“I see a lot of women who probably have undiagnosed ADHD in this sport because we all gravitate toward this… and find that the repetition and structure of running works,” said Olympic marathon medalist Molly Seidel during her recent conversation with WebMD about barriers to mental health care for women. “A lot of people in elite sports, I think, do have something going on… Yeah, we’re all running from something.” (Seidel may be on to something, as some research suggests that ADHD may actually be more common in elite athletes than it is in the general population.)For Seidel, that something is a late-life diagnosis of ADHD, along with comorbid obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders.It took Seidel years, and a lot of work, to figure out how to manage her conditions, and to find the self-care systems and strategies that are most beneficial for her.
She likens this work to her training as a runner, and emphasizes that both are ongoing.“I think a lot of people assume that I’m a lot more naturally talented than I actually am at this sport.
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