Hello all, I am almost 30 years old and was just diagnosed with ADHD this week. I always knew I had difficulties in certain aspects of my life for a reason. I can’t tell you how amazing of a feeling it is to know that the problems I was facing weren’t in my mind and are feelings that many others share with me. It has not been easy being untreated for so long but I am so excited to start getting treatment and am excited for the future.
If anyone has any helpful advice or anything I am more than open to it. I am happy to be open and discuss my diagnosis and struggles.
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Wrestlingwithadhd
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Happy to hear you are hopeful. Listen to some ADHD experts podcasts and follow up on the ideas and issues which speak to you. It's a marathon and not a sprint, so be patient, buy a notebook (and use it), and most of all hold on to self-compassion and understanding. Wishing you all the best!
I keep a diary (paper one) to keep my appts in, to remind me when they’re due. I always have a notebook & pen too, as my memory isn’t too good. If I’m having a busy week or have a lot to get done, I’ll write a timetable out, having prioritised the to-do list.
Self acceptance is soooo important for managing adhd! It took me 10 years after my diagnosis to really learn more about adhd and start therapy to understand more about how adhd actually impacts me. For example, maybe I originally thought adhd explained X, Y, Z about me, but turns out it also explains A, B, C (and these were things that I always assumed were character flaws... turns out they're actually symptoms of adhd that I never realized were adhd-related, so I never treated them!). I recommend learning more about adhd, symptoms, how it presents, common patterns a lot of us struggle with, and personalized therapy to help with self reflection- these helped give me clarity and identify things to work on, but it might not be for everyone. I hope you find what works for you!
Adhd gets weaved into all the other aspects of us, like most diagnoses. And while it may explain a lot of what you've been dealing with, it doesn't define you
Welcome! I was also a late diagnosis and felt so validated after some reading - and totally agree with above! Check out Additudemag.com - it’s a great resource for articles/education about ADHD to get you started.
Welcome, Wrestlingwithadhd ! Here's some advice that I think is helpful:1. Don't be afraid of stimulant medications! You mentioned that you are "getting treatment," but didn't specify what that consists of. If that's not what you meant, you may want to seriously consider it. Stimulants don't work for all ADHDers, but they are effective for most.
2. Don't be afraid to try therapy if decades of undiagnosed ADHD has left you with a lot of thoughts and feelings to work through!
3. It's helpful to learn more about ADHD so you can contextualize the challenges you face, and thereby make it easier resist attempts by anyone in your life who tries to make you feel rude, stupid, lazy, etc. over your challenges. I'd recommend reading/watching Dr. Russell Barkley. For example:
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