The Mental Athlete: Reframing ADHD as Strength

I'd like to share this story of Yeajin Lim STRUGGLE IS NOT FAILURE: REFRAMING ADHD AS MENTAL ATHLETICISM Mental Athlete began with a personal question: what if mental struggle were treated with the same respect as physical effort? As an Asian woman diagnosed with ADHD later in life, I spent years blaming myself for something I didn’t yet have language for. Cultural expectations and stigma often make ADHD harder to recognise in Asian women, leading many of us to internalise our symptoms as personal flaws rather than understand them as neurodiversity. Through listening to others with similar experiences, I realised many women with ADHD are running a daily internal marathon; constantly pushing themselves to function, adapt, and keep up. The effort is exhausting, yet largely unseen. When that mental labour goes unrecognised or misunderstood, it can feel like personal failure and make it harder to ask for support. I wanted to transform that hidden experience into something visible, respected, and dignified. Mental Athlete reframes this reality through the language of sport, positioning neurodivergent people as athletes of the mind. While part of the execution was informed by research suggesting that wearing sneakers indoors can support focus and grounding for the ADHD brain, the core insight was about dignity. In sport, struggle is recognised as part of the process, regardless of outcome. I wanted to apply that same mindset to the mental effort involved in living with ADHD. This perspective challenges shame-based narratives around mental health and invites empathy and respect instead. Receiving a GOLD Creative Conscience Award reinforced the power of personal stories as starting points for creative work that helps others feel seen. After the project was published, people reached out to share their experiences, reminding me that an ad campaign can do more than communicate, it can validate, connect, and create space for change. I hope this project helps make ADHD and neurodiversity more visible, shows that struggling is nothing to be ashamed of, and encourages more open conversations around seeking support. Written by Yeajin Lim (Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC, USA)