What does recovery from cannabis use actually look like for someone with ADHD?
In the final installment of this three-part series, ðð«. ððšððð«ððš ðð¥ð¢ð¯ðð«ðð¢ð returns to move beyond the science of ADHD and THC and focus on one of the biggest questions listeners have been asking: ððŒð ð±ðŒ ððŒð ð®ð°ððð®ð¹ð¹ð ð¿ð²ð°ðŒðð²ð¿?
Together with Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith, ðð«. ððšððð«ððš ðð¥ð¢ð¯ðð«ðð¢ð explores why treatment for ADHD-related substance use has to go deeper than simply quitting. They unpack Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the importance of identifying personal values, why traditional "just use more willpower" advice often falls apart for ADHD brains, and how building a life filled with healthy dopamine sources can reduce the risk of relapse.
The conversation also tackles one of the most misunderstood topics in ADHD treatment: stimulant medication. Dr. Olivardia explains what decades of research actually say about ADHD medication and substance use recovery, why properly treating ADHD can lower the risk of relapse, and why so many adults spend years believing their struggles were a character flaw rather than an undiagnosed neurological condition.
âšHighlightsâš
âïž Why recovery requires more than simply stopping cannabis
âïž How ACT helps people reconnect with their core values
âïž Why ADHD brains need meaningful reasons, not just rules
âïž The role of healthy dopamine in long-term recovery
âïž Why community and support groups matter
âïž Common misconceptions about ADHD stimulant medication
âïž What the research says about medication and relapse prevention
âïž How untreated ADHD can fuel addiction cycles
âïž Helping parents have better conversations about cannabis and ADHD
âïž Rebuilding identity after substance use
"ðŒð¡'ð ð ð€ððððððð¢ð ð€ðððð ðð¢ð¡ ð¡âððð ð¡âðð¡ ðŠðð¢ ððð ððððð¡ð ððð ðŠðð¢ðð ððð... ððð ðŠðð¢'ðð ð€ððð¡â ðð¡." â ðð«. ððšððð«ððš ðð¥ð¢ð¯ðð«ðð¢ð
ð¬What has helped you find healthier sources of dopamine when trying to change a habit or coping mechanism? Share your experience in the comments. ð
Whether you're navigating your own relationship with cannabis, supporting someone you love, or wondering how to talk to your child or teenager about substance use, this episode offers practical guidance grounded in compassion, science, and real clinical experience.
ð§ðµð² ðððð²ð»ðð¶ðŒð» ðð¶ð³ð³ð²ð¿ð²ð»ð ð£ðŒð±ð°ð®ðð ð§ð²ð®ðº:
- Hosts: Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith & Devin Pitts-Rogers
- Producer: David Grabowski
- Editors: Ian Lopez & Luis Paulo de la Fuente
- Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski
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We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.
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