Uniquely Wired - An ADHD Podcast Siun Creedon Prochazka

Many people with ADHD face challenges around food. There are many factors, like the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine which are naturally found in lower amounts in the ADHD brain. This can affect how we approach the practicalities of ensuring we can stick to a regular and satisfying eating routine. It's common for people with ADHD to have disordered eating patterns (not linked to eating disorders as found in the DSM-5) and to get caught up in a cycle of dieting, weight gain and subsequent shame for not feeling like they are incontrol of something that seems to come so naturally to others. This diet-weight gain-shame cycle can continue for decades without questioning it or feeling satisfied. If you find yourself relating to this and want to get out of that cycle then Intuituve Eating might be of interest. Sinéad Crowe, a mental health nurse and nutritionist, joins me to talk about Intuituve Eating, a diet-free attitude to eating where we listen to our hunger cues and hear what our bodies want us to eat. Without shame, without stress and while learning to bring compassion into our relationship with food. It's not a quick fix (because like diets, quick fixes rarely work) it is a process that focuses on healing your body and relationship to food. It's way to escape diet culture and get curious about what your body actually wants to eat as opposed to restricting food and feeling guilt and shame about what you are or are not eating. Instagram: @intuitive.eating.ireland @uniquely_wired_adhdcoaching

In this open and honest episode, I go into detail about how having undiagnosed ADHD created problems in my life and my mental health and how things have changed since being diagnosed. I talk about leaving stigma and shame behind in terms of my diagnosis and mental health issues. I also talk about gender bias. It is common for women to get diagnosed later in life because of not 'fitting the criteria' for ADHD. The criteria is down to a narrow view of how ADHD affects people - namely males. Yes, gender bias in medical research has meant that there is not enough known about how ADHD presents in females, meaning that many women spend decades of their lives struggling - just like I did. Girls are still struggling and falling though the cracks in education and work. And suffering with mental health issues that arise from undiagnosed ADHD.

Fin O'Regan is an ADHD, Neurodversity and Behaviour Consultant in the UK. He is a former vice chairman of UKAP and the European ADHD Alliance. He has written numerous articles and several books on ADHD which you can find on his website www.fintanoregan.com. Fin has been a guest on this podcast before and I'm delighted to have him back to talk about his very exciting mission : Changing the D's in ADHD. 

In this very raw and very real episode Rachel & Josh speak openly and honestly about their mental health struggles while raising their son Grayson who has microcephaly, epilepsy and global developmental delay. Follow Rachel on Instagram and Facebook @our.life.upsidedown and listen to her podcast Confessions of a Special Needs Parent. If you would like to hear more episodes of Let's Talk you can find them and more information about what I do on www.siunprochazka.com or follow me on Instagram and Facebook @siun_creedon_prochazka

Freya O'Horo started a blog about her brother Dian who has autism when she was 16 years old. Now, at 21, Freya , a student of social care in Athlone IT   has won multiple awards for her blog.  She talks about how she wants to break the stigma around autism and start the conversation to raise awareness until as many people as possible are educated on the different aspects of autism while breaking down stereotypes along the way. As well as educating others on autism, Freya designs chewable jewellery for children who tend to hold a lot of tension in their jaws. She also collaborates with an Irish designer who creates sensory friendly clothing and equipment at fair prices. On top of this Freya has also launched an Autism Siblings Ireland Goodie Bag! For more information on this and more you can follow Freya O' Horo and Autism Siblings Ireland on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

This episode is a Sibling Special with my own two siblings Susan and Alan. We speak about our sister Aoife who had cerebral palsy along with profound cognitive disabilities which meant her communication was extremely limited (mostly to smiling or crying) and she had no control over her limbs. 

In this extended episode we talk about the difficult feelings that can occur when you have a loved one with a disability.  How the feeling of having missed out on not knowing or the pain of wondering how she might have been, as a child or adult, had her birth trauma not occurred. 

We recall memories of her home visits along with visiting the residential homes where she lived for most of her life along with the emotional challenges that came with it.