Learning and thinking differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia, are invisible disabilities that can impact skills like attention, reading, and organization. More than 70 million Americans have learning and thinking differences. They are often misunderstood, undiagnosed, and dismissed, and their differences are viewed as a weakness. Understood.org, a resource that supports neurodivergent individuals, produced The ADHD Aha! podcast series to raise awareness of ADHD by bringing the symptoms to life through personal stories for listeners to sport symptoms themselves and know that they’re not alone.
Throughout each episode, ADHD Aha! helps listeners better understand the complexities surrounding ADHD by honing in on the moment an individual or someone they know realized they had ADHD or fully grasped the impact of ADHD in their life, along with the emotional, unexpected, and sometimes funny ways symptoms surfaced. Laura Key, executive editorial director at Understood.org, talks with featured guests such as working professionals and parents who are raising intense children with ADHD, whose “aha” moment surfaced throughout their journeys. The conversations continue to discuss the tangled web of ADHD, anxiety, perfectionism, and more to equip listeners with relatable stories and tangible examples that will help them better understand themselves and the challenges they face.
The past several years have brought an incredible change to everyone, particularly to neurodivergent individuals, who continue to face unprecedented academic, social, and emotional challenges related to their neurodiversity.
For instance, Understood.org research found that 60% of parents have seen children with learning and thinking differences referred to as “lazy” or “not smart.” Additionally, over 50% of parents with neurodivergent children are afraid to tell others about their child’s learning differences because of the associated biases. This highlights the realities of the stigmas accompanying learning and thinking differences, such as ADHD. The lack of awareness of such biases can significantly affect an individual’s mental health.
Producing the ADHD Aha! Podcast series required an effective strategy which includes:
Keeping the content engaging: The success of the ADHD Aha! podcast series relies on listeners engaging with and sharing the content. It’s crucial to present this information in a way that is engaging and easy to understand for listeners of all backgrounds at different points in their journey.
Managing the stigma and misconceptions: The driving force behind this challenge is the stigma associated with neurodiversity, particularly ADHD. Ensuring that each episode addresses misconceptions and provides accurate information to combat stigma is necessary to change attitudes and behaviors surrounding neurodiversity.
Reaching the target audience: The ADHD Aha! Podcast series intends to reach individuals from all walks of life who are struggling with ADHD symptoms or know someone who is, but reaching and engaging with this community can be challenging. Effective marketing and outreach strategies are essential to ensure the podcast reaches its intended audience.
Understood.org’s ADHD Aha! podcast series sparks meaningful conversations while elevating powerful perspectives and insights for people with learning and thinking differences. It empowers people who learn and think differently by making them feel seen, heard, supported, and helping them thrive.
To do this, the ADHD Aha! podcast series harnesses the power of first-person storytelling to drive understanding and combat stigma. The larger opportunity for this platform is to facilitate real, honest conversations about the challenges neurodivergent people are facing. The first step towards that is to help listeners acknowledge and understand ADHD while learning more about how it could manifest in their lives.
As a result of the podcast series thus far, we’ve reached 221,069 unique listeners with an all time average consumption rate of 79.11% since its inception on September, 23, 2021. The ADHD Aha! podcast series continued efforts are not only focusing on raising awareness, but also shaping a more inclusive world for those who learn and think differently.
