I know what this book wants to be. I really do. It wants to help women work through the guilt and shame we’ve carried (and had thrust upon us) because of all the things we perceive as “wrong” with us. It doesn’t do much to address the anger and sadness of the lives we could have had.

But even if I give the book the benefit of the doubt and say it’s not intended to deal with components, it still falls flat. The most glaring issue is the mentions of how women of different experience the ADHD fallout differently, but it never states how it would be different. One can surmise that socioeconomic factors would be an additional barrier to diagnosis and treatment; one could also surmise that their life experiences would be different growing up. But I shouldn’t have to guess. It’s the author’s job to provide the context.

In terms of “breaking through barriers,” “Ask for accommodations at work!” is the most condescending nonsense I’ve read in a while. It assumes you’re in a safe space to disclose you have an invisible disability and that fair accommodations will be made.

There are workbook exercises; they’re so fluffy and surface-level that I wanted to scream. The entire vibe of the book was, “Accept that you have ADHD, be yourself, and everything will come together,” and that is utter silly. There are no strategies, no executive functioning help, and no concrete path forward. It’s a generic, fluffy, toxic positivity book that would likely be unhelpful for any woman, never mind those with ADHD. And even then, there are FAR better books out there to help you work through self-image and self-esteem.

Is this book helpful to anyone? Possibly, yes. It might be beneficial to a newly diagnosed woman who needs the highest-level overview of the guilt and shame that many ADHDers carry with them. But without actually understanding why and with no strategies in tow, there’s no amount of “radical self-acceptance” that can help improve your life.

I don’t need a pep talk. I need concrete strategies, demonstrations of how other people applied them, and how they relate to different points on the ADHD spectrum. There are far better resources out there if you want pep talks and anecdotes.

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers   from Amazon.Com!

Created Mar 15, 2024 at 12:44pm • Submit your own review...