Dr. Melissa Shepard

People with ADHD are more likely to have trouble with sensory processing in general, but auditory processing issues are especially common. People with auditory processing issues don’t have any problem with their ability to hear. But things start to break down once the sound goes from ear to brain. That means that even though we may physically hear what someone says, it may take us a while to actually process and understand it. Studies have shown that people with ADHD are more likely to have trouble distinguishing between sounds and filtering out irrelevant sounds so they can focus on the important ones (for example, ignoring background noise in a restaurant so they can focus on a conversation). Interestingly, studies have suggested that treatment with stimulant medications may restore auditory processing abilities in some people with ADHD. If you have trouble with this stuff, you may be able to request that your school or workplace provide written instructions in addition to verbal. Most schools and workplaces are able to accommodate this and it can be really helpful! Note: we do not diagnose ADHD based on auditory processing issues alone. ADHD is not the only cause of auditory processing issues and not everyone with ADHD will have auditory processing issues. #adhd #adhdproblems #adhdmemes

😬 this is a very unhelpful response some parents have to seeing their kids struggle with their mental health. If your kid opens up to you about their mental health struggles, try not to make it about you. Avoid using guilt in an attempt to motivate or manipulate your child into feeling better or acting differently. It won’t work and will likely just make them feel even more guilty and alone. Remember, you can be the world’s best parent and your kid may still struggle with their mental health. But we all make mistakes and what is important is owning up to it and working on changing what you need to change. And if you do feel guilt about your child’s struggles, talk with another adult (especially a mental health professional!) about those feelings. If your child is already dealing with difficult feelings, the last thing you want to do is force them to manage your emotions as well. #depressionhelp #mentalhealthmatters

Sometimes it’s hard for people to recognize what ADHD actually looks like day-to-day. The points I mention in this video are examples of how we might see the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, etc. manifest in real life. Like any mental health issue, the diagnosis of ADHD can be complex. Unfortunately, you can’t just use a list like this to decide whether or not you have ADHD. People who do not have ADHD can still have these things happen sometimes. And not everyone with ADHD will experience all of these symptoms. The only way to be sure is to be evaluated by an expert (although I know that can be really difficult to find sometimes). If you need help dealing with stuff like this, or just want to feel less overwhelmed, I have a group coaching program that you can join! Our group is a monthly membership program that includes educational lectures, live Q&A, body-doubling sessions, and access to a supportive community of people navigating the same things. You can join via the link in my bio and if you’ve made it this far (lol) use the code “20OFF” to get $20 off the first month of your membership. #adhd #overwhelmed

Executive functioning skills involve things like our ability to plan and organize, decide where to start, focus our attention, problem-solve, and remember instructions. Those of us with #adhd may have the time, energy, knowledge, and motivation to complete a task. But because we struggle with executive functioning skills, we feel like we just can’t get started sometimes. There are a lot of strategies we can use to address this and we talk about them in a lot more detail in my group coaching sessions. But to hit the main points: we work on breaking tasks down into smaller subtasks, letting go of perfectionism, making a more conducive work environment, setting visual reminders, and increasing motivation to help get us over the executive dysfunction hill!#Meme #MemeCut

I need everyone to have an online form option to schedule please 👍 #anxiety #adhd #adhdproblems #doctorsoftiktok

Mostly this is just a silly meme, but it’s also kind of a good metaphor for some of the neurochemical changes in psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, and ADHD. You may have heard some of the oversimplified theories about neurotransmitter levels in psychiatric illnesses. For example, the idea that people with ADHD have low dopamine levels, or that people with depression have low serotonin levels. Some of these theories are still strongly debated, but what is clear is that the neurochemical bases of these disorders is super complicated (way more complicated than saying they are caused by decreased or increased levels of one specific chemical). For example, people with ADHD have differences in their dopamine levels, but these levels may be higher or lower in different brain regions. There are also differences in the way ADHDer’s brains respond to dopamine (regardless of the actual dopamine level). We also know that in depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and other psychiatric illnesses, there are usually multiple neurotransmitter systems affected. So in ADHD, for example, we find that medicines impact levels of norepinephrine and serotonin in addition to dopamine. Neurotransmitters also don’t explain the full picture. For example, some antidepressants may work in part by decreasing inflammation in the brain and providing an environment that allows neurons to form more robust connections with each other. All that to say, it’s complicated! And maybe instead of thinking of changes in single neurotransmitter levels, it’s more accurate to say that medicine changes the way our neurons communicate and coordinate with each other (a lot like a choreographed dance!) 👯 #adhdmemes #adhdbrain #depressionandanxiety

#peoplepleaser #anxietyrelief #burnoutrecovery

Should be any day now 😭