DIRTY LAUNDRY by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery Summary

Dirty Laundry explores the challenges and strengths of living with ADHD, offering strategies for managing symptoms like impulsivity, time blindness, and disorganization. Authors Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery blend personal anecdotes with practical advice, emphasizing self-compassion, accountability, and the unique creativity neurodivergent individuals bring to relationships and problem-solving.

This book is ideal for adults with ADHD, their partners, or anyone seeking to understand neurodiverse relationships. It’s particularly valuable for those struggling with shame around ADHD symptoms, offering tools to improve communication, reduce stigma, and harness neurodivergent strengths like hyperfocus and innovation.

Yes—readers praise its relatable mix of humor, raw honesty, and actionable strategies. With a 4.08/5 Goodreads rating, it’s lauded for transforming self-criticism into self-acceptance while providing frameworks for neurotypical partners to support ADHD loved ones without judgment.

The book highlights four core challenges:

• Losing items (phones, wallets) due to distractibility
• Time blindness leading to chronic lateness
• Hyperfocus on interests over urgent tasks
• Impulsivity in spending or decision-making

Strategies include:

• Creating visual reminders (e.g., sticky notes) for tasks
• Using body doubling (shared accountability) to complete chores
• Reframing shame with humor, like Rox’s “trampon” TikTok meme
• Prioritizing self-compassion over societal expectations.

• “I DO NOT NEED TO BE CLEAN TO BE LOVED”
  Challenges hygiene stigma, advocating unconditional acceptance.
• “It’s me and Rox against a symptom of ADHD”
  Stresses teamwork over blame in relationships.

The authors normalize struggles like lost items or missed deadlines as ADHD symptoms—not moral failures. By sharing vulnerable stories (e.g., Rox losing her mother’s final letter), they model turning shame into self-advocacy and educating others.

Some note the advice leans heavily on the authors’ personal dynamic, which may not apply to all relationships. The chatty, non-academic style appeals to general readers but lacks clinical depth.

Unlike clinical guides (e.g., Driven to Distraction), it focuses on relational dynamics and emotional healing. Its strength lies in actionable, partner-centric strategies versus diagnostic frameworks.

Richard (neurotypical) and Roxanne (ADHD) are social media creators (@ADHD_Love) with 200M+ views. Rich’s banking background and Rox’s music career inform their focus on reducing shame through humor and real-world examples.

As ADHD diagnoses rise, the book’s anti-shame messaging aligns with broader neurodiversity acceptance movements. Its TikTok-inspired format resonates with digital-native readers seeking relatable, non-judgmental resources.

The couple launched the platform after a viral TikTok about Rox’s “trampoline” impulsivity typo (“trampon”). Their immediate, unfiltered posting style built a community of 3M+ followers seeking ADHD-normalizing content.