ADHD and Trauma Pt 7: ADHD and Addiction; What Are You Really Numbing?

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Episode 042: Welcome back to Don’t Mind Me, I Just Have ADHD — the show that meets you at the intersection of neurodivergence, trauma, addiction, and healing. Hosted by Ron Souers, this series isn’t about fixing what’s “wrong” with you — it’s about exposing the systems that taught you to believe you were broken in the first place.

In Part 7 of the ADHD & Trauma series, we dive headfirst into the raw truth about addiction — not just to substances, but to approval, productivity, perfection, busyness, and the masks we wear to survive. With deep insights from renowned physician Dr. Gabor Maté, this episode unmasks addiction not as a weakness or a moral failure, but as a nervous system’s desperate call for relief.

Through real talk, compassionate science, and piercing clarity, Ron unpacks how shame, disconnection, and trauma fuel addiction — and how capitalism, culture, and even our childhood environments are complicit in that pain. You’ll learn that what appears to be dysfunction is often an adaptation. And the path to healing begins not in punishment, but in presence.

This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a lifeline.

Whether you're living with ADHD, navigating addiction, or trying to understand a loved one — this is your wake-up call.

📚 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How ADHD, trauma, and addiction are deeply interconnected
✅ Dr. Gabor Maté’s radical compassion-based approach to addiction
✅ Why we numb — and what we’re really running from
✅ How childhood attunement (or the lack of it) shapes our adult behaviors
✅ What addiction looks like beyond substances: scrolling, hustling, performing, people-pleasing
✅ The real cost of criminalizing pain
✅ What you can do today to interrupt the pattern, no matter where you are in your journey

Other Great Ways to Connect with Me:

👩‍🏫Strength Coaching with Ron: www.youradhdguy.com
📬 Subscribe & join The Kindness Circle!

👩‍🦯Tik Tok @RonSolo1

📻 Patreon Patreon.com/ronsouers
📨Email Ronsouers@dadhdwss.com

"Don' Mind Me, I Just Have ADHD!" w/ Ron Souers:

Hosted by Social Shift coach and fierce kindness and ADHD advocate Ron Souers, this podcast is a raw, real, and a radically compassionate space for adults navigating ADHD, depression, anxiety, and the beautiful chaos of being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world.

Each week, Ron dives deep into the emotional archaeology of what makes us feel “too much” or “not enough,” and unearths practical, science-backed strategies to shift your perspective. From masking and rejection sensitivity to procrastination, imposter syndrome, and the ADHD–LGBTQ+ intersection, no topic is off-limits.

This is more than a podcast—it’s a permission slip to feel, to heal, and to take up space.

Expect:

🔥 Hard truths wrapped in kindness
🔥 Courageous conversations with guests who get it
🔥 Simple tools for focus, rest, connection, and growth

You don’t need to be fixed. You just need to be seen.
So hit subscribe, take a deep breath, and let’s make it cool to be different—together.

Recent Episodes:

The Wounds We Carry: ADHD, Trauma, and Healing (Part 1 with Kayla Crane)

Mental Health at Work: Why You’re Burned Out and Still Hiding It