Hello and my introduction

[SilverbackG]

I am a 57 year old female, diagnosed with ADHD last April 2022. I am the "generation" that was not diagnosed or even suspected to have ADHD. I started a new job, after not working for a few years (after a big physical and mental breakdown in 2012). I am the part-timer, and my full-time work colleague is much younger than me (1 year out of college). We had been working together for less than 3 months when they gently suggested I consider getting assessed for ADD/ADHD. This was based their education (in psychology specifically) and their experiences (family members with neurological divergency). I scheduled with my Psychiatrist (under his care since 2010) and he was surprised (didn't ever suspect it) yet willing to do a complete assessment. By the end he was "blown away" that I "check every box" for ADHD. The missing link; he didn't know about "masking" and never pushed passed my "type-A, perfectionist, ultra organized and highly capable" screen, even when I was at my worst (2012 breakdown followed by disability, ending in loss of job).

I have learned a lot, yet desire so much more. I am in pursuit of becoming a thriving version of myself. I think this is done through self acceptance and the behaviors that support it. I am hear to learn and to meet others.

[STEM_Dad]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm a 48 year old male. I got diagnosed at 45, when I was going through some of the worst anxiety in my life. (I have a Type-B "go along, to get along" personality. That strategy led to going through some major work struggles, which led to the anxiety, which led to my ADHD diagnosis.)

I'd worked for years with several people who have ADHD, and I realized that I have traits similar to them, so I asked the counselor I was seeing for anxiety treatment to assess me, and I asked my doctor for an evaluation, too. They both said that I do indeed have ADHD (Inattentive presentation).

Once I got my ADHD diagnosis, it was like my whole life finally made sense!

[SilverbackG in reply to STEM_Dad]

Wow! I get that!

I find all kinds of childhood memories, young adult ones…just pop in my head and it is so clear that I was born this way!

[Jozlynn in reply to STEM_Dad]

Likewise! I was diagnosed at 50, but otherwise I could've written this. My whole life kind of shifted into place once I understood what was going on with me. Wishing you all the best!

[40_m_ADD]

G'day, Im 40, was diagnosed at the start of high school with adhd. I was medicated for a while but with life changes and a few other things didn't do well at school and dropped out life went on. I went on un-medicated for years as I had learnt many coping methods. I think through all my experience coping mechanisms are not generic but individual to yourself by trying lots of different things. However, I had a major accident in my early 30s and for some reason it all came back with a vengeance. I was living rough for a period of time after the accident and had the very fortunate experience of seeing a doctor Anne Solari. Anne had done a lot of work with people living rough and homeless and once we had spoken in depth about my past and present decided it was best to try me back on a new medication to me called vyvanse. When I was younger I was on dexAmphetamine and had lots of trouble sleeping so I did voice that concern.

The vyvanse once the correct dosage was found, Has been the best thing I've ever done in my life. I am now taking 50 mg of vybans plus top up with five or 10mg of dexamphetamine.

So from having experience from both sides medicated or un-medicated There are definitely benefits to both. I wish you all the best mate...

[SilverbackG in reply to 40_m_ADD]

Hi, thank you for sharing your experience, it helps me. I looked up the vyvanse and will ask my psychiatrist about it. My sleep is different with the adderall, I have to self-titrate my dose, based on what is going on in life. I was taking 15mg every morning, now I take less on days I am not required to do too much, like off work days. I watched some videos of Dr. Russell Barkley yesterday and his description of our "tank" of executive functioning depleting quickly if we try to "power through" stuff. I have done that my entire adult life, just dig in and push hard to get things done. It leads to a complete burned out feeling, then I sleep for like 20 hours (literally). That was fine when I wasn't working, but now? I wouldn't last long! I work part-time right now, yet it is about to change. Found a great focus/issue to solve at work, a "side project" and am submitting a proposal to take it on. The issue is that the first part is to "estimate how many hours a week" I need to do it. That reads like a joke to me, I am TERRIBLE at estimating time, probably my least precise skill.

You also got me thinking about major accidents. I had one in 2007 where I was injured and had to stop working (closed my own business after 10 years at it). Then 5 years later had a complete physical and mental breakdown (severe depression). I was overdoing it for years before each incident. I think a lifetime of fighting my brain while keeping up the appearance of "I've got this, no problem" can only go on so long without collapse.

Take care!

[Wasted71years]

Just diagnosed at age 71 - thus from a generation when the only people getting diagnosed were extraordinarily disruptive children, almost uncontrollable.

I was even referred to a psychiatrist in middle school based on failure to meet my potential and other signs that in later decades would have immediately screamed ADHD, but back in the sixties the only thing investigated was family disfunction or childhood trauma. Thus completely missed the chance of diagnosis.

Soon I had mastered the mask, able to put up a shield and only expose myself when I knew people and was comfortable, even then sharing only a part of me. That is a skill that I have to unwind after six decades of honing and practice, but I am already doing better at being open.