Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson

Roberto Olivardia, clinical psychologist who critiques dubious brain-scan diagnostics. He unpacks the origins of the “ring of fire” claim, explains SPECT scan limits, and describes real harms from mislabeling and unproven tests. Short, clear takes on ethics, misdiagnosis risks, and why such ideas spread online.

Rae has a lifelong misconception about her dyscalculia turned on its head. And she learns why labels don’t mean limits. For more on this topic Listen: Kids are at a breaking point, and school policies might be to blame Listen: The uncertain future of special education in the United States The discrepancy model: What you need to know For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at hyperfocus@understood.org . Listen to Everyone Gets a Juice Box, a new podcast from Understood.org where host Jessica Shaw has honest talks with parents raising kids who learn and think differently.Understood 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.

Last fall, I heard something that floored me: The tests we have for ADHD in adults don’t work very well. As an adult with ADHD, I think about this all the time because our diagnosis is so stigmatized and so misunderstood. It’s overdiagnosed. It’s underdiagnosed. Everybody has it. Nobody has it. If only there were a silver bullet or some test that could definitively say yes or no. So, I asked the two Chicago School faculty members who got me thinking about this after their presentation at the CHADD conference last year: Jessica Rosenfeld, a clinical psychologist, and Reneh Karamians, a  neurorehabilitation psychologist. They explained why adult ADHD diagnosis is so difficult, and how new scan technology holds promise for spotting ADHD in the brain.  For more on this topic Listen: Is ADHD genetic? We asked a Harvard scientist Listen: Understood Explains: ADHD in adults For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at hyperfocus@understood.org . Listen to Everyone Gets a Juice Box, a new podcast from Understood.org where host Jessica Shaw has honest talks with parents raising kids who learn and think differently.Understood 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.

Dr. Kristin Carothers, a licensed clinical psychologist who studies race and context in diagnosis, discusses conduct disorder as a high-stakes label. She explains what the diagnosis includes and how it differs from other behavior concerns. They explore racial disparities, adultification, age-related outcomes, and when careful, multi-source evaluation and evidence-based treatment matter most.

Cate Osborn, known online as Catieosaurus, is a creator and researcher who critiques ADHD social media culture. She unpacks how algorithms reward sensational, low-quality ADHD content. She explains why some creators exploit vulnerable audiences for profit. She offers tips for spotting more reliable sources and ethical creators online.

Jia Lynn Yang, a journalist and New York Times senior writer, explores the mental health crisis facing U.S. children and the impact of school policies. Drawing on her reporting and personal experiences as a parent, she discusses how major policy shifts have heightened expectations on kids since the 1980s. The conversation reveals how testing culture, rigid standards, and limited playtime stress children, while also leading to rising ADHD and autism diagnoses. Jia emphasizes the need for a supportive educational environment that fosters well-being.

If you have ADHD or autism, research shows you’re at a much higher risk for developing chronic pain — a connection many doctors and patients still don’t know about. In this episode of Hyperfocus, we talk with a doctor who’s trying to change that.Dr. Michael Lenz, a Wisconsin-based pain specialist, explains what the medical community is discovering about the connection between ADHD, autism, and chronic pain, including conditions like fibromyalgia and migraines. He also shares stories from his practice, including times when treating a patient’s ADHD unexpectedly improved their chronic pain symptoms.For more on this topic:  Dr. Lenz’s podcast and bookThe Weak Link: Hypotonia in Infancy and Autism Early Identification - PMCADHD-pain: Characteristics of chronic pain and association with muscular dysregulation in adults with ADHDOrder friend of the show Craig Thomas’ book NIH study on joint hypermobility For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at hyperfocus@understood.org. Listen to Everyone Gets a Juice Box, a new podcast from Understood.org where host Jessica Shaw has honest talks with parents raising kids who learn and think differently.Understood 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.

Rae Jacobson, a journalist and host specializing in ADHD and neurodiversity, shares valuable insights on the over-pathologizing of ADHD behaviors. They discuss how everyday actions, like forgetting keys or having songs stuck in your head, are often misattributed to ADHD. Rae explains the importance of distinguishing chronic patterns from isolated incidents and the impact of shame on memory lapses. They also touch on the challenges of clutter management and the necessity of addressing comorbid conditions before tackling ADHD to improve overall well-being.

One of the most urgent ADHD research gaps has to do with ADHD and trans people. We know there are lots of trans folks with ADHD. But when it comes to understanding how best to treat them, it’s a whole different story. That’s why we wanted to talk to someone who knows this experience well. Ivan Hsiao is the founder of Trans Health HQ. He joined this week’s Hyperfocus to share his own diagnosis story and to talk about what we do (and don’t) know about being trans with ADHD. For more on this topic: Trans Health HQBeing trans with ADHD (Max’s story)Talking about neurodivergence and gender identityTimestamps: (01:26) Ivan’s diagnosis story(11:18) Trans broken arm syndrome(13:56) What research is there on ADHD in trans people? (17:23) How to practice better careFor a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at hyperfocus@understood.org. Listen to Everyone Gets a Juice Box, a new podcast from Understood.org where host Jessica Shaw has honest talks with parents raising kids who learn and think differently.Understood 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.

Meghan Whittaker, former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education, and Julian Saavedra, an assistant principal in Philadelphia, dive into the chaos surrounding recent layoffs in special education. They discuss the impact on students and families, the risks to IEP services, and the need for parental advocacy. The guests also analyze the implications of school vouchers and the challenges of federal oversight versus local school budgeting. Their insights shed light on a critical moment for special education in the U.S.