‘You can’t embarrass me’: Marathon runner Molly Seidel on her ADHD diagnosis

In the first part of our three-part series, Molly Seidel, Olympic medalist, talks about her path to ADHD and OCD as a young woman. Now she helps others finish their race.

Professional marathon runner and Olympian Molly Seidel was first diagnosed with OCD in college. While this diagnosis helped her begin to understand what was going on, it wasn’t until years later when she was diagnosed with ADHD that she was finally able to put it all together. Her next step was to figure out how best to deal with her diagnoses.

“A lot of it comes down to talking therapy, various somatic therapies,” she said. “And the most important thing for me is super-regular meditation, mindfulness practice and breathwork.”

Speaking out about her mental health issues has not always been easy for an elite athlete.

“In a way, it was really hard, because not many people talk about such things. And I think that even quite recently, probably 5 years ago, they simply didn’t talk about it, ”said Seidel.

However, over time, she has worked to overcome people’s criticism and has heard from others who appreciate her use of her platform to talk about mental health.

“These are the things that keep me going… there will always be people who criticize, (but) I have heard all the terrible things at the moment. So frankly, you can’t embarrass me.”

Watch part 2 and part 3 in this series.

Related information about adults with ADHD and more

How ADHD can affect your career

Relationship Tips for ADHD

10 Ways to Reach (and Exceed!) Your Potential with ADHD

The Basics of a Good Life with ADHD

Coping with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Anxiety