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The Hidden Struggles and Superpowers of a Hyperactive Brain · The Wandering Wolf Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: When you hear the word ADHD, what comes to mind?
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: A kid bouncing off the walls?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Someone who can't sit still?
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: What if I told you that isn't a false story?
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: What if I told you that ADHD isn't just about restless bodies?
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's also about restless brains.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: This episode we're diving into a side of ADHD that often gets overlooked.
• 0:33
  Let me take you into the verbal wind of false energy and
• 0:39
  challenges of hyperactive mind.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Holy Podcast.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, I'm Jess and I have ADHD.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: But I am not the stereotype you might imagine.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Sure,
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: I can get restless,
• 0:53
  but I don't need to be running laps around the room to burn off
• 0:57
  the energy.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I'm just tapping a pencil,
• 1:01
  bouncing a leg or scrolling through my phone to keep that
• 1:06
  restlessness in check.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the thing.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: ADHD isn't just about movement.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's about how our brains are wired.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Did you know that ADHD brains don't really rest?
• 1:19
  While others might have moments of mental stillness,
• 1:22
  our brains are running 24-7.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine a car racing at 200 kilometers per hour with no brakes.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's how it feels.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Thoughts come at you one after another,
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: ideas,
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: worries,
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: random to-do list,
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: and this is exhausting.
• 1:42
  What I have learned is that hyperactivity doesn't have to look
• 1:46
  like someone
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: bouncing off the walls.
• 1:49
  Some of us seem calm on the outside but inside our minds are
• 1:53
  like a buzzing airport
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: with no control tower.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: This is especially true for girls and women.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Society teach us to be perfect and quiet.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: So we learn to mask our hyperactivity.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of moving our bodies, our thoughts start to running wild.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: For years, ADHD has been misunderstood.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Research often focused on boys who couldn't sit still in class,
• 2:21
  ignoring girls who might have been quietly doodling or staring
• 2:25
  out the window while
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: their minds raced.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's why so many girls don't get diagnosed until later in life or get
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: misdiagnosed with something like ADD.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: ADD is the same as ADHD but without the hyperactivity.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: Let me share what it's really like.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: When my mind races, I can't focus on anything.
• 2:47
  I will be too restless to sit still,
• 2:50
  but too mentally tired to actually be productive.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: Want to watch a movie?
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Nope, my mind wanders.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: Want to draw?
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: All my sketches go wrong.
• 3:00
  It's frustrating because you are both bored and exhausted at
• 3:05
  the same time.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Over the years, I have found a few ways to cope.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: For me, movement is key.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: If my body gets tired, my brain tends to follow.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I will take a walk,
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: do some strength training or even just bounce my leg while working.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Recently, I started playing with a spinning pen.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's simple, but it's help.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: I also ordered some Rubik's Cube to keep my hands busy.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's about finding what works for you.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: But let's not soccercoat it.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Living with a hyperactive brain is hard.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Meditation sometimes helps me calm down.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: But when my brain is overloaded, even that can feel impossible.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: And while exercise is great, it doesn't always solve the problem.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: What about medication?
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Some people swear by it and if it works for you, that's amazing.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: But for women, it's tricky.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: ADHD studies historically focus on boys,
• 4:05
  which means our unique hormonal cycles and brain chemistry
• 4:11
  aren't always considered.
• 4:13
  For some,
• 4:13
  ADHD medication can even impact creativity or worsen other symptoms.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: Still, I have found silver lining in my hyperactivity brain.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's not all bad.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: That endless stream of thoughts can spark incredible ideas.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's how I solve problems and come up with creative solutions.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: My spinning pen, for example, isn't just a tool to calm me down.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's a moment of focus, where my mind goes quiet.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes, those quiet moments bring the best ideas.
• 4:45
  ADHD is a complex,
• 4:46
  frustrating and sometimes beautiful part of who we are.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's not just about hyperactive bodies, it's about hyperactive minds.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: And for anyone out there feeling overwhelmed by their erasing thoughts,
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: know that you are not alone.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Whether it's exercise,
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: creative outlets or even just a simple spinning pan,
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: there is a way to work with your brain instead of fighting against it.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed this episode or found it relatable,
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: share it with someone who might need to hear this.
• 5:17
  You never know,
• 5:18
  it might just help someone understand themselves a little bit more.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for tuning in and I will see you next time.