My ADHD Struggle: Dumb, Lazy, Annoying and Bad

Cass, my father was a pediatrician in the 80s and I remember him talking about how ADD (then) was a MEDICAL problem that needed treatment so kids didn’t grow up thinking they were bad people. My brother took Ritalin and ended up being an ER doctor who does extreme kayaking and runs marathons. I was in tears listening and so happy for you now.

I know I already commented but i remembered an analogy that helped me. ADHD is like having two guys in your brain on an assembly line. The first guy is the guy who gathers the materials (information) and then sends it down the conveyor belt and the other guy sorts through it (executive function) . The first guy is super fast and enthusiastically throwing all the stuff onto the conveyor belt. The second guy is super tired and slow. The stimulants help the second guy keep up with the first guy. Us ADHDers intake more information from our environment than neurotypical people. We just struggle to sort between whats important and whats not.

I Can feel the pain Little Cassandra felt. Hug her. She deserves it.

Listened to this podcast on Spotify the other day. Wanted to leave a comment here. Just wanna give you a big Hug Cas. And also you are incredible and resilient. And one of the most amazing humans i have had the pleasure to know over the years. ( Even if it is just online) I am so proud of you and you are such a great person. I was tearing up listening to your story of your childhood/teens. I am so happy you have created this beautiful life and family and found the things that you are passionate about. And I know that growing up with ADHD and not being diagnosed creates a lot of issues. Especially for a lot of girls. I really love you. And all of you. You aren't annoying. You are exciting. I just wanna give that inner child Cas a big hug and let her see your future and all the amazing things you have done. You blow me away!!!! Seriously!!!!!! You are such a caring loving person. You are definitely in the perfect place to reach others with like minds and let us know that we also are great. Because we all are. ❤ Thank you so much for sharing your story and thank you so much for all the things you have created or shared over the years. And your past has led you to who you are as a person today. So it may not be pretty but you have used what you have experienced and turned it into something beautiful. So very proud of you Cas! 😊❤

“What’s wrong with me? Nothing at all.” Wow. I’m over here weeping. I wish I could hug you. And thank you. I watch/listen to you all the time. You make me laugh and you make me cry and you make me want to get rid of all the things. And I LOVE it. But more than that, I’m so glad that you finally see yourself the way you were always meant to. You may never see this comment, and that’s fine. But I just had to say it. Thank you for all you do. 🥰

Diagnosed at 63, I’ve explored many talks and books about ADHD. Yet your sharing helped me appreciate things about myself that I hadn’t thought about. Thank you for your humble, honest, and un-self-pitying talk. You are a blessing.

Cas, I believe your willingness to share your story is literally going to save lives. THANK YOU & HUGE HUGS! :face-red-heart-shape:A study found that almost 1 in 4 girls with ADHD had attempted suicide by age 20. It says so much about the HARM of being misjudged and shamed for one's innate self that being homeless for years as a teenage girl and going hungry was preferable to home and school. I'm SO glad you made it to the other side! ❤

When you have adhd, you can’t say you were smart or not smart in school. If there wasn’t dopamine in it, you simply didn’t learn it. But the things you are interested in, Cas, where there is an endless flow of dopamine, you are Brilliant and you thrive. You’re a very thorough thinker, when something is worth the thought for you.

Cas, thank you for sharing your story! You are not alone! I am 62 (OLD! ha) and just learned 1 year ago I am ADHD! All these years wondering what was wrong with me. Now, my mom also knows she wasn't a "bad" mother. None of this was our fault. We've been reading many books on the subject, watching videos, etc. and are learning what's been going on, and more importantly, how to deal with it. You are helping many people with your story. Thank you for your courage and all your videos and podcasts. You are AMAZING!

Thank you Cass for sharing such a personal story. I had a nephew with ADHD, but at the time, my sister didn't want to give him the medication. He had a completely different life. He too ended up on drugs that he couldn't seem to shake. He got hit by a car & died when he was only 28. I'm so happy you are here helping thousands of people instead of being trapped..

I think every parent needs to watch this podcast! It would help so many children around the world! Thanks Cas for sharing your story ❤️ & hugs to you!

This breaks my heart for you. I'm a little older than you (52), but I know they didn't understand as much as they do now about ADHD when I was young. It really makes me sad that you were so singled out and failed by your teachers. You have such a bright light and I always enjoy watching you for your fun, bubbly personality. It's so hard to be different in this world. Thank you for sharing your story. It is so helpful to me and I'm sure so many others. My son is neurodivergent and he is the light of my life. Sending you hugs. ❤ Please be proud of the person you are, who made her own way. Your story is so incredible and inspiring.

Cas, you don't have to apologize for getting emotional. You are such a beautiful, talented, and gifted lady who is helping so many people to declutter our homes and our thoughts, and now, by sharing your story, you are helping people with their health. You are an inspiration ❤

That moment when the meds hit the first time.......and you don't have to fight 3 times harder to do 1/3 as well at the task........ It's like you have been dragging chains trying to run....and someone took them off.....

Wowzer! I’m totally in awe of your journey. I’m trying to figure out if I’m a bee or a butterfly and you’re out there setting the world on fire! I’m grateful for the human you have become and at the same time sad for the child that had such experiences. You’re WINNING girl and we’re all so grateful that you’re sharing your wisdom with us. ❤❤❤

Cas, your story is very inspirational. I believe you are helping people, even telling your story. Exactly what you are meant to do. ❤

I really loved how at the end you took the ideas to the next level and asked the audience to think differently about the people in their lives and maybe even about themselves. My sister struggles with ADHD and other things as well but she hasn't yet been able to break free from all those lies everyone tells her about herself and I just want that for her so badly! I want her to see herself the way you see yourself. Thanks for encouraging me to help her find her passion. 💙 And never give up trying helping her see that she can still has a place in this neurotypical world.

This is a real example of a self fulfilling prophecy. When you label kids negative things, eventually they embrace them because it feels like they can't overcome these labels.

I’m only 4 minutes into your video. I have always been called a motor mouth and a wiggle worm by my mother. I’m the middle of 3 girls. I am a visual association person. As a small child I liked to perform repetitive tasks, cutting paper into small bits, magnetic letters following each other in a train pattern, and Etch A Sketch, that my older sister wouldn’t let me play with. I always wanted to leave home. Being at school was my sanctuary. I was a sneak for anything sweet, eating lumps of brown sugar. I still don’t understand what other people understand . I just don’t get it about many things. I have had a very successful life through my frugality, but it has been a struggle. I have found that knitting helps me to be still. 💙

Cass, thank you. I am 45 and have a nearly identical story growing up in the 80’s. I was diagnosed with ADHD in my twenties but since have always been embarrassed about my ADHD, and needing medication just to remember and process information. I have a 4 year old daughter who is just like me, and I am working hard to get her into a specialist for a diagnosis because I don’t want her to be labeled as the bad kid like I was in school. I appreciate you telling your story, but also that you support medication. So many kids could thrive if their parents supported medicating them when nothing else works. And I think that we need to work towards de stigmatizing ADHD medication so that more kids can thrive.