Authentically ADHD with Carmen

Introduction Imagine trying to swim while holding a beach ball underwater – you might pull it off for a bit, but sooner or later that ball is bobbing to the surface. Masking ADHD can feel just like that. Many of us with ADHD learn early that our brains and behaviors can stand out, so we develop a “socially acceptable” persona to blend in. We smile, sit still, and force focus – all to hide our natu...

In this episode of Authentically ADHD , we’re cracking open one of the most misunderstood struggles of AuDHD life: transitions . Whether it’s getting out of bed, switching tasks, or handling major life shifts like job changes or breakups—transitions can feel like full-body earthquakes that knock us off our axis. Join Carmen as she unpacks the neuroscience behind why transitions are so hard when yo...

🎙️ Episode Title: Too Positive? Deep Dive on Toxic Positivity – Part 1 💥 Podcast: Authentically ADHD with Carmen Episode Summary: In this powerful Part 1 episode, Carmen unpacks the surprisingly harmful impact of toxic positivity —that relentless “good vibes only” energy that floods our feeds and conversations but often leaves us feeling invalidated, misunderstood, or just plain unseen. We’re div...

🎙️ Episode Title: ADHD & Energy Management: The Spoon Theory, Explained 💥 Summary: In this episode of Authentically ADHD , we're digging deep into something that hits WAY too close to home for many of us: energy management . You know that frustrating gap between what you want to do and what your brain/body will actually let you do? Yeah, that. Enter: The Spoon Theory —a simple yet powerful metaph...

In this episode of Authentically ADHD , host Carmen dives into the powerful productivity hack of body doubling – a strategy that can help ADHDers stay focused, overcome procrastination, and actually get stuff done. Body doubling isn’t just about sitting next to a friend while you work (though that definitely helps!); it’s about harnessing the presence of another person, tool, or environment to pro...

BONUS EPISODE Back-to-School Brain: Why This Season Feels Like a Mental Marathon and 7 Strategies to Survive It The back-to-school season is here, and if you have ADHD (or love someone who does), you might already feel that familiar cocktail of excitement, dread, and complete mental overload. This isn’t just about buying supplies or setting the alarm earlier — for ADHD brains, this transition is a...

Ever found yourself blurting something out, making a random decision, or spiraling into shame after a hyperfocus bender — only to ask yourself later, “What was I even thinking?” You’re not broken — but you might be missing a critical executive function skill that ADHD brains often struggle with: metacognition. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the skill of “thinking about thinking” — what it...

Summary: Ever feel like you're running late to your own life? Same. In this hilariously honest episode, Carmen dives headfirst into the whirlwind world of ADHD time anxiety — that all-too-familiar panic that shows up when a deadline is looming… or already passed. 🫠 We explore why ADHD brains experience time differently , how "Now vs. Not Now" becomes our default scheduling system (thanks, executi...

ADHD & Self-Awareness: Understanding Your Unique Brain Carmen (voice-over): Hey everyone, it’s Carmen here from Authentically ADHD. Have you ever felt like you just don’t know yourself? Like your brain is a mystery you can’t solve? (I see your hand – yes, you too!) You’re not alone. Today we’re talking about ADHD and self-awareness – what that even means, why it’s so tricky for us ADHDers, and how...

Welcome to another episode of Authentically ADHD! Today, we're diving into a topic close to many of our hearts: choosing a career that aligns with our ADHD strengths and passions. Navigating career paths can be overwhelming, especially with ADHD traits like creativity, hyperfocus, and unconventional thinking. We'll explore how these qualities can be superpowers in the right career. Join us as we d...

Welcome or welcome back to Authentically ADHD , the podcast where we embrace the chaos and magic of the ADHD brain. Im carmen and today we're diving into a topic that's as complex as my filing system (which is to say, very): ADHD and its common co-occurring mood and learning disorders. Fasten your seatbelts (and if you're like me, try not to get distracted by the shiny window view) – we're talking...

Authentically ADHD – ADHD, Alexithymia, and Anhedonia: Understanding Emotions and Motivation Hello and welcome to Authentically ADHD! I’m Carmen, your host. Today, we’re diving into a topic that might hit very close to home for a lot of us: the confusing intersection of ADHD, alexithymia, and anhedonia. Now, those are some big, clinical-sounding words – but don’t worry. We’re going to break them d...

Hey there, welcome back to Authentically ADHD! I'm so glad you pressed play on this episode today, because its on a topic that when I learned it, i found out it was the work i never knew i was missing and this skill has given me so much more access to my authentic self. Today, we're diving into a big, messy, important topic: self-trust – or as I like to call it, the tangled web of self-trust. Now,...

In this deep-dive episode, Carmen explores the constant inner conflict many adults with ADHD experience—what psychology calls cognitive dissonance . It's that mental tug-of-war between what we intend to do and what we actually do, often amplified in ADHD brains due to emotional dysregulation, executive dysfunction, masking, and rejection sensitivity. Using real-life examples, neuroscience, and hum...

ADHD and Procrastination: Understanding the Cycle and Breaking Free In this episode of Authentically ADHD, we dive deep into the relationship between ADHD and procrastination. For many with ADHD, procrastination isn't just about poor time management—it's a complex cycle rooted in the brain's executive function challenges. We explore how time blindness, distractibility, emotional dysregulation, and...

Published through Substack | Available on all platforms Hey ADHDers—ever canceled plans because your brain gave you a headache? (Yeah, same.) In this BONUS episode of Authentically ADHD , Carmen—your coach, teacher, and fellow neurospicy human—dives headfirst into the wild connection between ADHD and headaches . Spoiler alert: It’s not all in your head… unless we’re talking about dopamine dysfunct...

In this episode of Authentically ADHD, Carmen peels back the curtain on Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS)—sometimes called Sluggish Cognitive Tempo—to reveal why so many of us with ADHD feel stuck in a fog of daydreams, slow processing, and low energy. After a quick, relatable anecdote about spacing out in a meeting (and the panic that follows), we dive into what CDS actually is: a cluster of...

Picture this: You’re on the wildest roller coaster of your life – dizzying highs, sudden drops, and your heart racing. For many of us with ADHD, early romance can feel exactly like that. Our brains light up with excitement and novelty, but those same traits that make us passionate can also leave us vulnerable to toxic relationships. Research shows that adults with ADHD often report childhood traum...

Today, we’re diving into the world of AuDHD – a unique neurotype that combines both Autism and ADHD. This blog post will unpack why your brain might feel sluggish, how overstimulation can quickly spiral, and how sensory overload interferes with communication. We’ll also take a closer look at Polyvagal Theory, a scientific concept that explains how your body reacts to stress – and why that reaction...

In this episode of Authentically ADHD , we dive deep into a behavior that many ADHDers know all too well: ghosting. Whether it's avoiding difficult conversations or disappearing unexpectedly from social situations, ghosting isn't about lack of care—it's about how our brains process and react to emotional stress. Carmen explores the neuroscience behind social avoidance in ADHD, explaining how execu...

Transcript: Welcome to today’s episode! We’re diving deep into ADHD and autism – what makes them unique, where they overlap, and how they shape day-to-day life. We’ll mix neuroscience, the latest research, and real-life stories to make it all click. This show is for neurodivergent adults, and also parents and educators who want to really understand what living with ADHD and autism can be like. Ima...

Shame and guilt are heavy emotions that many neurodivergent people know all too well. In AuDHD (adults with co-occurring autism and ADHD), these feelings often run deep. Unlike simple embarrassment, shame goes to the core of “who I am,” while guilt is about “what I did”. For example, an AuDHD person might feel guilty for forgetting a friend’s birthday, but feel shame about being the kind of person...

Welcome back to Authentically ADHD , where we turn emotional chaos into curious exploration. In this episode, Carmen dives deep into one of ADHD’s most misunderstood challenges: emotional intelligence. Spoiler alert — it’s not about being too sensitive, too reactive, or too much. It’s about how the ADHD brain processes emotional information on a totally different timeline. ✨ What we explore in th...

In this episode we talk about, this vicious cycle of avoidance, guilt, and stress is not your fault — it’s rooted in the neurobiology of ADHD. But understanding this gives us the power to break the cycle. We don’t have to rely on guilt or punishment to motivate ourselves. Instead, we can focus on what works for our unique brain wiring: creating environments that are stimulating, breaking tasks int...

In this episode of Authentically ADHD, host Carmen explores the neuroscience behind ADHD and executive functions—those critical mental processes essential for managing daily life tasks. Executive functions are described humorously as the "backstage crew" of the brain, responsible for working memory, planning, emotional regulation, inhibition, time management, and flexibility, largely governed by t...