Carla Ciccone, author of Nowhere Girl: Life as a Member of ADHD’s Lost Generation, shares what it’s like to grow up thinking you’re the problem. She talks about learning to mask when she was just 6 years old and living with constant negative self-talk. Like many girls with ADHD, Carla hid her struggles and felt like a lost cause.

Carla opens up about her inner voice — the one that says “you’re stupid” — and how fear, failure, and pressure from others can build deep self-doubt. Motherhood became a turning point, pushing her to change the way she spoke to herself so her daughter wouldn’t continue the cycle. Also in this episode: Carla draws parallels between her experiences with asthma and ADHD.

For more on this topic

Listen: ADHD and self-medicating
Read: 3 things I’m learning as a new mom with ADHD
Watch: How to combat negative self-talk with ADHD

For a transcript and more resources, visit ADHD Aha! on Understood.org. You can also email us at adhdaha@understood.org

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