Attention Different | Adulting with ADHD

What would change if you learned that struggling with ADHD isn't a motivation problem but a knowledge gap?

In this episode of Attention Different, Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith sit down with 𝐃𝐫. 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐃𝐨𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐧, a psychiatrist who has spent decades working with adults with ADHD. Known for his work around Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) and the interest-based nervous system, Dr. Dodson brings a perspective shaped by years of listening to people with ADHD describe their experiences, struggles, strengths, and the ways their nervous systems actually work.

Together, they explore the emotional side of ADHD, from the intensity of rejection and criticism to the lasting impact of being told you’re “too much.” The conversation moves beyond a deficit-focused view of ADHD to look at masking, shame, authenticity, and the strengths that can emerge when the right conditions are in place. They also unpack what it means to have an interest-based nervous system and how interest, challenge, novelty, urgency, and passion can help people with ADHD get engaged, get “in the zone,” and better understand what allows their abilities to show up.

✨Highlights✨
✔️ Why rejection and criticism can carry so much emotional weight for people with ADHD
✔️ How RSD and life experiences can intersect
✔️ What Dr. Dodson means by an “interest-based nervous system”
✔️ The role of interest, challenge, novelty, urgency, and passion in ADHD engagement
✔️ How masking can affect identity, acceptance, and self-worth
✔️ Why noticing what works can be just as important as identifying what doesn’t
✔️ How to begin building your own “owner’s manual” for your ADHD brain
✔️ Why a strengths-based understanding of ADHD can change the way you approach your abilities

“𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝐷𝐻𝐷, 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒.” — 𝐃𝐫. 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐃𝐨𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐧

💬 What helps YOU get into the zone? Is it interest, challenge, novelty, urgency, passion, or something else? Tell us in the comments.

For anyone with ADHD who has ever questioned why their abilities seem to show up so easily in some moments and feel out of reach in others, this conversation offers a different perspective. By understanding what engages your nervous system, recognizing the impact of rejection and masking, and paying closer attention to the conditions where you function at your best, you can begin to understand your ADHD brain through its strengths, not just its struggles.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:
Hosts: Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith & Devin Pitts-Rogers
Producer: David Grabowski
Editors: Ian Lopez & Luis Paulo de la Fuente
Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski
Follow Dr. William Dodson
Website: dodsonadhdtreatment.com/
Send us Fan Mail
We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.

If you enjoy the podcast please like, share, and subscribe!
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Follow all of these if you want to be inspired in your ADHD journey
•  Website - https://www.attentiondifferent.com
•  Instagram -   https://www.instagram.com/attention_different
• Facebook -   https://www.facebook.com/attndifferent
• X -   https://www.x.com/attndifferent

What happens when you spend years trying to keep up without realizing your brain runs on a different set of rules? 
In this episode of 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴, Devin Pitts-Rogers sits down with 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥 — entrepreneur, father, husband, gamer, D&D enthusiast, and Venture Forth cast member, to talk about late-diagnosed ADHD and the everyday realities that can come with it. Diagnosed in his late 30s, Rodney reflects on how understanding his ADHD helped him make sense of experiences that had followed him from school into adulthood, including hyperfocus, executive function challenges, burnout, and the pressure to constantly accomplish more.
Together, they discuss why seemingly simple tasks can become unexpectedly complicated with ADHD, how body doubling and accountability can help with getting started, and what happens when notifications, responsibilities, and unfinished tasks are all competing for your attention. Rodney also opens up about his experiences in the workplace, the importance of having support structures instead of being labeled “lazy” or inattentive, and the danger of tying your value to how much you can accomplish. Along the way, they explore meditation, intentional rest, creativity, parenting, and why Dungeons & Dragons gives Rodney an opportunity to be fully present and engaged.
✨Highlights✨
✔️ Why ADHD can make everyday tasks feel much more complicated than expected
✔️ How body doubling and accountability can make it easier to get started
✔️ Why hyperfocus isn’t always the same as being able to control your attention
✔️ How notifications and overstimulation can compete for an ADHD brain’s attention
✔️ Why workplace support can make a meaningful difference for neurodivergent employees
✔️ The connection between productivity, burnout, and self-worth
✔️ Why rest doesn’t always mean doing nothing
✔️ How Dungeons & Dragons, creativity, and improvisation help Rodney stay present
“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡. 𝑊𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙.” — 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥
💬 If you received an ADHD diagnosis later in life, what did it help you understand differently about yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 👇
Whether you were diagnosed with ADHD later in life, are still figuring out what works for your brain, or simply want to better understand the everyday realities of adult ADHD, this episode offers an honest look at productivity, support, rest, creativity, and learning to work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:
Hosts: Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith & Devin Pitts-Rogers
Producer: David Grabowski
Editors: Ian Lopez & Luis Paulo de la Fuente
Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 Rodney Campbell:
LinkedIn: Search Rodney Brice Campbell
Instagram: sirodnus/

Send us Fan Mail
We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.

If you enjoy the podcast please like, share, and subscribe!
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV0lWgdvEhaI4p5MyxM5w3A?sub_confirmation=1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow all of these if you want to be inspired in your ADHD journey
•  Website - https://www.attentiondifferent.com
•  Instagram -   https://www.instagram.com/attention_different
• Facebook -   https://www.facebook.com/attndifferent
• X -   https://www.x.com/attndifferent

What if the problem was never that you couldn’t learn, but that no one had figured out how you learn?
In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith sit down with 𝐃𝐫. 𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐝, founder and managing director of the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education, to rethink what teaching can look like when we stop expecting every brain to learn, process, and demonstrate knowledge in the same way. Rhoda shares how her experiences as a musician, educator, and student shaped her belief that great teachers are “treasure hunters” who look for what is already there instead of measuring people against a single definition of success.
The conversation explores accessible arts education, neurodivergent learning, and the limitations of standardized education, while getting deeply personal about shame, creativity, trauma, and self-acceptance. Rhoda explains what can change when someone feels truly seen for who they are, why accessibility benefits more than just those who need it most, and how curiosity can thrive when learning isn’t built around the fear of getting it wrong.
✨Highlights✨
✔️ Why teaching every student the same way can leave real learning invisible
✔️ What it means to be a “treasure hunter” for someone else’s strengths and talents
✔️ Why accessibility should be built into education from the beginning, not added as an afterthought
✔️ How shame and fear of judgment can shut down curiosity and learning
✔️ Why feeling seen for who you are matters just as much as being recognized for what you can do
✔️ How creativity and the arts can give people a way to express what they may struggle to put into words
✔️ Why meeting learners where they are can create better learning experiences for everyone
“𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒. 𝐼'𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒.” — 𝐃𝐫. 𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐝
🗨️ Who was the person who made you feel seen when you were learning? Let us know in the comments 👇
This episode is for anyone who grew up believing they were lazy, difficult, incapable, or somehow failing at learning when the system may simply have failed to meet them where they were. Because sometimes unlocking someone’s potential has less to do with teaching them differently and more to do with seeing them differently.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:
Hosts: Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith & Devin Pitts-Rogers
Producer: David Grabowski
Editors: Ian Lopez & Luis Paulo de la Fuente
Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski
Follow Dr. Rhoda Bernard
Website: rhodabernard.com/
LinkedIn: Search Rhoda Bernard
Instagram: @rhodabernard41
Send us Fan Mail
We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.

If you enjoy the podcast please like, share, and subscribe!
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV0lWgdvEhaI4p5MyxM5w3A?sub_confirmation=1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow all of these if you want to be inspired in your ADHD journey
•  Website - https://www.attentiondifferent.com
•  Instagram -   https://www.instagram.com/attention_different
• Facebook -   https://www.facebook.com/attndifferent
• X -   https://www.x.com/attndifferent

Ever notice how someone can look completely put-together on the outside while feeling like they’re falling apart on the inside? 
In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith sit down with 𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬, a pediatrician, ADHD advocate, CHADD National Board member, and fellow ADHDer, for a candid, vulnerable, and refreshingly unfiltered conversation about what it really means to live with an ADHD brain. From growing up feeling “too much, but never quite enough” to becoming a physician and finding a community where she could finally show up as her full self, Carolyn shares the experiences that shaped her perspective on ADHD and belonging.
Carolyn opens up about doing well in school while dealing with anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, and the feeling that she had to work harder than everyone around her. And somewhere along the way, she learned that looking like you’re 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 fine and actually 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 fine are two very different things. The conversation explores rejection, shame, vulnerability, authenticity, ADHD medication, executive functioning, and the myths that can keep people from getting the support they need. They also unpack what medication can and can’t do, why finding the right treatment can take time, and how connecting with people who understand your experience can change the way you see yourself.
✨Highlights✨
✔️ Why doing well on paper doesn’t mean ADHD isn’t taking a toll
✔️ How rejection, shame, and feeling “too much” or “not enough” can shape the way you see yourself
✔️ Why showing vulnerability can create a stronger sense of belonging
✔️ What stimulant medication can and can’t do for ADHD
✔️ How medication may help you access and use the skills and strategies you already know
✔️ Why common myths about ADHD medication can become barriers to getting support
✔️ Why finding the right medication and treatment approach can take time
✔️ Why medication is only one part of a larger ADHD treatment and support system
✔️ How finding people who understand your brain can help you feel less alone
“𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒.” — 𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬
💬 Have you ever looked like you were doing fine on the outside while struggling behind the scenes? What has helped you feel more understood or supported in your ADHD journey? Let us know in the comments 👇
If you’re living with ADHD, supporting someone who is, or trying to better understand why ADHD can affect so much more than attention, this episode offers an honest look at treatment, rejection, vulnerability, and the importance of finding people who understand how your brain works.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺:
Hosts: Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith & Devin Pitts-Rogers
Producer: David Grabowski
Editors: Ian Lopez & Luis Paulo de la Fuente
Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski
Follow Dr. Carolyn Parcells
Websites: drcarolynparcells.com/
LinkedIn: Search Carolyn Lentzsch Parcells, MD
Instagram: @the.adhd.md
Send us Fan Mail
We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.

If you enjoy the podcast please like, share, and subscribe!
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV0lWgdvEhaI4p5MyxM5w3A?sub_confirmation=1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow all of these if you want to be inspired in your ADHD journey
•  Website - https://www.attentiondifferent.com
•  Instagram -   https://www.instagram.com/attention_different
• Facebook -   https://www.facebook.com/attndifferent
• X -   https://www.x.com/attndifferent

How often does “I want to do this perfectly” turn into not doing it at all? 
When does having high standards cross the line into perfectionism paralysis? 
In this episode of Attention Different, Stephen, Aaron and Devin from the Late, Not Less episodes on the feed, unpack perfectionism paralysis and how the fear of making mistakes, failing, or not being “good enough” can stop adult ADHDers from starting or finishing tasks.
They explore how perfectionism can disguise itself as productivity while feeding a cycle of procrastination, self-criticism, anxiety, and avoidance. From waiting for the “perfect” conditions to start to endlessly tweaking something because it never feels finished, this conversation looks at the many ways perfectionism can keep ADHD brains stuck.
You’ll also hear about the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, finding beauty in imperfection, and why limitations can sometimes lead to our most creative work.
One practical takeaway? 90/10 for the win. Aim for 90% and intentionally leave room for that imperfect 10%. That messy, unfinished, human part might be exactly where growth happens.

✨Highlights✨
✔️ What perfectionism paralysis looks like with ADHD
✔️ How perfectionism can fuel procrastination and avoidance
✔️ Front-end vs. back-end perfectionism
✔️ Why self-judgment can make it harder to take action
✔️ The connection between creativity and imperfection
✔️ How the 90/10 approach can help you move forward
✔️ Why sometimes you just have to “start messy”

🧠 FREE WEBINAR: The Knowing-Doing Gap

You know what you need to do. So why can’t you just… do it?
Join Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith for a FREE webinar exploring why getting started can feel so difficult for adults with ADHD. They’ll dig into ADHD, executive functioning, procrastination, and the gap between knowing what to do and actually being able to take action.

👉 Sign up FREE

🚀 Go Deeper with the Procrastination Protocol for ADHD
If procrastination, task initiation, perfectionism, time blindness, overwhelm, or the constant struggle to “just get started” feels familiar, the Procrastination Protocol for ADHD is designed to help you better understand what’s happening in your brain and develop strategies that work with it instead of against it.
The course explores the ADHD-specific barriers that can keep you stuck and gives you practical tools for moving from intention to action without relying solely on pressure, shame, or last-minute panic.
👉 Start today: https://www.attentiondifferent.com/protocol

🎥 Subscribe to Attention Different for more conversations about adult ADHD, executive functioning, procrastination, and navigating life with a neurodivergent brain.
#ADHD #AdultADHD #ADHDProcrastination #Perfectionism #ExecutiveFunction #Neurodivergent #AttentionDifferent
Send us Fan Mail
We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiveristy. Attention Different aims to de-stigmatize and build community by exploring the intricacies of living life and "adulting" with ADHD in the modern world. We periodically feature experts, special guests and influencers in the ADHD community.

If you enjoy the podcast please like, share, and subscribe!
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV0lWgdvEhaI4p5MyxM5w3A?sub_confirmation=1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow all of these if you want to be inspired in your ADHD journey
•  Website - https://www.attentiondifferent.com
•  Instagram -   https://www.instagram.com/attention_different
• Facebook -   https://www.facebook.com/attndifferent
• X -   https://www.x.com/attndifferent