Ever notice how someone can look completely put-together on the outside while feeling like they’re falling apart on the inside?
In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith sit down with 𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬, a pediatrician, ADHD advocate, CHADD National Board member, and fellow ADHDer, for a candid, vulnerable, and refreshingly unfiltered conversation about what it really means to live with an ADHD brain. From growing up feeling “too much, but never quite enough” to becoming a physician and finding a community where she could finally show up as her full self, Carolyn shares the experiences that shaped her perspective on ADHD and belonging.
Carolyn opens up about doing well in school while dealing with anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, and the feeling that she had to work harder than everyone around her. And somewhere along the way, she learned that looking like you’re 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 fine and actually 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 fine are two very different things. The conversation explores rejection, shame, vulnerability, authenticity, ADHD medication, executive functioning, and the myths that can keep people from getting the support they need. They also unpack what medication can and can’t do, why finding the right treatment can take time, and how connecting with people who understand your experience can change the way you see yourself.
✨Highlights✨
✔️ Why doing well on paper doesn’t mean ADHD isn’t taking a toll
✔️ How rejection, shame, and feeling “too much” or “not enough” can shape the way you see yourself
✔️ Why showing vulnerability can create a stronger sense of belonging
✔️ What stimulant medication can and can’t do for ADHD
✔️ How medication may help you access and use the skills and strategies you already know
✔️ Why common myths about ADHD medication can become barriers to getting support
✔️ Why finding the right medication and treatment approach can take time
✔️ Why medication is only one part of a larger ADHD treatment and support system
✔️ How finding people who understand your brain can help you feel less alone
“𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒.” — 𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬
💬 Have you ever looked like you were doing fine on the outside while struggling behind the scenes? What has helped you feel more understood or supported in your ADHD journey? Let us know in the comments 👇
If you’re living with ADHD, supporting someone who is, or trying to better understand why ADHD can affect so much more than attention, this episode offers an honest look at treatment, rejection, vulnerability, and the importance of finding people who understand how your brain works.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:
- Hosts: Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith & Devin Pitts-Rogers
- Producer: David Grabowski
- Editors: Ian Lopez & Luis Paulo de la Fuente
- Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski
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We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.
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