ADHD, irritability, and friendship (Jake’s story)

Jake Lambert watched his mother thrive once she was diagnosed with ADHD and getting ADHD treatment. That pushed him to look for answers about his own struggles to pay attention. He wondered why he was so irritable, why he had trouble managing emotions, and why he struggled to keep friends. He figured they were just “bad” traits of his — but in reality, it was ADHD. 

Growing up, Jake did well enough in school that no one caught his ADHD symptoms. He’d have to re-read a page three times because he’d get distracted. And he constantly procrastinated on homework assignments. Jake and host Laura Key also talk about how ADHD can make you feel “crackly,” and coping strategies that help them.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. 

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at ADHDAha@understood.org. 

Related resources

• ADHD symptoms at different ages
• Find more ADHD personal stories in our Medium publication, for/by.
• Share your story, too! Email us at ADHDAha@understood.org.

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