At 14, Zoe Plotnick told her mom, “My brain’s broken.” Zoe wanted an ADHD evaluation, but her mom discouraged it, pointing to Zoe’s good grades. Zoe was eventually diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. She also learned that her mom was hiding her own ADHD all along.  Now Zoe, who’s a teacher, is unpacking the ADHD stigma that her family has carried for generations. And she’s advocating for her daughter who, in a twist of fate, was diagnosed with ADHD at age 14 — the same age Zoe was when she tried to get evaluated the first time.   Related resourcesIs ADHD hereditary?Masking my ADHD at work was exhausting, so I stoppedHow do I emotionally prepare for ADHD diagnosis?  Timestamps((01:10) Zoe’s pandemic “aha” moment(03:23) Pushing for an ADHD diagnosis as an adult(05:22) Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD(09:17) Asking for help when Zoe was 14 (12:32) Generational ADHD shame and maskingFor a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! page on Understood.orgWant to share your “aha”  moment? We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at ADHDAha@understood.org. ADHD Unstuck is a free, self-guided activity from Understood.org and Northwestern University designed to help women with ADHD boost their mood and take small, practical steps to get unstuck. In about 10 minutes, learn why mood spirals happen and get a personalized action plan of quick wins and science-backed strategies that work with your brain. Give it a try at Understood.org/GetUnstuck.Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.