Okay, so it seems like everyone and their dog is getting diagnosed with something on TikTok. I’m one of them! I connected with a psychological nurse practitioner after a few too many videos describing ADHD symptoms in adult women popped up on my For You Page.
Spoiler alert: I take a stimulant every morning now, and it’s changed my life.
Of course, health practitioners warn of the dangers of self-diagnosis.
While it’s important to be cautious and thoughtful about pathologizing our behaviors (Dr. Google and I have been around the block a few times), it’s also important to note that there is a gender gap in diagnosing ADHD. Symptoms often manifest differently in women and girls than boys and men, being incorrectly treated as anxiety or depression in adolescence.
Studies also point to racial and ethnic disparities in these diagnoses, keeping BIPOC children from much-needed treatment and early intervention.
It’s only fair, then, that the Internet has become a deeply helpful and more accessible place to find real, authentic information about being a neurodivergent adult.
While there is a much-needed systemic shift to come in the medical community, there is no shame in learning a little more about yourself through the lens of some awesome ADHD creators.
The key is just knowing where to look.
We’ve collected the best resources to help you manage and learn more about your ADHD! Check out these blogs, newsletters, social media accounts, and podcasts:
The Best ADHD Blogs To Help You Understand Your Brain
“Black Girl, Lost Keys” by René Brooks
René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story and channels her experience into supporting other Black women in their journey to living well with ADHD. Her blog details personal stories about her experiences, as well as tips for creating a routine, using gadgets to your advantage, and starting conversations around culture and mental health treatment.
Brooks also offers coaching services and is a frequent (and really great) tweeter.
Marla Cummins’ Adult ADHD Blog
Marla Cummins is an ADHD and productivity coach who specializes in giving adults with ADHD creative solutions to minimize their challenges. Her blog shares helpful resources about topics like self-talk, habit-building, reducing distractions and rumination, and a whole lot more.
Cummins also hosts a podcast and has developed a productivity book for adults struggling with ADHD.
“Glitter Brain” by Liz Cordeiro
Liz Cordeiro is a writer who isn’t afraid of “opening up about the icky things.” She writes about ADHD, sobriety, anxiety, and depression.
“Glitter Brain” is filled with a variety of content, like asking for accommodations at work, supporting a child with ADHD, finding neurodiverse friends online, letting go of neurotypical standards, and even helpful ways to tackle chores.
Cordeiro also shares her day-to-day experiences on Twitter, creating a sparkly ADHD community online.
The Best ADHD Newsletters For All Your Neurodivergent Needs
Adulting With ADHD
Adulting With ADHD is a newsletter written by Rach Idowu, a London-based ADHD’er who was diagnosed at age 26. She has formed a community on Twitter, as well, and has created ADHD flashcards for people to better understand the condition.
Her newsletter is a collection of her comments and wisdom regarding ADHD and things like imposter syndrome, perfectionism, neurodivergence in the workplace, late diagnoses, and more.
Extra Focus
Extra Focus is a newsletter written by Jesse J. Anderson, where every Tuesday, subscribers learn ADHD tips and strategies so they can “learn how to work with your brain’s unique wiring, rather than against it.”
Anderson is also working on an upcoming book that will serve as an “ADHD starter guide.”
Looking for more great newsletters? Explore our curated list of the best mental health newsletters *and* our list of the best newsletters on the internet.
The ADHD Content Creators We Can’t Get Enough Of
Pina Varnel of ADHD Alien — Twitter
Pina Varnel is an artist who creates alien comics about her experiences with ADHD. Her art style is cute and inclusive and helps educate folks on the experiences, emotions, and types of ADHD. Her comics are also just, like, really relatable.
She is on Patreon and is working on a graphic novel, too!
Jessica McCabe of How To ADHD — YouTube
Jessica McCabe is a YouTuber helping her audience build an ADHD toolbox. She creates videos that teach and educate, as well as comment on things like ADHD portrayals in media, surviving major life transitions, and coping with negative thoughts and rejection sensitivity.
She’s basically the dean of “Neurodiversity University.”
McCabe also shares some great memes.
ADHD Artist and Creator Dani Donovan — Instagram
Dani Donovan is an ADHD meme queen you may have found on TikTok (she has over 600,000 followers), or Twitter, where she explores a number of ADHD-related topics, from fascinating therapy breakthroughs, to goofy, relatable experiences with a neurodivergent brain.
She is also a comic artist and public speaker.
Lina Fang of @ndwellness — TikTok
Lina Fang is a TikTok creator living with ADHD and Autism. She shares helpful resources and acts out different scenarios that detail her experiences with overlapping neurodivergent conditions.
Whether she’s explaining sensory issues, sharing her challenges with burnout, or helping viewers support an autistic loved one, Fang’s content is a major help for neurodivergent folks everywhere.
Kristen Bandy of @youradhdmom — TikTok
Kristen Bandy calls herself an “accidental ADHD advocate” after a late diagnosis at age 37. She shares her personal experiences with ADHD, and confronts topics like ADHD parenting, easy makeup and wardrobe tips as an ADHD’er, ADHD in the workplace, and everyday stories from a neurodiverse perspective.
She acknowledges that her experiences are not diagnostic criteria but still gives adult ADHD’ers a place to feel seen and understood.
The Best ADHD Podcasts to Add to Your Queue
Translating ADHD hosted by Cameron Gott & Shelly Collins
Cameron Gott and Shelly Collins are both experienced ADHD coaches who use their own experiences with ADHD to inform their episodes. On their website, Gott and Collins say they aim to provide listeners with the tools to “understand, own, and translate” their ADHD. Episodes confront topics like relationships with ADHD, listening to big signal emotions, navigating barriers, and of course, many more.
Faster Than Normal hosted by Peter Shankman
Peter Shankman says that the funny thing about ADD and ADHD is that “it's the only condition that truly makes you smarter and faster than everyone else, while at the same time, convincing you that you're incredibly stupid and can't do a damn thing.” That’s why he created the Faster Than Normal podcast.
On the show, he interviews ADHD’ers from all industries and backgrounds, learning about their creative and functional processes.
Catie and Erik’s Infinite Quest: An ADHD Adventure
TikTok creators Cate Osborn (@catieosaurus) and Erik Gude (@heygude) combine their two greatest loves: talking about ADHD and Dungeons & Dragons. On the pod, they talk about the challenges of navigating life as neurodivergent adults — all while playing DND.
This unique spin invites listeners to enjoy a fun narrative quest, while connecting with hosts who share vulnerable and pertinent information about ADHD. It’s a win-win!
You might also like: A roundup of the best mental health podcasts to listen to
The Best Random Adult ADHD Resources
We know; we have some pretty great taste in Internet resources. But this list is not comprehensive, and there are lots of other cool random resources, outlets, support groups, and communities out there that have helped ADHD’ers find their people.
To finish us out, here’s a list of some bits and bobs that stuck out to us! We hope that these items make you feel seen, supported, and embraced on your ADHD journey.
ADHD Babes
ADHD Babes is a digital support group of Black women and non-binary folks living with ADHD. They plan in-person events, send a newsletter, and have a Discord server for members.
Live Coworking
@ADHDdesigner (Shannon) is a freelance designer based in London. She hosts live coworking streams on Twitch, where folks from around the world can coexist and help each other stay on track.
The ADHD Subreddit
We love Reddit. r/ADHD is a great place for ADHD forums, community-building, and resources. It will leave you feeling seen and understood.
Neurodivergent Professionals
Neurodivergent Professionals (@ndprofessionals) is a Twitter and Discord community for neurodivergent folks working across sectors.
FindCenter
FindCenter is a growth and development platform with a large library of resources on a myriad of topics connected to direction and purpose. By creating a free account, users can customize their experience to find diverse resources that align with their identities; whether that’s age, gender identity, race, and more.
FindCenter also has a new section on the site for folks who identify as neurodivergent, curating a list of podcasts, articles, videos, and books covering areas like communication issues, work challenges, mental health, learning styles, parenting, and more.
This is a great free resource for our ADHD’er friends looking for even more selections on ADHD information.
Resources for Mental Health
Since all of these resources are not a substitute for professional or clinical assistance, we want to make sure you also know where and how to find a therapist or provider! In the past, we’ve rounded up a number of mental health resources, including resources to find a therapist.
