Rae Jacobson: The diagnosis boom … and backlash
About this episode
Rae Jacobson discusses her journey with ADHD and the implications of the current ADHD discourse.
Episode 204 with Rae Jacobson. “There is a difference between traits and impairment. If we dilute the idea of ADHD into something that just seems familiar, we risk shutting out the people who really need help.” Rae is a journalist, an ADHD and learning disorders expert, and the Lead of Insight at Understood, where she also hosts the podcast Hyperfocus . Rae has spent over 20 years digging into the stories and science of neurodivergence. She’s a former senior editor at the Child Mind Institute, and her work has appeared in New York Magazine, the Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, Parenting, American Girl, and more. Rae and I talk about her very winding path to an ADHD diagnosis: growing up as the “smart kid who did terribly at school,” getting diagnosed with LD-NOS, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, and then finally, in her early 20s, realizing she has ADHD. Rae shares the life-changing experience of attending Landmark College — a school specifically for students with ADHD and learning disabilities. We also wrestle with the current ADHD discourse: the difference between relatable traits and true impairment, what happens when “everyone has ADHD,” and why that can both broaden awareness and…
More episodes of Women & ADHD
- Alex Bellitter: Coaching vs. therapy for ADHD
- Roberta Dombrowski: Breaking up with burnout
- Madeline Grace Matthews & Karla Pretorius: Finding our neurodivergent voice
- Jen Fry: Setting boundaries & saying no
- Dr. Anupriya Gogne: ADHD & executive dysfunction in the perinatal period
- Laura Kerbey: The hidden costs of masking
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Women & ADHD podcast page.