Ellie (33) and Paige (31) are sisters who were diagnosed late with autism and ADHD (AuDHD). However, the way it manifests in them doesn't look the same. With AuDHD only becoming an official diagnosis in 2013, the lack of research not only resulted in late diagnosis and mental health issues, but also left Ellie and Paige feeling alone and confused. This podcast is a space where Ellie and Paige share their experiences, in the hopes it will help others. It explores the vast manifestations of neurodivergence and emphasises how even sisters with the same condition can look completely different. // Diagnosed late, here to educate // INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, YOUTUBE @wtfisaudhdpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ellie loves an infodump and today she's gone on a deep dive about the history of ADHD. Ever wondered when it was first mentioned in literature? Or why it became a 'disorder' in modern day society? Did ADHD always exist, or has it just become a 'thing' in the last 100 years? ADHD might feel like a modern diagnosis, but the traits we associate with it have been described for centuries - from early descriptions of attention and hyperactivity, to the diagnosis entering the DSM, and the question of what ADHD might have looked like before modern society. We explore theories that some ADHD traits may have been advantageous in certain environments, and discuss that perhaps the manifestation of ADHD is heavily influenced by a mismatch between brains and the world we're living in. Check out Dr. Russell Barkley's YouTube Channel Citation #1: Dan TA Eisenberg, Benjamin Campbell, Peter B Gray, Michael D Sorenson - An exploration of nutrition indices among nomadic and recently settled Ariaal men of northern Kenya Citation #2: David L. Barack et. al - Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging Sign up to become a Founding Member for WTF Journals LINKTREE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why is it that we can be incredibly capable, creative and motivated, but somehow struggle to organise our own lives? We've spent our whole lives trying to create routines, stick to planners, build systems and pretty much everytime, we abandon them, forget about them, or decide we've failed the moment we miss a day. This has led to years of shame, low self esteem, burnout - you name it! In this episode, we talk about our experiences with executive dysfunction, and reveal why sometimes we're just lacking the flint to our fire - once the fire is going, we can find momentum, but the systems in today's world aren't kind to our brains. We unpack why traditional systems can be so difficult for AuDHD brains - and why sometimes, we don't need more discipline - w just need the right flint to get the fire started. After years of struggling, we've created our own customisable journal system and we're hoping it helps you too! Sign up to become a WTF Journal Founding Member - (includes $10 off your first order) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Stress affects everyone, but sometimes we don't always become aware of it until it's too late. In this episode, Ellie and Paige talk about their experiences with stress and how they've learnt to look for physical signs early. The body and mind are super connected, but Westernised medicine generally doesn't approach this holistic ideology, leading to a disconnect between your thoughts and feelings, and what your body is trying to say. After Ellie's body recently burnt out, she's trying to learn how to identify it earlier and encourage others to listen to their bodies too. We ask our listeners how stress manifests physically in them, and there are a lot of clear themes that come up. Hopefully this episode will help you identify early signs of stress, be kinder to yourself and not always feel you have to "push through". Join the conversation by joining our Reddit! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we've swapped places and now Paige has been sick! So in the spirit of accommodating ourselves, but still providing you with some fun, we're continuing to answer your questions. We chat about light-hearted subjects like our star signs, to giving our opinions on disclosing your diagnosis to healthcare professionals and potential employers. We discuss how we balance our lives to avoid burnout (spoiler alert: we're still workjing on it) we finally reveal "the hill we will die on". Thanks for your patience as we both get back to full health - we'll be back with a proper episode next week! Sign up to h ear more about our journals wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Full disclosure - Ellie is super sick this week and because we self-produce this, we needed an accessible, low-effort topic, that would still be interesting to you - so we opened up your questions! Did we used to fight as kids? What are we watching at the moment? Our go-to meals? What is our fave part of being AuDHD? And more! Join our Reddit to participate in future conversations with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We have both struggled with clothing for our entire life - it's a double-prong of sensory icks and societal expectations that really drive us up the wall. For many neurodivergent people, clothes can be a daily sensory battle, so in this episode, we chat about our favourite "safe clothes", why certain fabrics make us want to crawl out of our skin, the emotional side of getting dressed, the societal expectations of gender-based dressing and general social decorum, and why comfort should always win over fashion! SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
CONTENT DISCLAIMER: This episode contains discussions about sex, intimacy, masking, consent, and unwanted sexual experiences. Please listen with caution. It also contains some EXPLICIT language, so be mindful of younger ears. This week we're discussing a topic that many people experience but rarely talk about: masking during sex and intimacy. After receiving a vulnerable email from a listener who described feeling like they were performing through every sexual experience, we wanted to explore the complicated relationship between masking, people-pleasing, sensory experiences, expectations, and intimacy. We talk about our own experiences growing up as women, the messages we received about sex and relationships, and how being neurodivergent can sometimes make it difficult to identify, communicate, and prioritise our own needs. We also discuss the difference between wanting something and feeling like you should want it, as well as the exhaustion that can come from constantly performing for others. As always, we're sharing personal experiences and listener stories rather than diagnostic criteria, and we recognise that everyone's relationship with sex and intimacy is different. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Before we were diagnosed, Paige and Ellie dismissed the possibility that we could be autistic because we didn't match the stereotypes we'd been exposed to. Even though Paige suspected she was autistic at 15, the environmental voices were so loud she gave up. In this episode, we're unpacking some of the reasons we didn't think we could be autistic and the experiences we later realised were showing up differently than we expected. As always, we're sharing our personal stories and experiences, not providing diagnostic advice. These traits don't automatically mean someone is autistic, but they may help explain why so many late-diagnosed and AuDHD people overlooked autism in themselves for years. Sign up to be a founding journal holder https://wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Before we jump into this week's episode - we have a new Reddit! The other one will be going to the graveyard, so join our new one here: https://www.reddit.com/r/wtfisaudhd In this episode we chat about the hobbies, journals, activities we swore we'd stick to... only to abandon then a few weeks later. From the feelings of "this is it!" "this is my new thing" to the shame and embarrassment that comes after you've forgotten it even exists. We explore why ADHD brains become so intensely focused on new interests, why that motivation can disappear seemingly overnight, and the guilt, shame and financial "ADHD tax" that often follows. We also discuss your contributions around hobbies and dusty journals from the new Reddit community. Plus, we received a message from our local psychologist Mike Cochrane about scam diagnoses and how to keep an eye out for illiegitimate 'experts'. And speaking of things we've abandoned in the past... Paige brings her latest journal updates - and how she's trying her best to ensure this is a journal that stays with you forever! More info at wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Modern life can sometimes feel like actual torture for an ADHD brain - and it really can be! In this episode, we chat about dopamine, procrastination, novelty-seeking, and why so many apps, algorithms, and endless notifications are designed to hijack everyone's brains. Then when you add in the ADHD, we become the perfect target. We look at the ways modern life may be making life harder for ADHDers, and we share some personal examples minor tasks we've avoided, even though it would help us in the long run. If you're struggling in this modern day, overstimulating world - you are not alone. SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast ellieonthetelly.com wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why do so many autistic, ADHD and AuDHD people experience a constant feeling that something is “wrong” or about to go wrong? In this episode of WTF is AuDHD? , we explore our experiences with the feeling of impending doom. We theorise why it might be experienced more in our community - from anxiety and sensory overload to nervous system activation, interoception, uncertainty intolerance and emotional dysregulation. We also share a few funny stories from the week that was, that include a lost cellphone and a tea kettle #adhdthings SOCIAL @wtfisaudpodcast https://wtfjournals.com/signup https://ellieonthetelly.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Ellie and Paige reflect on Ellie's recent overseas trip and why Amsterdam in particular was kind to her neurodivergent mind. We go on a few side quests along the way, chatting about Ellie's recent engagement, Paige tells a story about having Tourette's in public and we accidentally end up analysing marriage. In the second half of the episode, we chat all about movies and why we both find it hard to commit to them. Ellie brings some research on why some autistic/ADHD people struggle with movies and we bring our own lived experience. We're curious to know - do you also struggle to commit to movies? Sign up for WTF Journal presales - wtfjournals.com/signup Chat with Ellie - ellieonthetelly.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why does being seen feel so uncomfortable… even when nothing’s actually wrong? In this episode, we unpack the fear of being perceived - something that shows up in many people from the neurodivergent community. From overthinking how we’re coming across, to feeling exposed just existing in public (and private!), to avoiding being watched altogether (lockdown was an interesting time) - we share what this experience feels like for us. Maybe you'll recognise this in yourself too? We talk about masking, perfectionism, shame, and the weird contradiction of wanting to be understood but not wanting to be perceived. SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast @wtf.journals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What completely dysregulates you that might seem a bit unusual to someone else? This episode is basically a collection of “why does THIS send me over the edge?” moments. We’re sharing the things that dysregulate us as AuDHDers - from noises, to sounds, to textures, to general demands - we share our own experiences plus read out the ones you sent us on Instagram. SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast @wtf.journals Book a mentoring session with Ellie ellieonthetelly.com Sign up for early access to our journals - wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Content note: This episode discusses cannabis use and self-medication. We’re sharing personal experiences, not medical advice. If medicinal cannabis is legal in your country/state, please see a healthcare professional to discuss your prescription options. In this episode, we explore why cannabis use seems to be relatively common among ADHD and autistic people - and what we’ve personally noticed. Even though we're sisters, we've both had different relationships with it. We talk about how it affects our brains and bodies, the ways it can help (and sometimes not help), and the very loose science behind why this might be the case. We chat about the endocannabinoid system and how that system might work differently in autistic people and discuss whether this might be why it helps some of us feel "normal". Again, this isn't medical advice, it's just a casual chat about something that isn’t talked about enough. SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast @wtf.journals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we’re talking about Hyperventilation Syndrome and how easy it is to get stuck in an anxiety-breathing feedback loop without even realising. If you often feel dizzy, tight-chested, or like you can't catch a literal breath - you might relate to our personal experiences with chronic hyperventilation throughout our lives. We also touch on Ellie's lived experience with “W sitting” (if you know, you know). We chat about why so many neurodivergent people do it, why it’s not ideal for development, and how it’s impacted Ellie's body long-term. SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast @wtf.journals Sign up to early access for our journals - wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trigger warning: this episode discusses Ellie and Paige's experiences with manipulation, sexual harm and harrassment. Listen with care. In this episode, we’re talking about some of the harder experiences we’ve had - including manipulation, bullying, and situations where consent and safety weren’t always clear at the time. Our aim with this chat is to help you recognise harm and vaildate similar experiences you may have had. We explore this through an AuDHD lens, unpacking things like missing red flags, people-pleasing, delayed processing, and the moments where we only realised later that something wasn’t okay. This isn’t a graphic episode - it’s a reflective one. We’re focusing on patterns, understanding, and what we wish we’d known earlier. Please take care while listening: pause, skip, or come back to this when you feel ready. If you or someone you know needs help, visit: https://www.wannatalkaboutit.com/ SOCIAL @wtfisaudhdpodcast @wtf.journals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trigger warning: this episode contains light conversations surrounding eating and disordered eating. In this episode, we’re joined by Erin - an ADHDer and dietician ( Balance and Bite ) - to unpack what neuroaffirming nutrition actually looks like and why traditional advice around food so often doesn’t work for neurodivergent people. Erin talks to us about the real reasons the neurodivergent population struggle with food - from executive dysfunction and dopamine-seeking, to sensory needs, decision fatigue, and burnout. We explore why advice like “just eat when you’re hungry” or “just use willpower” can fall apart, and how these challenges are often misunderstood as personal failure rather than differences in how our brains work. We also dive into binge eating, emotional eating, and the role food can play in regulation - reframing these behaviours with compassion instead of shame. Erin shares practical, ADHD-friendly strategies to make eating feel easier, support energy and focus, and reduce overwhelm without aiming for perfection. We hope you walk away from this episode feeling validated and carrying less shame around food. Book a mentoring session with Ellie www.ellieonthetelly.com Sign up for early access to our journals www.wtfjournals.com/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join the waitlist for our journals! https://wtfjournals.com/signup In this episode, we share our personal journeys of improving our gut health - and why it’s become something we’re paying a lot more attention to. This isn’t a dieting episode, we just feel passionate about sharing our personal experiences when it comes to gut health. We explore the gut-brain connection, why gut health plays such a big role in mood, energy, and regulation, and why it can be especially important for AuDHD brains. We talk about the small, realistic changes we’ve made, how adding (not restricting) foods has shifted our mindset, and why we started thinking about our microbiome in a completely different way - even personifying it to help us take better care of it. If you’ve ever struggled with consistency, motivation, or knowing where to start when it comes to looking after your body, you're not alone and we hope this episode will be a gentle, non-judgemental place to begin. Next week, we’re joined by a neurodivergent dietician to dive even deeper into nutrition for neurodivergent people, and why traditional approaches don't work for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Connection and loneliness are two of the most common experiences in the neurodivergent community. So in this episode, we chat to 27-year-old Holly Fowler - founder and CEO of Wable , an app designed to help neurodivergent people connect through friendship, dating, and work. This is not sponsored, it's just a genuine chat between three neurodivergent who want the world to be a better place for everyone. Holly shares how a spontaneous DM to Michael Theo after watching Love on the Spectrum led to a four-year journey of building Wable from the ground up - despite having no prior startup experience, navigating ADHD and OCD, and facing intense stress along the way. We talk about how her neurodivergence shows up in both challenging and powerful ways - from paralysing OCD rituals to the hyperfocus and determination that helped bring Wable to life. Holly opens up about her experiences with ADHD and OCD, burnout, hospitalisations, and the reality of building something meaningful while managing her mental health. We also dive into how Wable works, how she's made it inclusive and accessible, and why neurodivergent people often struggle to find connection in traditional spaces. Paige also introduces the project she's been working on for YEARS - and we need your help with it! Follow @wtf.journals on Instagram for more info. Search 'Wable' on the App Store or Google Play. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
