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The ADHD Field Guide for Adults
From social media sensations Cate Osborn and Erik Gude, with Rennie Dyball, comes a fresh and practical guide to managing ADHD for adults.
Just shy of her thirtieth birthday, Cate Osborne, a stage actress with two master’s degrees, started to have difficulty remembering her lines. Suddenly, things that had seemed routine before were falling through the cracks. An evaluation finally led to a ADHD.
Erik Gude, who was diagnosed in his teens, had a slightly different path. While an ADHD diagnosis might explain the cause of some of his academic challenges, it would take years before he understood the other ways it affected other aspects of his life. When they connected as adults, it didn’t take long before they realized other people might feel just as lost as they had.
With roughly eight million adults living with ADHD and more people seeking and receiving diagnoses each year, The ADHD Field Guide for Adults is a witty, thoughtful, and practical guide to living with ADHD in adulthood, from two people who know what it’s like. Featuring the most important foundational information about ADHD, it also explores issues that are rarely discussed, such as navigating sex and intimacy, the healthcare system, and home care. And unlike existing titles on the topic, it is intentionally structured to incorporate ADHD accessibility features by offering bite-sized pieces of knowledge in a format that caters to the unique needs of ADHD readers.
From testing, evaluations, and diagnoses, to hacks for work and productivity, organization, and time management, The ADHD Field Guide for Adults is the perfect book for those who want to understand why and how their brain works the way it does from people who have been there.
Just shy of her thirtieth birthday, Cate Osborne, a stage actress with two master’s degrees, started to have difficulty remembering her lines. Suddenly, things that had seemed routine before were falling through the cracks. An evaluation finally led to a ADHD.
Erik Gude, who was diagnosed in his teens, had a slightly different path. While an ADHD diagnosis might explain the cause of some of his academic challenges, it would take years before he understood the other ways it affected other aspects of his life. When they connected as adults, it didn’t take long before they realized other people might feel just as lost as they had.
With roughly eight million adults living with ADHD and more people seeking and receiving diagnoses each year, The ADHD Field Guide for Adults is a witty, thoughtful, and practical guide to living with ADHD in adulthood, from two people who know what it’s like. Featuring the most important foundational information about ADHD, it also explores issues that are rarely discussed, such as navigating sex and intimacy, the healthcare system, and home care. And unlike existing titles on the topic, it is intentionally structured to incorporate ADHD accessibility features by offering bite-sized pieces of knowledge in a format that caters to the unique needs of ADHD readers.
From testing, evaluations, and diagnoses, to hacks for work and productivity, organization, and time management, The ADHD Field Guide for Adults is the perfect book for those who want to understand why and how their brain works the way it does from people who have been there.
402 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
August 4, 2026
Thoughtful and informative read about ADHD! I thought the authors did a great job of blending relatable anecdotes, notes from peer-reviewed research, and tangible strategies that readers can use. Their tone is relatable, informal, and easy-to-understand – it did feel like reading a fun and helpful field guide over a boring and dense tome. Lots of important content here, such as managing symptoms of ADHD, addressing how ADHD can affect relationships, and normalizing that it’s okay to like having ADHD if you do like it and it’s also to feel frustrated by having ADHD without having to pretend otherwise.
I appreciated, too, that the authors’ tone is not infantilizing of people with ADHD. They write about how having ADHD isn’t an excuse for being late or mistreating people in interpersonal relationships. Rather, they provide many suggestions for systems that people with ADHD can use to improve their lives. I imagine too that people without ADHD (such as myself) can practice renewed patience – without excusing harmful behaviors – thanks to the information in this book. Would recommend to folks who want to learn more about neurodivergence, either their own or just about the topic generally.
I appreciated, too, that the authors’ tone is not infantilizing of people with ADHD. They write about how having ADHD isn’t an excuse for being late or mistreating people in interpersonal relationships. Rather, they provide many suggestions for systems that people with ADHD can use to improve their lives. I imagine too that people without ADHD (such as myself) can practice renewed patience – without excusing harmful behaviors – thanks to the information in this book. Would recommend to folks who want to learn more about neurodivergence, either their own or just about the topic generally.
March 7, 2026
This book is EXCELLENT and should be made available at every library. As an adult who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, reading this made me feel seen, hopeful, and more sympathetic to past me who didn’t understand why certain things were so f-ing hard. Encourage any late diagnosed people you have in your life to give it a read. And a big kudos to the authors who have organized and presented their information in a way that is conducive for their intended audience.
April 16, 2026
I liked this a lot. It reminded me of How to Keep House While Drowning so I wasn’t too surprised when it was mentioned in one of the chapters.
The first part that focuses on “what” ADHD is. One of those sections that’s helpful if you haven’t read any other book or articles in the last 5 years about ADHD. There’s very little science in this and based heavily on the authors’ personal experiences. It’s accessible and it does have more of a realistic tone, they acknowledge that laziness does actually exist and there’s a lot of false promises for a fix all in the supplement and coaching scene.
The actual field guide part was pretty good though. They provided practical changes you can make to ease some common mishaps that I’ll actually use and reaffirmed some systems I’ve had in place for a long time. The explanations for why things work and the thought process behind them also makes it easier to apply to other things and develop new systems. I’d absolutely recommend this to someone who struggles with figuring out where to begin to building their own supports.
I also really appreciated the chapter about sex and intimacy and specifically the practical advice for things that you don’t often get in sex ed books. Struggling with some kinds of touch that others consider pretty basic like kissing is relatable and how to build intimacy around your boundaries were extremely helpful.
The first part that focuses on “what” ADHD is. One of those sections that’s helpful if you haven’t read any other book or articles in the last 5 years about ADHD. There’s very little science in this and based heavily on the authors’ personal experiences. It’s accessible and it does have more of a realistic tone, they acknowledge that laziness does actually exist and there’s a lot of false promises for a fix all in the supplement and coaching scene.
The actual field guide part was pretty good though. They provided practical changes you can make to ease some common mishaps that I’ll actually use and reaffirmed some systems I’ve had in place for a long time. The explanations for why things work and the thought process behind them also makes it easier to apply to other things and develop new systems. I’d absolutely recommend this to someone who struggles with figuring out where to begin to building their own supports.
I also really appreciated the chapter about sex and intimacy and specifically the practical advice for things that you don’t often get in sex ed books. Struggling with some kinds of touch that others consider pretty basic like kissing is relatable and how to build intimacy around your boundaries were extremely helpful.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC! I was initially hesitant to read this one as it is written by ADHD content creators, but turns out perhaps they, plus a wealth of resources, are the ones to talk about ADHD in a way that is relatable and easily consumed? I liked how plain language this was, at times I felt like I was being spoken to like I was a child, but as it went on I realized I kinda needed to be spoken to that way. The first few chapters for me were things I was already familiar with, but some of these chapters were so helpful for me. I texted my best friend halfway through to say the second I finished this I intended on cleaning my whole house because I was SO inspired by the content and how relatable it was, plus how understood I felt by the writers. It has also inspired me to schedule regular relationship maintenance + ADHD hacking convos with my partner. The chapter about sex in particular made me feel very seen as I do struggle with remaining in the zone, and I always thought it was a me problem. I think this book is incredibly comprehensive, easy to read and understand, and is beneficial to anyone and everyone, whether you have ADHD or are the loved one of someone with ADHD. At first I thought much of this was not applicable to me because I've figured out a handful of hacks for my ADHD, but as the book went on I realized that it was informative in many more ways than I expected. I really feel inspired to tackle my ADHD in ways that are manageable, bearable, and realistic. If you are severely struggling with your ADHD, this is absolutely the book for you, but also the book for you if you are, in general, neurodivergent.
October 16, 2026
there were some good tips in here! i never saw the blog or tiktok or whatever so i went in blind, but the authors seemed experienced, well-researched and candid. i felt supported and seen, and i even felt that the way the book was set up was helpful to those who have trouble with attentiveness. finally, i especially appreciated the chapters on relationships and/or sex for neurodivergent people, and normalizing the different needs and sensitivities that exist there.
April 17, 2026
I liked this one a lot! I thought the "ADHD-friendly formatting" thing was going to be hokey (and like, it kind of is) but joke's on me because it actually was pretty effective for reading through this. I liked that this book was largely practical tips and ideas for how to function as an ADHD adult; it would be very complementary to some of the more traditional "science behind ADHD" books you tend to get in this genre for folks educating themselves after a diagnosis. The Q&A format also works really well for all the advice-giving.
One gripe is that I wish this book had included a section on parenting when you have ADHD. I understand why the authors, who themselves do not seem to have children, didn't go there beyond some passing mentions but it is still a very big and complex part of adult life for some of us and it would be nice to get some specific advice and ideas the way they did for pretty much every other realm of adult life in this book.
One gripe is that I wish this book had included a section on parenting when you have ADHD. I understand why the authors, who themselves do not seem to have children, didn't go there beyond some passing mentions but it is still a very big and complex part of adult life for some of us and it would be nice to get some specific advice and ideas the way they did for pretty much every other realm of adult life in this book.
May 26, 2026
~3.5 stars
I thought this was decent, especially in audiobook format. There was nothing very groundbreaking in here, but if you're someone who finds comfort in just hearing about how ADHD symptoms may manifest in others (either similar to your own experience or very different) then this could be enjoyable. There were times I was like "hey I do that!" and other times where I thought "thank goodness I DON'T do that" so it was kind of fun.
This was relatable and easy to read. I think maybe this would be more useful to someone who is first learning about ADHD and wants to explore methods to address symptoms, or someone who is interested in ways to describe their symptoms and thinking to others.
I thought this was decent, especially in audiobook format. There was nothing very groundbreaking in here, but if you're someone who finds comfort in just hearing about how ADHD symptoms may manifest in others (either similar to your own experience or very different) then this could be enjoyable. There were times I was like "hey I do that!" and other times where I thought "thank goodness I DON'T do that" so it was kind of fun.
This was relatable and easy to read. I think maybe this would be more useful to someone who is first learning about ADHD and wants to explore methods to address symptoms, or someone who is interested in ways to describe their symptoms and thinking to others.
July 28, 2026
This field guide is comprehensive, enlightening, accessible, intersectional, and affirming. The authors represent the early diagnosed and late diagnosed, which helps balance out the different experiences with each. The setup is perfect for jumping around, as information is repeated throughout the chapters and doesn't stay in one place, meaning you can go to the parts that work for you without missing important information found in a different chapter. There's audiobook exclusive asides and PDFs to support the book, but I will be buying a physical copy to reference later.Also, I highly appreciate the Tough Love Pterodactyl, swooping in and giving the hard but necessary advice that comes with accountability and taking responsibility for your ADHD.
I've been a fan of Cateosaurus for a while, and hearing her narrate the audiobook was such a treat. It feels good to be so clearly seen in a book, and I cried from the explicit message, "you are not a fuckup" and to feel like I could believe it.
I've been a fan of Cateosaurus for a while, and hearing her narrate the audiobook was such a treat. It feels good to be so clearly seen in a book, and I cried from the explicit message, "you are not a fuckup" and to feel like I could believe it.
August 3, 2026
There is some really good and helpful information in here, particularly in earlier parts of the book, but some of the last chapters were so bad that it makes it hard to recommend. The authors’ tone was so obnoxious that it made it unpleasant to read.
October 13, 2026
Felt really validated by this hook for not only myself, but my partner and friendships. This is a great book and well thought out with its research and references to explain what is happening in ADHD brains.
Another thing I really appreciated is though validating and reassuring, it reminds ADHDers that it is not an excuse for bad habits or actions. Rather, embrace it to be a more communicative person with others and take charge of how to manage yourself. This book explains how to do so with a great combination of anectodes, input from readers, and factually backed research.
If you or someone you love has or may have ADHD, this is a great read.
Another thing I really appreciated is though validating and reassuring, it reminds ADHDers that it is not an excuse for bad habits or actions. Rather, embrace it to be a more communicative person with others and take charge of how to manage yourself. This book explains how to do so with a great combination of anectodes, input from readers, and factually backed research.
If you or someone you love has or may have ADHD, this is a great read.
October 19, 2026
As someone who got diagnosed with ADHD as a kid in 2002, a lot of what I heard growing up was that adults didn't have ADHD. Spoiler alert: they do. I loved this book. I love how it covers all aspects of adulthood.
There are ADHD "hacks" that I've never heard of before that I'm going to have see if they work for me. This is an absolutely incredible resource and after having just read How to ADHD by Jessica McCabe, I feel like this is the perfect follow up to that.
I loved the audiobook bonus content, although now I need to go buy a physical copy. And I'm a huge fan of the tough love pterodactyl and how the authors don't just let you get away with excuses.
I want to point out one thing about this book, while I loved it, it's not for everyone. It is for ADULTS. The authors use a lot of four letter words. Also, they talk about some tough topics that come along with ADHD co-morbidities, so take care of yourselves if those sections aren't for you.
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After Storytime Blog
There are ADHD "hacks" that I've never heard of before that I'm going to have see if they work for me. This is an absolutely incredible resource and after having just read How to ADHD by Jessica McCabe, I feel like this is the perfect follow up to that.
I loved the audiobook bonus content, although now I need to go buy a physical copy. And I'm a huge fan of the tough love pterodactyl and how the authors don't just let you get away with excuses.
I want to point out one thing about this book, while I loved it, it's not for everyone. It is for ADULTS. The authors use a lot of four letter words. Also, they talk about some tough topics that come along with ADHD co-morbidities, so take care of yourselves if those sections aren't for you.
Connect With Me!
After Storytime Blog
November 1, 2026
I didn't expect to actually find this helpful, but I was wrong. The book does what the name says. It covers plenty of topics and tips. It was easy to read and straightforward. I would definitely recommend this to others. It was a great and informative read.
Personal Rating: ⭐4/5
Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.
Personal Rating: ⭐4/5
Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.
July 17, 2026
More like 4.5 stars but it was really good and I need to go make my spouse read this.
April 20, 2026
as someone with some overlap into adhd, I loved the way they formatted and organized the book to make skimming through and reading what mattered to you easy. a very helpful and practical book with a compassionate heart.
April 14, 2026
5/5 because it helped me, not because I loved the book - I am generally not a fan of “self help” books but this one came along through my book club at the exact right time. Overall, because of my dislike of this genre of book I found it meh. But I have been struggling with executive dysfunction lately, so much that I was wondering if I have ADHD. Reading through this book, I saw myself on almost every page and it gave me the push to finally get diagnosed. The diagnosis is as fresh as me finishing the book but now I can move forward and figure out how to navigate these challenges.
April 5, 2026
I think ‘life changing’ may oftentimes be a strong descriptor but this book is definitely up there, and I really recommend it for anyone who may be new to researching their own ADHD, wanting to learn more about it, or how to hack their life to make it easier to manage.
Covering everything from putting away shoes, to diet, sex, pets and jobs, this was a real eye opener to how chronic this condition is (in science terms) whilst offering enough reassurance and suggestions for practical help that it didn’t feel depressing.
Covering everything from putting away shoes, to diet, sex, pets and jobs, this was a real eye opener to how chronic this condition is (in science terms) whilst offering enough reassurance and suggestions for practical help that it didn’t feel depressing.
February 26, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Happy Release Day to Cate Osborn and Erik Gude’s book ‘The ADHD Field Guide for Adults!’ 🥳
When I tell you that this book found me at the right time I’m not exaggerating. This is one of the most ADHD friendly reads I have ever come across and heavily recommend anyone with ADHD or has friends with ADHD to pick up this field guide.
The beauty of this book is how it’s formatted. Everything is bite size and appeals to the brain’s dopamine factory. The sections are small with brief stories/information and you can start/stop on any page. Cate and Erik use a podcast style back-and-forth dialogue when expanding on certain topics they directly experience; making it conversational and honestly so fun to read at times. Additionally, I loved the check-in’s built into the text when topics were a little heavy. This alone creates such a safe narrative and you truly feel like you are talking to a friend. The activities, advice, end of chapter questions, and templates makes this field guide personable.
As someone who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, this text was validating and helpful. There are things I’ve struggled with and didn’t connect it to ADHD until reading this. You can bet I’ve been slowly incorporating some of their advice into my daily life.
Thank you @simonschusterca for sending me an e-arc in return for an honest opinion. I was really hoping to get my hands on this book early and you made that happen. Thank you @catieosaurus for sharing your experience with asexuality in this text; it means more than you know.
Happy Release Day to Cate Osborn and Erik Gude’s book ‘The ADHD Field Guide for Adults!’ 🥳
When I tell you that this book found me at the right time I’m not exaggerating. This is one of the most ADHD friendly reads I have ever come across and heavily recommend anyone with ADHD or has friends with ADHD to pick up this field guide.
The beauty of this book is how it’s formatted. Everything is bite size and appeals to the brain’s dopamine factory. The sections are small with brief stories/information and you can start/stop on any page. Cate and Erik use a podcast style back-and-forth dialogue when expanding on certain topics they directly experience; making it conversational and honestly so fun to read at times. Additionally, I loved the check-in’s built into the text when topics were a little heavy. This alone creates such a safe narrative and you truly feel like you are talking to a friend. The activities, advice, end of chapter questions, and templates makes this field guide personable.
As someone who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, this text was validating and helpful. There are things I’ve struggled with and didn’t connect it to ADHD until reading this. You can bet I’ve been slowly incorporating some of their advice into my daily life.
Thank you @simonschusterca for sending me an e-arc in return for an honest opinion. I was really hoping to get my hands on this book early and you made that happen. Thank you @catieosaurus for sharing your experience with asexuality in this text; it means more than you know.
March 17, 2026
Easy to read and comprehensive relevant information for those who have or think they may have ADHD.
Written almost in a conversation format it’s easy to follow along and engage with the subject. No factor of life was untouched and any concerns felt valid.
Where it lost me was there was little science actually explained. It read as more of an opinion than researched information. This was compounded by excessive community input pieces that disrupted the otherwise good flow. Once I skipped those pieces it read a lot better
Overall a good read that hit a lot of relevant points. Would recommend it for anyone questioning their neurodivergence, newly diagnosed or those trying to support the neurodivergent.
Thank you to Harper Celebrate and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
Written almost in a conversation format it’s easy to follow along and engage with the subject. No factor of life was untouched and any concerns felt valid.
Where it lost me was there was little science actually explained. It read as more of an opinion than researched information. This was compounded by excessive community input pieces that disrupted the otherwise good flow. Once I skipped those pieces it read a lot better
Overall a good read that hit a lot of relevant points. Would recommend it for anyone questioning their neurodivergence, newly diagnosed or those trying to support the neurodivergent.
Thank you to Harper Celebrate and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
May 27, 2026
5 stars for a wonderfully concise ADHD book. I love the way they did the audiobook together and the sound effects that they used. The information was personal, scientific, general, and informative without being too specific or too general. I'm really glad that I listened to it, but I am looking forward to going back and eyeball reading/note taking. If you have seen any of Catieosaurus videos and liked them, you will love this book.
May 23, 2026
This taught me a lot and is a really excellent resource. The structure and formatting were done very mindfully for an ADHD reader to either read through from start to finish or to pick and choose the sections that are most of interest. I can definitely see myself coming back to different parts when I need them.
November 5, 2026
this was super informative, and the audiobook was my vibe 1000%
the more i learn, the more i continue to become aware of how a lot of aspects of ADHD and other comorbidities affect my life. this was practical and realistic, i’m so glad i picked it up (after realizing i was already following the author on insta)!
the more i learn, the more i continue to become aware of how a lot of aspects of ADHD and other comorbidities affect my life. this was practical and realistic, i’m so glad i picked it up (after realizing i was already following the author on insta)!
June 7, 2026
This book was quite helpful in learning about some of the connections between ADHD and how that can translate into functioning in the real world as an adult. Learned a lot of pretty cool things from this read.
July 7, 2026
Very insightful! There was one small part I didn’t care for that made me feel annoyed but aside from that this was a book worth listening to if you or a loved one had adhd to get a better look at everything.
Read
July 19, 20265 stars
Since I've had ADHD for my entire life, I didn't catch too many new things in this book. But I do think it would be a wonderful resource for an adult who was newly diagnosed. I highly recommend listening to it as an audiobook ;)
Since I've had ADHD for my entire life, I didn't catch too many new things in this book. But I do think it would be a wonderful resource for an adult who was newly diagnosed. I highly recommend listening to it as an audiobook ;)
April 2, 2026
This is spot on, (self diagnosed). The audio book exudes personality. I highly recommend this book if you suspect that you are ADHD or know someone who has it whom you care about.
Read
April 12, 2026Spot on. This is very informative, and has tons of great information for both a person with ADHD and as a parent to a person with ADHD.
May 23, 2026
I have been evangelical about this book. I expected to know most of the information, but it was enlightening while being entertaining and not lecturing.
June 22, 2026
Some good tips! Particularly about executive dysfunction and house organization.
July 6, 2026
Loved it! I would recommend it to anyone especially the ones who recently found out they have ADHD or suspect they have it. I listened to the audiobook and it was really fun and engaging!
August 12, 2026
This book is incredibly ADHD-friendly, validating, and easy to skip around to the topics that are most personally relevant on any given day. The authors also share their wisdom on the internet for free 💁🏻♀️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews