At its simplest, this post is a link to a couple of excellent ADHD resources. Dig deeper, it is somewhat of a rant about one’s information diet and what should be added to it.
I was having a chat with AI and it told me to go get an Earl Grey tea (I really hope I have previously told it that I like Earl Grey, or things be getting creepy). So I did get one ☕ Then we wrote this post together.
A colleague recently asked me to print out a stack of resources for some ADHD training he’s undertaking. I’m not sure why. Maybe a power play? Anyway, he sent them to me via email, and I had a read through a few.
ADHD isn’t a specialist topic for me, so I found it pretty interesting.
Just a few highlights:
⭐ The IQ Myth: Having a high IQ doesn’t mean you can’t have ADHD; high-IQ individuals often face longer delays in diagnosis because people assume their intelligence “cancels out” the impairment.
⭐ A “Synapse” Issue, Not a “Soup” Issue: ADHD isn’t a global “chemical imbalance” in the brain (like too much salt in a soup); it’s actually about how chemicals are released and reloaded at the infinitesimal junctions between neurons.
⭐ The Gender Gap: ADHD has a male-to-female ratio of about 3:1 in the general population, but girls are often missed because their “hyperactivity” shows up internally or as “hyper-talkativeness” rather than disruptive physical behaviour.
⭐ A Different Name: Some experts are moving toward the term VAST (Variable Attention Stimulus Trait), which reframes the condition as an *abundance* of attention that is simply difficult to control, rather than a deficit.
I then pondered writing a ‘What is ADHD?’ explainer, but there are plenty of experts doing that already and mine would likely suck in comparison.
Instead, I thought I’d direct those of you with an interest (direct or indirect) in ADHD to a couple of well-known resources.
💻 ADHD Australia (https://www.adhdaustralia.org.au/): ADHD Australia is a national, non‑profit organisation that advocates for fair, accessible, evidence‑based support for people with ADHD across health, education, work, community life, and the justice system. They focus on policy reform, public education, and amplifying lived experience so ADHD is better understood and more equitably supported nationwide.
💻 ADDitude Magazine (https://www.additudemag.com/): ADDitude is a major ADHD education and support platform that provides practical, expert‑reviewed guidance for parents, adults, clinicians, and educators, along with symptom tests, treatment information, and lived‑experience stories. It’s essentially a comprehensive, accessible hub for ADHD strategies, research updates, and community learning.
Interestingly, the thing I was more interested in writing about here was: what am I actually suggesting when I direct someone to a resource?
I recommend websites, podcasts, articles, apps, and all sorts of things to people all the time. Why? Because yes – the internet is full of cat videos – but it also contains some genuinely excellent wellbeing resources.
When I recommend something, I’m making a judgement call. I’m saying: “the people behind this know more about this topic than I do, and I trust their material over other options”
I’m also quietly acknowledging that there is a huge amount of information out there on any given topic, and that it helps to prioritise. (As a general rule, I tend to lean toward resources produced by governments, universities, non-profits, medical organisations, and registered health professionals.)
But more than anything, I’m suggesting this: go and have a look and decide whether this belongs in your “information diet.”
Your information diet is the sum total of what you consume day-to-day. And just like food, what you “eat” digitally affects your psychology – your knowledge, beliefs, mood, and the choices you make. Being intentional about what you consume isn’t just a productivity thing. It is a mental health thing.
In practical terms, adding something to your information diet usually just means subscribing in some way via an email newsletter (my preference), social media, whatever works. You’re choosing to stay connected. And it’s that ongoing relationship that really matters.
Because let’s be honest, you’re not going to read everything on a site like ADHD Australia or ADDitude in one sitting. Your first visit is really just a scouting mission. You’re getting a feel for the place. If it clicks, you subscribe. If not, you move on.
One caveat: the “vibe” of a website isn’t always a reliable marker of quality. Some of the most evidence-based resources (especially government or university ones) aren’t exactly flashy. Meanwhile, highly polished sites can sometimes prioritise attention over accuracy. That’s just the ecosystem we’re operating in.
So when I point you toward ADHD Australia or ADDitude, I’m saying these are worth inclusion in your rotation.
Once they’re in, the pressure is off. You don’t need to consume everything immediately. Just engage over time and in doing so pick up ideas, revisit concepts, and try things out when they feel relevant. Good resources tend to recycle their best content anyway, so useful ideas will come back around.
And that’s the next step – translation into action. If something you read sparks an idea, experiment with it. Does it help? Does it fit your life? Keep what works.
That said, like any diet, your information diet needs balance. If all you consume is content about a single diagnosis, it can start to crowd out other parts of your identity. You are more than that label. There’s also the risk of “subscription bloat.” I tend to do a yearly clean-out where I unsubscribe from what’s no longer useful and make space for new interests.
And yes, you can just ask AI about ADHD whenever you need to. I do that too. It’s a great way to get a quick overview.
But I still think it’s worth supporting real organisations. When you engage with places like ADHD Australia, you’re helping sustain the people and communities producing that knowledge (remember, it is that knowledge which AI systems are trained on). And importantly, they offer something AI can’t fully replicate, human connection, lived experience, and a sense of belonging.
Anyway, I’ll stop my rant there.
If ADHD is something that resonates with you, consider giving these resources a look. See if they “taste” right. If they do, let them become a steady, useful part of your week.
And for what it’s worth, if you looked at my own YouTube feed, you’d see a very specific mix: cars, computers, mental health, metal music, technology, fitness, and finance. Not random. Curated.
That’s the idea.