341 | It’s Never Too Late with Sharon Ruchman

"When I took the medication, I couldn't stop the momentum." On this episode of , Eric welcomes Sharon Ruchman. Sharon is a composer, musician, and author; her music can be heard on classical radio stations worldwide. Today she is composing original music for Sonoro, a contemporary music performance. Sharon speaks about her late in life ADHD diagnosis, the medicine they put her on, and the side effects that led her to stop taking it. Once she stopped taking the prescription, she says that her brain recalibrated, and she didn't need the medicine anymore. Eric shares that ADHD meds aren't studied in people over 55, so they don't know how older adult brains work. Listen as Sharon shares a story about her great uncle Rudy, who died at a young age and who was also a musician, The journey she took to find out everything she could about him and how that journey led to her understanding her life a little better and letting go of the past so she could be very happy with her future. Sharon is in her seventies, but she isn't stopping. She is learning a new instrument, writing new music and says that knowing why she couldn't concentrate and get the music in her head out when she was younger has made her ADHD diagnosis a godsend. This is an extraordinary conversation that you don't want to miss. You'll learn: [02:30] Welcome to the show, Sharon! [02:52] Sharon shared when she was diagnosed with ADHD. [04:35] She speaks about getting off her medicine because of side effects and how she believes her brain recalibrated. [05:34] What were some symptoms you were experiencing? [08:24] Eric shares that ADHD meds aren't studied in people over the age of 55. [09:18] Sharon discusses how, as a child, she couldn't sit still very long to practice her music. [12:36] Sharon describes the OCD tendencies she has had her entire life. [13:58] Eric speaks about some work he's done around the role of complex PTSD in ADHD. [19:05] Sharon shares a story about her great uncle Rudy, who died on a sightseeing plane at the Chicago World's Fair. [21:29] She speaks about an unknown woman who sent her pictures of her uncles Viola that she later bought. [23:44] Sharon speaks about getting a recording of her uncle performing. [26:09] Eric talks about Sharon's clarity when it comes to what she wants to accomplish with her music. [27:56] Eric shares that in college, he used to write a lot of music. [29:49] Sharon discusses her piano teacher and visiting her years later and how nothing had changed. [30:57] Why were you so driven to find out about your past and Rudy? [32:46] Sharon shares how happy she is with her life right now. [37:27] Sharon talks about some challenges she still has with ADHD and how she handles them. [39:46] Listen as Sharon discusses the training she is taking to learn the Viola and how regimented she is during her practice time. [42:06] Sharon describes how comfortable she is playing the Viola. [43:22] How do you handle doing daily household chores and paying bills? [44:12] Sharon talks about some other challenges she had when she was young, before her ADHD diagnosis. [46:21] What is it like to be in your seventies? [47:57] Eric believes that life is too short not to do what you want to do. [49:07] It's never too late, pause, and each decision you make can change the direction your life is heading. [50:32] Sharon's last words for the audience are follow your dreams! [50:40] Thank you for being on the show! [51:27] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron click on our Patreon tap at Find Sharon: Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .