ADHD Aha | The noisy ADHD brain - plus ADHD and lying (Oliver’s story)

Actor Oliver Vaquer has a “noisy” ADHD brain. Growing up, he had a hard time paying attention to just about everything - and he’d lie to cover it up. His thoughts would all shout at him at once, and he felt pressured to blurt them out before he forgot them.
As an adult, Oliver’s rushed, “staccato” speech spurred his doctor to give him an ADHD questionnaire. His responses to the questionnaire surprised them both.
Also in this episode: How Oliver uses ADHD medication as a tool to build better habits. Plus, ADHD social anxiety and feeling like you’re operating at 100% for the first time ever.
To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.
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Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

[@swimmerzo]

i relate to this so deeply. i think especially as an adhd artist of any discipline there's this incredible shame of knowing you're capable of "genius" but consistently failing to achieve the bare minimum. i'm so creative and intelligent. i know this. but i feel like im just barely skimming by, never doing what i love, never practicing, never focusing, never remembering, always fucking up and apologizing. it kills your self esteem

[@aneshadeweese3604]

Perfectly said! I'm so much the same. Thank you! You have no idea how much your words have helped me out!🎉

[@sitsbeats]

Same. Did you manage to overcome this and get into your „genius zone“ and finish projects?

[@keithjimison7163]

In the 12th grade I waited until the night before to write my senior thesis. Although I knew it would account for 50% of my grade i just couldn't do it. Everything else was more important like playing video games, basketball, looking out the window staring at absolutely nothing. That hyper focus kicked in and I stayed up all night. Went to school that morning had a good day, but by 3pm I crashed from the lack of sleep. My mom thought I was dead because they couldn't wake me for the next 18 hrs lol! I passed ADHD on to my son, and he has it worse than me.

[@susanpurkett]

I love that Tribe song ♥️♥️♥️

[@lorderussellandrews560]

This is interesting, I knew there was something different about how I listened to music lmaoo I love music so much but can't enjoy the sound and at the same time follow a verse.

[@Appleloucious]

One Love! Always forward, never ever backward!! ☀️☀️☀️ 💚💛❤️ 🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼

[@AD-Dom]

Great story. Sounds very similar. Wish my doctors (at the time) were more aware of the pre diagnosis life. LOL I actually don’t even pay attention to the lyrics anymore. It’s all the intricacies of the music.

[@jewels18261]

Beautifully explained Thanks man

[@Flannery164]

My 14 year old son has ADHD and so do I a male at 53 years old. I was recently diagnosed because I seen the improvement my son has had with Vyvanse. Anyways I guess this is a question, when I was younger I lied about everything I just had to talk non stop and if it meant making things up I would. My son is going through this now and I’m just dumbfounded at how he makes things up. I had never heard that lying was a part of ADHD and Ive recently read that lying is a part of it. I guess I’m asking to reaffirm my belief that it is an issue. And how to deal with it. Please and thanks. Mike F.

[@UnderstoodOrg]

Hi Mike Here's an article of ours on ADHD and lying, with a video, and tips to help! www.understood.org/en/articles/adhd-and-lying-what-you-need-to-know Thank you for sharing your experience with us