, shame, and emotional regulation. And we’ll talk about how to slow down, stay curious, and find self-compassion after a spicy decision. For more on this topic: Listen: Impulsivity, risky behavior, and obsessions (Chris’ story)Listen: ADHD, loving intensely, and impulsivity (Ange’s story)Timestamps:02:15 How ADHD-related impulsivity can influence sexual decisions08:45 Consent, emotional regulation, and navigating pressure or fear of rejection17:30 Differentiating shame from embarrassment after vulnerable sexual experiences28:10 Strategies for slowing down and gathering insights from experiencesFor a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want 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.

The holidays are here — and so is all the food, family, and sensory overload that can come with them. Host Cate Osborn sits down with Aleta Storch, dietitian, nutritionist, ADHD expert, and founder of Wise Heart Nutrition, to talk about food and ADHD. They cover what disordered eating looks like (and how it’s different from a diagnosed eating disorder), why sensory sensitivities can make meals stressful, and what it’s like not to be believed when you say you don’t want to eat something. Plus, the dopamine rush of holiday treats — and how to navigate it all with more compassion and understanding.(Note: This episode does not dive deeply into diagnosed eating disorders — we’ll have another episode in the future focused entirely on that topic.)For more on this topic: The National Eating Disorders AssociationADHD and eatingUnderstood.org’s “Neurodiversity and the Holidays” surveyAleta’s website, www.wiseheartnutrition.comAleta’s Instagram, @the_adhd_rdTimestamps:(00:00) Intro(02:05) Aleta’s personal story with ADHD and eating(05:48) What’s the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating? (07:46) What about ADHD can affect our relationship with food? (13:39) Sensory challenges and food(18:11) The consequences of ignoring our own needs(20:12) Good food practices to support ourselves and the neurodivergent people in our lives(26:23) Aleta’s parting advice for the holidays(28:23) Outro and creditsFor a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want 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.

In the final episode of our “Breaking the Burnout Cycle” three-part series, host Cate Osborn and Dr. Shauna Pollard explore what comes after burnout. They discuss how burnout can affect your relationships, the importance of communicating your needs clearly, and how to reflect on past experiences to avoid repeating patterns. Cate and Dr. Shauna also shares practical tips for tuning in to yourself, setting boundaries, and creating a plan for moving forward with greater awareness, balance, and resilience.For more on this topic: ADHD burnoutADHD and boundaries: Why saying no feels hard (and how to start)Setting boundaries in relationships with ADHDDr. Shauna's list of Executive Functioning ResourcesTimestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:44) We have more emotions to regulate while in burnout(05:26) How can burnout impact relationships?(14:32) Setting boundaries(17:52) How can we show up for our partners when we’re burned out?(23:11) Feeling “too much” for needing to have our needs met (24:44) What do we do if we don’t have a support system?(28:01) Outro and creditsFor a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want 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.