Dr. Kristin Carothers

Rather than looking at it as like a positive or saying, this is my kid who likes to talk in the classroom. So I'm going to have him stand up and explain to the class what I just said. Oh, interesting.

Rather than looking at it as like a positive or saying, this is my kid who likes to talk in the classroom. So I'm going to have him stand up and explain to the class what I just said. Oh, interesting.

This is my kid who likes to beat on the table. Then I'm going to say, if you all get through this assignment, I'm going to let you come up with a beat on the table and the rest of you all dance. If this is my kid who likes to challenge and question, then let's have a debate about this subject. But you got to care and you got to believe that this type of behavior is functional. Right.

This is my kid who likes to beat on the table. Then I'm going to say, if you all get through this assignment, I'm going to let you come up with a beat on the table and the rest of you all dance. If this is my kid who likes to challenge and question, then let's have a debate about this subject. But you got to care and you got to believe that this type of behavior is functional. Right.

You've got to believe that there's functionality to being busy. There's functionality to thinking outside of the box. There's functionality to like thinking. And many systems are set up for that.

You've got to believe that there's functionality to being busy. There's functionality to thinking outside of the box. There's functionality to like thinking. And many systems are set up for that.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

How do they train? No, but that's... No, no, that's what reinforces it.

How do they train? No, but that's... No, no, that's what reinforces it.

Their hyper-focus is their sport. So I'm intrinsically, internally motivated to... to do this activity that I love, this athletic. And so I can do it for hours. I can train for hours. I'm around my people who also love it. I'm so reinforced by it that I just want to be in this setting. And I can perform and I can excel.

Their hyper-focus is their sport. So I'm intrinsically, internally motivated to... to do this activity that I love, this athletic. And so I can do it for hours. I can train for hours. I'm around my people who also love it. I'm so reinforced by it that I just want to be in this setting. And I can perform and I can excel.

So then that to me goes to the conversation about partners. Right. So the athlete is hyper focused in doing what they have to do to maximize what their bodies can do, maximize their amount of time. But then that is one part of your life. And you miss out on the other parts of your life that are kind of orbiting around that. That's your livelihood. That's not your life. It's your livelihood.

So then that to me goes to the conversation about partners. Right. So the athlete is hyper focused in doing what they have to do to maximize what their bodies can do, maximize their amount of time. But then that is one part of your life. And you miss out on the other parts of your life that are kind of orbiting around that. That's your livelihood. That's not your life. It's your livelihood.

But for many of them, it's their life.

But for many of them, it's their life.

It's been their life. It's finally where they feel secure and productive. And it is a way out of poverty. It's a way out. It's a way to help family. It serves so many functions. But when it comes time to being a partner of a person... you've got to be able to be empathic and to understand what it is you need and what it is your partner needs.

It's been their life. It's finally where they feel secure and productive. And it is a way out of poverty. It's a way out. It's a way to help family. It serves so many functions. But when it comes time to being a partner of a person... you've got to be able to be empathic and to understand what it is you need and what it is your partner needs.

And so can you give me an example about what might make it hard to be in partnership with somebody with ADHD?

And so can you give me an example about what might make it hard to be in partnership with somebody with ADHD?