Today’s episode is part one of a two-part series on dysfunctional families and ADHD.

I’m sharing this from a very real place. The last few weeks have been heavy with extended family drama, and when things feel overwhelming, I name it and bring it into the light. As someone writing a book on healthy relationships for adults with ADHD, I want you to know I come by this work honestly.

When I look at my own family tree, I see generations shaped by abuse, addiction, emotional neglect, and unaddressed mental health struggles. I refuse to despise my lineage—but I also refuse to continue these patterns. It stops with me.

If you have ADHD, there’s a strong chance your family system shaped how safe it feels to have needs, set boundaries, and regulate emotions. This episode isn’t about blame or shame—it’s about clarity.

You’ll learn:

1. Why dysfunction can exist even when there was love
2. How emotional neglect often goes unnoticed
3. Why guilt shows up when you set boundaries
4. 10 common signs of a dysfunctional family system

Awareness is how cycles are interrupted. In Part Two, we’ll explore what healthy families actually look like and how to move toward that—without burning it all down.

Episode Resources:

Toxic Family Test

Patrick Teahan YouTube

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #330: ADHD-Proof Your Life: Real Tips from Real ADHD Brains

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This is one of the most downloaded episodes of the I Have ADHD Podcast—and for good reason.

In this powerful conversation, Kristen sits down with Dr. Patricia Quinn, a leading expert on ADHD in women and girls, to unpack the missing link so many of us were never taught about: estrogen and the ADHD brain.

If you’ve ever felt like your ADHD symptoms fluctuate wildly throughout the month, worsened during pregnancy or postpartum, or suddenly became unmanageable in your late 30s or 40s—this episode explains why. Dr. Quinn breaks down how hormonal changes directly impact neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, and what that means for focus, mood, emotional regulation, and medication effectiveness.

Even though this episode was recorded a few years ago, the information is timeless—and still deeply validating for women navigating ADHD across different life stages.

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #329: ADHD 101 For Neurotypicals: Why Your Loved Once Struggles With The 'Easy Stuff.'

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My guest today is Dr. Lindsay Gibson, author of Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents and Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents.

You probably saw Dr. Gibson everywhere in 2025...even on Oprah...but LET THE RECORD SHOW: you heard her here first!

This interview originally aired in March 2023, and I’m bringing it back because her work continues to resonate deeply with adults with ADHD.

In this episode, we explore why so many ADHD adults grew up feeling physically cared for—but emotionally alone. This is not a parent-shaming conversation. It’s about clarity, compassion, and naming invisible dynamics so you can stop blaming yourself for struggles that were never yours to fix.

What You’ll Learn

1. Why emotional loneliness is a defining experience for many adult children
2. What “emotional immaturity” actually looks like in parents
3. How people-pleasing, caretaking, and guilt develop as survival strategies
4. Why setting boundaries often triggers backlash—and how to respond
5. How guilt can be a sign of emotional coercion, not wrongdoing
6. What it means to emotionally disengage and reclaim space for yourself

If you’ve ever felt like you’re the problem in your family, struggled with guilt around boundaries, or exhausted yourself managing other people’s emotions—this episode is for you.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents — Dr. Lindsay Gibson

Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents — Dr. Lindsay Gibson

drlindsaygibson.com

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #332: Stop Adding to the Planner Graveyard: One Tool to Improve ADHD Time Blindness NOW

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Sign up for my free class REJECTION SENSITIVITY 101 here!

In this episode, I’m breaking down five research-backed facts about ADHD that should fundamentally change how we think about diagnosis, medication, and long-term care. These aren’t hot takes. They’re uncomfortable truths.

Here’s what we’re covering:

• 80% of people stop ADHD medication within the first year—not because it “didn’t work,” but because the system failed them

• Diagnostic criteria are still wildly outdated, especially for adults, women, and older adults

• Many people seek diagnosis because someone else pushes them to, which makes staying in treatment much harder

• The “antibiotic fantasy” of ADHD treatment—why trying meds once and quitting is almost guaranteed to fail

• Too many clinicians treating ADHD aren’t properly trained, creating shame, confusion, and poor outcomes

This episode is about naming what’s broken—so you can advocate for better care, better information, and better support.

If you have ADHD, love someone who does, or work with ADHD clients or patients… this is required listening.

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #328: Did You Waste Your Summer? Here’s Your ‘August Panic’ Survival Guide

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Click here to join me for Rejection Sensitivity 101: Understanding It. Soothing It. Healing It.

If you’ve ever felt constantly on edge in your relationships—reading into tone changes, bracing for rejection, or waiting for the other shoe to drop—this episode is for you.

Today, I’m unpacking rejection sensitivity: why it shows up so strongly for ADHDers, how it gets wired into the nervous system, and what it actually looks like to heal it in real life.

I share a clear before-and-after from my own marriage—how I used to interpret neutral moments as danger, and how learning to regulate my nervous system completely changed the way I show up in relationship.

You’ll learn:

1. Why rejection sensitivity isn’t you being “too sensitive,” but your nervous system doing its job
2. How ADHD intensifies rejection sensitivity
3. What keeps old “walking on eggshells” patterns alive in safe adult relationships
4. The four shifts that helped me move from fear and reassurance-seeking to grounded self-trust
5. How to tell the difference between real rejection, perceived rejection, and someone else’s bad day

Healing rejection sensitivity doesn’t make you bulletproof—it makes you discerning. It helps you stop treating safe people like they’re dangerous and start trusting yourself instead of the emotional weather of others.

You don’t have to walk on eggshells forever.

Self-trust is learnable. Emotional steadiness is learnable.

And your relationships can become places of safety—not fear.

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Go to drinkag1.com/ihaveadhd toUnlock 7 free gifts worth $126 during December

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Love this clip? Check out the full episode: Episode #327: We Threw Out The Rulebook: How We're Raising Our Neurodivergent Kids With Greg Carder

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If you have ADHD and sleep feels like a constant struggle, you’re not imagining it—and you’re definitely not alone. Research shows that 70–80% of adults with ADHD have chronic sleep problems, most commonly falling asleep too late and being unable to shift earlier, no matter how hard they try. For many of us, this pattern starts in childhood and is deeply tied to our biology.

In this solo episode, I explain why ADHD brains are wired for later sleep, how “social jetlag” (early school and work schedules) creates ongoing sleep debt, and why so many ADHD adults are surviving on 5–6 hours of sleep when our brains actually need more. The tricky part? The symptoms of sleep deprivation—poor focus, low motivation, memory issues, irritability, and emotional dysregulation—look almost identical to ADHD itself.

We dive into chronotherapy, a science-based approach that works with your circadian rhythm instead of fighting it. I break down how light exposure, strategic timing, and gentle sleep-wake adjustments can help regulate your internal clock without perfectionism or rigid routines.

And yes—we talk about sunlight. Morning light is one of the most powerful (and overlooked) tools for ADHD regulation. I share how light therapy glasses, sun lamps, melatonin, and intentional light exposure can support better sleep, better focus, and a calmer nervous system overall.

If you’ve been blaming yourself for sleep issues your brain never signed up for, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and a much more realistic path forward.

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Have questions for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343

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Go to drinkag1.com/ihaveadhd to unlock 7 free gifts worth $126 during December

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