ADHD + big emotions + impulsivity = a perfect storm most people never talk about. So we’re talking about it. In this episode, Sita-Marie and Christie unpack how ADHD brains experience suicidal thoughts, why shame and overwhelm make it worse, and what actually helps when someone hits their breaking point. We walk through treatment options, safety planning, real-life clinical insight, and the myth that “talking about suicide makes it worse.” (It doesn’t.) Heavy topic, real hope, zero sugarcoating.
Edited & produced by Dr. Sita-Marie Pillay
ADHD brains are emotional, impulsive, overwhelmed, and chronically misunderstood — which means suicide risk shows up differently here than it does in the textbooks.
In this episode, Christie and Sita-Marie break down what we actually see in our work with neurodivergent clients: the shame spirals, the “all-or-nothing” thinking, the executive dysfunction that makes it hard to reach out, and the moments when impulsivity turns dangerous.
We talk about what suicidal thoughts can look like for ADHDers, why they’re not always about wanting to die, and how support systems can fail (and how they can be rebuilt).
We also walk through real-world strategies: safety planning that works for neurodivergent brains, protective factors that really matter, and how to show up for someone without panicking, minimizing, or shaming them.
Heavy topic? Yes.
Hopeless? No.
This one’s about surviving the storm and understanding the terrain so no one has to walk it alone.
This episode discusses suicide, self-harm, and mental health crises. Listener discretion advised.
Hosts: Dr. Christie Pickel & Dr. Sita-Marie Pillay
Produced / Edited by: Dr. Sita-Marie Pillay
Artwork: JK Mythos Co.