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This is a preview of the Shortform book summary of Your Brain's Not Broken by Tamara Rosier.
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1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Your Brain's Not Broken

In Your Brain's Not Broken, Tamara Rosier explains that people with ADHD have brains that are wired differently from those of neurotypical people. This difference in wiring leads to challenges with attention, emotional regulation, and memory. However, by understanding how their brains work, people with ADHD can develop strategies to manage their symptoms and thrive.

Rosier is an ADHD coach and the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan. She has a PhD in teaching, learning, and leadership from Western Michigan University. She’s also a former college administrator and...

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Your Brain's Not Broken Summary Understanding the Mind of Someone With ADHD

Rosier explains that the brain of a person with ADHD functions differently from a neurotypical brain. Certain areas are overactive, while others are less active. This imbalance leads those with ADHD to struggle with regulating their emotions, paying attention, and remembering things.

People with ADHD usually experience emotions more intensely and have difficulty controlling them. They struggle to focus on tasks that don't interest them and get distracted easily, though they can hyperfocus on tasks that do interest them. Additionally, they often struggle with memory, which can make them seem disorganized and impulsive.

Why People With ADHD Struggle With Emotions, Attention, and Memory

In Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Russell A. Barkley explains that the ADHD brain has weaker inhibitory circuits in the frontal cortex. This means that the brain has a harder time suppressing signals from other areas, such as the limbic system (which processes emotions) and the reward system (which processes motivation). As a result, people with ADHD are more likely to be overwhelmed by their emotions and to be distracted by things...

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Your Brain's Not Broken Summary Strategies for Thriving With ADHD

Next, we’ll discuss practical methods for dealing with ADHD and then cover some principles that can help you thrive with ADHD.

Practical Techniques for Self-Management

Rosier suggests using methods and techniques to manage ADHD symptoms. These can assist you in navigating ADHD's challenges and improve your ability to function in daily life.

(Shortform note: In Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, Russell Barkley cites studies showing that adults with ADHD who learn specific coping strategies experience greater reductions in symptom severity than those who don’t.)

We'll talk about regulating energy and awareness, along with task structuring and habit building.

Energy Regulation & Awareness

Rosier emphasizes that managing energy levels is crucial for people with ADHD. They tend to get tired more easily than others and should recognize which activities drain their energy and which ones recharge them. If energy isn't managed, people may end up feeling discouraged, upset, or dysphoric.

To manage your energy, Rosier suggests keeping track of your energy levels and how different activities affect those levels....

Your Brain's Not Broken

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Taking Charge of Adult ADHD
Russell Barkley

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) isn’t a diagnosis that’s restricted to childhood. Many adults with ADHD struggle with schedules, fulfilling commitments, and maintaining enough focus to achieve their goals. If you’re an adult with ADHD, you may fear that you’ll continually disappoint yourself and others by not living up to society’s expectations.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, neuropsychologist Russell A. Barkley draws on nearly 50 years of experience researching and treating ADHD to explain what it is, how it affects adults, and how to effectively manage it through medication and lifestyle strategies. This guide explores how ADHD might affect you personally and describes the various treatment options that can help you curb its symptoms. In addition, we’ll expand on each of Barkley’s key ideas with research, advice, and actionable ideas from other health care practitioners and psychologists.

Thriving With Adult ADHD
Phil Boissiere

For people with ADHD, managing daily life at work and at home may feel like a constant struggle. In Thriving With Adult ADHD, therapist Phil Boissiere explains why ADHD makes it harder to navigate tasks such as organizing a schedule, maintaining focus, switching between tasks, and controlling emotional responses—and he offers strategies that can help.

In this guide, we’ll examine what ADHD looks like in the brain and how it contributes to difficulties with executive functioning (a set of skills that helps with the sorts of complex cognitive tasks listed above). We’ll also debunk some common misconceptions about ADHD. Finally, we’ll explore the main five challenges of ADHD—such as emotion regulation and impulse control—and discuss strategies for managing each one. In our commentary, we’ll further explore tools for managing ADHD and look at different perspectives on treating the condition.

ADHD 2.0
John Ratey and Edward Hallowell

Do you often feel distracted, tired, or bored—or do you know someone who does? If so, you or that person may be struggling with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In ADHD 2.0, psychiatrist Edward Hallowell and professor of psychiatry John Ratey explain what causes this condition and what it’s like to live with it. They argue that people can succeed and thrive because of—not in spite of—having ADHD.

In this guide, we’ll begin by describing ADHD’s biological causes and its most prominent symptoms. From there, we’ll explore ways to minimize ADHD’s downsides and maximize its benefits, such as finding the right kind of challenge to stay engaged and building a strong support network. Our commentary will provide further insight into what causes ADHD as well as what it’s like to live with the condition.

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Shortform Exercise: Exploring Emotions and ADHD

This exercise helps you explore the emotional experiences of individuals with ADHD and understand their unique responses.

Think about a time when you felt a strong emotion. How did it affect your ability to focus on tasks at that moment?

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