Jun 8
Join Tracy as she welcomes her guest Mrinal to Episode 129 of her podcast, ADHD for Smart Ass Women. Mrinal is a writer, business analyst, and mental health advocate based in the Midwest. She just published her first book, Saaya Unveiled: South Asian Mental Health Spotlighted, to increase education and acceptance on mental health in the South Asian diaspora. Her future goals include teaching self defense and developing a health and wellness app.
Mrinal shares:
The circumstances surrounding her ADHD diagnosis
Her struggle with school
What has changed since she was diagnosed
What made her write her book
The model minority stereotype
How the model minority stereotype impacts ADHD, mental health and affects self-esteem and increases shame
What ADHD strengths make her good at her job
Her key to living successfully with ADHD
Her ADHD workaround.
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"I think that I grew up thinking that I was different and that something was the matter for as far as I can remember."
- Mrinal Gokhale
"I wonder if it's also like, the lack of positive reinforcement to me is kind of. So it's kind of like how you might encounter some teachers that don't give out A's because they don't want the child to stop working hard. I wonder if some Asian parents think that way, too."
- Mrinal Gokhale
"I would say, learn as much about yourself as a person as you possibly can. Don't box yourself in, but also know your limits at the same time. Be open minded understand that things like healing things like finding what works for you isn't always a linear process."
- Mrinal Gokhale
- Mrinal shares her experience with ADHD and neurodivergence, discussing how she was misdiagnosed and mistreated in her childhood and young adulthood.
- Mrinal shares how Wellbutrin helped him become more alert, focused, and socially communicative, leading to improved work performance and a newfound attitude towards social experiences.
- Mrinal discusses the model minority stereotype in the Asian community and its impact on mental health, particularly for those with ADHD.
[19:17 - 24:37] ADHD, Career Choices, and Personal Growth
- Mrinal believes that South Asian parenting culture may contribute to the stigma surrounding mental health, as positive reinforcement is often lacking and fear-based motivation is more common.
- Mrinal advises parents to listen to their children and respect their individuality, as they are the best judges of their own nature and interests.
- Mrinal 's ADHD has helped her hyper-focus on tasks, allowing her to write a book in just four months, despite maintaining a full-time job.
- Mrinal's parents are proud of her and want the best for her, but they may not fully understand her mental health struggles or know how to support her effectively.
- Mrinal shares a Pomodoro-like technique for overcoming writer's block: set a timer for 25 minutes, focus on writing during that time, and take breaks to avoid burnout.
- Mrinal and Tracy discuss the challenges of starting to write, with Mrinal Gokhale mentioning that even though she enjoys writing, she can struggle to begin.
