Authentically ADHD with Carmen cover art

Authentically ADHD with Carmen

Authentically ADHD with Carmen

By: Where the chaos of ADHD meets self-acceptance growth and a whole lot of authenticity
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About this listen

 Hi! I'm Carmen, a late-diagnosed ADHDer, ADHD life coach, and early childhood special education teacher who wants to spread awareness, relate to other ADHDers, and have fun while talking and learning about the difficulties, awesomeness, and new research behind the neurodiverse ADHD brain. ARE YOU READY?? Let's get started!

carmenauthenticallyadhd.substack.comCarmen Irace Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • ADHD and Procrastination: Understanding the Cycle and Breaking Free

    ADHD and Procrastination: Understanding the Cycle and Breaking Free
    Jun 21 2025

    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 dopamine dysregulation contribute to the procrastination loop.

    From the initial delay and avoidance to the frantic last-minute rush, we break down the stages of procrastination and how ADHD traits like impulsivity and hyperfocus both complicate the process.

    We also uncover the neuroscience behind procrastination, offering a look at how executive function deficits and imbalanced dopamine levels make starting and completing tasks feel like an uphill battle.

    Most importantly, we share actionable strategies to break free from the cycle. Learn how to chunk tasks, create structured routines, and use external reminders to regain control. We also highlight the power of rewards, accountability systems, and mindfulness in overcoming procrastination and boosting motivation.

    By understanding the ADHD brain's unique wiring, we can take practical steps to manage procrastination and start tackling our goals with greater ease and confidence.

    Procrastination Guide: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGpNNJZHfA/XPs2-vJCwam6wFI0dW4z1w/view?utm_content=DAGpNNJZHfA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h330879e0a9

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    https://linktr.ee/carmen_irace

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    Get full access to carmen_authenticallyadhd at carmenauthenticallyadhd.substack.com/subscribe
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • ADHD and Headaches: It's really NOT all in your head BONUS EPISODE

    ADHD and Headaches: It's really NOT all in your head BONUS EPISODE
    Jun 18 2025

    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 dysfunction, sensory overload, and sleep-deprived executive dysfunction (in which case, it absolutely is).

    🔬 What’s inside:

    * Why ADHDers are twice as likely to struggle with migraines and tension headaches

    * The brain science behind dopamine, pain regulation, and that charming trifecta of stress, sensory chaos, and sleep struggles

    * How cognitive overload + emotional dysregulation = a literal pain in the head

    * Comorbid conditions like anxiety and depression that sneak in and amplify the problem

    * Real-life examples from coaching clients (and Carmen’s Target meltdown over deodorant)

    🧠 PLUS: 3 Practical, Science-Backed Strategies to Beat the Brainache

    * Regulate your sensory environment like a damn pro

    * Make sleep your superpower (seriously—bedtime is sacred)

    * Master the micro-reset: because waiting until you're fried is a trap

    ✨ Whether you're in the middle of a migraine or just tired of your brain's drama, this episode gives you the tools, neuroscience, and validation you’ve been craving.

    🔁 Listen, laugh, learn—and maybe cancel one less plan this week.

    https://linktr.ee/carmen_irace

    Join Focused: https://ihaveadhdllc.ontralink.com/t?orid=29951&opid=1



    Get full access to carmen_authenticallyadhd at carmenauthenticallyadhd.substack.com/subscribe
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    22 mins
  • The Hidden World of Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome & ADHD

    The Hidden World of Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome & ADHD
    Jun 14 2025
    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 symptoms that overlaps with ADHD but isn’t the same thing. You’ll learn how CDS shows up differently than classic inattentive ADHD—think mental “brakes,” mind-wandering marathons, and that overwhelming sense that your brain is running underwater.Next, we explore how CDS can silently sabotage work, relationships, and self-esteem. Carmen shares listener stories—like the person who’s constantly five steps behind in conversations or the professional whose “slow load time” makes presentations feel like climbing Everest. We unpack the neuroscience in digestible terms: what brain networks are under-activated, how dopamine dysregulation plays a role, and why meds that help “hyperactive” ADHD often fall short for CDS symptoms.Finally, we shift to practical strategies. You’ll walk away with at least three tangible tools to test—everything from micro-bursts of movement to reframing your to-do list in ultra-small steps and scheduling “CDS-friendly breaks” before burnout sets in. By the end, you’ll understand that those moments of mental fog aren’t personal failings but part of a hidden ADHD subprofile—and you’ll have a roadmap for bringing more focus, energy, and self-compassion into your lifeShow Notes: IntroductionHello and welcome! Today, we’re diving into a fascinating and often underrecognized topic: Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome, or CDS. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, maybe its older label will — Sluggish Cognitive Tempo. (Yeah, I know, it sounds like an insult you’d hurl at a slow computer.) In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what CDS really is, why it’s not just “laziness” or ordinary daydreaming, and why experts say it deserves far more attention than it gets.Hook: Ever feel like your brain is running on dial-up internet in a high-speed world? You’re trying to focus, but it’s like there’s a fog inside your head, and everything is moving in slow motion. Your thoughts wander off like they’ve got a mind of their own, and snapping back to reality is a bit like wading through molasses. If you’re nodding along (or if someone you know comes to mind), you might be familiar with what we’re talking about. And if you have ADHD or work with folks who do, you might have seen hints of this “slow-mo” attention state that often hides in plain sight.In this 25-30 minute episode, we’ll cover: what exactly Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome is and its key symptoms (in plain, relatable language), how it overlaps with but isn’t the same as ADHD, why it often gets misdiagnosed as something else (like depression or anxiety), and some practical, real-world tips for managing it. All of that with a professional tone and a little bit of sass — because learning should be engaging, right? So grab a coffee (you might need it for this topic!), and let’s get started.What Is Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS)?All right, first things first: what on Earth is Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome? In a nutshell, CDS is a term that describes a unique set of attention symptoms — think of it as a “cousin” to ADHD, but with its own personality. It used to be known as “Sluggish Cognitive Tempo,” which frankly sounds like your brain is a slow turtle. No surprise, experts decided to rebrand it to something less snarky and more accurateen.wikipedia.orgmedvidi.com. Now we call it Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome, highlighting how the mind can seem to disengage from the task at hand.So what does CDS look like? Picture a person (child or adult) who is constantly drifting off into their own world. We’re talking excessive daydreaming, blank staring, zoning out as if the lights are on but nobody’s homeadditudemag.com. Their mind wanders like it’s on an aimless road trip. They might appear mentally foggy, sluggish in their movements or thinking, and often slow to respond to what’s happening around themedgefoundation.org. Folks with CDS often seem underactive – the opposite of hyperactive – and may be described as lethargic or low energy. You might notice them blinking awake as if they were literally about to nod off, even during activities that aren’t boring for everyone else. In short, their alertness is inconsistent: one moment they’re tuned in, but the next they’ve drifted away on a cloud of thoughtsedgefoundation.org.Another hallmark is being easily confused or mentally “fogged.” It’s not that they can’t understand things, but their processing speed is slow. Imagine trying to stream a video with a weak Wi-Fi signal – the ...
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    59 mins
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