Could you have ADHD? Let’s breakdown the signs with Tracy Otsuka | Clutterbug Podcast # 203
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ม.ค. 2025
- ADHD is one of the most common neurological disorders in the world, yet a staggering 75 percent of girls and women remain undiagnosed. Symptoms look different in women (it looks like anxiety, depression and issues with working memory, sleep, energy, and concentration), so many ADHD women are left to navigate a society that fails to understand their struggles and gifts.
Enter certified ADHD coach and podcast host @tracyotsuka4796 . Armed with her experience coaching thousands of women, cutting-edge medical research, and personal insights from her own diagnosis, she offers hope for women with ADHD.
Learn more about Tracy and her new book ADHD for Smart Ass Women here: www.tracyotsuk...
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Just starting the video and had to take a moment to appreciate the squirrel on her shelf 🤎🐿️
I almost cried when you said that that "doc" said you were too successful to have ADHD. I work my butt off every second of every day to just keep my head above water. And to the outside it looks like I'm totally fine, when in actuality, I'm drowning.
Yep 😢😊
It astounds me the horrid remarks doctors say in relation to mental health.
The drowning. 💯
As one of those 'inattentive' people, I can tell your guest that we don't have it as easy as she imagines. I have no working memory, suffer debilitating brain fog, and have never excelled, despite having a high IQ. My life has been hugely impacted by Inattentive ADD, and I wish I didn't have it 💔
Yes! She made it sound rosy. Like we have friends? No. We just sit and LOOK like we fit in. People tell us their life stories and don’t want us to talk or connect. I hate my ADHD.
Same.
@6butterflywings6 yeah people dump all their trauma on me, and I do listen and care, but know I could never share anything like that with anyone else. People have no time or capacity for that I guess.
@@6butterflywings6 OMG I have this all the time. It's like they think I'm a big ear.
May I ask if any doctor has discussed diet with you? I have found this to be a game changer. Processing, hidden ingredients, chemicals and dyes change your BRAIN. This is profound!
Written With love.
Thank you for bringing attention to this! Diagnosed @37. Was told by female psychologist, after taking neuropsych test and checking off almost every ADHD symptom, "You have four young kids and a high IQ, so I think you have really high expectations for yourself. It's probably anxiety." 🤯 Thankfully, my GP knew to put me on Ritalin. Was like putting on a pair of glasses for the first time. Now I don't lock myself out, lose my keys, my phone or other really important things, get myself to places on time and can keep my house relatively under control.
Thank you so much for this!!!!
I worked as a receptionist in the 1980's (and I was in my early 20's) and had to take messages and write down people's names and phone numbers. I couldn't remember 7 digits to write it down on the "return call" slip. I had to have them give me the numbers 2 digits at a time. Talk about poor working memory! lol! People thought that I was an idiot, but it was just a bad job for me! OTOH, I could organize a band concert with 500 students, 7 teachers, 1500 family members in my 50's... because I loved it!
I’m crying listening to this because my thoughts and experiences were just validated for a whole hour, over and over again.
I wish I had known this while I was teaching and I wish I could open a Special school for extraordinary ADHD kids where they could choose what to study in a big proportion. When I taught, I used to allow kids to chose the way they were evaluated: I am a very creative person and I understand that kids put a lot of effort when they like what they do. So I would offer different ways of evaluation on a topic in science, my subject: making a game, doing a class, making a 3D model, making a song, a video, a puppet show, whatever the kids would like. It was a bit unconventional but the kids liked it and more important, learned for more than cramming for a test.
Wish I had had you for a teacher!
I am so pleased you dud that fir kids. Ten gold stars to you, as so many teachers cannot see how a different approach would help those kids that don't fit ❤
That sounds really amazing!! ❤❤👏👏
My whole life I have been told "people either LOVE you, or they HATE you." So, at 42 I have no close friends, and anxiety when it comes to trying to make friends as an adult.
Me too
I had to check to make sure I didn’t leave this comment because I have been told the EXACT.SAME.THING. Sooooooooo many times. My response has always been, “Same.” (It’s my ADHD intuition, I can smell fake and bs like a shark can smell blood in the water!)
I don’t want to eat a frog. It’s the visual for me. I get the metaphor, however I then begin visualizing Kermit in a cereal bowl and want to cry, free the frogs! I have happily earned multiple Fs in many classes because no I cannot and honestly will not be cutting apart with the corpses of animals. No. Just unequivocal NOPE. First of all I like animals more than people and second just no. I was raised on a farm and I haven’t eat meat since like age 9- for obvious reasons. My uncle was very kind and understood my horror and worked very hard to be as delicate about “things” that occurred. However my gran was hard core and I never looked at her the same after the incident with the chicken.
My 8 year old daughter heard Tracy and said, “Wait! Does Cass have TRACY OTSUKA on her TH-cam channel?!” We both have ADHD and listen to both of you. Feliz Navidad 🎄 from New Mexico where we actually got frost this morning.
I am excited too!!!!! 😊 Both such amazing strong role models. Love that your daughter is excited!!! Good job Mama!!! ❤❤❤
Rejection sensitive dysphoria - I thought I was the only person in the world who avoids going to social events because I don’t sleep afterwards! I’m up rehashing every conversation, thinking “I’ll do better next time.” There is a name for this thing?
I call it vulnerability hangover. Didn't know it actually had a psychological name.
“Driveness is hyperactivity “ omg. I needed to see this today. I am Recently diagnosed and unmedicated. Thanks Cas and Tracy.
I listen to you talking about your experience and I relive what I went through with my adenomyosis diagnosis: the dismissal was huge ("hey it's normal you literally cannot walk for 2 days every month from the pain, unless you take enough painkillers to drop a horse. Stop bothering us").
And it's the same for endometriosis. For autism. For fibromyalgia. Women are dismissed, ignored, ridiculed all the time and it's so frustrating.
PREACH! Thank god for the internet. I ended up doing a differential diagnosis on mySELF plus a master's degree worth of research to find answers and treatment because so many doctors blew me off. Turns out women with one of my conditions (hEDS) wait over eight YEARS longer on average than males for a correct diagnosis! : - ( A doctor even *falsified* my test results(!!!) (which thankfully his manager later verified were still in the blood pressure machine) *after* I told him an abnormal result would help me get help through an outside referral a panel of his colleagues had *already approved.* He referred me to a psychologist instead! > : - (
Bias is real and damaging and it needs to change!
@@XtraSparklesPls So glad you found things that helped! Good for you for being persistent! 👏👏👏
I’m in the same boat at 40 years old, 5 pregnancies later. All it took one one doctor who believed me and understood the symptoms. 5 minute phone call.
@@bellaluce7088My sister dropped 30 pounds in a month and her provider pretty much shrugged and said "Meh. Anxiety." Turns out she had Median Arcuate (sp?) Ligament Syndrome, MALS, in addition to POTS and EDS.
I got "lucky" in that a follow up ultrasound revealed a suspected large functional cyst to be in fact a large endometrioma-- just diagnosed this week. Yay?
I am so glad that you write this comment! It is so frustrating and disheartening when one is dismissed because the doctor, and/or because the general public does not understand. I wish people would believe people’s struggles and be curious about it rather than dismissing or casting negative judgement. They cannot realize the additional harm they are causing.
I am a PMHNP and this hits home. I have colleagues who will NOT treat adults who clearly have ADHD. What?!! Does ADHD magically disappear at age 18? Some insurance companies will not pay for medication after age 18! I get incredibly frustrated with the stigma and misinformation that surround this issue. Females push hard to get through these symptoms! Thank you for raising awareness!!
This has been me all my life. It’s so sad. I went through thinking I was stupid. I did awful in my school work. But my parents knew I didn’t have a learning disability. But I was tested for it. I was called too hyper, fidgety, anxious, too sassy, too bossy and my teachers said I was too sassy. I was always in trouble for talking and never did my home work! This podcast is MY LIFE! It’s sad. But I guess it’s good to know that there was a reason for it. No one knew how to help me. I have a story and am learning so much now in my 40s. But unfortunately my parents and more importantly my dad are no longer with me. So I cannot call him to tell him. I can finally explain it because I know he tried so hard to help me. But this is all so informative. I feel like it’s gotten worse as I’ve gotten older.
I'm coming back to this again and again. Only diagnosed last year, at 34, and I'm still working on clearing out the negative recording that's embedded in my brain, and grieving the life I could have had if only I'd known younger.
Ugh! I can remember in 2nd grade doing exactly what you described. I was in my own world and my teacher called on me. I had no idea what she was talking about or what she wanted from me. 😢 It was embarrassing and I'm almost 40 still thinking about this moment.
Have you heard of the Holderness Family? They have a book coming out called “ADHD Is Awesome” it’s about thriving while having adhd. Penn Holderness has been diagnosed with adhd for quite awhile and he talks a lot about the stigma around it and how he uses adhd as a tool for success rather than a hindrance. They talk a lot about it on their podcast and it has come up in some of the comedy videos they post as well. 😊
Back in the 90's, I was teaching Children's Ministry and took a class on working with children with ADHD. The interesting point I got from that, was that girls were often undiagnosed because they tended to learn coping skills to deal with it. It is great that more women are talking about ADHD and helping to bring it to the attention so that younger girls can get help earlier.
Loved this episode so much! @Cas, if you haven’t already discovered Elyse Myers, she is another ADHD creator I think you would like! What you say at 19:50 sparked this idea, when you said you would try to make yourself less.😢 Elyse has a saying of “If I’m too much… go find less”. No need to make yourself less- they can eff off. We love you Cas! ❤
Keep being "EXTRA", Cas! We love who you are!
I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 40, too. I am 64 now, and it does not get better w/age. I had gone to see a therapist, because, at age 40, I thought there must be something horribly wrong w/me, and I needed to get to the bottom of it, and DO something... anything! Never did ADHD enter my mind, because we (the general public) were told that only boys have this, and they grow out of it by the age 18. NO ONE mentioned anything about ADHD in adulthood! I am SO thankful for you two young ladies, and now I'm going to listen to the rest of the podcast (video). I'm only 11 minutes into it, and had to comment already. Lol
Cas, I just wanted to say that it makes me so sad to hear people have called you annoying and "too much" your whole life. (I don't want you to stop talking about your experiences! That's not what I'm saying) I'm saying I feel such empathy for you that even as a small child you had such hurtful things said to you. Find your people. A lot of my friends have ADHD and we just found each other naturally (before half of us even knew we had ADHD). We understand our weird minds. Please don't smother your light. Just be you, Cas, and the right people will come to you naturally as well ❤❤❤
At the age of 85 I stumbled on a Utube channel called "How to ADHD. She was reading her followers description of their symptoms. They were describing me. It explains a great deal. When I mentioned my belief that I had ADHD I got the preliminary dementia test. After 3 such tests I was sent to a neurologist who sent me to a psychologist who gave me the full dimentia test. She concluded that I didn't have dementia but she didn't think l had ADHD either. Just some kind of anxiety. The neurologist prescribed an anti anxiety drug. Turned me into a zombie. Needless to say I didn't take it for long.
I have the inattentive, impulsive kind. Have confirmation from a retired nurse who is the mother of a woman who had ADHD and is on medication and from my next door neighbor who told me he knew I had it when we first met. I didn't know it I had it yet.
Been scatterbrained all my life. But I love learning so I did pretty well in school. However I have always had trouble making friends. The friends l have are few but are very good friends.
Love Cass. Am a bee with butterfly tendencies.
Will be looking for your podcasts.
I was diagnosed 2 years ago. I have the combo type. I was always very hyper, loved talking (and fast), was told I had a reading disability, couldn’t focus on boring things. Now it all makes sense! Btw, my desk was in the hall as well! LOL
I love Tracy and listen to her podcast regularly. I had asked about it at my provider and then ran across her podcast and there was an episode where she describes what adhd looks like in women. No wonder my physicians missed it. Thank you, Cas, for always advocating for us adhd'ers. Two of my favorite ladies in one episode
I love how they are showing the issues right on the podcast!
So validating and supportive!! Father who got PhD in psychology intensely told me at age 36 that I don’t had adhd, after struggling with all those same things whole life , seeing countless psychologists, self help, high anxiety and could not understand until I saw a dr Oz episode and I checked every single box of the entire checklist, then looked back at a aptitude test I took at 24 that I scored off charts in ideagrapgoria & the test instructor noted I may have add & to look into it, even with all that my dad (actually both parents) were insistent, caught me on it. They gaslit me to nth degree (realized father is also a narc, so explains a lot).
Cass! Me too! I have heard so many of the same things! “Do you ever shut up?””You are so annoying?” “Why are you so weird?”” What are you even saying?””Calm down. Sit down. Shut up.””You are so extra.””Go away,no one likes you, you’re so annoying.” ❤
Thank you thank you thank you!!! This podcast was so amazingly awesome! I cried. I laughed. Especially when Tracy was making a point of connection and then lost her thought!!! LOL. That’s me all the time. I can relate to everything you were both talking about. I’ve never officially been diagnosed but it’s crystal clear I have ADHD. When my oldest son was diagnosed about thirty years ago, I remember sitting there thinking “ wait a minute, I am and have and struggle with all of the problems the child psychologist was mentioning!” So very glad I watched this podcast Cas. I’ve watched you for years now and follow your TH-cam channel. Keep doing what you’re doing and just be you. If people find you a bit much sometimes, maybe they need the meds and not you! LOL. 😎🤗👍🏻
I just adore you Cass. It breaks my heart that you were told that you were annoying and made to feel that you are weird. Of course I am totally adhd myself.
Breaks my heart too. My daughter is hyperactive and yeah it’s a lot. I’m sad for this narrative that she is already encountering. But I am heartened by the fact that as imperfect as I am, she still considers me her safe person. 💖 I wish everyone who experiences this has a safe person. It’s hard. And then to be so sensitive (rsd).
Never be less Cas! I love the person you are!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
Yes to this one million times! You rock AS-IS, Cas!!!!! 🤩
Diagnosed at age 64, I had to give myself time to be angry and to grieve for my past self. Now, being on medication, working with a therapist, and listening to people like you have helped me to have a more positive outlook and work toward a more manageable life!
Hahahaha I can completely relate to the "what was I just saying?". But for real, the working memory issues are so real for me. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
I really liked this podcast. In fact, I watched it twice. Your comment that you could not have ADHD because you were successful really hit me. A person in my life has a serious mental illness and was told they could not be suicidal because they were too happy. Both statements are so untrue! I want to investigate this information more. I am 71, but have had several of these symptoms all my life. I have been shy and do not like being in groups, but I also have an MBA, worked and raised a family. After I interact with other, my mind always goes over what I did and said as to what was wrong or should not have done..
Baby steps on exercising all of a sudden! I did 3 min for 3 days. 5 min, for 3 days, then 10 for several days -took me awhile to get to 30 min but because of the small daily goals I got that "I did it" dopamine effect each day without getting discouraged and giving up cause I couldnt do 30 min all at once. Also found that the "Grease" soundtrack is great to workout to as it has upbeat and slower songs so you can vary your pace. Lol, and once you're in shape you can belt out the songs while you work out. May even be able to draw your daughters in if willing to take turns choosing the music.
Yes! Consistency is the win!
Love this suggestion, I could do it this way to get started. Thanks
You’re amazing, Cass! Your ADHD makes you one of the best TH-camrs and you’ve made decluttering and cleaning fun! (I’ve avoided house work until now and I’m older than you. It was all or nothing which was horrible). But exercise keeps me sane with my sedentary job. I shouldn’t say exercise. More like intensive physical play. Do something fun!! Do you like to dance badly in your house? Loud music and dance cleaning. Or the “just dance” video game (omg so fun). TH-cam videos. You don’t need a gym. Or major equipment. I roller skate in the house (wear all the pads!), do handstands (this took years but the head rush is worth it) and hike when I have time. Ooh and my standing desk w a little stepper from Amazon w music for really boring computer stuff. Anything is better than nothing!
I mean don’t do it Cass!! Don’t exercise, it’s horrible and you can’t do it!
Love you from afar.
Thank you for talking about working memory; it is debilitating. Not sure if I have adhd, but I definitely have memory issues. Looking back I can see all the coping mechanisms I have set up. After menopause & c19 & 💉 it got worse & I thought I was getting dementia.
That frog thing! Everyone tells you to eat the frog. But the dopamine building activities make so much more sense for me!
I was the inattentive dreamer whose mind always wandered off very quickly, but I made excellent grades most of the time so I guess no one suspected a problem. I haven't been diagnosed but a checklist of inattentive ADHD in women reads like an autobiography lol.
Same! Straight A student!
I feel like this story is mine. I was the quiet, shy, "good girl" because I loved reading and learning. I love stories and using my imagination, doing crafty projects like beading, crochet, longstitch, diamond paintings, etc
At school I always had a book to read. In high school some of my teachers would give me a list of questions to answer or projects to research and I would go to the library and work by myself. If I finished the work I could read or do homework from the other subjects.
I didn't fit in with the girls who were my classmates, I was a "tomboy" and not interested in makeup or the latest fashion trends. Most of the boys were my mates. I played rugby league with the boys (no girls team so I joined the boys team) and ended up joining the Australian army cadet corps for a couple of years. Then at 14 I joined a volunteer emergency service to help my community, out of school hours. I had all the qualifications and many years of experience as I volunteered for more than half my life so far. I worked in many jobs and loved my last job working at a childcare with children 6 weeks to 5 years old. I studied university by distance learning and almost finished my Bachelor of Environmental science with a major in environmental rehabilitation.
If im interested I'm all in to get it done, if I'm not interested then I'm not going to get it done or not as quickly.
A few months ago I started suspecting I have ADHD and I shared that with a coworker. I told him I checked a list of symptoms and I had 90% of them. A few days later I saw him again and he goes: I told my wife you think you have ADHD and she said you don't. His wife is a baker and has no medical training whatsoever and I've never met her in my life 😂😂😂
This was so illuminating. Last week, I was diagnosed with ADHD combined with 2 severe impairments and by my new referred to psychiatrist and testing
Omg-I am a lawyer as well and I was and am driven and I did have the best outlines and still super prepped for anything I care about.
I resonate with so much of this!
I am grateful I never feel shame over who I am and never cared or worried about what other people think of me.
Ladies-we are rock stars-no point in feeling bad about being what we are.
And I do feel the same “I’m destined for more!”
I lucked out with both my kids. They had a neuro atypical kindergarten teacher, so i was informed early. Not early enough, but definitely sooner than most. And i think they inherited it from both my husband and I. We are not diagnosed, but it wasn't much done 60 years ago.
I am a teacher with ADHD. I would never expect kids to sit still. In my class we play and dance. One day my Principal told me my students consistently do better in standardized tests year after year. She asked why. It is because sitting still sucks and not having fun is boring. We can learn without sitting still.
Thank you, Cass, again. Yes, friends are attracted at first, then they drop away, or I do. Relationships are so hard to maintain!
I’m turning 70 this month and thought about adhd, but never had it diagnosed only anxiety and depression. After listening to this, I know for sure I am ADHD and have always wondered. In looking at my family, it’s everywhere and lives have been destroyed because of it on one end and perfection on the other. I can relate 100% to Tracy. Hanks for this podcast. I will continue listening and will get Tracy’s book. Yes, of course, it’s all individual. We are originals. Thank you so much for this information that will contribute to my lifelong health.❤️ ps why do we have to be labeled? Can we realize what’s being a label, do what others are saying it is, do it and not broadcast it, because of others judging us. Pride goes before a fall and j have been prideful in my life, realizing it too late. I was trained to be “perfect”, probably to make up for my mothers not knowing she had ADHD, never heard of that 100 years ago.
I was officially diagnosed with ADHD at 29. An entire lifetime of being told "you have anxiety and depression" plus having had tried 5+ antidepressants, nothing ever seemed to help. I am a physician assistant working in orthopedic surgery and I LOVE my work. I feel my ADHD has helped greatly in my ability to be a good provider, in that I focus extremely well when I see my 20 patients a day, but when I sit down to do the documentation? It is like pulling teeth to complete. Last year, after hitting one of the lowest parts of my life, I finally started ADHD meds and it has been life changing. I had never been so calm in my life. The quiet in my brain was almost overwhelming because I had never experience this. I cried that first day just from the surprise of how I felt. For me, the struggle with school never started until I started my master's program and I would have to have headphones and staring into the wall to do tests. I still to this day never "relax". I am always doing something and feel guilty when I am not doing my list of tasks I think I should be doing. Also, the weird sensitivities to clothes, touch, texture. Thank you for this podcast!!!
I haven't been diagnosed but I diagnosed myself (LOL) and mine didn't start til after I received my bachelors. I would have never gotten that degree with ADHD. So glad it waited! I def know it's related to hormones. I can't sit still and like you I feel like I always need to be doing something. I used to be an avid reader. Once I hit about 25 years old, it was a struggle to get into any books. 😮
@@dianasimplifiesif you didn't have ADHD as a child, you don't have ADHD as an adult. You could have something else.
@@lauralaforge558 that's actually not true. Hormonal changes can set it off. I could have had it but it wasn't showing up as a child as hyperactive.
@@dianasimplifies it's in the diagnostic criteria. you are kind of changing your story though. My ADHD wasn't diagnosed because I did well in school and maybe bc I am female. But looking back, it's so clearly evident.
@@lauralaforge558 all I know is Cas had a show on a few months ago that resonated with me and the lightbulb went on. I don't think anyone could convince me I don't have it at this point but you can obviously think whatever you want about the situation. It also runs in my family which I understand is a big thing. I've only started listening and studying up on it within the last year so I don't know all the "rules" and the correct things to say or not say. Anyway it doesn't matter. I have no interest in taking meds at this point. I've learned hacks along the way to deal with all the issues it was causing me. Have a great day.
This is so interesting - as a forest school/wilderness skills teacher of 25 years, I have found that people (adults and kids) with ADHD always gravitate towards me. We have a lot of fun together and they are the people that I love being around. They get so into things and love to invent and play and delve into things. I don’t think I have ADHD, but I love these things too. I am so full of curiosity and love to play. Atypical people tend to act old fast. Glad people’s brains are all different😊.
I’ve been so tired about hearing about ADHD and was resistant to this (I’ve hacked myself to death this past year), but I needed a body double that wouldn’t distract my cleaning. I laughed out loud so many times and felt so validated listening to this. I’m almost done with a masters in special education and have done so much with my inattentive ADHD. But I still feel like I’m failing others and myself. Thank you for the reminder that this is a symptom. I can’t wait to learn more from Tracy. Also Cass thank you for your guidance on body doubling, and on your “make it pretty” brain breaks. In one day I emptied and reorganized my spare bedroom/office, and most of the extra is already in the basement instead of the living room!
I have cried out to the Lord….”I’m a B- in a TYPE A WORLD!” Love hearing from you Cass, Love Barb D ❤
I'm with Cass on the exercise. I'm not a morning person and don't have energy until the afternoon and I can't exercise in the morning to save my life. I've found exercise at night works for me though. It helps so I'm not anxious when I try to go to sleep because I'm more awake at night and can't shut off my brain.
I prefer to exercise later in the day too.
This is such an eye opening video. Thank you! I am not diagnosed but was told unless I wanted medication I didn’t need testing. I tried lemon balm one day. I made 2 pints of lemon balm tea and after drinking the second one my mind was calm. I WAS SO SCARED! I didn’t know what it felt to not have a noise constant going brain. Give it a try. Might work for some?
I just subscribed to her podcast, I almost have tears because while I was diagnosed over 10 years ago, still the things she was saying were so touching because it was like she was talking about my life. Thank you ladies! 🤗💗
Wow! She’s gonna change more lives! How about both of you!!! Are gonna change more lives !!!❤❤❤ Come on, you get through to us more than she ever could ❤
I love this ADHD section starting at around 24:10!!! Her brain was going so fast and the thoughts/words kept leaving. I feel so validated!!!
That breaks my ❤ for you Cass! You are amazzzzzing! As a fellow ADHDer I love being around others with ADHD! We are fun, quirky, interesting and funny!
What’s crazy is, I was diagnosed at 19 with adhd and started on adderall by a NP I was seeing since I was 13 and continued to see every 3 months once diagnosed in order to get my adhd medication prescription. She retired a few years ago and a new NP bought and took over the clinic, along with other new NPs and entire office staff. I haven’t been able to get my prescription for almost 2 years now bc they turned into a Medicaid clinic and since I didn’t have insurance I was going to have to self pay which was $50/appt. Which I was fine with I would have been able to afford $50/3 months plus refills each month. But they completely changed the policy and I was required to go once a month for a prescription. Even though I had been going to this clinic for over 2 decades, they were unwilling to work with me. I was willing to make financial adjustments and since I didn’t take my medication exactly as prescribed, which was twice a day, I could stretch it out to help on the financial side and lessen the amount of trips and frequency of appts atleast to once every 6 weeks to 2 months. At my final appt there, they asked me my doses and I explained I didn’t take my medication exactly as prescribed but my old NP told me I didn’t have to and it was better if I didn’t bc my body would become more tolerant of it if I did. They told me I was wrong and I couldn’t skip around my doses or the medicine wouldn’t work. As a nurse myself, I told them this wasn’t a maintenance med therefore, I don’t have to take every day bc if it don’t take it my symptoms don’t worsen and the medicine will still be as helpful if not more helpful if I didn’t take it as often. They demanded I take a drug test to make sure I was even taking it at all since I told them my previous dose was about 2 days prior. I agreed assuming the drug test would’ve been done in office since the paper with the policy changes I signed never mentioned urinalysis sent off to lab. When they informed me they would have to send my sample to a lab, I explained I didn’t have insurance at the time and could not afford an outside lab tests bc with my knowledge after 10 years in the medical field, I knew that would’ve been another atleast $90 bill or more. Which as a single parent, already having to pay $50/month and $60/prescription for the appt, I was already stretching it. They told me they couldn’t do in office tests bc they didn’t have the dip stick tests bc the company they order supplies from were out of stock. I became enraged. I told them they should be investigated and their licenses as well because they were obviously only catering to Medicaid patients when I was a loyal patient as well as my family who have been patients their since the clinic opened. Furious is an understatement of how I felt and still feel about this abuse of power and flat out greed. All bc they claim I have to take the my adhd meds exactly as prescribed whenever I was instructed otherwise and knew otherwise as a nurse myself. I still feel cheated bc I struggle everyday since that appt with managing my adhd without medications over been taking for over a decade. With the economy like it is I can not afford to pay for a new patient appt with another psych np willing to prescribe the medications I need. So I have no other choice but to take it day by day and train my brain to do things in new ways in order for me not to fall in a tunnel of hopelessness and depression which I have also been in and out of since then. I am learning how to control my symptoms with diet and avoiding foods that worsen my symptoms. I say all of that to say this, thank you for confirming what I knew about adhd meds in that it’s not something you have to take everyday like other medications. This just confirmed my sanity and the fact that their using a form of malpractice in order to make more money bc making patients go every month and the patients don’t mind bc they are on Medicaid and not responsible for payment and usually don’t have steady jobs they have to report to. Now, I am seriously considering filing a complaint with the state about the clinic as a whole.
*they were also suspicious bc I hadn’t been back to get a new prescription within the last month I was given prescriptions even though I had been given 3 prescriptions at the last appt I went to bc it was before the policy change to every month. When They wrote the 3 handwritten prescriptions for the previous 3 months. How stupid.
I exercise at night, on a rowing machine, and no other people on a screen. No thank you!! There's no shortage of things to watch and listen to, just make a deal with yourself, no binging without exercise or stretching.
Cass, look and see if you can get your daughter a neuropsychological evaluation done by a neuropsychologist. They will be able to properly diagnose your daughter. O had one done for my daughter and found out that not only did she have ADHD, but she also had two learning differences/disabilities. The neuropsych evaluations take several hours, but I think they are so helpful because they test for so many things.
Wow. I just signed up for Cas’ Clutterbug Course and then I listened to this… I relate! No wonder I haven’t been able to keep the fort at home. Driven is a form of hyper-activity. Wow! Feeling like I could be so much more. I’m there!!!
Very educational and impactful info. 🙏
I love this episode so much! I was diagnosed with adhd at 38 and it explains a lot! I struggled in school until high school when I could chose music as a major then I was suddenly a genius 😂 I also have this thing that women either love me of hate me, idk why but maybe some ca’nt handle the ”too much” thing about me. I now work at a adhd clinic and I totally found the right place for me. The patients love that I can relate to them, especially the mothers since I am a single mom of four and still manage to keep them all alive and keep a job. Is it easy to organise all my kids stuff? No but I have worked out a way to make it work and I share that with our patients and they love it! I also think my youngest son has adhd. He struggles in school and feels like he is dumb, but he can read and study about whatever he is interested in at the time and he is brilliant! He is so smart, he is just not made for the square school system we have. ❤ Sending lots of love to all adhd women and children out there ♥️♥️♥️🌸
Dr.Amen said some of his entrepreneur patients take medication when they need to focus on tasks, but not when they want to be creative.
Exercise is the most potent anti-depressant and the most under-utilized.
Fantastic interview. I will definitely be following Tracy now, too. Your interviews are always the best. It was actually your interview with Dr. Heather Brannon that gave me my ah ha moment and changed my life. Thank you.
I have been hearing so much more about female ADHD, and it really has me wondering.... I always thought of myself as "the normal one" but I resonate so much with what was discussed here.....
this is so relatable. i just want to burst into tears
The pattern of compounding dopamine until 2pm when there is a big boost of dopamine.
This is the pattern of my whole life. The 2pm joy and feeling normal and the daily effort to get there.
Put a kettlebell in your kitchen. Start doing 5 minutes in the morning of strength training exercise is while you wait for your coffee. Exercise will absolutely change your life. I have ADHD I take meds They help a little,exercise helps a lot. Plus you don't want to lose all your muscle mass when you get old that's how people start falling over and declining quickly. ❤
I’m grateful there’s nothing seriously wrong with me.
ADHD/Borderline (me) is not a disease. I’m just build differently.
I don’t know what life would be like without it, but I love life. I wouldn’t want my life to be any different.
Yep can’t concentrate and all that. So I make lists.
Some people say it’s soooo difficult, but it’s really just a question of acceptance and to stop comparing yourself to others.
Unless you just want to draw attention and play the “I’m special”.
Nope there’s nothing special about having diagnoses.
The truely unique people are the ones without diagnoses. Now they are special.
Tracy Otsuka, you killed it. what an inspiration and a ball of laughs.
I love this! I’m always “extra,” and high achieving in my interests, very very driven, and have always had trouble sleeping, I don’t sit still or even sit down! I love everything! I’m very impulsive in certain areas, and always feel like I could be doing things better.
Fantastic interview! Are you going on her podcast too? I would love that!!!! Her listeners wiuld definitely benefit from your tips and organizing styles. A lot of organizers arent made for ADHD folks.
My husband has ADHD and our seven children all have ADHD and/or autism and let me tell you, it is an interesting life... They are for sure not the same and each are working on figuring out how to handle life. My husband has the hardest time, probably because of growing up in caos with a mother with ADHD and his father leaving when he was an infant. My youngest had exactly the same experience as Tracy's son with medication, it has tought him how to be and what to do and now he doesn't use it anymore. I'm probably the one knowing most about ADHD in our family because of wanting to understand all these people! 😅
Cass! Turn on music and dance around the house while you get dressed and get ready for the day!! Or maybe yoga or tai chi?
Brilliant, stopped the podcast to do an online test after meaning to do it for a couple of years. Lots of aha moments too. Interestingly I recorded my own podcast, after a year of procrastinating and beating myself up, the other day and said exactly what she said about potential and feeling like I’ve not come close to it. Not sure where I heard the idea but the way I got to starting and hitting record is I wrote down a question with my right hand (dominant) and replied writing in my left . Was almost child like in the answer and just said, too many steps and too complicated to start. So I made a super simple plan. Going to do the same now with exercise cause I’ve been talking (thinking ) myself out of that too. Wondering if music maybe be a part of the answer, hmmmmmmmmmm …… off to overthink things …… thanks both of you for the podcast. And yes, preordered the book.
Thank you both for this conversation. I have recently learned that I have ADHD when my 8 year old daughter was diagnosed. I'm still in the process of thinking about whether I need an official diagnosis for myself.
I was told my forgetfulness/misplacing things is because I am just under too much stress. "You don't have ADHD it's just stress & you know you have anxiety and depression.". Seriously this was from my psychologist & neurologist. I'm a nurse, I'm not stupid, I know there's a "wire off somewhere" lol. My sister tells me I'm offensive & I offend people. Oh Cas I'm so much you. We're alot but we cant help it. Omg 😢 it's ok, I'm ok energy & all. I'm so sick of being told that I'm being too loud, can you calm down please...omg 😢. My granddaughter is the exact opposite internally beating herself up but so darn smart. Your "sensitive" daughter is my granddaughter everything you're saying is my granddaughter. Diagnosis of anxiety & depression. Omg my poor granddaughter. Im loving this & seeing me in both of you. I'm sitting here laughing at all of us.
At 34:17 had to stop video to just breathe a little. Talking about not remembering the names of books, names of characters…If I don’t immediately get into a book or have to put it down for a while, I pick it up later (months) and can’t remember who’s who or even recognize the plot. Sometimes I just start the book over and it’s like I can barely remember much from the first time I read it. I can watch reruns of tv shows like house hunters and I remember enough that I know I’ve seen it before but I can’t recall which house they picked. It’s like a new show each time. Same way with crime shows like CSI. It’s a surprise to find out who did the murdering even though I’ve seen it. 😂 but also 🙄
I have so many symptoms now. It’s overwhelming 🫤
Hahah love it! I listen to tracey all the time, its awesome to see her in video! And you both together? Awesome! Nicely done lovelies.
❤❤❤ Great interview! And it is so nice to know I have peeps.
Yep we are a tribe!
I love this woman’s hair and her overall style!❤
There is not a single thing I enjoy doing in the morning that could motivate me to exercise. I hate mornings. And when I do exercise in the morning, I spend the next four hours struggling to stay awake and don't regain any energy until the afternoon. Exercising after lunch is so much better. Not having to wake up until after 10 am is even better than that.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not through [at 20:23] with this but had to stop a couple of times so far..@56 I am hearing what my life has been about... THANK YOU for this one BEST CHRISTMAS DAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......back to listening - Just finished SO on her website and again Thank you CAS for being YOU!..Thank you both for helpng me truely SEE "MY_SELF" for hearing how you are and I remember I was that way I was the excited pumped up person who was happy and singing and dancing and and and but now I dont remember when that all changed. Today I will start to figure that out and maybe start to excersie in am too. Thank You Thank you and Happy Boxing Day, Cas!!!!
❤❤❤❤ We love you Cas!❤❤❤❤
THANK YOU FOR THE 🤯 @ 24:44!
WOW! Such an eye-opening interview! I see myself and my sons differently now, possibly even my Mom. Much to learn... Thank you for taking the time to talk about this condition, which clearly affects more of us than I realized! I also use many tools to keep me on top of things because I just won't remember, no matter how important it is! A lot to digest here!
I think this was the conversation Cas needed for exercise. It's been a consistent area that she's talked about in her episodes and now she has some light
I was so excited to see Tracy here! Love both of you ladies ❤❤
Wonderful podcast!! You've not only helped people with ADHD today but those that love them, are their friends, and co-workers. For exercise I have a personal trainer! I had to get in shape for physical reasons, but the mental benefit is even better. So worth the cost. When I can't go to the gym I've done it by Zoom or Facetime with my trainer. Now I find if she just calls me (or the threat of her calling) 15 mins after I am supposed to be finished, that gets me going. And I feel great afterward. Been doing this for 10 years. And you can try it for the short term without a huge investment!
I've learned a lot from this podcast. I'm on sertralen it helps but not very much. I'm trying to find a way to drive again. Dr said I'm anxious and some depression. I do try to exercise but I'm not good at it to do every day.
This podcast was right up my alley! I definitely have undiagnosed adhd, a lot of these examples I was like yes, yes and yes. My 7yo daughter has adhd and she’s on medication and does so much better with it than without. I’ve learned tips and tricks for mine but I can definitely relate with Cas, I still need my alarms, notes, reminders etc
My son is that student sitting in the back of the classroom. He is sitting and quiet. But just can’t focus and remember. He struggles big time😢
So interesting! I’m inattentive dreamer that is highly driven and a perfectionist. Never been diagnosed, but have been diagnosed with anxiety, panic disorder, depression and PMDD. I would get As and Bs in school, but in high school I would wake up at 3AM to do homework and had to work 10x harder to get the same results as other kids. Luckily a whole lot interests me, so I’m “successful” on the outside, but keeping my house clean and managed is like pulling teeth.
I've just met my soul mates!!!thanks to you Cas,I found out that I've got adhd and I have been feeling so happy that I finally know whats going on with me.excelleng at school but easily bored of daily routines or same behavior of people.keep working we are so many!
This conversation was so helpful!
This is just wow! I am so informed and thankful for this conversation.
Please please do a 10 day exercise with me video challenge! It would so fun to go through the morning suckiness with you!
Amazing episode! Cass, you’re an amazing listener!!
I've been drug addiction since 14, and I'm 37 now, but I've always been able to deal with everyday life, and without IT, I couldn't get out of my head. I don't use it now, but I've been living my dream life. But having the hardest time with doing a little bit of everything until about a month ago when I find your youtub Channel and it taught me a lot thank you so much I would love to get to know you guys and figure out more things about this😢😊❤
I wish I was told about this when I was younger. My life could have been better..😢
Thank you!
I am there with you Case on exercise. It actually makes me ill.
I am pretty sure that I have adhd or something similar.
I really struggle to get anything done before midday... I am kept awake most nights by chronic pain and other symptoms of chronic health challenges. I sleep from 4am or 6am, whenever my pain settles down, until 11am or midday then it takes at least an hour for me to wake my brain up enough to do anything. I am active from 2pm until 6pm then nap for an hour or two. Then I'm back up to cook dinner and get stuff done until 2am. Then I start to get more pain so I slowly potter around the house getting ready for my sleep...i am diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, recovering from being bed bound, so I have learnt that unless I stick to the timetable I've outlined above I end up creating a flare up of all my chronic conditions because one flareup of pain/fatigue will lead to a spiral down into being bed bound very quickly.
I say all this to emphasise the point that we must adapt what we do to our individual capacity....
“Driven”! Absolutely!! Wow! My studying routine was totally that! Also, I will be doing something productive towards a goal but think at the same time why am I not doing more? This is priceless! Thank you SO MUCH Tracy and Cass!! Merry Christmas! 🎄🎄🤶🤶
Funny thing is…now I’m madly in love and married to a total introvert. 😂