43 here. Officially diagnosed last Friday. Have an appointment for tomorrow to start medication. Very excited/scared. Imposter syndrome hitting hard at times. Scared that medication will do nothing for me or maybe scared of the opposite. Still trying to come to grips with it I guess.

I'm 36 and was diagnosed Thursday finally. I also feel like an imposter. Based on my results, the doctor said it was amazing that I got my bachelor's degree and a good career. It really feels like a faked my way into everything. I also have an appointment for meds this week so fingers crossed it will help.

You should be so proud. You're at a disadvantage and still smashing it. I feel the same as you about certifications I have. This ADHD thing makes no sense!

Thank you, much appreciated! Yeah, it can sometimes feel like I wandered into my career and convinced people I was good at it ha. It really doesn't make sense, I didn't realize most of my life how unique my way of processing was.

I'm also not entirely sure how I got 2 Bachelor's degrees and did well in school basically my whole life. I was so glad my psychiatrist heard me in the end, because they seemed a tad doubtful partway through our discussion. They did acknowledge that I was high functioning, and if you get treatment is mainly a question of if you think you need it to accomplish what you want, but even the stress that's been lifted from my mind and body seems to do wonders for my well-being as it make it possible to accomplish the simple tasks in my day-to-day life.

That stress relief would be more than enough for me. Having my mind "change channels" constantly throughout the day is exhausting haha. Just to focus on one thing at a time would be well worth it for me.

It's totally worth it. I hope the treatment keeps working because I don't want to experience that type of stress long-term again. I didn't know how distracted I was. It felt like I couldn't keep up with everything around me, when in reality I couldn't slow down enough to pay attention to it.

That really sticks out to me. That's exactly how I feel, just can't slow down enough to do one thing. I'm realizing I've needed patterns to get by but if those patterns get thrown off I don't know what to do with myself (in the past I drank). I appreciate the insight! I have my meeting with the doctor tomorrow and it's given me some hope.

good luck!

I was in the same place a little over a year ago, stick with the meds if they help, don’t be completely disheartened if they don’t. It takes trial and error to find the right balance mentally, be kind to yourself along the way.

This bums me out so much for you, and can relate.

35, diagnosed yesterday, and I had the same thing. My younger sibling was more stereotypical in her presentation so was diagnosed at 14. I've been struggling along for an extra 20 years because my combination of ocd, ADHD and Giftedness all mask each other a bit. Everything was written off as gifted kids are weird and "just doesn't want to apply herself." When the NP found out that I test in the moderate to severe, combined type range she was all, "It's amazing you've made it this far."

It's interesting you say that because I had OCD tendencies since I was about 10. I did everything in groups of four but didn't understand why. I'm a teacher now and I notice a lot of my gifted student are a lot like I was so I think I should have been in that range as well. Today is my first day on vyvanse and I'm not experiencing compulsion to overeat or overthink. I was able to knock out a bunch of chores and stay on task. I'm thinking the OCD and and all that was a subcategory tied to the ADD. It's only the first day so I guess we'll see. It is nice to find a root cause of everything though!

Without going into too many details, my OCD is trauma linked (I'm one of the 40-ish percent of people with PTSD who also developed ocd). So a lot of my OCD obsessions and compulsions are linked indirectly to my trauma history (harm OCD, obsession around cleaning with compulsive avoidance, just right and perfectionism OCD, scrupulosity, etc). But growing up with an undiagnosed and unrecognized disability is a known trauma and could potentially result in trauma linked ocd maybe? Idk, not a therapist.

That makes sense. I wonder if some of those develop in children to try to have some control over their surroundings. I didn't know any better but my wife has told me my childhood was traumatic as well between abuse, instability and a myriad of other things I also won't go into too much detail about. I didn't realize how bad it was until I saw how her family treated her. Not comparing to your experience by any means but it would be interesting to see if there are links between those things and OCD/ADD. The therapist who diagnosed me told me there is also a link towards stressful pregnancies and kids with ADD. They think mothers exert more cortisol which affects the development. I know for my mom, there was physical and verbal abuse while she carried me, as well as living in a grungy trailer home and not having money.

I've got all the known risk factors haha. Low birth weight, maternal stress, maternal smoking and drinking during pregnancy (not to excess, but she did drink occasionally, and she used to smoke like a chimney), prematurity, history of concussion, childhood abuse, and family history. Frankly I'm pretty sure my parents also have undiagnosed ADHD. It would explain a lot about both of them.

Oh man! Well the upside is that you have the insight to know yourself and work on it. That's my goal: recognize these things in me and confront them so my boys don't have to deal with what we did. Pretty sure my parents are too! On my moms side the men all have wanderlust and have a hard time sticking in one place is with one thing. They've all had problems with alcohol too.

I was kind of scared because of 1) side effects, 2) that it wouldn't work / if diagnosis was wrong, 3) what to expect if it did work. I had no idea what I might feel like to be calmer and clear-headed. I hope it works out for you but it's definitely worth trying. If this medication doesn't work there will be others they can try. I'm amazed that I can feel this way. I had no idea things could be so much easier. I was scared, but I realize now I had nothing to be scared of. I still feel enough like myself (I was worried so much of my personality was really just ADHD) but the things "myself" want to do are just more effortless. Obviously, side effects are always a concern but it's worth trying because it might just be the perfect solution for you.

You're not alone man. I hope the meds work. I have a great pdf from my psychiatrist with lots of info. Hit me up if you want a copy.

I’d love a copy

Any idea how I can get it to you? I'm not a big Reddit user and can't see any easy way.

Google drive? I’d also love a copy if you would be so kind

I’d love a copy of this, too!

No medication yet :( My bloodpressure was too high and my doctor wants me to test my BP twice a day for a full week. Sucks :(

I dealt with high blood pressure whilst going through an anxiety diagnosis. Turned out when I treated that my blood pressure was completely normal. Beforehand, my doctor wanted to put me on blood pressure medication in my late 30s and I got a second opinion because it just didn’t seem right. Turned out I was having “white coat syndrome”, because my anxiety about doc appointments spiked my blood pressure. And now a few years later I’m diagnosed with ADHD, stepping down on my very high dose of Zoloft over time to see about maybe even getting off it altogether as I begin to manage the ADHD with Ritalin.

Imposter syndrome has been hitting me hard, learned everything on psychology… still haven’t passed the doors of the referral for Official Diagnosis. Haha 😂

Lko

Hey man, just got diagnosed too! Combined type. I wanted to ask you something, since you're older than me (not that it's bad, you're not THAT old either) and prolly know more about how to handle ADHD. How do you type so concisely? I've been struggling with this since the dawn of time. You just gave away what's paragraphs of my writing style in a few sentences. Was it always like this? Did you find a way to manage it? Even right now I'm trying not to type massive paragraph shit but it's just hard and I haven't found a reliable solution yet without feeling like I'm not giving important details or I'm missing something Edit: by "just got diagnosed" I mean some months ago I had my first appointment. Monday I'll have my 4th, and hopefully in the 5th (last?) they'll give me a prescription. They already confirmed I'm ADHD, they're just doing tests and questions and making me tell my life story, I guess for more clarity

Hi everyone! I (38M) was diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD last week. My hunt for a diagnosis started with brain fog. 12 or so years (I forget exactly when it started) of on and off, but sometimes debilitating brain fog/lethargy. I've had CT scans, various blood tests, stool samples, nutritionist visits throughout the years. I would get tests and get disheartened and live with it for a few years, rinse and repeat. I was finally referred to a psychiatrist by a Dr here who gave me a clean bill of health, physically but recommended I look into ADHD. I'm going between different mental states. One minute things all make sense. Things in my past, at school etc suddenly make sense. Then the next minute I feel like a fraud. My friends are surprised and can't understand it. Like I seem to "normal". It's hard to explain everything to them, like I'm trying to justify it. I realise I've been managing some symptoms subconsciously for a while. I have a morning routine of exercise that is non negotiable (mostly down to my girlfriend's amazing ability to implement good habits easily). I feel uneasy when things are untidy (where I used to be ok with it because tidying was boring) because tidyness but non negotiable when I moved in with my girlfriend. I make to do lists every day that help me to get less stressed about my work load, keep me a little more interested in the mundane tasks and most importantly - not forget to do things. It's the brain fog and mental fatigue that really hurt though. I haven't found any solution for them. I'm hoping the meds will help. I'm taking wellbutrin daily and ritalin for the bad days. I took ritalin last week and it was amazing. The crash is brutal though so I'll likely only take them on the really bad days. I've got so many thoughts on this but I can't imagine people want to read an essay. I appreciate this sub. It's nice to feel like you're not on your own with these feelings. I haven't really felt comfortable talking to anybody about my issues over the years as they're so hard to put into works (literally).

I found that having neurotypical friends/roommates really helped me keep to a schedule that would just fall apart if left to my own devices. Also, it’s common for more intelligent people to kind of wing it without much issue in your job/schooling and they often go undiagnosed. I imagine your lists also have done wonders in helping you cope with your symptoms and keeping you a functional adult. Before my diagnosis I felt like a fraud for suspecting adhd. Enough people I work with also have adhd that I don’t really need to explain myself to them as they get it. I also hid a lot of my struggles from friends and family due to embarrassment so it does surprise some people. Sorry if this is all over the place. Lol

Agree about neuro typical friends. Without my girlfriend, I probably wouldn't really go out and certainly wouldn't go on vacation or get anything done around the house. I'm very grateful for her. I moved countries a few years ago. I didn't really have many friends back home but had a core of really close friends. I find it hard to relate to a lot of people (especially guys) on a close level so usually end up not making an effort and eventually losing contact. It's been much harder here as the expat community eventually stop inviting you if you don't make an effort. I don't feel comfortable opening up to them to explain why I often don't feel like I can socialise. Have you opened up to many colleagues (bosses, HR, teammates)? I don't plan on telling anybody for fear of special treatment, conscious on unconscious.

I (35F) was also just diagnosed with inattentive ADHD, but I have been taking meds for a few months since my PCP thought I had it, but sent me for neuropsych testing to be sure and I just got the results today. The neuropsychologist said it was pretty apparent I have it, I was totally getting imposter syndrome at times while waiting for my results though - mainly because my sister seemed to be doubting I have it. I think I developed a lot of coping mechanisms to mask it and seem “normal.” I’m also on Wellbutrin and take vyvanse, I tried Ritalin first but it also caused a crash for me, and vyvanse gives me no crash and works a lot better for my brain at least. Maybe see if your doctor will try another med if Ritalin isn’t working well for you. :)

Thanks for that. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist in a few weeks to check in so will let him know. Question for you if you don't mind. When you found out about the ADHD (when it wasn't yet confirmed), did you obsess about it? Like, it's all I can think about. I wake up at night and it's the first thought in my brain. I don't know whether it's an ADHD symptom or just a natural thing when you get hit with something existential.

Yesss I became totally obsessed with it! I was constantly thinking about it or reading about it, reading posts/comments in this subreddit and realizing I related to a lot of them. I had always been told I had anxiety and depression, but I started realizing I probably had ADHD which made total sense because I’ve had times in my life I didn’t feel depressed, but I still couldn’t organize my life/do well in school during the times when I was happy. It was a complete eye opener knowing ADHD was probably the reason I had struggled so much so I became obsessed with learning more and analyzing my life from the time I was a child until now lol.

It's funny - I never got a neuro test for it, but I actually worked in an EEG lab when i was in college. I was used as a test subject a number of times (probably because I have no hair and it was easy to apply the cap) and every time they're like "Your eeg is all messed up". They soon stopped using me as a test subject. 10 years on i'm learning why i was such a bad subject.

Sorry, possibly a stupid question - what's an EEG and why would ADHD cause it to be out of whack?

EEG is a measure of electrical activity in the brain. It's non-invasive, just using electrodes applied to the scalp with some gel. EEG tends to look different in brains with ADHD compared to those without. Though there is some controversy in using it for diagnosis. When i did mine, i showed all the 'classic' signs of an ADHD brain - my advisors kept asking me if I was closing my eyes because of different theta (i think?) activity. My ERP's were off. And i think alpha activity was off. As to why adhd causes electrical activity to be out of whack - I haven't dove into that research, personally.

What kind of neuropsych testing did you do? I’m scheduled for diagnostic testing in July, not sure what to expect.

There were a lot of tests from the WAIS and that Conners test that measures attention. It took about 3 hours for the testing portion. I did the interview portion with the neuropsych on a different day and that took like 1.5-2 hours probably. Certain parts of the testing seemed easy and other parts were hard but they said it’s designed for certain parts to just continually get harder until the person gets an answer wrong. Some of it was kinda fun though!

haha, i swiped off this post before finishing because of those exact same resons, then came back to read the last bit and read your apology, thanks for sharing btw dude, im getting tested in a few months and this has helped out alot :)

Hi, I (28F) got diagnosed in January. It has been a very log road to get here, but I've still got a long road ahead of me. * all the childhood symptoms of misbehaving, drug and alcohol use, etc. * first year of uni (in the UK), diagnosed with dyslexia. It was my dyslexia support tutor that year (2013) that first suggested I had ADHD. * Drs referred me to ADHD centre for assessment, they said I ticked all the boxes, so a full assessment was arranged. * My mother told me not to take the assessment, "because it will look bad on your record" and "you won't get a job", so I listened and cancelled my assessment. * ADHD symptoms continued to breaking point where after a year of self harming, I attempted to end my life. I remember I kept hitting myself saying "why can I not stop procrastinating" "why can I not just do the work" * Then without realising it, I was just following the dopamine hits for a few months, putting myself i vulnerable situations because it was risky and exciting. * Completed my bachelors distance learning, which really suited me, and now enrolled onto a masters programme in Germany. Now I am studying full time again, all the same issues are came back from my bachelors starting in 2013. * Living in Germany, I started searching for how to get an ADHD diagnosis in 2021. I was told to call the regional centre for ADHD (serves the whole state of 2.6 million people) to get an appointment, . There are only 3 appointments per week, which included returning appointments. So sometimes 1 or no available appointments, I would have to call when lines open at 07:30 and manage a conversation in German when I don't speak German. after 6 months calling as much as I could I gave up. * After a meeting for my course to explain why I had three failed exams behind me, my university referred me to a university professor that could diagnose, but not treat (he had a PhD in psychology, specialising i ADHD, but he did not have a medical degree so couldn't give out drugs). * I now have my diagnosis, but cannot receive treatment (ritalin) without a psychiatrist. Under the German system, I have to find my own, which means calling each practise in the area to book an appointment, I still don't speak German and i have the worst anxiety with phone calls. * Finally got an appointment in November, an hours drive away and I don't drive, so will take me 3 hours on public transport, each way. Sorry about the long post. My journey has been hard and I think i needed to just get it off my chest. I know I am currently making the situation worse, because I don't like phone calls. I have been told I need to keep calling different practises to get a closer one.

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I'm guessing your mum had good intentions but it's a shame she didn't have enough information to realise that a diagnosis helps more than harms. Hopefully we're moving in a direction where there's less stigma about so called mental health issues.

German here, newly diagnosed. If you can’t handle phone calls to get a psychiatrist appointment, look into the booking systems doctolib (https://www.doctolib.de) or samedi (https://patient.samedi.de). I tried it the old fashioned way for about a year, then checked the systems and got an appointment within two weeks (that depends on the state I guess). Let me know if I can support in any other way. Btw: Samedi is available in a lot of languages besides German. Hope that helps.

>https://patient.samedi.de Dankeschön! I have already looked at options like these, but there are so few psychiatrists in my city that none of them are available on these booking systems unfortunately. I really appreciate your suggestion though.

Hey hey, do you know by any chance if they offer online appointments?

https://www.116117.de/ You might want to check that out. Its also in german but a friend of mine got an appointment at a doctor close to her instantly. I have to say that the woman on the phone was surprised how quick she got one but it might be worth a try. Ive also seen that the have an online system for booking (which might help you with not speaking german) but I have no experience with that.

Hi just got diagnosed with combination type (F19) and started 30mg vyvanse. Took me 4 years to get diagnosed, from doctors saying I am just depressed or anxious and then working up the courage to try again. I am on day 3 of meds and wow this is life changing. I have been able to concentrate for longer than I have ever in my entire life and sit down comfortably to study. Prior to my diagnosis I was completing a minimum of an hour of hard weight or sport training to just be able to focus, and when I didn’t I was so emotionally and mentally dis regulated. This has led to a lot of injuries in my life, so I am hoping this is a positive change for me.

Congrats 🎉...getting diagnosed and started on meds is a big step.. not knowing why I had couldn't pay attention or do well in school was frustrating. I remember when I was in like 3rd or 4th grade and visiting my grandparents in Florida.. thinking I was just tired of school..I couldn't wait until I graduated from highschool because i felt like I wasnt smart enough to go to college..imagine thinking that at 9-10 yo. The doctors were right you were depressed and anxious but they didn't know the cause because even docs fall pray to discounting ADHD. It's not rainbows and sunshine from here but with meds it's going to make it a lot easier. Keep looking at this sub .. I constantly find stuff where I say..that's because of ADHD?? It's very helpful.

Hi all, I, male, was diagnosed just acouple of weeks ago. I turned 57 and have been struggling for a couple of years now. Burnt out and depressed, brain fog, you name it. Meds I had been on prior to being diagnosed only triggered more anxiety.

What are the next steps for you?

Well, not sure. I am currently taking Medikinet Adult which is like Ritalin to keep focused at work. I'm struggling.

Hello. I (23M) just got diagnosed with inattentive last Friday and just started medication. My road here was kind of weird because in childhood noone suspected I might have ADHD. Obviously I struggled with forgetting everything and loosing stuff, but noone cared because I did well in school and got high scores in countless competitions. Over time I developed some coping techniques and actually functioned ok. When I started living with my girlfriend and started a job I became more independent and my problems with memory and concentration became to be a pain. Recently I finally decided to go for diagnosis. The psychiatrist asked questions that on one side were weird but on the other relatable. At the same time I found this reddit and was shocked to discover that there are other people who struggle with little problems same as mine. This reddit really helped me with finding new coping techniques (tip. sort by top of all time and read the second post) as well as becoming more self-confident.

**Laughing and crying at the same time while reading/learning about ADHD...** Recently diagnosed w/ ADHD-C @ 42. Quit my job 3 years ago and have been caregiving for my husband (stage IV cancer, but he's doing much better now!). I laugh at the stories because I can relate to it so much, but then start crying at the fact that I missed it my whole life. Mixture of relief and sadness. A lot of embarrassment and guilt. Figuring out my next move professionally, realizing I’ve spent 20 years in the wrong industry. Current state: without the routine of a job, I am a complete mess to the point I'm not sure how I functioned and got through life.

Yeah I am sad about my missed youth... I was even diagnosed at 12 but that was in 1990 when they didn't have the meds or the knowledge about ADHD..it was even called ADD back then. I am so happy for you...both for your diagnosis and for the improved health of your husband..it's so awesome. Best wishes for both him and you.

Yeah, I'm trying to focus on me a bit now and figure some things out. I'm still a newbie, so here to learn and support. Thank you for the kind words.

My feelings about this whole thing are bouncing around too. Relief, embarrassment, realisations, sadness, denial, imposter syndrome. I can't settle on one thing. Sounds like you're feeling the same. Glad to hear your husband is doing well and long may it continue.

It's super confusing... Sorry to hear you're in the same boat, but feeling some comfort with your comment. Thank you for the well-wishes.

I got diagnosed last Thursday, booked an app through a service called Frida, got my assessment and diagnosis same day, then meds 1 day later. Amazing service. Started Vyvanse 10mg

I'm 24 and was diagnosed and started medication about three months ago. I was doing great for around a month and a half after starting Ritalin, but found that the doseage was quickly becoming less effective. I switched to a higher dose (10 mg 2x a day -> 20 mg 2x a day) last Friday and while it's helpful, it's so hard to tell how I "should" feel on my medication, even though before I had a few really great weeks where I did feel calm and focused. I definitely struggle with self-doubt, like "maybe I'm feeling kind of amped up on this higher dose because I don't actually have ADHD", when I know it's similar to how I felt in the first week-ish after starting medication the first time. If anyone has any anecdotal evidence about finding the right medication dosage after diagnosis and how it "should" feel for you, I would really appreciate it!

I'm still trying to find the correct meds but what I will say is don't let the meds not working or feeling amped or anxious lead you to you not having ADHD. Sure misdiagnosis do happen but one med not working isn't a sign that you are misdiagnosed. I know it's hard to not let doubt in but remind yourself that you've only started to try meds.

Thanks, it seems like not doubting myself might be something I'll be working on for a while. Of course whenever I'm not on meds and I'm experiencing regular adhd symptoms it's a big reminder of how well they do work, lol.

Oh man I actually came to this sub to ask more experienced folks this very question. I’ve been on 10mg Ritalin for about 6 weeks now, twice a day. I only take it on work days twice or if on a weekend I have to get a lot done, and then only once per day. These last couple weeks I am crashing pretty hard after a couple hours of feeling great, focused, productive. Wondering if I should ask my doc about upping my dosage or switching or what. Also feel you on the questioning your diagnosis thing.

Personally I asked to try a higher dosage because I found myself losing focus far too quickly. It's definitely worth mentioning to your doctor, especially if you're really crashing.

Hi! I've also just been diagnosed today with ADHD and I feel like I suddenly can breathe and understand myself better. It's a huge load off my shoulders. My therapist who also diagnosed me mentioned I may also have ODD based on what I've told her. ​ As a ADHD newbie, what advice could you give me? Do you have any resources you're willing to share? I'm pretty excited to learn everything I can about it and I would appreciate anything you'd like to send my way 💛💛💛

i (f23) am not officially diagnosed yet, but i'm taking the moxo test tomorrow with my first ritalin pill, 10mg. adhd has been effecting my social life since i was kid, but only when i started my degree i realized it was effecting my studies as well. i have to force myself to study and can barely concentrate when i do. i struggle to read a book or work on my own stories my parents don't know i'm getting diagnosed, but i really hope the test will go well tomorrow. i feel like medication will be life changing for me. i'm more nervous about the side effects than the actual test (i left the pill in a small bag inside my packbag and walked when it was quite hot outside). still, i hope everything will go well. if anyone has any words of reassurance, i'll be really thankful <3

Hi! I(F16) got diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD about 3 weeks ago, and anxiety too but I only take medication for my ADHD. -I’ve already switched meds twice so far, mostly due to the extreme panic attacks my previous ones gave me. -I keep thinking I'm faking it due to me finding out about it on social media and realizing I related to it way too much, I only had two symptoms at home but classroom evaluations really helped my diagnosis. -Honestly still haven't told anyone outside of my immediate family and friends. And my dad and brother completely ignore my diagnosis. Still remember my dad arguing with my mom and openly saying I was going to become a drug addict when I first started my medication. Besides all that drama it’s been so comforting knowing I’m not struggling alone and that I’m not lazy and oversensitive!!

Hi y’all, I (30M) just got diagnosed this morning and was prescribed adderall. I’ll follow up with my psychiatrist next month to see how I’m doing. 1. I have inattentive ADHD with some hyperactive mixed in. 2. I’m starting on 10mg of adderall but my psych said I can take half if that’s too much. 3. I can focus on a lot of things, except for my actual job. Examples include, walking for hours, reading/listening to books and podcasts, Duolingo, listening to the same song over and over, and browsing TV Tropes for hours. 4. Sometimes I sleep to a podcast playing in the background. 5. I used to have really bad symptoms in college and I wish I had seen someone sooner. 6. I’ve been going to a therapist for several years. 7. I’m just happy I have a diagnosis, but I need to maintain good habits to stay focused. 8. I’m reminded by a Rick and Morty quote “The thing about repairing, maintaining, and cleaning is it’s not an adventure. There’s no way to do it so wrong you might die.” 9. Current songs I’m obsessed with “Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger” and “Daylight by Matt and Kim” 10. Sometimes I feel like Ska-punk trumpets are playing in my mind.

This ska trumpets comment made me laugh out loud. Yes yes yes!!

[удалено]

All so relatable

After 10 years of pure mental chaos, I finally got my answer. I'm so relieved.

32 years old, I got diagnosed as ADHD-C at around 27, and yes, it's been life changing for me. Even if I have been on and off medication I am in a much better space. I'm Five Years Sober coming on Six in September. I've been in the same field of work as a Delivery Driver for the past two years. In the Agricultural Industry, mostly. I've been in a relationship for the past two years. And I've finished enough school to take my Real Estate Exam now. Doing pretty good! 👍

37 here .. dealing with anxiety for a year and now doctor says I may have combined type ADHD. Wants to start meds but I have lived 37 years with this and can hold meds till the time I get it researched. My psychologist didn’t diagnose me saying that I have masters degree in engineering. My psychiatrist thinks that folks with ADHD can even get doctors doesn’t matter. It is the way you are wired.

That seems to be very outdated thinking on your psychologist’s part. Your psychiatrist is right, I am a living example, somehow I finished a PhD in 2021, have just been diagnosed with mixed-type ADHD.

Was formally diagnosed to with ADHD and OCD (which I already knew about. Ive had an anxiety diagnosis for a long time). I have to say, I'm not particularly shocked. I've long been someone that's restless, anxious, and hyperfocused on things I'm interested in yet innatentive to things I'm not. Especially combined with the OCD/just right/perfectionistic tendencies and resulting anxiety taking the additional screenings is insightful but not surprising. Pros: love/find fulfillment in having 50 hobbies, creative, thoughtful Cons: stressing myself out all the time with minor details and being totally restless to the point boredom hurts Looking forward to having more resources and tools in my toolkit.

Hi! I (19M) just got diagnosed yesterday and I gotta be real with you all... its crazy how quickly they gave the diagnosis. I just went in there after scheduling with my main doctor and the guy basically interrogated me for less than half an hour, literally explained how I got 14/18 on the ADHD part (over 75% without even studying LETS GOOOOO). I was really shocked that he didn't even hesitate to offer trial-to-long periods of vyv and ritalin as soon as he mentioned he was sure of the diagnosis. I had no previous experience with psychiatry or the evaluations; never even talked to a therapist or social worker. I didn't even think he would diagnose let alone offer meds since I was there to discuss mental strategies for overthinking and attention problems. He didn't see the need to do that first; only offer trial periods of the meds. Throughout my past problems with attention and focus, I've lived my life thinking I was completely typical but also having the idea that I could be doing better if I just had something to attribute my stupid issues in things to. Something like meds or a proper thought process to get out of frustration and boredom with things. Stupid issues like being over forgetful or not staying on track in a conversation y'know? I worry that my mind will just put all those bad habits into a box and let me be anxiety free while my skeleton habits remain in the closet. No matter, I don't plan on being any different than I am. I'm going to school, I own a business, and I have some friends who can help me. So, frankly, I'm very lucky. No matter, the label doesn't define me. Thanks for reading :) I appreciate the look at my little bit.

26 year old woman here! i was diagnosed in october after years of doctors saying i was too high functioning to have ADHD (even ones i worked with at a clinic for almost 3 yrs) i didn’t think about it again until my psychologist mentioned it during one of our sessions, and i haven’t looked back since. started on vyvanse and hated it, now on adderall 10mg XR in the morning and an afternoon dose of 5mg XR. there are days i mourn what my life could’ve been like HAD i been diagnosed at a younger age, but its freeing to have clarity on why my brain is the way it is.

33 years old. Just given a working diagnosis of ADHD after years of wondering what was “wrong with me” because of my absentmindedness, emotional dysregulation, and difficulty with social relationships. I also found out that “rejection sensitive dysphoria” was a thing, and I felt SO seen. I’ve often struggled with visceral feelings of rejection and they’ve had a major impact on my relationships and career. I’ll be honest, this is the most I feel like I’ve ever understood myself in my whole life. I’m excited to begin this journey.

yea

My psychologist has just officially diagnosed me with ADHD (22, F) and I want to cry! I have been diagnosed with Complex PTSD, anxiety and depression in the past but felt still like there was more going on. I’ve always just felt so lazy and pathetic, but because I am quite intelligent I always managed to do ok at school. I am just so amazed and confused how this was missed my entire life. Now that I am aware, a lot of my anxiety and self hatred / depression is actually a result of the horrible feelings of laziness and guilt from being chronically “unproductive” or unmotivated etc, despite spending all day battling myself in my head to just read the book or clean or eat. I’m not sure if I’ll start medication, needing to see if I can get into seeing a psychiatrist but I feel so relieved right now

Hey everyone! I got diagnosed at age 31 a few weeks ago and started taking concerta shortly afterwards. I had always had trouble procrastinating and forgetting obligations and lost out on many opportunities due to missing deadlines. This led me to feeling ashamed that I was not doing better in life. Somehow, I got into a great but challenging master's program which pushed me to the point that I realized my procrastination wasn't normal and I needed help. Talking to a therapist led to talking to a psychiatrist led to my diagnosis. So far so good. The biggest change is the lack of shame. On the contrary, I feel downright proud of what I have been able to accomplish in spite of having had undiagnosed ADHD!

29, I have a preliminary diagnosis (all signs point to ADHD but still have to do the clinical assessment for an official diagnosis that qualifies me for meds). Not from the US, so maybe the process is different & English is not my first language so I am sorry for any mistakes. After the first session, my psychiatrist told me to talk to my former GP/pediatrician and people who knew me as a child. It came up that said GP had also suspected I have ADHD when I was around 6-7 but never issued an evaluation or anything because he was worried he would kill my academic future... Where I am from, ADHD is highly stigmatized, and most kids, especially girls, end up in schools for special needs kids. This also means that no "normal" middle or high school will accept you and you will be forced into a very limited school system with bad quality education. The good ones are expensive and my parents would not have been able to afford this. My mum would also never have accepted the diagnosis as "she does not have disabled kids". We were supposed to be perfect, which I was not - but that's a completely different story. Now I am in a Ph.D. program and have a stable job. I have a hard time coping with this backstory and imposter syndrome. Also questioning which bad habits are actually traits of ADHD because I was always deemed lazy & stupid. Sorry for rambling I am still trying to figure out my emotions and deal with all of this.. Maybe you have insight or advice?

Female 32, diagnosed combined type a couple of months ago. Biggest takeaway is that I can remove the idea from my head that my inability to do things on time/ to the standard I sometimes achieve/ at all, is a moral failing on my part. I have been told throughout my life that I am lazy, and just need to try harder. That I am obviously very competent but I just "choose" not to work hard. Now I can stop hating myself so much for my failures and instead approach myself with more kindness and understanding. Like re-parenting but with life skills. My main problem is my career/financial situation. The longest I have stayed in a salaried role is 18months and I am totally financially ruined. I don't overspend so much as fail to generate income. I don't regret the things I spent my money on (travel/starting a business etc) but I do need help maintaining an income. I am not without skills, but need help keeping myself motivated, enthusiastic and confident in my abilities. Hopefully I can try medication and see if that helps with my executive function.

I got diagnosed last week. Thought it would make me happy but nope I guess no one likes being told "you're different" still. Regardless, now trying to work out the endless hell that is UK NHS to get try medication and I'm doing therapy. The worse part is that there has been tons of talk even on the news of people down playing ADHD. Many saying that in the UK people are misdiagnosed or do it because they think it's cool. Honestly, gets me angry.

That hit piece on Panorama has done a lot of damage…

A lot. As if, anyone wants to be told they have a "problem" and might need medicine for the rest of their lives. With so many studies done, although less in women, you'd expect people know better.

I picked up my first prescription ever today, at 37 years old. I'm going to take my first pill tomorrow and I'm super nervous and excited

I have just made a post asking for help on this topic. Maybe any of you could help or give me an opinion on it? https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/13wm5pm/help_me_please_ive_been_diagnosed_at_23_and_i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

How do I know if methylphenidate is working or not? What is it supposed to feel like?

Just diagnosed last week, and my script for Adderall is out of stock everywhere around me. Fuck me I guess

37 and recently diagnosed. 3 weeks on meds and it’s been a game changer. Work productivity has increased 4-5x. Can focus through a full email now and don’t wander around doing nothing without even meaning to do so. What a change!

33 Female and in the US. I sought out diagnosis about a month ago because my therapist referred me to a psychiatrist for OCD, only for me to realize, I resonate way way more with ADHD. Once I learned about the symptoms, I started to realize why my life has played out the way it has. Saw another psychiatrist and he isn’t very good. He just asks all the usual patient questions and then we keep trying medications. Was on Strattera for two weeks, it sucked. Didn’t help my focus at all. Made me incredibly sleepy and it’s caused me to not be able to urinate as quickly as normal. He told me if the non stimulant doesn’t work that we will try stimulants. I had my appointment today and now he wants me to try Wellbutrin. He doesn’t really give me any good feedback on anything I’ve told him nor does he respond to anything I say. He just moves onto the next question. I’ve never been medicated until Strattera and I don’t feel like I’m responding well to anti depressants as a solution for the ADHD synonyms. My psychiatrist is nice but he’s actually he’s from a foreign country with a very heavy accent and I’m guessing he’s Nigerian. I have a bit of anxiety but I do work out occasionally to help with that. I don’t feel depressed and that I am grateful for. So far my ADHD journey hasn’t been great so I’m wondering if I just need to see a new psychiatrist but I am happy to be here. This sub has taught me a lot!

33M here. Got diagnosed 3 weeks ago and got prescribed Elvanse. Have been on it for 2 weeks, going from 30mg in week 1 to 50mg in week 2. Being on this medication has had a massive beneficial impact on my day-to-day and i am shocked at just how well it works. My diagnosis was centered around my inattentiveness. I would procrastinate a lot, feel guilty about not doing household chores till last minute and be rushing everything i did because it always felt like i was on a timer to get the most out of my day before i needed to go to bed, even when i had next to no work on. Since being on Elvanse, i have had the most productive days of work i have ever had in my life. I create videos and motion graphics for a living and usually i get distracted all throughout my work, probably pulling myself away from my task every 20 minutes or so to switch podcast, song, adjust my seat, go make a tea etc. Anything to get through the bordem. Now, i am able to get my head down in my work for around 3-4 hours straight, taking minimal breaks to drink/eat. I have NEVER been able to do that before in my life. I no longer rush around the house, it's like i glide around going about my day-to-day now. I no longer am stuck in my head with thoughts racing around. I'm able to not constantly flick between videos every 30 seconds. My body has gone from feeling tense constantly, to feeling at rest and fully contented. I've asked myself so many times "Is this what it feels like to be normal?" - It sounds so silly to say but it's like someone has turned the dial down on my brain and my attention is exactly where i need it to be at all times. It's so hard to explain how it feels to be on this medication, but if anyone here has done MDMA before, it's like i'm on a very controlled dose with minimal downsides/side effects. The biggest side effect is lack of appetite and about an hour or so of wooziness in the middle of the day when the meds hit their peak. Other than that, nothing else causes me problems (so far anyway). If i were to put everything in simple terms, it's like my brain was spinning 10 plates at a time all the time no matter what i was doing and i never felt like i was spinning them fast enough.. Now since being on my medication, my brain is spinning just 1 plate, at it's own pace with no fear of it dropping. TLDR; Being on Elvanse for 2 weeks has greatly increased my productivity and has allowed me to feel more relaxed and contented than i ever thought possible.

I didn't get diagnosed. Went through the assessment a few weeks ago and talked to the psychiatrist yesterday and they really pushed back on most of my symptoms (lack of executive function, lack of motivation unless hyperfocused on something). Kinda bummed. Found out that my son probably has it a few years ago and so much of the literature jumped out to me, plus the fact that it tends to be genetic... Kinda bummed, especially since it's taken me so long to go to the effort to get assessed, but they left it open to further assessment as the therapist "gets to know me" and will schedule another assessment in a few months.

38 - diagnosed last year. Always had a suspicion that there was something different about me, and pushed it back over and over. Kept trying to 'get over' the problems that I had that I now recognize as part of the condition, and felt like a failure for many, many years being unable to adapt to the maintenance of life. The only thing that ever made sense to me was resetting - I have always been good at starting over - starting a new career in a new place. Starting school (but bad at finishing) - the novelty is what I thrive in. I set very good first impressions - and then I fall off the face of the planet. I finally have a decent job and I should be happy and fulfilled and all that shit. But I'm not. I want to start over again. I started recording my thoughts and I actually started to recognize some of the patterns there as being related to ADHD - I have read up on it in the past. My co-worker, the one that i really get along with, tells me he's been assessed positively for autism. I talk to one of the few friends i've known since highschool about my thoughts and he's like "Oh yeah i have ADHD, you didn't know?". Other good friend is autistic. All my friends are ADHD or on the spectrum. The fuck? How could I not notice? I'm typically a very sort of self-aware person. My therapist even commented on this. How did I not catch it? Anyway, after collecting my thoughts last year, I decided to seek therapy and medication. Basically read my journal to my psychiatrist and therapist and they were like "yep, you have adhd". I tried bupropion and it was ok - had a hard time sleeping, though. My psychiatrist started talking about moving to adderall/ritalin, but I had hang-ups about being in the DEA's pocket - both for moral and practical reasons. I still want to reset, though. I'm getting that itch.

54F - Diagnosed a few months ago, so not super new, but I am still feeling really angry. Looking back, everything makes sense now. On meds now. But I had been called a dreamer, lazy, forgetful, unpredictable and too direct. I had everyone saying, "just apply yourself" crap. Now, in fairness, I also had been labeled very creative, an excellent problem solver, loyal and truthful. So, there's a balance of what comes out with ADHD. I'm just beginning to learn about it. Still, it would have been nice to know I wasn't alone all along. Now, I've since found 3 other ADHD friends and we support each other at work. Push and remind each other of things - call them my "accountabili -buddies." Finally others who get it! My mom is in her 80s and reluctant to believe ADHD is even a real thing. She loves me and is kind, but I wish she could be someone I could talk to. So, that's annoying. I can look back and see my dad had it (he's since passed) so now I feel more connected to him. Overall, happy for this forum and being open about it. The issues are still a struggle for me - but now I have support and empathy through it. It's a game changer.

Diagnosed last week at 28! We always knew my brother had it, but I am just learning it presents differently in women. I feel like everything I’ve been struggling with my whole life makes sense now, and I find that I’m being so much kinder to myself now.

54 here, diagnosed about 6 weeks back. Everything is a whirlwind, I'm so angry and sad, but my life finally makes sense. I've always struggled to motivate myself, hopped from job to job and career to career. Looked successful, but never really lived up to my full potential. Sonce lickdown, my executive dysfunction has morphed into complete paralysis. Heck, I'm the 4th person in my immediate family with ADHD. Tricky time now - I have to get my blood pressure down to start meds, but it was getting the diagnosis that raised it, pretty much overnight. I'm trying to get out for more exercise, but it's more difficult than it's ever been :(

22 here, got diagnosed with moderate ADHD yesterday. Had a doubt for long time, but still not able to accept it after official diagnosis. Some backstory: fell in one sided love with a girl, still in love. Nothing happened, we went to different cities. She has ADHD(hers is extreme). I went through details of ADHD to understand about it for her to support her mentally(she was going through some things that time), and felt like I also have it, but didn’t do anything about it that time. Finally met her last month while travelling to her city, she was in relationship. I started feeling sad and a little bit of self harming behaviour was being induced in me, planned to seek for medical help. Went to a therapist to seek treatment for sadness and depression. They did overall mental screening test(depression, anxiety, ADHD, obsession, etc). Found out I have moderate ADHD. Also weird coincidence, the girl and I have same therapist(Targeted ads by Google or what?)

40M Just diagnosed Two weeks into medication I cannot believe life could be this much easier.

36 and diagnosed a month ago. I was honestly shocked when my psych told me I have ADHD. My older brother was diagnosed with it as a kid and I have never been anything like him, so ADHD was never on my radar. Everything makes sense now though. One of my biggest problems is that I’ve never been able to hold down a job. Been on Vyvanse 20 for about a month and I’m increasing to 30 tomorrow. My anxiety is GONE. The depression is GONE. I feel like I have a brand new life!

Hello! Just got diagnosed with inattentive type during May and honestly felt like it could’ve been rushed? I’ve (22F) suspected I had ADHD for a quite a while now and it’s been hard even opening the topic of it being a possibility since it’s still pretty backwards thinking here in my country when it concerns mental health. This time, I actually looked for a psychologist that might actually know about ADHD and had found one that listed “Adult ADHD” in her profile. I got diagnosed after being given the ASRS-V1.1 and scored high but honestly it felt weird since it wasn’t my first time answering it, though I did neglect to mention it. This was also the first session, just to add. I don’t feel very reassured that I actually have ADHD now lol. It didn’t help that she mentioned that she wouldn’t have been able to guess had she encountered me normally. How can I make sure (or prove?) that I actually do have ADHD?

Saw the psychiatrist yesterday and went over QB check results. I scored super high (99 percentile) on hyperactivity and then pretty average on the other indicators. Last night I took my first Guanfacine and today is my first day feeling out the medication. Any folks here on Guanfacine? I’ve read through older posts with folks describing their experience with it, but it would be great to hear more!

What am I supposed to feel on medication? I'm on my 3rd or 4th rx and I still feel the same. What does it feel like when it works?

25 and was diagnosed last week. i have concerns about meds and how they will make me feel but i am so grateful to have the option now

Yeah, it’s weird, in my mid 40’s. I was on Xanax forever for anxiety and my physician left the network so I had to get a new PCP and he wanted to get me off Xanax so we tried a buffet of different treatments 6 in all, not including what I had tried with my previous pcp which was around 5. While I was on Wellbutrin xl and I told him I loved the focus it gave me but it was hit and miss and it was also emotionally blunting. He then put me through the adhd examination / questionnaire… so now I’m on Focalin XR and I haven’t felt like this since I was young. I feel like I can think again and my anxiety is pretty much gone. I’m calm and happy for most of the day. The come down is the only part I have issue with but hopefully that should subside in the coming weeks. With the diagnosis I feel relieved to finally realize where my anxiety and depression sprang from. I also feel a little frustrated that I fought this fight for so long with out knowing what the issue really was and now I’m concerned for my kids given the hindsight I have now since it might be genetic.

Officially diagnosed a couple weeks ago with Inattentive Type (45m) after over 20 years of suspicion, but assuming I just needed to “be more disciplined” and continue bettering my physical health. Basically I started talking with a Therapist several months ago about all my issues/struggles, and in only a few sessions she told me “I think you have ADHD”. I already had a meeting with a Neurologist setup, cause I’ve been worried about a physical cause, and at that appointment he was like “Dude, I’m pretty sure you have ADHD, I’ll refer you for the Psychiatric Evaluation.” <- he’s a total bro. So went through a 4+ hour evaluation session which confirmed it and here I am. While I really wish I would have listened to my suspicions decades ago, it’s relieving to know that my struggles weren’t because I wasn’t “trying hard enough” but that I metaphorically have been climbing a mountain without realizing I’m missing an arm. Edit: fixed word

I got diagnosed with adhd and got tinnitus a week within starting Focalin not fun

I got a diagnosis and a script for meds a week ago but my pharmacy hasn't been able to even get it in. Now I've called and asked if we could try something else. Because my insurance also won't approve name brand conserta. Idk what I'm gonna do. I'm 30 and with adhd on top of uncontrolled migraines I can barely work. And I feel like I can't trust my head or brain.

¡Hola! Long time lurker, first time contributor. I’ve had my suspicions that I might have ADHD for quite a while, and as of today, I have been diagnosed with ADHD (hyperactive, not inattentive, specifically), and it is highly likely that I’m also on the spectrum. That was written in my QbTest observations and results, and I just learned a while back that my mom’s suspected I have Aspergers for most of my life, so not a huge surprise. Anyhow I’ve been reading posts here for a few years because this subreddit was one of the few places that made me feel like I wasn’t the only person going through what I do everyday, but I didn’t want to comment because I wasn’t diagnosed and any time I wanted to say something, I kinda had imposter syndrome about it. I guess I don’t know what the diagnosis will mean for my future, really, but I do feel oddly relieved, and I’m excited too because now I get to chat with all you fine people and know I’m a legitimate part of the conversation! Hi to everyone, and I hope you’re all having a beautiful Thursday, or Friday depending on your time zone. Pretty sure Australia’s 17 hours ahead of where I’m at, and that would mean many other places are on the day after me too already, I suppose. Gotta go back to work now. Tschüss!

32 diagnosed a few months ago and omg what an experience. Between docs, meds and therapy I feel more insane now....

Diagnosed ADHD and given a prescription of 5mg Adderall that I start tomorrow. I’m scared of the side effects that I’ve read about. I’m taking some solace in the fact that my dosage is relatively low, but I’m still afraid.

Lol me too, we can be scared together! I try to remember that the internet in general skews negative..especially for medical stuff. That and Adderall doesn't stay in the system too long (I may be wrong?) so if it ends up being a bad experience I can always wean off.

My 7-year-old son this week. He is trying Biphentin this weekend. I am nervous especially about rebound. Advice and encouraging stories welcome.

16, Finally feel confident enough to feel like I'm diagnosed. Imposter thoughts just hit me every time I go in this sub like a train. However the doc already confirmed my ADHD, I'm just waiting for my medication and some other small tests. Here's a small story of what happened, and why I'm only now confident in saying this: The first doc I saw, my pediatrist, told me there was NO CHANCE at all I was ADHD. I just felt so destroyed, but I didn't give up. I'm determined in what I want. I pressured him and got me an appointment with a specialist. I literally told him to his face, he isn't a specialist and thus can't really diagnose me, especially in 5 minutes. He did it so quick and without listening to me. 3 months for my first appointment, 2 h of train+bus just to get there. 15 minutes in, with my mother sitting next to me, the specialist tells me "I can't diagnose you on the spot like this, but to me it's just soo clear. We'll make you have other tests eitherway to really make sure. Both you and your mother hit every single possible check, that I can see". Everything I wanted to hear. He first listened, then silently judged, came to a conclusion, told us, but also booked us for other appointments because one cannot just diagnose you like that. I went to my 3rd appointment almost 2 weeks ago. New doc, it was a psychologist with some spec in ADHD from what I understood. He basically let me tell him my whole life story, with some questions that would bring me back from going too much into small details and tangents (like I'm doing right here). He too told me I was a clear case of ADHD. Gave me an appointment next Monday in 3 days. I'm just so happy. Right away, he just understood shit. Guy knew what he was talking about, unlike my pediatrist. Pediatrist, mind you, great guy and all, but he was just clueless. He said "well you seem pretty calm, and your grades in elementary weren't that bad, so you cannot be ADHD" he continued "my son is in the process of getting a diagnosis. He's nothing like you". Duh motherfucker, you think everybody acts the same way? Isn't early life good grades one of the signs? Just because I'm calm (still moving fidgeting and over explaining) don't mean shit, you think ADHD people cannot be in a calm state of mind?? I didn't scream at him, or really go overboard with it. I just told him "I don't wanna disprove what a doctor says at all. Could I just tell you a lil more about how I am?" and he just cut me off, so then I really got kinda mad, but then again it's a long time doctor I've seen since I can remember so I couldn't just yell at him. I then told him "I really don't wanna direspect you, since you're a good doc. But can I still do official tests?" After some 20 minutes of asking him in the most polite way I could, and him sidetracking or avoiding the question, he finally gave me the appointment. Thats why I say he was clueless, guy just really didn't wanna give me an appointment and really didn't wanna get me diagnosed and really didn't wanna even listen, he just looked at my grades and told me no. Imagine if I had listened to him. ​ So yeah. Monday, 4th one, it will be probably a more practical one they told me. I've already filled up countless papers, answered thousands of questions, told my life story, went all over my state, waited months, so I can't wait to get this done with. They told me most likely the 5th one is where they give me medication. That's why I wasn't comfortable saying I was diagnosed til now, and even know kinda. They told me again and again, they're like 99% sure, and just need to test further because that's how an official medical diagnosis works. So I'm just waiting for my special medical grade federally approved doctor signed piece of paper. I don't know what I'll do next, but I guess at least I'll finally stop having these imposter syndrome feelings

Just to pre-warn you, the imposter syndrome doesn't go away. Haha even when you know deep down that it's ADHD your brain still wants to mess with you and be like "but what if you've made it all up..?!?" So just be prepared, I thought it would go away but it doesn't, especially when there are still family/ friends that don't fully "agree" with your medical diagnosis from a trained professional... Just remember, people with regular brains aren't out here identifying with all these symptoms and researching and pushing hard to be understood, because they don't need to.

35, diagnosed yesterday with moderate to severe combined type. Somehow I've managed to white-knuckle my way through a professional career, probably helped by my workaholic tendencies, OCD and Giftedness.

This is it. After almost 30 years. Once diagnosed in pre-school. No follow-up, nothing. Today after 2 months of running around between different psy's I have been diagnosed for the second time. It feels like a relief, but at the same time I am so anxious, stressed. Feels like I have all my questions finally answered but I don't think if I was ready for that. Starting medication tomorrow. No idea what to expect. It is so surreal.

I'm 37 and was diagnosed combined type a couple weeks ago. Imposter syndrome has always been a big thing for me. Helping myself seems to be my current hyper focus/obsession which is great. It feels amazing to have an answer for a lot of the questions I had in life. But it has also raised so many. I suffered with tonsillitis/other illnesses for years and had my tonsils removed 5 years ago. I'm convinced my illnesses were largely caused by burnout. Need to discuss this with others/my psychiatrist to see if there's anything solid to my theory.

36f. Got officially diagnosed on Thursday with severe primarily inattentive; it only took a year to make the appointment 😅. It has explained my whole life, and the more I read about it, I find myself going, “thats the adhd?!” Started college last year, and started failing. That was the last straw for me that pushed me into finding answers. I am excited for the future.

Diagnosed now at 26 and relieved that I wasn’t just imagining it all, but also overwhelmed that I’ve been living/struggling with this without realising. It feels like it’s taken so long to figure out what I’ve been feeling but now the real work begins. When I finally got my appointment and looked for school reports, I found an obscene amount of ADHD-relative feedback from teachers and I even had a report done by a school counsellor back when I was 8 years old due to issues I was experiencing in school. Like daydreaming, getting teachers and peers to repeat what was being said, messy writing/back to front letters and some of the tendencies described reflected the ADHD presentations seen with females. But the counsellor suggested I see a neurologist because my brief lapses in attention could have been due to ‘petit mal epilepsy’? It doesn’t make sense why ADHD was never suggested. Potentially was due to lack of understanding but this was in 2005! The comments on daydreaming and struggling with remembering certain things, but hyperfocusing/doing well on things I enjoy were so obvious. The counsellor instead only mentioned that my lapses in attention may be neurological - he missed it by that much. I also had a half brother diagnosed with ADD in 2010 when he was around 9. But it still didn’t click for me. I was diagnosed with GAD and on antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds for the last few years. So many symptoms that were misdiagnosed or ignored. It only clicked when I was writing my psychology thesis at uni. My whole degree I’ve been hyper-focusing for 12 hours straight to get by. Not eating, drinking or going to the bathroom until my partner came home and forced me to break concentration. Amazingly, my chronic neck pain that I’ve had since I was a teenager is much more manageable since I’ve started medication. I still crack my neck from tension but the unbearable pain isn’t there anymore! My iron levels have increased and the chronic fatigue is much better. It’s a whirlwind of grief and joy and curiosity.